Wood chunk sizes

Depends on what you are smoking Mullet. If you are smoking a butt or brisket you may get by with 4 oz, tho you may be pushing the limits (for my tastebuds anyway). If you are doing a yardbird, my general rule of thumb is 1 oz per 5 lbs of meat. Birds take on smoke easily an quickly. It's very easy to over-smoke foul. On top of that, in my opinion, the birds seem to taste more smoky the next day, so I'd use caution.

I would rather start a little on the light side with my wood. Experiment and most of all, keep good notes. This will definitely help you down the road.

As for my favorite wood for ribs, cherry is my wood of choice, but most anything will work with pork. Watch the mesquite tho, it can be harsh and get bitter if over done in the least.

Hope this helps. Welcome to the forum! This is a great place to get your smoking questions answered. Remember to tell us about that first smoke! Good luck!

I don't like mesquite either!

I read an earlier post that said to weigh the chunks because you can't just judge by the eye and I think that's good advice.

By the way, after the last hurricane, I collected a bunch of oak tree limbs. I know I need to dry them out and get Jack to cut them up. How do you recommend both of those duties? And don't suggest that I cut them, lol.

Jack looked at me like I was nuts.

Peggy

Not sure how big of a limb you have but, I can cut up to about 3 1/2 inch stuff on my tabletop bandsaw. This works great to reduce larger chunks and make things the size I like to use. I got mine at Sears for about $125.00

dave

Peggy, your problem is easily solved. As far as the drying goes, nature will take care of that assuming you don't get any more hurricanes. As for the cutting part, lock yourself in your new catering rig and don't let Jack in until he has cut every last limb into perfect 1oz chunks. If you find yourself giddy with power, you could make him carve them into little animal figures, but that might be pushing it.

I'm glad you finally got your rig. It seems like mother nature was really working against you for the past month.

If you a have a place to set them on a dry rack ,on blacktop,in the sept sun,they will dry pretty quickly.

Some folks place some in an attic space.

I'd slice the limbs into 2" pieces with something other than a chain saw (so you don't soak them with bar & chain oil). If he's got a reciprocating saw, there's long wood cutting blades that can work really well. Let the slices dry for a couple months out of the rain. At that point they should be real easy to debark and split into chunks with a hatchet.

Thanks, everybody! They're about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. I tried to get the big pieces but I couldn't lift them. Oak trees are heavy things. I don't know what kind of saws he has. I always seem to use the pruning saw or the one that looks like a letter D laid on its side that has the blade you can change. I know he has a circular saw. We can't wait to lock ourselves up in the trailer. One other thing...does it work better if you saw the wood before it's dry?
Peggy

It will dry quicker if you do. More exposed surface to the air per piece!

Todd,
Jack would like to know which animal figurines he should carve?
Anybody know of a place to buy generators?

well, being from Florida isnt it obvious?

Gators & Dolphins!

Yup, saw 'em before drying. Pruning saw would work well, plus provide a huge amount of exercise

I'm thinking conical, hurricane like figures might be the shape of the season for you. Actually, a hand carved talisman that will ward off hurricanes might be a good added profit item to sell.

Take a look at http://www.northerntool.com/generators/?CMID=osclrp3116ln

Big selection at Nortern Tool, but I bet generators will be scarace for a while everywhere. We're even out up here in NC. Over the last month I've seen several trucks with FL tags loaded to the gills with generators at HD and Lowes. I figure they are concerned citizens headed to FL to resell their generators at a cost just high enough to recoup their fuel expenses.(?)

oh man you guys are such helps!!!
and guess what my duties are now???
our electrican made up 2 extension cords for us to at least season the smokers in with. we couldn't even get 8 gauge 3 conn wire here but i did find two 30amp 125v females so since the rv storage guy is so nice staurday i will season the smokers in one at a time.
this gives me plenty of time (can we all say 8 hours??) to;
a- unload the bed of the truck with all the oak peggy has made me collect.
b- cut it to length with a good old hand saw (don't want to waste electricity for the smokers)
c- carve out nifty little dolphins and gators (and since i still think football is a girls game and i see a pattern here i will even do jaguars) while i mutter and wonder if the english rugby team will say this year that the sprigboks play too rough and have myself a grand old time while waiting to be hurricane bait!!!! WAIT ISN"T THAT A FOOTBALL TEAM TOO???
again i just want to thank you guys for this lovely idea and rest assured i can't wait to repay this favor!!!
yer friend
jack
2 Greyhounds (and me) SMOKIN!!!
ps thanks guys i needed the laff. still no luck finding a generator but things will be fine and i can't wait to see the sm and fec smoking away if only just to season

man did i dodge the carving bullet. st aug is doing a mandatory evacuation tomorrow they say. if i was out carving i couldnt get back in so we are hunkering down. figure i can smoke a picnic on the old bullet and that is few days meals and got bout 1/2 gal of coleman fuel left for the stove. we are staying along with the hounds and 6 neighbors. will try to post pics of the trailer tomorrow.
jack
oh almost forgot will have pirates of the caribean going for those that want to stop in
yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me

I don't think drying the wood is going to happen anytime soon. So Jack can whittle this weekend. I'm thinking little greyhound figurines. How many do you think he can get done by Monday night?

Todd, if he has enough wood left, he can carve out a canoe for you. You've had a lot of flooding up there, haven't you?

Too silly, here. I guess it's just jitters!

Stay safe everybody!!
Peggy

I too live in Hurricane country 4 this year! and have lots of oak which is one of my favorites to cook with. When smoking I actually use it right off the tree fresh bark and all. Only to grill do I use dry oak.

A friend has given me a pile of hickory boards that have been cut and planed. I am reluctant to use them because they look so perfect, not like the chunks of wood that I am used to. Can anyone see any reason why I should not use this wood? There has been no treating or other substances on it....

sam,

how do you know there was no treating? I'd be reluctant to use wood I didn't know what it's chemically treatment was. I hate to cut up boards, but if you're okay, just make them small.

Cook a couple of $3 yardbirds.

They absorb everything,good and bad.

Give ya a quick hint.

Try 'em on a neighbor.LOL

I use larger chunks (2 to 4 ounces) on longer cooks, and use 1/2 to 1 ounce chunks on shorter cooks. (typically chicken or fish)

I usually weigh them. The amount you use pretty much depends how much smoke you like.

Just remember, it takes very little wood in a Cookshack. I've had mine for 6 months or so, and still have wood left from the introductory pack sent with the smoker, and a gift of pecan from Hook on here.

I just raided my firewood pile, and chopped up a bunch of oak. A local apple orchard gave me some free apple wood. This weekend I'm taking down an Alder tree in my backyard. I'm set for another year (or two) of Cookshack Que!