CG w/sfb-Charcoal or wood?

[dwfII]

I've been reading this and a few other forums since I got my CG a couple of weeks ago. I've made the smokestack mod and built a charcoal basket and am prepared to invert my main box ashtray.

But talking on the phone with Chargriller (I think it was Wendy) I was told that the CG was intended to be used with 16" lengths orf wood...not charcoal. I was told that very firmly.

My question is...does anyone actually use the CG with wood (besides the folks at Chargriller)? And if not why not?

And if so, how does that work? What do you have to do to keep the temps even and not get oversmoked?
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In the high desert of Central Oregon
DWFII

CGPro w/sfb
WSM
Weber kettle
wishing for: Vicmarc 200

[Longmill]

Strange....... I'd bet Wendy (?) was confused by some aspect of your question. Just speculating, of course. If memory serves all of their instructions for use specify charcoal.

Do you have the offset firebox? Recently installed mine. And, since Murphy lives here, I think it's rained everyday since then. Once I get a handle on using the SFB with charcoal, think it would be interesting to try using wood. Chicken doesn't cost that much for some experimenting. Or, using the SFB as if it were an old fashioned woodstove and trying some baking in the main chamber.

Hoping that someone who has used wood in their SFB will stop by, as I'd like to hear their thoughts, too.

Longmill

[dwfII]

Longmill,

Thanks for the reply. I thought this topic was somehow "not spoken about," or something.

No, I'm sure that the lady I talked to said wood was thed preferred fuel. We spoke about it for some moments and I questioned her closely because I was somewhat surprised to hear that. After all, the photo on the cover of the sfb manual shows charcoal.

She did say that she had a CG but that she didn't have the sfb and that she used charcoal in the main chamber...as it was designed to use.

But I'm sure she said the sfb was designed to use 16" pieces of wood...just like the "big" boys use.

Of course, I can use charcoal. I'm happy to use charcoal, but I'm curious and interested in learning more about this box.
_________________
In the high desert of Central Oregon
DWFII

CGPro w/sfb
WSM
Weber kettle
wishing for: Vicmarc 200

[Longmill]

Oh..... I think I understand now.

Believe she meant that you could use wood instead of charcoal, if you like. While I haven't seen one in person, I've seen pix of big smokers that burn wood in the offset. Suspect she was saying that the CG with SFB gives you that option.

Just my 2cents worth of speculating this morn.
Longmill

[FrankC]

I use both charcoal and wood in both the main chamber, as well as the SFB....it just depends on what I'm making. For low and slow, I start out with some charcoal, and then fuel the rest of the way with pecan wood.

For indirect in the main chamber, like say a bcc or a roast, I again start with charcoal but include wood for that smokey flavor.

Just for the record, I use pecan wood because of my close proximity to a large pecan farm. They sell their trimmings and the price is very affordable.

Just my 2c's,
fc
_________________
Large Big Green Egg
Medium Big Green Egg
Chargriller w/SFB
http://www.linkedin.com/in/frankmcawley

[Grand Scale]

I think longmill is correct it was probably designed for 16" wood. Meanin it can accomidate it not that it is to be used with wood exclusively. Me I've used both. I have run wood fires through the sfb on mine. On bigger pit wood is easier to use. On the smaller CG firebox I find that a mix of charcoal and wood is easiest. I've never had a problem with over smoked food. I just make sure that the top vent is full open. Many guys who are concerned use a pre burn to get the big smoke off first and then use the coals as a follow up. By big smoke I mean the billow white smoke that you get for the first few minuted when a log catches fire.
Me I just throw it on and let it cook. You'd be suprised though, a little wood goes a long way to maintain heat. But its a series of peaks and valleys in the CG were on bigger rigs the steel thickness will help even this out.
Hope this helps.
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[MarinesFinest]

I use a mixture of both. In my charcoal basket I run with a layer system charcoal wood charcoal wood charcoal and then dump a lit chimney on that and then slap some wood on top of that lit charcoal and let er smoke.

[ravenx5]

Was curious on this topic and figured I'd give CG a call, to my surprise they stated that you should only use charcoal for cooking in the SFB. but for smoking in the Main chanber that the SFB was designed to use charcoal as a starter and Wood as a main fuel source.

I knew the CG was a good grill, had no idea that it could play with the big boys

[Rg]

Last Friday night, I went to my favorite BBQ spot for dinner. I noticed a sign with wood prices hanging on the wall. Since I live in downton Houston my sources of "found" wood are scarce and the prices were competitive with the high-end lump charcoal I planned to use for smoking. I will give wood a try.

Time to update the bbq log with % of wood to charcoal in case this becomes a factor in the final results. I love activities that are an art instead of a science to get creativity flowing.

[GrillWerX]

I burn wood in my SFB , no problemo.

As mentioned already, I also, use the combo method. Light a nice hot charcoal chimney, spread 'em evenly, then add wood to preference. Right now I am using oak, since I have 2 cords of it split and dried. Oak burns very nicely, low ash, and it does not impart an overly zealous smokey taste.

I try to "stick" (pun intended) to the pieces from the center of the tree, heart wood, not the outer part near the bark edges. Just seems like a cleaner way to go, burn wise.

I've been running pieces of oak firewood through my chopsaw, and cutting them about 4 to 6 inches long, to use as "chunks". I try to add the wood evenly, not a large amount all at once, or it can give those high temperature spikes. But, because of that same particular thermal property, wood can be used to "bump up" the temperatures fairly quickly if you happen to notice the thermometer dropping. The quicker you want to re-fire (send the temps higher) the smaller and more numerous the pieces should be.

I've been a woodstove user for 25 years, so, burning wood and maintaining a clean efficient burn just comes naturally.

I do advocate getting a nice hot charcoal fire revved up, then adding your wood.
All woods will give off a bit of residue if burned slowly, and do so when first lit. Tthe quicker you can get the wood "fired up" the cleaner it will burn.

Think of a good old fashioned campfire. If you get it nice and hot, you get very ltitle smoke, if it's wet, or burning slowly, there's your smoke.

If anyone is apprehensive of burning wood in the SFB, but wants to try, start with a little, each time you cook, and add a little more wood each time.

Just remember, Charcoal is made from burned (charred) wood!!

At one end of the spectrum, the Oak doesn't impart a BIG smoke taste, it mainly contirbutes to the heat and the burn, whereas at the other end, a wood like Hickory , if used heavily throughout the burn, can really soak your food with smokey flavor, through and through. (think: Virginia Smoked Ham).

I add a little hickory, here and there, if I want to impart a more smokey flavor to pork of beef.
I add a little mesquite for Chicken and fish.
That's just me and my tastes.

If you are the least bit concerned about using wood, just try a little bit more wood each time.

-Be sure to use a hard wood. (Oak , Apple, Cherry, etc.)
-Fruit trees are especially favored by a lot of users. (Cherry apple, peach, pear).
-Do not use any "needle bearing" coniferous trees (Pine, spruce, etc. These guys give off lots of resins and pitch and foul blackish smoke, blech!)
-Make sure it has been "dried" or seasoned (fresh cut wood could be very Yucky!)
-Small wood chips burn fast, hot and make , the larger chunks burn longer and more evenly.

A quick internet search will provide the info needed regarding wood species and their viability for cooking.