Karen C. wrote:
> "Dan" <intrceptor@gmaildotcom> wrote in message
> .. .
>> That's too much smoke - particularly Hickory.
>
> Uh-oh! The amount of hickory chunks is where DH and I disagreed
> most. He wanted to keep seeing smoke all day from the smoker.
> He said you always see that coming from the smokehouse at the BBQ
> joint we frequent. I would have put in more than the four
> chunks, but I remember reading where you can oversmoke and make
> it not fit to eat.
>
> Fortunately, DH can (and does) eat just about anything, so I'm
> sure it won't go to waste, even if DD and I don't like
> yesterday's efforts <g>.
>
>> I cooked one last night
>> with a golfball sized piece of Hickory, two Cherry - same size,
> and a
>> small handful of apple - it was shredded. The smoke ring was
> 1/4" -
>> 3/8" all around in a small picnic and the flavor was great.
>
> So do you put all of the chunks and chips in at the same time,
> when first starting up, or do you spread it out over the cook?
>
> And that's the total amount of chunks and chips you put on? IOW,
> no additional chunks nor chips?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Karen C.
>
>

The local BBQ joints are adding new meat all of the time so they need
constant smoke. The consensus is that when cooking pork butts or beef
brisket the smoke only penetrates the meat during the first hour or so.

I bought some large boxes of hickory and apple that were cut and split
into small pieces. I called them golf ball size since that's the
closest object I could compare them to. The apple I have is shredded
like mulch. I used one piece of hickory, two cherry, and a small
handful of apple - about the same amount as the hickory Sunday night for
a 7# picnic (butt). The smoke lasted maybe 45-60 minutes and I had a
nice smoke ring. I didn't add any more smoking wood after that.

Are you using lump or briquettes? That makes a huge difference in
flavor, too.

Dan


Dan