# Water in the wood chip box



## Steffany (Oct 18, 2017)

My question is: do you put water in the wood chip box while smoking. We are new to smoking and my husband insists on filling the wood chip box up with water and soaked wood chips. We also put water in the water tray. We have a masterbuilt sportsman elite gas smoker. Thanks guys!


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## sauced (Oct 18, 2017)

For wood chips, I believe that many people soak them prior to putting them in the box. Me, I never soak the wood, creates steam, then the wood dries out and starts to smoke. Try using dry chips and add more as needed.


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## Steffany (Oct 18, 2017)

sauced said:


> For wood chips, I believe that many people soak them prior to putting them in the box. Me, I never soak the wood, creates steam, then the wood dries out and starts to smoke. Try using dry chips and add more as needed.


 How often would you add dry wood chips? Every hour or so? I feel like they would burn up rather quickly


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## daveomak (Oct 18, 2017)

Steffany, morning...   One more "never soak chips" person here...    Only use water in a small pan, like a tuna can, to increase the humidity to keep sausage casings from drying out, or meat I'm cooking for dinner from forming too tough a bark...
Chips, I only add about 1/4 cup at a time.. wait for the smoke to end... dump the ash and put in another 1/4 cup of chips..  
Of course this info also depends on the type of smoker you are using...
Help us out...  You location would be a big help,when members try to help you...


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## Rings Я Us (Oct 18, 2017)

Hmm... 
You guys could use chunks too.  So like if you had wanted to try a new flavor of wood, next time buy chunks and try those. Last a lot longer and no soaking required. I never soaked chips.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 18, 2017)

Dry pit smoker here. No water at all when I'm smoking. I also second using chunks over chips. (2-3) 2"-3" chunks for long smokes is what you need.


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## troutman (Oct 18, 2017)

No water in the wood chip box, just add water to the water pan, period.  As was stated, water just inhibits the start of the smoke process.  Not enough penetrates the wood to make that great a difference anyway.  Just need some water to provide a humid atmosphere as well as a good heat sink for temperature control.  Just keep it out of the wood box.


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## pops6927 (Oct 19, 2017)

What happens when you throw water on a fire?  It puts the fire out.  Watering your wood; regardless of dust, pellets, chips, chunks, logs, trees, etc., it retards the burning of the wood.  Decrease your heat, not water your chips.  You have to add more fuel every ½ hr. to an hour or so to keep the smoke going - thin blue smoke from dry wood, not white billowy smoke (like you get when you water your chips, containing steam and creosote).


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## angry santa (Oct 19, 2017)

In my smokehouse I always put dry chunks of wood in the pan and then cover them with the sawdust collected from cutting up the logs. The sawdust smothers out any flame up and gives it a gentile roll of blue smoke the entire time...without a flame up the temp stays more consistent with no spikes. I check the pan every two hours or so.....


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