Increasing Smoke Flavor?

[jergles]

Recently got a WSM 22 and it has been a dream. In my experience it has been so easy to just nail it to whatever temp I want and go about my business. My fiancee also appreciates that it imparts a milder smoke flavor than the PBC/offset/kettle. However, I tend to like my food smokier and I was wondering if there's any way I could amp up the smokiness? Since she doesn't love beef BBQ and I'm a bit overdue for a brisket, I might treat myself to a brisket sometime if I can figure out how to get more smoke on the meat.

I was once able to get some chickens pretty smoky, and I believe I had completely removed the water pan for that cook. Otherwise I've done ribs, pork butts, and pork bellies with the water pan and they haven't been quite as smoky. I'm not sure if it's just chicken picking up smoke flavor more easily or if it was the removed water pan - does the presence of the pan change the levels of smokiness in anyone else's experience? Interestingly I'm able to get great bark with a full water pan.

One more thing is that I have used cowboy brand cherry wood for these cooks, which I do acknowledge for having lighter smoke flavor. For beef I'd certainly use pecan.

Thank you!

[captainlee]

Wife also prefers a milder smoke but occasionally I'll step it up using a smoke tube. There are a couple of brands A Maze N and Coyote. Just load them up with pellets and get it started with a torch. I also use the tube for cold smoking cheese.

[jergles]

Gotcha, never thought of that. Where do you put it, just down with the coals?

[captainlee]

I'd put on the cooking rack. Check out their info on line.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Use the same tricks for a pellet cooker... throw the meat in freezer for 30ish minutes before going on the cooker, use a pellet tube (I honestly don't think this does anything compared to wood chips in a maze tray or foil or whatever), or use some wood with more bark on it.

[jergles]

Never heard of the freezer trick, I'll have to try that. Also didn't know about the bark. Thank you!

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

jergles IMO it's the most effective of the 3

[Richard Chrz]

What size chunks and type of wood are you using. I used to get great smoke on my 22, I always used about baseball sized chunks of oak and pecan.

[jergles]

I usually use 3 fist-sized chunks for a butt. Maybe it's just the wood I'm using. Only tried the cowboy cherry wood so far but I have some pecan I need to try.

[Richard Chrz]

@jergies I use mostly wood that has been cut and seasoned by friends. but when I first started smoking I used BB wood chunks and would again if I ever lost sourcing, at least for reference point.

[ecowper]

Richard Chrz totally agree …. I’m fortunate to live in “Maple Valley” with tons of maple and oak tree and friends with well seasoned wood …. But if not I would choose something like BB

[TripleB]

One thing, look at the label on the bag. Does it say kiln dried? If it does, then that could be start of your smoke issue. You get more smoke flavor from seasoned wood than kiln dried wood. Need moisture in wood and kiln dried wood has very little.

[jergles]

Didn't know about that difference, I'll take a look, thanks!

[ecowper]

Several things I do for good smoke on the WSM ….. first, I find wood that has been naturally dried, not kiln dried. Kiln dried wood (like you get in the bags o’ wood at the hardware store) has basically had all moisture and natural stuff taken out of it in the kiln. Get something that’s been allowed to naturally dry and still smells like wood.

second, I bring the meat out as cold as I can. Basically, I want the IT of the meat to be about 30F, even 28F. And I wet the meat as I apply the rub. Water and cold help smoke adhere to the meat.

finally, I keep the smoke going until I wrap (if I wrap). Basically, I bury 3-4 good sized chunks of wood in the ring of briquettes and allow them to naturally light and smoke throughout the cook.

[jergles]

All sounds easy enough to try, thank you!

[ecowper]

Hope that helps!

[Johnny Booth]

+1. Natural wood is totally different (better) than anything in a bag. I burn sticks, and natural hardwood not only burns longer with more heat, making stick-burning much less hectic - it also has the smoke flavor you’re looking for.

Is there a science-based test out there that compares the chemicals in the smoke for pellets v. kiln v. natural hardwood? Good google question. 🙂

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Spritz it with liquid smoke every hour...😝

[jfmorris]

Hahahaha. Best comment I've read here today!

[HawkerXP]

the coals or the cook?

[Duanessmokedmeats]

HawkerXP Yes

[randy.56]

I use pecan since it is plentiful, have some in my yard, With big meats- longer cooks after 2-3 hours in add more, as the first is gone. As well as other tips provided above.

Chicken accepts smoke very well, compared to beef and pork.


That's a great smoker by the way, had one years ago, till it rusted out. loved it.

I live in Newburgh IN, near Evansville, I could give you a bunch of pecan if you live near by.

[ecowper]

One other thing I forgot to mention about smoke flavor on meat ..... smooth surfaces allow the smoke to convect around the meat without attaching to it. You want a rough surface which allows the smoke particles to be captured easier. The simplest way to do this is to use coarse ground pepper in your rub, which creates a nice, bumpy surface. :-)

This article by Meathead has more than you ever wanted to know about smoke

https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/grill-and-smoker-setup-and-firing/science-of-wood-and-smoke/

[Duanessmokedmeats]

You could spritz with a 50/50 mix of water and apple cider vinegar. Moisture attracts smoke.
Also try mesquite chunks for your beef. Pecan is to light.
Hickory chunks for pork.

[ecowper]

don't forget to mix some liquid smoke into that water/cider mix :-)

[Hulagn1971]

One other thing, try to get your hands on some hickory chunks. I use those in my WSM for beef exclusively. I find that it has a stronger/more robust smoke flavor than any other wood. I don't use it for any other meats due to its strength. Maybe a pork butt "but" that's it. I also don't use water in the water bowl. I just wrap it in foil, just my preference.

[jfmorris]

I too find that most fruit and nut woods give less of the "traditional" smoke flavor than woods such as hickory. I prefer hickory for that very reason.

[Hulagn1971]

And jfmorris hickory smells amazing too!

[ecowper]

hickory, red oak, post oak, maple are my favorites

[Santamarina]

Never used a WSM, but got started smoking with a Weber kettle. Transitioned from there to a COS, where I still did charcoal with a few wood chunks.

The issue of “not enough” or “too much” smoke in that setup is due to how clean/dirty those chunks burn. It’s pretty easy to over/under smoke.

Shameless plug for running a stickburner…

It wasn’t until I ditched the charcoal and went to straight wood splits that I experienced balanced wood flavor. With a nice clean burning fire you’ll get all the smoke someone who “likes smoke” would want, while still being mild enough for people who “don’t like smoke,” as most of those people don’t actually dislike smoke they just dislike the creosote from dirty smoke.

The key is experimenting to find what you all like, and taking extensive notes so you know how to repeat. Happy cooking!

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Yes, very shameless...😁

[Johnny Booth]

+1 on the shameless plug. I’m ok with the extra effort to produce the real wood flavor. 👍👍

[bbqLuv]

There is What Is Liquid Smoke?
Just saying.

[HawkerXP]

I use oak for beef. Also, cold meat.