{"id":869,"date":"2020-05-24T09:28:43","date_gmt":"2020-05-24T13:28:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smokinlicious.com\/blog\/?p=869"},"modified":"2021-08-30T12:40:40","modified_gmt":"2021-08-30T16:40:40","slug":"why-wont-my-wood-chips-smoke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smokinlicious.com\/blog\/why-wont-my-wood-chips-smoke\/","title":{"rendered":"WHY WON’T MY WOOD CHIPS SMOKE??"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr Smoke- “Our moisture controlled manufacturing process enables the generation of great smoke.”REASONS WHY WON\u2019T MY WOOD CHIPS SMOKE??<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

WHY <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Listen<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.smokinlicious.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/WhyNotSmoke.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

We\u2019ve all been there!\u00a0 You purposely made a list of all the things you would need for the weekend BBQ.\u00a0 Carefully selected the meat, cleaned the grill or smoker the weekend before, and purchased the wood chips <\/a>to impart that great flavoring you can only get from hardwood!\u00a0 You marinated the meat 24 hours ahead and woke up on grill day full of excitement.<\/p>\n

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So, what happened?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Instead of having the most flavorful meal you had to settle for an ordinary grill day with no special flare.<\/p>\n

WHY WON’T MY WOOD CHIPS SMOKE?
\n<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\nThe wood chips failed to smoke. Or, worse yet, they just burned up in minutes. It\u2019s time you learned why won't my wood chips smoke so this never happens again! <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n

Tip #1: Understand the basics of hardwood<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Wood is loaded with water.\u00a0 It\u2019s only after the tree is cut that a loss of water or moisture occurs as there are two types of moisture<\/a> content in wood: free water<\/em> which is water in the cell cavities and bound water<\/em> which is water held in the cell walls.<\/p>\n

If you try to cook or grill with fresh cut wood, you\u2019ll likely have a very bad meal; acrid undertones and black, sooty color.\u00a0\u00a0 Wet wood stimulates acrid smoke vapor.<\/p>\n

Now, go the opposite direction.\u00a0 Take a wood that is dry<\/a>, as in it\u2019s too low to register on a moisture meter, and you have a full heat generator.\u00a0 This is what we want in the fireplace or fire pit to keep us warm, not<\/strong> in the grill, as it will simply generate too much heat and produce overdone, dry foods.<\/p>\n

Tip #2: Understand Oxygen Flow- A Key Reason- Why Won’t My Wood Chips Smoke
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Even when using equipment with fuel assist like LP, gas or electric, you still need to be aware of air flow.\u00a0 Lack of air flow is one of the predominant reasons why wood chips won’t smoke properly.\u00a0 Quality equipment is always designed with insulation to keep heat from escaping but all equipment has at least some level of venting built in.\u00a0 Whenever you use grilling or smoking woods with equipment, you need to find the balance between air intake (oxygen) and exhaust damper or vent.<\/p>\n

Some manufacturers will build in the ideal location for the wood chips by incorporating a drawer. \u00a0Even if you don\u2019t have this option on your grill, you can still provide the perfect spot for producing combustion to the wood by simply placing your wood chip container on or above the heat source.\u00a0 That\u2019s it!\u00a0 You can accomplish this by putting your container right on the heat diffuser or bar that is under the grill grate.<\/p>\n

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Tip #3: Understand What the Lid is For<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Have you ever wondered why charcoal grills have a completely removable lid while LP\/Gas and Infrared grills always have a hinged lid that is permanently attached?<\/p>\n

The reason is very basic; grill grates, regardless of material construction, are designed to absorb heat and produce conduction heat where they contact the food items (conducting heat from the grate to the food).\u00a0 The lid of the grill reflects the heat back to the food grates in what is termed convection heat (transferring heat by air flow or through a liquid medium like water (think boiling eggs).\u00a0 These grills maintain vents somewhere on or near the lid to vent out the gases from the LP or natural gas used to operate the grill.\u00a0 Remember, LP grills need to be mixed with air to burn, thus, the reason for all those vents on LP grills!<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing \u2013 if you keep opening the lid while using wood chips, you change the dynamic of the heat absorption forcing the unit to work harder to produce both conductive and convection heat.\u00a0 Plus, you will keep altering the stages of combustion of the wood chips.\u00a0 Leave the lid alone!<\/p>\n

Tip #4: Inadequate Moisture Levels- Another Key Reason Why Won’t My Wood Chips Smoke
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The worry with wood chip use on a grill is that they will burn too fast.\u00a0 Let\u2019s break this down so you understand just what happens when smoke vapor is produced from wood material.<\/p>\n

The drier the wood the faster<\/u> it will go through the stages of combustion and the more heat<\/u> it will produce.\u00a0 You will get limited or no smoke production if the wood is without measurable moisture.\u00a0 You need to purchase wood chips that have some measurable moisture to work effectively.\u00a0 Chips labeled as kiln dried are likely too dry for producing smoke vapor.<\/p>\n

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Tip #5: Step Up from Chips to Chunks<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Maybe it\u2019s time to abandon wood chips all together in favor of bigger pieces of wood.\u00a0 Here\u2019s how to know what would work better:<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re cooking one item and it is a short cook time, then chips will serve you well.\u00a0 If, however, you are planning on loading the grill with an assortment of foods say sausage, chicken, corn, peppers, ribs, etc., then you may want to consider using wood chunks<\/a> either directly on the grill\u2019s diffusers or in a wood chip metal box (learn how to do this<\/a>).\u00a0 Large and dense pieces will burn longer giving off more smoke, which means less work for you to replenish.\u00a0 Plus, you can do different types of wood chunks all at the same time (one cherry, one maple, one hickory..).<\/p>\n

You can have success with wood chips if you learn to purchase wood with some moisture, use the wood dry (no pre-soaking), keep the wood over the heat source of the equipment so it can combust, and use the right type of wood product \u2013 chips versus chunks – for the length of cook time. We hope you enjoyed our blog- WHY WON\u2019T MY WOOD CHIPS SMOKE.<\/p>\n

Then get ready to truly have the best grill day ever<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Related Reading:<\/h2>\n

-HOW MUCH WOOD TO ADD WHEN SMOKING<\/a><\/h3>\n

-THE TOP 8 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN COOKING & GRILLING WITH WOOD<\/a><\/h3>\n

-HOW TO TURN YOUR CHARCOAL GRILL INTO A SMOKER<\/a><\/h3>\n

PURCHASING WOOD FOR COOKING 10 THINGS TO CONSIDER<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n