Wood questions

I have been very happy with Lexingtonoutdoors.com as they have good wood and FREE shipping... Been playing with the sugar maple which you don't hear to much about, but it is great with chicken so far...

WOW! Thanks for the tip!

What is the difference between grilling chunks and smoking chunks??

quote:

Originally posted by liddown:
I have been very happy with Lexingtonoutdoors.com as they have good wood and FREE shipping... Been playing with the sugar maple which you don't hear to much about, but it is great with chicken so far...

My advice is try it. Others can tell you how it seemed to them but it won't cure your curiosity.

But since you asked: I bought some mesquite and tried it. Not sure if its how the Electric CS smolders the wood, not burning with flame, but it was an awful smell and the results were no better. I normally would change tactics and try again, but once proved enough. Not for me.

Pecan is nice but honestly very simular to hickory only a bit milder. Apple is even milder and may be good choice for those that like/need a lite/little smoke flavor.

My advice: If all I could get was hickory - I would not look further. Its great for most cooks. Also nice to have a little mild wood on hand when needed. But try them ALL when you get a chance. Only then will you be satisfied in the knowing. Enjoy!

You're right redoak, I use hickory on everything I smoke, but will mix it with other woods and thanks to you it is always a little piece along with my other pieces of wood.

Don't know about Webster,NY, but around here ACE Hardware stores offer a large selection of wood. Ya might have to cut the chucks to your own size, but that's not that hard to do.

You're right redoak...so I went ahead and ordered a few different kinds of chunks. Wild Apple, Black Cherry, and Sweet Maple.

I have used Do-It-Best affiliates doitbest. I have an one close to where I live. I order the wood and they send it to the affiliate for free.

thanks for the tip uncsmoker. there is a place about 9 miles from me, might give it a try next time.

Mesquite burns hotter than some other woods,so can be used for higher grill temps on steaks,etc.

It can be bitter when used over a period of time.

Nice thing about CS woods is they provide them as a service for their customers.The goal is correct amount of aging and usable chunks.

Most small CS owners won't get thru a 10 lb box of wood,before it gets old,so price isn't too much of an issue,versus quality.

Hickory isn't a bad choice for most cooks,as ordinarily even experienced cooks may not notice the actual difference in taste.

Apple is usually a fallback for lighter flavors in poultry,fish,etc.

Smokinlicious.

I have had excellent luck with wood from this company.
They have many varieties and thier moisture control is great. Their wood is the best I have used.
I have used their Hickory, Cherry, Sugar Maple and Alder, all with excellent results.

website:
http://www.smokinlicious.com/

Shipment from Lexingtonoutdoors.com arrived today! Must...smoke...something!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Tom:

Most small CS owners won't get thru a 10 lb box of wood,before it gets old,so price isn't too much of an issue,versus quality.

I have been curious if wood that has been stored indoors for 5 - 10 years loses anything. I have some original CS wood that I am still using after ten years but can't really tell if there has been much change. What do the experts think about the quality of wood after a certain period of time? Is there really a shelf life?

If it works for you,it works.If it has dried,you can use some extra and you can cook lower for awhile to increase smoke.

A lot has to do with learning your cooker and your personal tastes.

This may seem kinda silly, but I'm wondering if one could vacuum seal wood in Food Saver-type bags and keep them "fresh" longer? I don't mean green wood, but seasoned wood that is at its peak of goodness.

My SM025 uses about a third of what my previous smoker used, so I have a lot of wood (a LOT of wood) on hand.

SmokinMAINEiac

I think you're on to something there.

I don't know why this struck me as funny. Spending the money you do on those bags to save some wood? Okay, it should work, but why mess with it. Keep the wood in a container, minimize any humidity and it should be fine for years.

I know, get one of those vacuum bags (that use the house vacuum) big enough for you clothes and do that. At least you could put more in there than the vacuum sealer.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
I don't know why this struck me as funny. Spending the money you do on those bags to save some wood? Okay, it should work, but why mess with it. Keep the wood in a container, minimize any humidity and it should be fine for years.

I know, get one of those vacuum bags (that use the house vacuum) big enough for you clothes and do that. At least you could put more in there than the vacuum sealer.

Smokin',

I did say it might seem kinda silly but I have read that fruit wood chunks do lose their flavoring potency over time.

Actually, your response reminded me of a storage solution I already have on hand. I have several clear five-gallon food service containers with lids that I used to store grain in. I got them at the local restaurant supply vendor.

For small amounts of wood chunks I think I will try the food saver bags. I have some plum wood chunks and some peach wood chunks that are hard to come by here.

You da man!

SmokinMAINEiac

I have found (Ace)Westlake Hardware in Topeka has a great variety of woods. I have a bandsaw and cut the wood into approximately 1 ounce chunks or 1/2 ounce chunks. For the cost of shipping etc. you might be ahead to buy a cheap small bandsaw and save money in the long run. I may have enough wood for 10 to 20 years in my 025.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
Keep the wood in a container, minimize any humidity and it should be fine for years.

When I purchased my Cookshack 08 around seven years ago I received four small cardboard boxes of wood from them also. Mesquite, apple, cherry & hickory. I just left them in those boxes in my garage without giving much thought to whether they'd lose their potency over time. Sure, they all still burn and smoke but what I most wanted to know was whether the woods would, overtime, lose whatever unique flavors they have. I just assumed that each wood would continue to impart their unique characteristics for as long as the wood would burn. Now I think the answer to that is no. Each wood does have a shelf life and over time (sounds like 1-3 years at most) old wood should be tossed.
Is this what you would recommend Smokin'?

Well, as funny as it seems I did fill five large FoodSaver bags with "perishable" wood chunks (peach and plum) and sealed them.

I filled nine, round, five gallon food service containers with wood chunks (loose), chips (in bags), and pellets (loose) and I could fill four more containers if I had 'em.

The wife thinks I'm nuts , but she loves the results from the CS.

SmokinMAINEiac