# Wood Chip Questions



## wow77 (Jun 22, 2015)

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I'm having trouble with the wood chips not smoking for very long.  I have a propane smoker with two boxes on the bottom.  I've found that it smokes much more at higher temperatures, but not as well at lower temperatures.  I've tried soaking them for around 20 mins didn't seem to help much.  Also when I look in the chip tray I find that towards the middle of the tray the chips are burned up, but towards the back and front they are not.  Suggestions?  I'm doing a pork butt and I've read that you need to have 6-8 hours of smoke so I'd like to not have to continuously open it and lose the heat.  Thank you


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## smokerjim (Jun 23, 2015)

chips will burn up faster with higher temps,as to soaking them some people do and some don't because they say they won't burn until the water is out of them anyway,when i use chips in my mes 30 i don't soak them,they last 30-40 minute before i have to load them again,that's why i went to the amnps,load it with  pellets and i get at least 10 hour of continuous smoke which most of time i just load 2 rows and get about 6-7 hours which id plenty unless i do bacon.you can try to put your chips in tinfoil and put holes in top or just open top up a little,this might slow down the chips from burning to fast. good luck.


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## beefy bill (Jun 23, 2015)

I found soaking the chips doesn't do anything except produce white bitter smoke and steam. I wrap the chip holders in foil (no lids) and poke a few small holes. I change every hour and a half. Mine only holds one chip container. I'll remove the spent one and immediately replace with one ready to go, then open the foil on the spent one and place it under the smoker. It sucks up any remaining smoke in the spent container. Then I reload it for the next chip change. I really need a tube for pellets..


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## daveomak (Jun 23, 2015)

beefy bill said:


> *I found soaking the chips doesn't do anything except produce white bitter smoke and steam.*
> I wrap the chip holders in foil (no lids) and poke a few small holes. I change every hour and a half. Mine only holds one chip container. I'll remove the spent one and immediately replace with one ready to go, then open the foil on the spent one and place it under the smoker. It sucks up any remaining smoke in the spent container. Then I reload it for the next chip change. I really need a tube for pellets..




Good point....   In my opinion, water and smoke combine to make "acid rain".... bitter, acrid tasting stuff that ruins the meat flavor.....


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## wow77 (Jun 23, 2015)

Great tips thanks for the help!


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## millerbuilds (Jun 23, 2015)

I agree.  Don't soak your ships.  The steam carries creosote and it will condense on your meat giving you a bitter stinging taste.  This happens when your meat is cold, allowing the steam from the wood chips to condense on your meat.


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## cal1956 (Aug 1, 2015)

I use a propane smoker also , however I never smoke anything that long . I turn it on high and get a good smoke going then turn it on low .  the smoke will last

about an hour or so , then about 1/2 to 1 hour before the meat is done I add more wood chips , it already being hot , it starts to smoke in a couple of minutes

   to finish off the meat ,

I have found that anything more than that is a waste of chips 













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__ cal1956
__ Jun 11, 2015






if you look at the picture my chip drawers are on either side of the control knob , sometimes I will only fill one  and still get plenty of smoke


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