adding wood during smoke

[joeburns]

fairly new owner, starting to experiment more as i get used to the smoker.

Cooking two dishes today for the first time, started a butt last night and just about to put in some ribs, hadn’t thought before though that i have no way of adding wood for the ribs (smoke box too hot) and theres little smoke left from the wood that went in with the butt.

Any remedies?

 

[old sarge]

You can pull the butt when it is at or close to the internal temp you are looking for, double wrap in heavy duty foil then wrap in a heavy towel and place in cooler to keep hot. While the butt is resting in the cooler, you can do your ribs. 

 

[joeburns]

thanks sarge, its the wood i am worried about, i will pull the butt when its at 190 and wrap as you suggested but have users found a workable way of adding wood during a cook when the smoke box is too hot to remove/top up safely?

 

[old sarge]

With heavy gloves or an old doubled up towel, remove the rack and flip the box lid open, add wood, replace rack and add ribs. Enjoy!

 

[mike1910]

2nd what old Sarge said. I’ve also used tongs to pull the box out a little and lift the lid with them.

 

[Lonzinomaker]

I use tongs to pull the box out and lift lid. And I have a pair of silicone bbq gloves on at the same time in case I have to catch something hot.

 

[iwillcya1]

Brand new user & my wood related question is how much wood do you use to start with?  Like when you 1st start smoke is coming out the top vent hole, but shd smoke be coming out the top continously during the entire smoking process, & if not I assume you jst need to add wood?

 

[Lonzinomaker]

iwillcya1:
You only need 2-6 oz of wood per smoke. Too much smoke will make for a bitter, creosote taste.  I weigh my wood so I don't use too much.  And the wood smoke doesn't have to keep coming out for a long 6-12 hour smoke.  Meat stops absorbing smoke after it reaches 140 deg according to the experts.

 

[old sarge]

X2

 

[swthorpe]

X3 - I never add wood after a smoke begins.  I will start out with 4-6oz of wood depending on the length of time I anticipate the meat will take, and I don't touch the smoke box again until the meat is finished, and I start the cleanup.    The heaviest smoke will appear in the beginning, and it gets lighter as the smoke time continues.  So don't worry if you are not seeing heavy smoke for the duration.

The original question here was about doing consecutive smokes -- I have not had an experience of two smoke sessions in one day, but I would add new wood before the second smoke begins as described above.

 

[tpcdelisle]

I think good gloves are a must. I don’t usually add wood later but I have and with the gloves, it is easy enough to either move your rack to gain access to the smoker lid or just slide out the smoker box far enough to open the lid.

Also, I’m 2-4 oz wood kind of guy. For our tastes, that is plenty of smoke flavor so that we can still appreciate the meat flavors.