POLL: Wood or no wood

[Gator Lau]

Wow! A no wood testimony from the master PBC man, Jarod. I love the purity and simplicity. I'll have to rethink my position

[JeffJ]

Gator Lau

It's all a matter of preference. Kathryn is also an experienced user of the PBC and if memory serves, she likes using wood in hers. fzxdoc

[Gator Lau]

Gator Lau

It's all a matter of preference. Kathryn is also an experienced user of the PBC and if memory serves, she likes using wood in hers. fzxdoc

Just goes to show, with a PBC, "everything works if you let it"😊

[Huskee]

Yep!

[adamjs83]

Wow, thanks for all the great feedback. I guess the answer is you can't go wrong either way and just to play with both. I guess I will just have to eat a lot of bbq over the next few weeks.

[EdF]

Bummer, but that's the price of perfecting your BBQ art!

[HawkerXP]

To get yourself started with the PBC I'd skip the wood for a while. As you look at the postings here there are a lot of the new PBC folks (barrel heads?) that have problems with leaks and holding temps steady. This is normal in the PBC, by the way. IMHO adding wood which will increase temps and add smoke all of which seems to elevate the novice PBCers anxiety as to where "something is going wrong".
Try it without. When you have the hang of it add small amounts of wood. Good luck.

[Obi-Dan]

I endorse term "barrel head."

[(Blake)]

Yes Add wood of your liking

[CandySueQ]

No PBC, but I have 2 Gateway Drums. Wood pellets and lump charcoal. Always.

[adamjs83]

LOL, that literally the opposite of all the other advice!

[CandySueQ]

Just a sprinkle of pellets right before the meat goes in and the coals are blazing. Doesn't take much. Actually, lump charcoal is just pre-burnt wood!

[PaulstheRibList]

I've never cooked on a PBC, but my vote is any will forever will be WOOD!!!!!!

[JeffJ]

With the PBC adding wood is fine. I think it adds a subtle complexity to the meat. I also think that not much wood is needed. Those drippings hitting the fire produce a lot of "grill smoke". Based on my limited experience with the PBC, this is the analogy I'd use:

No wood: Top of the line hot cocoa added to perfectly heated raw milk.

With wood: What I just described with a dash of peppermint Schnapps.

Tbe key there is "dash". A little bit of wood nicely complements the "grill smoke" but too much smoke is not good.

Remember - smoke is a spice. We've all had dishes that were over-spiced (too salty, too spicy, etc.). Too much smoke is the same issue.

So IMHO a light-hand is needed when using wood in the PBC.

[fzxdoc]

About 4 oz of wood works well for me for 5 hour or less cooks. Two 4 oz chunks for longer cooks. Never any chips--too much white smoke formation for my tastes.

A little wood goes a long way in a PBC. I like the extra flavor/color it brings to the PBC party.

Kathryn

[Spinaker]

Wood!! I usually put a chunk in the middle before I dump the coals in. Then I put a few around the outside so i get smoke later in the cook. I have done just charcoal as well with very good results. I just like the extra pop that adding wood gives me.

[VaJim]

Wood...Cherry. Drives my neighbors crazy and adds a nice flavor. And yes, I do share...

[BarBQ22]

Try mojo bricks. Bar-B-Quebs. That's where the flavor is at!

[Troutman]

Started years ago with nothing but mesquite, was all the rage in Texas. Then the Central Texas que boys championed post oak so we switched to that. Having said that, I ended up loving hickory the best and use that as my go to. Regardless, the quick answer is WOOD.

[abandonedbrain]

One fist-sized (or smaller) chunk of wood to match the meat. This is more for aromatics around the yard than anything else; I like my neighbors to know I'm cooking!

[EdF]

Guess you're a generous guy!