There are very few things in life as good as smoked food. When infused with a hint of smoke, just about everything tastes better. Although most people associate smoke with traditional BBQ, it can add another layer of flavor to everything from seafood and vegetables to poultry and pizza, and even dessert (imagine indulgent chocolate brownies with a dose of luscious pecan smoke!) However, you don’t need a smoker to enjoy delicious smoked food. Wood chips make it easy to add rich smoky flavor to whatever you’re cooking even on a gas or charcoal grill! Inexpensive and easy-to-use, wood chips are a simple way to impress guests and look like a pro.
Using Wood Chips on a Gas Grill
Using wood chips on a gas grill is fairly easy. First and foremost, you’ll want wood chips. It’s also wise to get a wood chip smoker box, which not only holds the chips, but maximizes airflow for a better burn and better distribution of the smoke.
One of the most common questions we get is whether to soak wood chips. Their are opposing opinions on the matter. Some believe that soaking wood chips prevents them from burning up too quickly. Others say that when you soak chips, you’re just delaying the process—they won’t start smoldering until they dry out (the initial “smoke” you see is actually steam). Finally, there are those who believe you should use a combination of dry and soaked wood chips—the dry ones will smolder immediately and the soaked ones will begin smoking later, after they dry out, providing continuous smoke for a longer period of time. (If you choose to soak, this is a convenient Wood Chip Soaker Set.) Our recommendation? Experiment and see what works for you. You know what you like. If it tastes good, go with it.
Once you’ve decided on how to prep your chips, here’s how to use them on the grill (with optional soaking instructions)
- Soak several handfuls of chips in cold water for at least 30 minutes. If you’re doing a long cook like ribs, make sure you have enough soaked wood chips for the entire cook.
- Put one or two handfuls of chips in a smoker-chip box and place the box on the grill.
- Wait for the chips to begin visibly smoking.
- Cook using either the direct or indirect grilling methods. If you are using the indirect method, add another handful or two of chips once every 45 minutes.
If you’re new to smoking and aren’t ready to invest in smoker box, you can use aluminum foil. Follow the same directions as above, but fold the chips in an aluminum packet and poke several holes in the foil to create airflow. Another great option are wood pellets, which can be used with a pellet box or pellet tube. (Interested in more tips? Check out our article Turn Your Gas Grill Into a Smoker.)
Using Wood Chips on a Charcoal Grill
If you have a charcoal grill, using wood chips is even easier. Simply soak (or don’t) your chips for 30-60 minutes then place one or two handfuls on the coals. For longer low-and-slow cooks, add more chips every 45 minutes or so. Charcoal grills also give you the ability to add small wood chunks, which will smoke longer and more intensely. Just place a chunk or two right on the lit coals. (Note: whether you’re using chips or chunks, you want the wood to smolder and emit a light smoke, not catch fire and billow thick white smoke, which will taste acrid. If this happens, there’s too much air flow. Shut the lid and make sure your vents are at the right settings)
Pairing Wood Chips with Different Foods
Not all smoke is the same. Depending on the type of wood, the smoke can be sweet or nutty, strong or mild. For that reason, the some woods complement the natural flavor of particular foods better than others. Here are our suggestions for pairing wood and food. Feel free to mix-and-match flavors together and experiment:
- Apple Wood – A lighter wood with fruity flavor. Uses: Poultry or pork.
- Apple BBQ Smoking Chips for a charcoal, gas, or electric grill. See description for cooking instructions.
- Apple wood heat treated to eliminate and prevent pests, mold, or rot. 100% Natural.
- 180 cubic Inches of large sized Apple BBQ Smoking Chips per package.
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Hickory Wood – A full smoky flavor, the classic smoking wood. Uses: Everything, especially meats.
- Power Source Type: Manual
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Pecan Wood – Mild and nutty, very versatile. Uses: Beef, pork, poultry, also baked goods.
- Pecan BBQ Smoking Chips for a charcoal, gas, or electric grill. See description for cooking instructions.
- Pecan wood heat treated to eliminate and prevent mold or rot.
- 180 cubic Inches of large sized Pecan BBQ Smoking Chips per package.
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Mesquite Wood – The strongest smoke flavor, very popular in Texas. Uses: Red meat.
- Mesquite wood chips
- Big bold flavor
- Great with pork, lamb, & beef
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Maple Wood – Maybe the sweetest smoke flavor. Uses: Poultry or pork.
- W w w Wood 28067 2 lb BBQ Maple Smoking Chips
- W W WOOD INC
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Cherry Wood – Distinct mild-sweet flavor. Uses: Poultry or pork.
- Cherry BBQ Smoking Chips for a charcoal, gas, or electric grill.
- See description for cooking instructions.
- Cherry wood heat treated to eliminate and prevent rot.
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
BBQQueens carries an extensive selection of wood chips and smoker-chip-boxes. We wouldn’t ever grill without them!
