Swapped from charcoal to wood chunks for my brisket last weekend and wow

I've been using just charcoal for years on my offset smoker, but a buddy who competes told me to try straight wood chunks instead. I picked up a bag of hickory and oak mix from a local hardware store for like $20. The bark came out way darker and the flavor was more of that deep smoke taste instead of the lighter charcoal one. Only catch is I had to tend the fire way more often, like every 45 minutes instead of every hour. Has anyone else made the switch and stuck with it?

2 comments

2 Comments

shanel131mo ago

Man I had the exact same experience except I thought I was being smart and bought a whole bag of straight mesquite chunks. First batch of ribs tasted like I was smoking them over a campfire in hell. Had to toss em and start over. The fire management thing is real though, I felt like I was married to my smoker that day constantly messing with the vents.

jesse_cooper1mo ago

Ever try mixing mesquite with something milder to tone it down?