Which wood chunk size gives better smoke - big fists or small chips? I'm split after 3 cooks

My last two brisket cooks at home in Austin I switched from fist-sized post oak chunks to smaller chip-sized pieces. The small chips gave a cleaner smoke ring but the bark was way thinner than my usual thick crust. I stuck with the bigger chunks for the first 5 hours and the flavor was deeper but the temp swings were wilder. Is there a sweet spot on size or is it just personal preference based on your cooker?

3 comments

3 Comments

susan_wright3428d ago

Wait, wait, wait... hold up. You're telling me you got a cleaner smoke ring from small chips? That's wild to me because I've always heard the opposite, that bigger chunks give you that nice pink ring. I've been using fist-sized post oak for years (like, since my first offset smoker) and never had a problem with bark thickness. Maybe your temp swings are from the chunks catching fire instead of smoldering, you know? I'd say stick with the big chunks but maybe set them in a bowl overnight so they're not bone dry. That might smooth out your heat without losing that deep flavor.

patricialee28d ago

My dad soaked post oak in creek water once and the ring turned green. @susan_wright34 I'll try the bowl trick.

stellanelson28d ago

Hang on, are we really losing sleep over smoke ring aesthetics? I mean, I get it, the pink ring is cool and all but at the end of the day you're eating the meat, not framing the ring. I've had plenty of briskets with a solid ring and mediocre taste, and some with barely any ring that were incredible. Your dad soaking post oak in creek water and getting a green ring though, that's a new one on me. I think people get too caught up in the visuals and forget that the flavor and texture are what actually matter. But hey, your mileage may vary, I'm just a backyard hack.