All these different woods to look ???

Frank -- A definite "Yes!" to the plum and crabapple. Plum is a nice mild smoke with a fruity hint. Never used crabapple but know others here do. Olive and chestnut should be ok but I will defer to someone else.

Tom has a link that lists all kinds of woods. I am sure he'll post it for you, "Right Tom...?

Hi Frank,

I'd stay away from Russain Olive. Insects and herbivores wont eat it and therefore you probably wont like it either.

If you chose Chestnut, make sure it's the real thing not the one we call Horse Chestnut or Buckeye.

Check out this link that Qnorth found:

http://www.barbecuen.com/burningwood.htm

Smokey has some good advice.

LOL

Hook

A most excellent article. I only take exception to the part about red and white oak being interchangeable. I disagree. Red oak is alot stronger than white oak. I regularly use the heartwood of each.

This is strictly an opinion,and we know what that is worth.

Most cooks /diners won't know the difference among woods.

We can notice the objectionable,or oversmoked.

Nut woods tend to work pretty well with large ,longsmoked product,and fruit woods work well with small,light smoked product.

You can buy a fryer chicken for a couple bucks,and experiment.

I really think that is the best way.

I feel that after you go through about 100,you'll wind up with a couple that you use.

Just my $0.02

This discussion brings up a question. Does it matter to leave the bark on the wood chunks?

Bark has been the topic of several discussions. Might want to do a search. Some, such as I, feel that the bark has no effect on taste (unless it has grown a mold, fungas or is mossy), while others will swear that bark makes bitter or a bad taste.

Hmmm! Been a while since we had a poll. Think I may get one going. Interesting subject

I guess oak would be a nut wood? Are acorns nuts?

Oak,as we know is considered the "Queen" of woods.

It mellows and balances almost anything you put with it, and gives good BTU s.

I guess you could consider it a "nut" wood.

Many folks, using stickburners ,like to keep it about 70%,and flavor woods for the rest.

Thanks Tom.

I reckon those liveoaks down there are a type of white oak? Do you use the wood from liveoaks?

it is not reccomended to use live oak, or water oak. the best nut is hickory, hands down.

Yep,it is a variety of white oak,but not used much for smoking,around here.

Folks would prefer to see them with dangling Spanish moss,etc.

Cooking Woods

I don't know about hickory being the best nut wood for smoking. Most popular, yes. This may be due to availability. Some folks might want a more mellow but similar smoke like pecan. Like someone else might be itching to say, smoke is very subjective.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
I don't know about hickory being the best nut wood for smoking. Most popular, yes. This may be due to availability. Some folks might want a more mellow but similar smoke like pecan. Like someone else might be itching to say, smoke is very subjective.

I'll take pecan over hickory or mesquite anyday...

Here is a quick link to another article on woods: http://www.carolinesrub.com/blog/template_permalink.asp?id=205

Yes, I think I would too, but I like white oak even better.

I'll put in a vote for cherry.

Anyone used peach?

I don't want to disagree with Tom, for I do like to use oak, but not live oak. The last time I used live oak was to make a wood workers wood mallet and it is a hard, hard wood.

Now for my favorite all around wood to smoke with, is local bay wood. It is from the same family of the Turkish bay tree and the wood has the same smell and flavor as Turkish bay leaves which you may cook with at home. The California bay laurel is a distant cousin to red or white bay. Both red and white bay grows around the tide waters of the Gulf of Mexico in North Florida. Lightning struck a nearby red bay tree last year and some of it became 2 oz chunks before the steam evaporated.

We use this wood for commercial fish smoking and I have found that the wood is never overpowering when used for beef or pork. With chicken, lots of bay wood will make a strong smoke, but even then it is not bitter like too much hickory can become.

smokemullet

Mr. mullet,

Where do you get your bay? I'd like to try it.

Thanks,

Hook

Hook,

I obtain red bay from locally downed bay trees and from a friend that is a commercial fish smoker (he uses nothing but red bay). Also, you may buy it from this commercial wood business that sells natural charcoal as well:

Southern Fuel Woods
28826 West Newberry Road
Newberry, FL 32669

Phone# 352-472-4324

Thank you sir. I'll give them a call.

Has anyone ever used cottonwood wood for smoking? I have the cottonless variety too. Thanks

Rick in CO

Don't know about cottonwood/sycamore etc. Tom has a link posted here somewhere to a woods site. I don't remember it being listed.

Maybe what you need:
Dave's woods

Meatman woods

Chucks

As a general rule, if you don't eat what the tree produces, mesquite aside, then don't smoke with it. I could stand very corrected on this, but is it a guideline I use.
Rob

I'm cooking on an FE100 and use a pellet mixture of 40% oak, 40% pecan, and 20% mesquite. This is Texas; what would you expect.

quote:

Originally posted by ezgoin:
I'm cooking on an FE100 and use a pellet mixture of 40% oak, 40% pecan, and 20% mesquite. This is Texas; what would you expect.

LMAO - ez, if you are in Texas I would expect you to use 100% mesquite with brisket!

That mix looks good for butts.

I did a google for 'cottonwood smoker' and found this:

The woods you listed are very good for smoking your meats, I have also found that cotton wood (if you have it around) works well for this too as many insects do not like it. I live in Alaska so I have an abundant supply of cotton wood.

Not sure what it all means but there are other links to check.

On the other hand, I found this at the following page:

And, under no circumstances should you grill or smoke over woods such as cottonwood, willow, pine, or poplar. Stick to the woods listed below and you'll produce great heat and fragrant smoke. And when you consider smoking foods, think of the wood as a spice to add flavor instead of just being a fuel.

http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/wood.asp

If in doubt and can't find "proof positive" I would not use it. JMHO

Cotton wood is good for heat, but not for flavor. It is far too mild, and usually has to be combined with another wood, such as oak or pecan, to really give any flavor.

Never use Sycamore...it can make you ill, as it puts off a toxic smoke when burned.

As light as cottonwood is, I wouldn't think it would be as good for heat as the denser woods such as oak and hickory and pecan.