quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Pecan - Most versatile of all woods, great on any meat, great taste, not overpowering, but very noticeable.

Agreed. I smoke with Pecan 90% of the time.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Where do you guys get your wood? I can buy bags of chunks of almost any wood. I can buy apple from orchards but it’s not cheap. I’m happy with my oak but I’m curious where people buy their wood if they aren’t cutting it. I’m guessing most people only use a small amount for flavor? Since I use all wood I need a lot.

For the most part I get it from Home Depot or Food Lion. Pear comes from my backyard. Too the pear tree every five years or so and it lasts a while since I don't use it exclusively.

Why are you using only wood? Try using lump mixed with wood. Even friends with stick burners that I know start it with a chimney full of charcoal.

If you have to use only logs, I'd go with oak. Tastes good, pretty mild, and cheap.

I just order it on Amazon, pretty good prices and variety. Sometimes it is so cheap it is an "add-on" item.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Where do you guys get your wood? I can buy bags of chunks of almost any wood. I can buy apple from orchards but it’s not cheap. I’m happy with my oak but I’m curious where people buy their wood if they aren’t cutting it. I’m guessing most people only use a small amount for flavor? Since I use all wood I need a lot.

For the most part I get it from Home Depot or Food Lion. Pear comes from my backyard. Too the pear tree every five years or so and it lasts a while since I don't use it exclusively.

Why are you using only wood? Try using lump mixed with wood. Even friends with stick burners that I know start it with a chimney full of charcoal.

If you have to use only logs, I'd go with oak. Tastes good, pretty mild, and cheap.

I do use a chimney of lump to start. But we are talking 12 or more hours on a stick burner. Buying home depot bags would be crazy expensive. I do a lot of bbq. As you suggest I’m using oak. I wonder if adding a few chunks of other woods would make any noticeable difference.

Strambo I assume you are not using a stick burner and just add chips or chunks to a gas or electric smoker?

I like mixing woods, I think it leaves a good flavor, so I definitely think you could used oak as the main heat/smoke source and other woods for additional flavor.

Have you considered Smoke & Flame?




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/TBb9O-aW4zI

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

Have you considered Smoke & Fire?


Link to original video: https://youtu.be/TBb9O-aW4zI

ROFL. It wouldn’t surprise me if some hipsters would actually want to buy something like that. Maybe a good new business idea.

I have Maple and Chestnut and Sycamore trees on my property, would any of these be good for smoking?

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:


Why are you using only wood? Try using lump mixed with wood. Even friends with stick burners that I know start it with a chimney full of charcoal.

That right there is solid advice. As Erin Aaron Franklin says, think of wood as an ingredient not just a heat source.

Once I started blending in lump in my Lang cooker the results definitely improved. Easier temp modulation and a reduction in the bitterness sometimes present in a really long cook. Still plenty of smoke flavor.

Also worth noting that the wood flavor is imparted much more during first part of cook rather than later so if y'all are mixing in variety do it then.

{edited since he's not a girl. Sheesh.}

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Georgeair,

I use BGE lump charcoal, then throw in some water soaked pecan for the smoke flavor. When cooking vegetables, I throw in Alder.

Prefer Hickory over most woods, especially for pork/beef.

90% of the time I use Traeger's Gourmet Blend pellets it is a mix of sweet maple complemented by notes of savory hickory and tart cherry.

Does a really good job on most everything without being overpowering.

Used to be $20 for a 30 pound bag at Costco, now it's $25, still a bargain as most places sell 20 pound bags for $20..

The best tasting beef briskets I've ever tasted were always cooked with pecan. I use it with pork as well. Like noted above, 90% of the time.

I have used applewood with chicken with some positive results, but it seemed a little weak on flavor.

Decades ago it seemed all you could ever find was hickory and then mesquite got popular. After that I saw quite a few cheap grills get warped using mesquite. It can burn very hot.

Cherry doesn't seem to be as strong on flavor.

I really like apple for pork.

I'd rate the pecan as pretty similar to hickory as far as the strength of flavor. It was pretty good on the turkey I smoked for Thanksgiving

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Where do you guys get your wood? I can buy bags of chunks of almost any wood. I can buy apple from orchards but it’s not cheap. I’m happy with my oak but I’m curious where people buy their wood if they aren’t cutting it. I’m guessing most people only use a small amount for flavor? Since I use all wood I need a lot.

This summer the local Fleet Farm had 20 pound bags of apple, pecan and mesquite for less than $10. I picked up a bag of apple and pecan. I use lump charcoal so 40 pounds should keep me for awhile.

quote:

Originally posted by armored:
I have Maple and Chestnut and Sycamore trees on my property, would any of these be good for smoking?

Maple and chestnut, yes. Sycamore, no.

I'm a really big fan of hickory and love it on pork and chicken, it's good on beef too. I've thought about trying Apple or Pecan, but the hickory is so darn good, I don't deviate. I've tried Mesquite with beef and didn't like it.

A friend swears by pecan, but I've yet to try it.

As for lump charcoal (without any wood thrown in), I really like Oak lump charcoal from B+B. The charcoal does impart a good flavor and the type of wood it's made from. Kamado Joe's lump is made from "3 different premium South American hardwoods", some pieces of charcoal in their bag are the size of George Foremans fore arm.....and sometimes I'd get a bitter flavor in my food and believe it's one of the 3 hardwoods they use, if there's too much of that wood in that particular cook. I used 105 lbs of Kamado Joe before switching to B+B oak. Don't get me wrong, Kamado Joe is a premium charcoal, no tiny pieces or dust, no sparks when it's warming up etc.

When I smoke beef or pork, I use Hickory 100% of the time. For poultry, I have found that I like alder or cherry wood. I live in Az. but do not like the taste of mesquite wood smoke....too strong for my palate!!

I believe pecan and hickory are in the same family and virtually the same flavor. I use them interchangeably.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:


Why are you using only wood? Try using lump mixed with wood. Even friends with stick burners that I know start it with a chimney full of charcoal.

That right there is solid advice. As Erin Franklin says, think of wood as an ingredient not just a heat source.

Once I started blending in lump in my Lang cooker the results definitely improved. Easier temp modulation and a reduction in the bitterness sometimes present in a really long cook. Still plenty of smoke flavor.

Also worth noting that the wood flavor is imparted much more during first part of cook rather than later so if y'all are mixing in variety do it then.

Funny you mention Aaron Franklin when talking about variety. He uses post oak only. He says use what is available. I use lump to start a fire but not for a long cook. Too expensive. That’s why I use all red oak now. But I’m not averse to buying bags of other wood and adding a little to supplement.

A lot of people like pecan. I used it a couple times and didn’t care for it. It had a weird taste. All I can figure is I got a bad bag. That was when I had a charcoal smoker and used wood chunks for flavor only.