I've seen alot of info about wood here, and even some nice pictures. But I'm getting conflicting info from some posts. I've only done 2 smokes (with food) and 2 test burns (no food, trying foil in bottom of wood box).
BTW, I'm using SI wood chunks.
When I smoke without any foil in the wood box, my wood is reduced to a fine ash, lighter than dust. This seems acceptable to some folks. But I've also seen pictures and read comments about how their wood after a smoke is still 'intact', not reduced to ash, but simply black. It's still a chunk of wood, only burnt.
On my test burns I've placed foil on the bottom of half the wood box. Wood chunks on the foil are black but intact, and chunks not on foil are reduced to ash.
Is there a right or wrong answer here?
Is foil on the floor of the wood box the same idea as a 'foil boat?
Meat only absorbs smoke until reaching 140 degrees; after that any additional smoke just builds up on the outside of the meat possibly affecting the taste. If the wood isn't reduced to ash, then I'm guessing it's still smoking all the way through the cook. Can this add to the over-smoked taste?
I'd like to hear from the experienced users out there: do you foil your wood box or chunks? What does your wood box look like after a typical smoke?
Thanks for the guidance,
Ken
BTW, I'm using SI wood chunks.
When I smoke without any foil in the wood box, my wood is reduced to a fine ash, lighter than dust. This seems acceptable to some folks. But I've also seen pictures and read comments about how their wood after a smoke is still 'intact', not reduced to ash, but simply black. It's still a chunk of wood, only burnt.
On my test burns I've placed foil on the bottom of half the wood box. Wood chunks on the foil are black but intact, and chunks not on foil are reduced to ash.
Is there a right or wrong answer here?
Is foil on the floor of the wood box the same idea as a 'foil boat?
Meat only absorbs smoke until reaching 140 degrees; after that any additional smoke just builds up on the outside of the meat possibly affecting the taste. If the wood isn't reduced to ash, then I'm guessing it's still smoking all the way through the cook. Can this add to the over-smoked taste?
I'd like to hear from the experienced users out there: do you foil your wood box or chunks? What does your wood box look like after a typical smoke?
Thanks for the guidance,
Ken