Wood Burn Thoughts

[bubbabob]

Thanks Greg, and sorry for the late reply. We were on a short vacation and out of touch.
BB

 

[barelfly]

After seasoning today, I noticed front piece of wood was solid and charred, middle piece was pretty much ash and back piece was charred with some ash coming from the split that occurred.

After reading through this thread, if I use foil tent for the wood, should I place the foil on the hot spot, or perhaps in the middle between hot and next hottest spot?

Thanks for the help!

 

[DivotMaker]

Sounds like you found your hot spot, Jeremy.  You can either avoid the hot spot (we use so little wood, it's usually not a problem, especially in a 3), or you can wrap the bottom of the chunk in a little foil boat (not a tent).  Better wood, like smokinlicious, also minimizes combustion.

 

[barelfly]

After cooking the ribs this week, I used one chunk (right at 3oz) and used a foil boat. I placed it in the middle, where my hot spot is. After cleanup, all that was left was ash. Next smoke, I'll move it back towards the back to see how that works. I also ordered Smokinlicious wood and will see how that works out.

 

[SuperDave]

Combustion is fuel, heat and oxygen.  Rather than "boat", I just lay a piece of foil in the bottom of the box to cover most of the holes, reducing oxygen and a small amount of direct heat.  However, from your test results it sounds like you know where to put the wood for best results. 

 

[barelfly]

Second smoke was today. I ordered Smokinlicious wood last week and used a foil boat on the bottom of the wood and moved to the second hottest part of the box (far back). The wood chunk was black throughout and would fall apart when pulled on.

I'm guessing this is what we are after with an electric smoker, correct? Regardless, the chicken quarters I made tonight were phenomenal!

 

[NDKoze]

Yes, that is exactly what you are looking for.

Another example of why Smokinlicious wood is so awesome!

 

[swthorpe]

+1    I am on my second box load of snmokinlicious wood and have had no combustion problems...just black charred wood that falls a part when the smoking session is done.

 

[DivotMaker]

Just because a chunk turns to a pile of ash, doesn't mean it caught fire.  Unless I see a temperature spike, and nasty gray smoke, I look at a pile of ash as "success!"  I achieved a slow smolder, on the bottom of the chunk, and it eventually consumed the whole chunk (at a slow rate).  Ash is not bad.... gray, short-lasting smoke, accompanied by belches and/or temp spikes, is.

 

[NDKoze]

Just because a chunk turns to a pile of ash, doesn't mean it caught fire.  Unless I see a temperature spike, and nasty gray smoke, I look at a pile of ash as "success!"  I achieved a slow smolder, on the bottom of the chunk, and it eventually consumed the whole chunk (at a slow rate).  Ash is not bad.... gray, short-lasting smoke, accompanied by belches and/or temp spikes, is.

Definitely true. And I will say that even on the rare occasion where I did have some combustion, I just let it ride and didn't open the door and I still had awesome results. I think the biggest mistake that some people do is open the door when they see a belch or a temperature spike. This just lets the oxygen flow into the chamber and makes things worse. If you just let it ride, things will go back to normal and in the end your final results will not be affected that much if at all.