Wood

I read somewhere that you want to try and rid the wood of the bark...that the bark makes the smoke a little bitter. As for as to how dry, I would would just let nature take her course and dry the wood naturally. Peach sounds like a wonderful wood to use for pork, fowl or veggies where you would want a milder smoke flavor.

Michael

Sometimes I remove the bark and sometimes I don't, I can't tell much difference.
Here's a good place to check out the different kinds of wood. CLICK HERE

I use peach and don't try to take off the bark.It is mild though and probably chicken or turkey are better than beef.

Whole green branches with leaves and small twigs removed should be placed on top of a shed or similar (off the ground) in full sun for a full year before using.

The last peach wood I used wasn't all that mild to me. I used 1 oz. on 2 yardbirds and had a tad too much smoke.

Bark does not matter unless it has mold, lichen, mildew, algae, etc., then remove it.

I never remove the bark from any wood as it's simply added labor to the smoking process. If there appears to be mold or moss on the wood, that's a different story. Nohting has been bitter. Keep it simple!

Tyson,

It is great, just don't use peach pits.

I have used peach before with good results. I dry my wood by cutting/splitting the wood into small pieces and placing them in a brown grocery bag and then place it in the garage. Do not store wood in your house to include your basement or attic. I had some wood drying in my basement and the bugs came out of the wood and it took me two weeks to kill them all. I never take the bark off.

I know coopers in France dry oak right out in the sun and elements, so I just try to copy that. Been working for hundreds of years.

I have a 105 cookshack com smoker and I did 6 racks of ribs and used hickory,apple and a corn cob from sweet corn.. Is this a wise thing to do with a cookshack ????? Someone told me that corn cobs were used for smoke years ago ?
The ribs tasted great and had a good smoke ring.
Anybody ever use corn cobs ???

Can't hurt much.

Not sure how much flavor you get from one dried ear.

Relatives, with old ham smokehouses on the farm,would burn cribs of them in the fall after the first hard frost in the holler.

Don't know if it was great,but it was free.

I have used corncobs. Just be sure they are very dry. It is mild smoke like you might want on primerib, poultry, fish.

thanks for the info..I used it still wet but will use it dry from now on. there is a butcher here that has cob smoked bacon and that is yummy.I also have been using a mop sauce of vinagar,salt,red pepper flaks,and some brown sugar but it makes a mess and by having the door open that long lets the smoke out and increases the cook time so I'm going to try it without the mop next time.

You have a great cooker there,and if anything it cooks too moist.

Most folks wouldn't open the door at all,unless they were cooking full loads and trying to let moisture out.

Throw your nut and fruitwood in the cooker and let it alone for about 3 hrs +.

If you need to open and quickly check the ribs,you can always spray them -then.

is it necessary to turn the ribs and should I be cooking them meat side down or bone side down? Your right it does keep everything moist,in fact I cooked a load of ribs once and it let out a big puff of steam and scared me half to death ! Thanks for all this info.

First,no.

Second,Smokin' Okie just reposted Ribs 101,which I believe he did on your smoker.

Next,go to the FIND at page top,input type of ribs,select all forums,and it will give you most of our collective wisdom.

After all this,which is a great rainy night read,we'll try to answer your few specific questions.

Have fun.

Will do.........Thanks