4 Steps To Grilling With Smoking Wood Chips

Posted on: 26 January 2022

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If you've ever eaten bacon, you've had a chance to experience the delight of smoked meat. However, the ability to enjoy rich, smoky flavor doesn't end with cured meat. You can smoke any meat, from steaks to pork chops. You can even smoke fruits and vegetables to create unique new flavors. Here are four steps that can help backyard grill enthusiasts get started smoking food to their heart's content:

1. Purchase wood chips.

You don't need to spend time splitting logs in order to enjoy smoked food, especially when wood chips are ideal for culinary smoking applications. Due to their small size, wood chips light and burn quickly. This means that you won't get stuck tending a fire for longer than it takes to cook your meal. Wood chips are readily available online and in many hardware stores.

2. Select a smoking vessel that will allow the flavor of your wood chips to shine.

As wood chips burn, they release fragrant smoke. In order to allow this smoke to flavor your food, you'll need to trap it inside a cooking vessel. You can use a standard barbecue grill for this purpose. Small, portable barbecue grills will allow you to utilize wood chips anywhere. However, if you plan to smoke food often, you may want to invest in a specialty smoker designed for this purpose.

3. Pick the right wood chips for the job.

The flavor of your food will vary depending on the type of wood chips you use to smoke it. Flavour is closely related to scent, so you should be sure to choose wood chips whose smoke smells palatable to you. Certain wood chips produce smoke that complements specific types of meat. For instance, allspice wood can add a desirable flavor to Caribbean dishes. Meanwhile, applewood can serve as a great all-purpose wood for your smoking needs. Feel free to experiment with different types of wood chips until you find the flavor combinations that you like best.

4. Store your wood chips.

Purchasing wood chips in bulk can help you save money. A large bag of wood chips can last you through an entire summer of grilling. However, if you don't want your purchase to go to waste, you'll have to store your wood chips appropriately. Keep your wood chips away from water and humidity since moisture can cause wood chips to rot. After opening a bag of wood chips, you can keep it in a hard plastic container with a well-fitting lid.

For more information on smoking wood chips, contact a company near you.