Are you wanting the oak flavor or smoked flavor?
If you want smoked, I'd suggest smoking the pods before starting to ferment. The smoke can become overpowering really quickly, so maybe only smoke the pods for a very short time, or only smoke a portion of the pods to be used in the ferment.
If you want the oak flavor....dunno about that... but go for it. Never know 'til you try it. Maybe put a chip in a glass of water and taste the water to see if it's a flavor you like and want in the sauce.