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Favorite wood for smoking

Started by Thehardway, July 15, 2014, 09:11:44 AM

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Thehardway

Since most of us sawyers have a variety of wood and wood chips or shavings laying around, I thought this might be an interesting survey to hear what your favorite smoking woods are and what your favorite meats to grill with them are.  I have a Weber Smokey Joe, Weber Kettle and a Weber Genesis Special Edition.  I love the kettle grills but for convenience I typically use  the Genesis propane grill with a small stainless chip box placed across the flavorizer bars and filled with wood chips.  About a 10 min preheat to 500 F gets them smoking and heats the grates to searing temps.

I have been experimenting with wood chips and shavings left over from planing lately.  I have wild cherry, hickory, apple, red oak, red cedar and I picked up some mesquite at the big box store to play with since we don't have mesquite here.

My favorite meats to grill right now are boneless chicken thighs on apple/hickory
Beef Burgers on Cherry/Apple
Thick sliced bone in Pork Chops on Apple/Red Oak
Spanish Mackeral Fillets on Cherry

I would say my favorite is a toss up between Apple and Pear.  Pear is much harder for me to find.

Vote for your favorite.  Only rule is if you vote for secret you have to share it!  8)
Norwood LM2000 24HP w/28' bed, Hudson Oscar 18" 32' bed, Woodmaster 718 planer,  Kubota L185D, Stihl 029, Husqvarna 550XP

Raider Bill

Never heard of smoking with cedar.
I'd have to say oak for me simply because of it's all around use and availability.
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

Chuck White

Most people around here use either Hickory or Apple for smoking!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

ET

I use to use only hickory, but most recently started using apple this year as I had an apple tree bow down. It was a yellow delicious and the wood flavor is delicious too.
Lucas 1030, Slabber attachment, Husky 550XP, Ford 555B hoe, Blaze King Ultra, Vermeer chipper, 70 acres with 40 acres Woods.

sandhills

One that is used commonly around here but not listed is mullberry, mainly do to it's availability but it also gives a nice flavor.

isawlogs

 Oak, apple, cherry and another not mentioned is maple. I'll use what ever is closer to me and available of these. ;D
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

thecfarm

That sure does sound good Thehardway!!
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Thehardway

I have added maple and mulberry, two I will have to try soon.  I have them nearby but never thought of them.  Good suggestions!  keep em comin.
Norwood LM2000 24HP w/28' bed, Hudson Oscar 18" 32' bed, Woodmaster 718 planer,  Kubota L185D, Stihl 029, Husqvarna 550XP

bedway


LittleJohn

I use Oak, but mostly I do indirect grilling not smoking; I also use a bit of Hickory and Maple -> when available

BradMarks

I use rosemary and woody thyme, which we have a lot of in the backyard, or did before this winters hard freeze. Works nice on bird, pork, fish. Even did a big 'ol prime rib one time. It ends up with a lighter smoke flavor. Lots of people out here use Alder, particularly with salmon.  All that said I do appreciate a good mesquite smoked meat.

21incher

I mostly use Hickory or Mesquite for pork and Crabapple with Pecan, Grape, or Cherry for poultry.
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

luvmexfood

I like to use maple in the spring when the sap is up some.
Give me a new saw chain and I can find you a rock in a heartbeat.

69bronco


thecfarm

69bronco,welcome to the forum.
What's your interest with wood,besides cooking with it.  :)
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

POSTON WIDEHEAD

From the net.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/wiki/wood-types-and-flavor

Types of wood that is unsuitable or even poisonous when used for grilling. Don't use any wood from conifer trees, such as PINE, FIR, SPRUCE, REDWOOD, CEDAR, CYPRESS, etc. Also ELM, EUCALYPTUS, SASSAFRAS, SYCAMORE and LIQUID AMBER wood is unsuitable for smoking.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

goose63

David now you tell me not to use elm :o I been using the small branch's at the top of dead elm trees for years to cook with it has a sweet smell to it when it burns and I ain't dead yet ;D
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

clww

I brought home a trunk (8" X 7') from a sassafras we took out today, but I just wanted to make some home-brew tea with it. First one we've taken out since I started doing this, so pretty rare in our area.
I've sold a bunch of different chunks people wanted for smokers: red and white oak, ash, pecan, hickory, cherry, pear, apple, fig, and peach trees.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

tule peak timber

I use alder as the main wood , and finish the last half hour on manzanita.  Fish and chicken less finishing time on the manzinita - heaver meats more time . We also have a canyon live oak here that is VERY sweet for smoking . Cheers  Rob
persistence personified - never let up , never let down

POSTON WIDEHEAD

My favorite is railroad ties.  :D


Goose....you're gonna start glowing in the dark.  :D :D :D
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

tule peak timber

persistence personified - never let up , never let down

LittleJohn

I am pretty sure if you smoke with the wrong wood long enough, it kind of has the Darwin solution to it.  Similar to going mushroom hunting without researching which ones are edible  ;D

Weekend_Sawyer


Hickory is my favorite wood and there's plenty of it available to me.
I also use apple, oak, maple and pecan.
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

Raider Bill

Quote from: Weekend_Sawyer on July 16, 2014, 09:48:14 AM

Hickory is my favorite wood and there's plenty of it available to me.
I also use apple, oak, maple and pecan.

That's why I tend to use oak so much is it's available. I like 8 day live oak myself. Cut off a branch 8 days before smoking. I've got some pecan courtesy of WDH and Jake.

My smoker only needs a piece 1.5 dia x 6" or if using chips just a couple oz's in the chip box for the entire job. Lasts as long as I need smoke or until whatever I'm smoking stops taking it.
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

Gary_C

What about Hemp?

Not that I've ever tried it, but it still an alternative and it's about the same as wood.  ;D
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

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