Related Article: How to Use Smoker Chips in Any Type of Grill
Smoker chips are wooden chips that emanate a flavored smoke when you burn it. When you blend more than one smoker chip together, they give off a combination of different flavors. If you want to use smoker chips, first, know about the most common types to use for grilling.
The 5 Types of Smoker Chips
Here is a list of 5 types of smoker chips:
1. Hickory Wood Chips
- Aroma: Pungent, but pleasing
- Mix well with apple and pear wood chips
- Pairing: Chicken, beef, pork, ribs, and turkey
2. Alder Wood Chips
- Aroma: Delicate and sweet
- Mix well with hickory and fruit wood chips
- Pairing: Chicken, fish, pork, beef, lamb, and turkey
3. Apple Wood Chips
- Aroma: Fruity, light, and sweet
- Mix with alder, maple, oak wood chips
- Pairing: Chicken, beef, pork, ribs, and lamb
4. Pecan Wood Chips
- Aroma: Subtle and sweet
- Mix with cherry wood chips
- Pairing: Chicken, beef, pork, ribs, and turkey
5. Maple Wood Chips
- Aroma: Smoky and sweet
- Mix with hickory and apply wood chips
- Pairing: Chicken, fish, pork, and turkey
These are just a few of the smoker chips available for you to use with your grill. Other smoker chips that you can use include almond, cherry, mulberry, hazelnut, walnut, orange and lemon, herbs, coconut, corn cobs, apricot, lilac, grape vines, birch, guava, mesquite, and hardwood chips.
If you are using hardwood chips to grill your meat, you need to be careful. There is a chance of the lumber mixing with another type of wood such as pine wood. In addition to this, you need to be alert for wood covered in resin because it can damage your smoker and ruin your food. You may use hardwood chips for cooking seafood, poultry, and other types of meat.
Next, you need to learn how to use these different types of smoker chips that you just learned about various types of grills.
How to Use Smoker Chips to Grill in These 5 Types of Grills
You can use smoker chips with gas, charcoal, pellet, electric, and Tru-Infrared grills. Here is how you can use smoker chips with the following types of grills;
1. Gas Grill
You will find a smoker box with some gas grills. If your gas grill comes with a smoker box, you need to damp the smoker chips before you add them to the grill and light it on fire. If your gas grill did not come with a burner, you can still use smoker chips for grilling your meat. You should use a foil pain with aluminum covering the smoker chips with your gas grill in the absence of a burner.
2. Charcoal Grill
If you own a charcoal grill, you will need to use the charcoal as the heat source. You will need to burn the charcoal until it has become white. Once the charcoal has turned white, you need to add smoker chips to it.
Once smoke, emitting from the smoker chips, begins to thin and smolder, you can add your meat to the charcoal grill. You can also combine smoker chips with wood chunks. Wood chunks will make the fire burn for a longer duration. You should add one or two cups of smoker chips to your charcoal grill after every 45 minutes.
3. Pellet Grill
Pellet grills have taken over the grilling season, becoming one of the most popular grilling trends. Pellet grills provide you with the ultimate convenience of gas grill combined with the smoky flavor of smoker chips. The best part about a pellet grill is that it can pre-heat quickly.
You will some pellet grills that allow you to adjust the grilling temperature in 5-degree increments. You can use the pellet grill to smoke, bake, grill, barbecue, roast, and braise. Wood pellets are their heat source.
4. Electric Grill
If you do not want to go the trouble of maintaining your grilling station, you should invest in an electric grill. The only downside to owning an electric grill is that it does not provide you with the same flavor that a gas grill and charcoal grill provides you with.
You will need to use a smoker box. Add smoker chips to the smoker box and place it in the center rear of the electric grill when it comes hot. Before you begin to cook your meat, you need to wait for the smoker chips to give off smoke.
5. Tru-Infrared Grill
Tru-Infrared grill may have a complex name, but it is simple and convenient for you. If you are using a Tru-Infrared grill for cooking your meat, you need to start by heating one side of the grill. Next, you need to add packets of smoker chips to it.
If you want, you need to add smoker chips to heavy-duty aluminum foil, seal the packet, and poke a few holes on top of the packet. You also have the option to purchase disposable packets of smoker chips or use a smoker box. When the smoke is ready, you need to add your meat to it.
What Else Should You Know About Smoker Chips?
You need to soak your smoker chips in water for half an hour or 30 minutes before you use them. If you want, you also use whine or juice to soak smoker chips. In doing so, it will enhance the flavor of the smoker chips.
You need to heat the smoker chips for 100 minutes until you start to see smoke. Once smoke begins to emit from the smoker, you need to add your meat to the grill. As for changing the smoker chips, you should do it after every 6 hours.
You can check the taste and smoke of the smoker chips to determine if you need to change them or not as well. If you have used the smoker chips more than once, you need to check them for mold.
Have a fun time grilling various meats using smoker chips.
Last Updated on August 11, 2020 by Judith Fertig
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