Kamado wood chunk usage

[Breaktheory]

Hey Kamado smokers...since you need to remove grated and deflectors to access the firebox, what do most folks do to keep wood chunks going as long as possible through a long cook?

Thanks!

[customtrim]

I use a smoke pot, sometimes both chunks and the pot

[Henrik]

The good thing is that you don’t need wood chunks all through the cook. I put three in at the beginning, then leave it as is.

[LA Pork Butt]

I put a fist size chunk on the fire after the egg is stabilized. That is more than adequate.

[SmokeyGator]

I have a Primo with an oval firebox, so I can scatter wood chunks around. I don’t use many, 1 or 2 larger chunks, or 3 - 5 smaller chunks. It’s not an exact science.

Last overnight cook I did revealed a few chunks that weren’t even burned. Not completely anyway. The fire never spread across the entire box. It is ridiculously efficient. So they were left in, eventually they will burn.

When starting the beast I usually only put in 1/2 of the heat plates and only 1/2 the grill. Then light it. Then after about 30 - 45 minutes put the largest chunk of the cook on the hot coals, then put the other heat plate in. Another 15-20 minutes and it’s smoking nicely, not too thick.

I can tell when the other chunks hit the heat from the temperature spikes. But really after a certain point the additional smoke is only there to tease the neighbors. Yea. I got my smoker going. Enjoy your boiled chicken or whatever you are eating today. Also I’m the only one in my side of the block with a true smoker.

[BloomHybrid]

I agree with the others I put all of my wood in the beginning and spread them out a little bit. You only need smoker at the beginning of the cook not all the way through. This method gives plenty of smoke flavor.

[Spinaker]

You should use the smoke pot. It gives you all the smoke you need, as long as you need. You really only need smoke for the first few hours and that is about it.

Also, the Eggspander system makes it much easier to remove everything in your kamado, at once. The Ceramic grill store also sells a kit as well. But you cannot use your plate setter with the CG version.

[Keiferr]

I have a large BGE. For a recent pork butt cook (40#) I filled the firebox to within about 2" of the legs up plate setter. Cooked for 15 hours, had plenty left.

[LA Pork Butt]

Yep! I did 40# for 22 hours on one normal load. It was just about all gone when I finished.

[Attjack]

I've been loosley wrapping the wood in foil. When the cook is over I unwrap and have lump charcoal in place of the wood.