Hi -

Just wondering how long you can leave wood chips soaking before they start growing mold or will go bad. I'd like to have some ready at all times so I don't have to lose 30 minutes soaking them before I grill.

Also, does anyone have any experience soaking them in something other than (or in addition to) plain water? Does it enhance/change/ruin the flavor of the chips?

Thanks for the info.
Eric

Eric,

I've soaked chips for use on my grill for years. But I've made the transition to just dry chips since I purchased a smoker a couple of weeks ago. I've read pros and cons both ways on soaking/no soaking, and after very good results with non-soaked chips in my smoker, I'm sold. The biggest argument I could find against soaking is the competition festivals. None of those guys soak their chips (according to most of the research I've found), and they "sort of know what they are doing" in my book! I'm sure others will chime in here, but first hand after two smoking uses, I see excellent smoke produced by my electric smoker without soaking, and I'm sold.

Mike

This really depends on what you are smoking in. If you are smoking in a grill using a smoker box then definately soak the chips. In grills the smoker box heats up to very high temps and will burn the chips up much quicker than in a wood fired smoker where you can adjust the air flow and temp to control the combustion rate of the wood.

So in grills it gives you much more time between having to change out the chips. Additionally, I would recommend that you use chunks instead as they will last much longer than chips do. I normally keep some chunks soaking in a comletely enclosed container to prevent mosquito larve from hatching. Never had any problem with mold as long as the container is full. It'll take about a week for the chunks to completely submerge and become waterlogged.



I really think that depoends on what you soak them in, certainly it will change the flavor of the smoke, I use Jack Daniels barrel top pieces and the flavor it imparts is wonderful.

Bluesin