Shoutout to the old guy at Ace Hardware who told me to soak wood chips overnight

I laughed at him and threw dry hickory chips straight on the coals during a brisket cook last Sunday. Ended up with bitter smoke that tasted like ash and ruined a $80 cut of meat. Has anyone else had a beginner mistake backfire this hard?

2 comments

2 Comments

charlesanderson3d ago

Man I did the exact same thing with cherry wood my first time smoking a pork shoulder. 3 hours in and that bitter acrid taste was all I could smell when I opened the smoker. Soaked some chips overnight the next weekend and it was a night and day difference - clean smoke that actually smelled sweet. Now I always keep a bucket of water with chips soaking at least 12 hours before any cook. That old guy at Ace probably saved your next brisket.

haydenj903d ago

Soak em in water for 12 hours and the smoke actually smells sweet? Did you notice any difference in how long the chips lasted or how often you had to add new ones?