I just "discovered" this site. What a resource! Hopefully my first thread won't bore you with my questions.

I'm new to "smoking" and so far unsuccessful. I've tried using mesquite & hickory chips in a cast iron chip box in both my kettle and gas grills. I soak the chips for 30+ minutes, dump them in the chip box, and place it in the grills ahead of time to get the smoking going (???). The chip box is placed over the coals or over a burner (high heat). So far I haven't seen much (hardly anything at all) in the way of smoking, the chips just seem to dry out and do a slow burn. I generally use the indirect method for cooking anything over 15 minutes and would like to add some smoke flavor to ribs, etc.

Am I soaking the chips enough? Should I place the chip box in an indirect location from the coals or burner? What temperature is best to get the smoke effect from these chips? Is there a good reference on how to properly use a chip box in a grill? Every time I see a reference to chips wrapped in perforated foil, I think it can't be any different than using a chip box, but (???). Does the chip box approach really work, or is it a mickey mouse approach to the real thing?

I enjoy BBQing/Grilling and want to get into some smoking, just as another way of cooking. Would I be better off with a smoker, or can I expect reasonable smoking if I do the chip box right?

Also, with the indirect method in the gas grill (center burner off) I can't get the temperature lower than 300°F. Consequently, it only takes about 1 1/4 hr to do ribs. I'd like to do ribs with the smoke at a lower temperature. Would I get uniform indirect cooking if I had the rear burner on, and the front & middle burners off as a way to get down to lower cooking temperatures?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for any suggestions.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Al L,

Welcome Al, I find that the foil pouch works far better than the chip box. I threw mine out. I do not soak the chips when using them. Just a a tight foil pouch and poke one or two holes in it. Place the pouch on the flavorizer bar above a lit burner and your good to go. I put about 1/4-1/3 cup chips in the pouch. For long cooks you'll make 3-4 pouches and put a new one in every 45 min to an hr. HTH

I haven't used wood chips in my gasser (just got it last week, and have WSM and kettle already) but the dude on License to Grill does all the time. I see him make two pouches as Bryan says. He puts half soaked and half dry in each one, and replaces it about an hour in, or when maybe you stop seeing smoke.

Try it, it won't cost you anything but some foil. You say you have a weber genesis gold, but then you say you can't get the temp down on indirect by turning off the middle burner. My genesis 320 does about 275 with both burners off except the rear on high/med high. You should be turning off all burners except either front or back, and put the chips over that.

With the kettle, if you try that again, there are many methods of getting the temp low and slow. Here is one:
http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9040039023/m...040078405#2040078405
Give it a read if you haven't already. I'm trying it out myself. I own a WSM already, as said, but sometimes I want to make one rack, or one chicken.

Al,

My experience is that the store bought chips are so small that they burn away too fast. I personally cut small pieces from larger blocks of wood. I try to get the pieces about 1/8 inch thick and about 1 1/2 by 1 to 2 inches. To do this, I place the large piece of smoke wood on the concrete floor, place a hatchet on an edge of the wood, and hit it with a rubber mallet. The pieces split off easily and the smoke seems to last longer.

I have foiled and used a cast iron box and I prefer the box.

Good luck,

Ray

Ray,
Tongue in cheek, but I'm using the Weber Fire Spice Mesquite wood chips. They are small pieces in comparison to what you use. The are assorted short lengths fro 3/4" up to ~1 1/2" and vary in thicknes, from slivers to ~1/4".

Others, thanks for your comments. Feel free to add more. This is good!

for the kettle ya need to use foil wrapped chips. better yet is to get chunks. much much better.

Yup, for the kettle, just find a way to bring those temps down, and throw some wood chunks in there. Soaked wood chunks will smoke for hours. NO need to replace (watch out for high temps and too much O2 they'll catch fire though).

Get within 225-275 and you're good. 275 being a bit fast. I like to settle in at 245, then if it spikes when I'm away (drinking or napping!) I'll be good.

Al
Welcome to the board,yes a great resource,
Take a look at this thread. Slow Cook
You don't need to have 2 burners on you can just use the rear or front burner on its own and have it on low if you like.
Try the tips posted here and in the linked post and let us know if you need more guidance.

Regards