Weber Kettle Club Forums

Anyone tried just putting wood chips in the water reservoir instead of chunks on top of the charcoal? The SNS is new to me, but was just curious about using this method. Wood chunks sometimes will flare up making temp control tougher, so though maybe I could use the smaller chips in place of water, sort of like a smoker box on a gas grill.

They need to smoulder to make smoke. Wetting is (IMO) a good thing but boiling doesn't strike me as giving much smoke flavor up?

Quote from: Stoneage on January 22, 2022, 04:54:23 PM
They need to smoulder to make smoke. Wetting is (IMO) a good thing but boiling doesn't strike me as giving much smoke flavor up?

Yes, I meant dry wood chips, no water.

   Weber used to make a plastic wood chip soaker container, hard to get nowadays Kingsford has an identical version which is much easier to come by. Soak the chips a day in advance drain and throw on the coals. I love chips over chunks because you can combine two or three types of woods get a unique flavor and look to the meat. My last combo was cherry, pear and orange.

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I use an onion bag with a rock in a 5 gallon bucket to soak chips. My electric $20 yard sale smoker  smokes fish which is cheap down here on the east coast. Water is probably the most important as the fish will cook instead of smoke. I have a little metal  box for the chips, but it is easier to throw chunks in the door. My dream is to get a Weber egg grill to cook on that. I'm driving about 80 miles round trip tomorrow a lady has one of those sits in a cart has a little table next to it with a basket underneath for $45. Is that cheap or going rate? Get closer to the beach and the prices go up.

I'm guessing as I don't see an answer to your question, that the only way to find out if it would work is to just try it. I would try it first with dry, if it works maybe try some wetted but no water in it.


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Quote from: bbqking01 on January 23, 2022, 03:03:04 PM
I'm guessing as I don't see an answer to your question, that the only way to find out if it would work is to just try it. I would try it first with dry, if it works maybe try some wetted but no water in it.


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Thank you. I felt like I was speaking another language.

I am aware of soaking chips (and how to, which is really pointless unless you want to steam your grill. I have running water and a cup, multiple cups actually 😂). I figured that someone on here with a slow and sear, at some point, had the same thought, but apparently not anyone who read this. I'm just thinking that with higher heat cooks (pork tenderloin, bone in chicken, etc.) the chips in the reservoir would work just like a smoker box on a gasser or a foil pouch with chips on top of the coals. Was more thinking that without adding wood of any kind to the charcoal, temps would be easier to hold steady. I'll give it a shot and report back.

sometimes threads go off the rails, but since I have a slow n sear, I would be interested to know what you find out. I haven't used my sns yet...


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Some of best, cleanest blue smoke I've seen on a kettle is with a wood chunk on the grate above the SnS.  I'd bet wood chips in the empty water trough would smoke quite well.  On high heat cooks the bottom of my water trough will glow orange, so it's definitely hot enough!

Try it out.  See what happens. 


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I never thought of putting wood chips in a dry water well for doing chicken and beef. Have to try this the next couple days will be in the ,50's so it can snow Saturday. I am a fair weather chef.

Well, here it goes... Pork tenderloin, half chimney of lit KB bricks, layer of Franklin bricks on top.

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Quote from: Hoover98 on February 10, 2022, 02:08:05 PM
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I'll be curious how it worked out

Quote from: JEBIV on February 11, 2022, 02:26:43 AM

Quote from: Hoover98 on February 10, 2022, 02:08:05 PM
Pics wouldn't load.

I'll be curious how it worked out

Turned out fine but took longer than normal. I think there is an airflow issue with small chips packed in there because I had a hard time keeping a consistent amount of smoke going. I'm going to try larger chips or even small chunks next time to see if that makes a difference.