Adding wood fired flavor is what makes the Big Green Egg a unique cooking experience. But when do you use wood chunks vs. chips? When it comes to adding some supplemental smoke to the Big Green Egg, using chips and chunks are the way to go. Here we talk about when to use each and how to use them to add even more flavor to your BBQ adventures.
Questions to Ask Yourself?
- What food are you cooking and how does it retain smoke flavor?
- Who are you cooking for and how heavy or light do they like their smoked foods?
- Who are you cooking for an do they prefer hearty smoke flavor or lighter? Do they like bold smoke or soft and mellow smoke
- Are you looking for smoke during your entire cook or just a quick burst of finishing smoke flavor
- I don’t soak my chips or chunks as the water/steam puts off an off flavor of wet wood or mold and tends to leave a film on the food
Wood Chunks
- Bigger pieces of wood
- Tend to smolder and add even smoke
- Layer into the charcoal to add an even smoke for your entire cook
- Less is more, since they add a lot of low smoke, add less wood to get smoke flavor.
- Can be removed if needed to stop adding smoke
Wood Chips
- Smaller pieces of wood
- Tend to add a burst of smoke
- Are great for adding a finishing touch of smoke to the end of your cook
- Less is more, since they add a lot of fast smoke, use less wood to get smooth smoke flavor.
- Can be used on the charcoal or in a smoker box if desired
For more helpful tips, visit Ace Hardware's Tips & Advice or a Neighborhood Ace Published on 1/12/2021. Always follow manufacturer's instructions before using any product.
