Should i soak my wood chips

The only reason for soaking wood chips for smoking is to add another flavor besides the smoke. Water simply delays the burning of the wood chips which is the smoke flavor that you are looking for without adding any additional flavor to your entree. By adding, whiskey, brandy, beer, wine, or juice the initial drying out process will infuse your entree with the liquid taste that you use.

Once the liquid has evaporated, then your wood chips will char and burn to give it that extra smoke flavor. The liquid that you choose should pair well with your entree just as if you were drinking it.

For example, chardonnay is great for smoking fish. To witness plank grilling in action, take a look at this video demonstration. The damp wood will smolder as it ignites, giving you a slow, steady stream of smoke.

This means that they could burn up before they can impart any real smoke flavor. Although you can always keep adding more chips, soaking them may save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Dry wood will produce smoke that has a bluish tint to it. It is possible—but in truth, you should leave the chips in the soaking liquid for up to 24 hours before adding them to the grill.

That pretty much defeats the purpose of soaking them to begin with. Whenever possible, soak the chips a day ahead. Good planning will save you a ton of hassle and provide you with satisfying results. If the wood chips are particularly small—say, smaller than a quarter—they should be ready for the grill in 8 to 12 hours. Larger pieces can stay in the soaking liquid for up to 24 hours.

It may also give the liquid a scummy appearance. As we mentioned, you should always choose wood with a flavor profile that will complement your chosen ingredients. Light woods, such as alder, cherry, and apple, will impart a delicate smoke flavor and a hint of sweetness. They work best for chicken breasts or firm-fleshed fish. If you can find pear or peach wood, feel free to give them a try when grilling chicken or vegetables.

Once the wood is dried out, it burns cleanly… So why make it wet? Using soaked wood is the easiest way to over smoke your food. Generally the smoke will start off as a brown or tan color, and as it dries the smoke will tend toward a blue color. When in doubt, put your face in the smoke and smell. Soaked wood chips only produced 8 minutes of smoke while a combination of one side drenched and one side dry produced 12 minutes of total smoke.

Water can put off smoking by roughly 10 minutes even at high temperatures. Ben — Culinary Director Broil King. If you need help click here. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages. Skip to content Soaking and Smoking Guide for Wood Chips and Pellets You can get great smokey flavor on your gas grill by using a smoker box and your favorite wood chips or pellets.

How do I get thin blue smoke on a gas grill? Why should I soak wood chips before putting them on the grill?