"Dan" <intrceptor@gmaildotcom> wrote in message
.. .
> The local BBQ joints are adding new meat all of the time so
they need
> constant smoke.

That makes a whole lot of sense to me, but DH just isn't buying
it.

> The consensus is that when cooking pork butts or beef
> brisket the smoke only penetrates the meat during the first
hour or so.

I do recall reading that someone in the group had said the meat
will only take on smoke the first hour. But then I wondered how
that could be, considering people have said you can over smoke if
you're not careful.

> I bought some large boxes of hickory and apple that were cut
and split
> into small pieces. I called them golf ball size since that's
the
> closest object I could compare them to. The apple I have is
shredded
> like mulch. I used one piece of hickory, two cherry, and a
small
> handful of apple - about the same amount as the hickory Sunday
night for
> a 7# picnic (butt). The smoke lasted maybe 45-60 minutes and I
had a
> nice smoke ring. I didn't add any more smoking wood after
that.

This is good to know. I'm going to try the apple and cherry
woods soon.

> Are you using lump or briquettes? That makes a huge difference
in
> flavor, too.

Definitely lump--although I can't find a good brand around here.
Cowboy and Frontier are all I've found so far. I did spot
Kingsford's Charwood last week, but I seem to recall reading that
it ain't that great. I'm going to special order a decent brand
if I don't find some locally soon.

Thanks a bunch!

Karen C.