Smoking and wood choices

[snowangel]

I've pretty much just used hickory and apple because that's what I've had easy (read free) access to. But, I've come into some alder, maple. pecan and cherry.

So, what do you use for what, given the options?

[annecros]

Pecan is fantastic on pork. Alder and Maple on chicken. Lucky you!

[Abra]

I've never had access to pecan, but I now use cherry for pretty much everything. I still like hickory for turkey and sometimes chicken (thighs especially) but I even prefer cherry to alder now for salmon.

[lancastermike]

I also use a lot of cherry. It has become my favorite along with apple. Cherry works great for poultry and pork butt. I reserve my hickory for ribs these days. Have never had the chance to use pecan or alder. Alder, I believe, is often used for salmon and other fish.

I can get apple and cherry from my local orchard and it really all I use except for the odd hunk of hickory.

[Dave the Cook]

My (current!) theory on wood and smoking is that any supposedly characteristic wood flavor is not nearly as important as smoke strength -- you need to match that strength to the food you're smoking, and how long you plan to smoke. Woods like alder are usually better for fish because the mild smoke lets you keep the protein in the smoker longer, for better penetration and an appropriate level of flavor. At the other end, I quit using mesquite for anything but grilling -- its aggressiveness gives you good smoke in a relatively short period, but over a few hours' exposure, it gets nasty. I've done bacon over apple, cherry, and apple and cherry, and I haven't been able to discern a difference in the finished product that couldn't be traced back to the cure.

I think this is why you see lots of fruitwoods suggested here: hickory, pecan, cherry, and apple. They're mid-range in strength, and for denser meats like beef and pork, they let you smoke for a long time without becoming overpowering. (I've listed them in what I think is descending order; oak is stronger than hickory, I'd put maple between cherry and apple.)

All of that to say that in (my) theory, what you smoke over which wood depends on the effect you're trying to achieve. But I also suspect that -- within a certain range of woods -- the difference doesn't matter quite as much as we might think.

[Abra]

Dave, try uncured meat over cherry as compared to other woods. The cherry has a beautifully sweet light fragrance that I don't find in apple. And although I know it's sacrilege, I don't find that alder imparts any flavor other than "smoke." Alder is a trash tree here, almost a weed, so I think smoking over alder is just making a virtue out of necessity.

[tim]

Hi,

Pecan is like a mild version of hickory. It works wonders with pork ribs and will not overpower milder meats.

If you have a pecan orchard nearby, offer to accept tree trimmings. The one orchard in Illinois used to burn all of their trimmed branches. I talked them into bringing the wood to our farmers market.

Tim

[ChefCrash]

This site has a list and characteristics of different wood suitable for smoking.

http://www.3men.com/whatwood.htm

[Marlene]

All of that to say that in (my) theory, what you smoke over which wood depends on the effect you're trying to achieve. But I also suspect that -- within a certain range of woods -- the difference doesn't matter quite as much as we might think.

←

I'd agree with this, other than mesquite. I haven't noticed much difference between apple, cherry or pecan, but I get a notable difference with mesquite which seems to be much harsher.

[ray goud]

Everything mentioned so far is wonderful for smoking. Just be extra careful and DO NOT use walnut for smoking. It is POISONOUS! Don't believe anyone who says it isn't. It has and still does kill horses when used for bedding, and its extractives are deadly.

Ray

[slo_ted]

Everything mentioned so far is wonderful for smoking. Just be extra careful and DO NOT use walnut for smoking. It is POISONOUS! Don't believe anyone who says it isn't. It has and still does kill horses when used for bedding, and its extractives are deadly.

Ray

←

Are you sure? Walnut was the first wood we burned in our fireplace when we moved to California in 1980. Unfortunately walnut orchards are being cleared for development at an alarming rate in the central valley of California, and the trees are piled up and burned. I've used walnut oil in cooking for years and my understanding is that it is one of the healthiest oils available. I would like to know where you got the information relating to walnut toxicity.

[ray goud]

Everything mentioned so far is wonderful for smoking. Just be extra careful and DO NOT use walnut for smoking. It is POISONOUS! Don't believe anyone who says it isn't. It has and still does kill horses when used for bedding, and its extractives are deadly.

Ray

←

Are you sure? Walnut was the first wood we burned in our fireplace when we moved to California in 1980. Unfortunately walnut orchards are being cleared for development at an alarming rate in the central valley of California, and the trees are piled up and burned. I've used walnut oil in cooking for years and my understanding is that it is one of the healthiest oils available. I would like to know where you got the information relating to walnut toxicity.

←

I'm positive. Remember that burning wood in a fireplace (or woodstove) does not expose one to the smoke, unless something is wrong. And the oil comes from the nutmeats, not the wood, bark, husks, or leaves. (Tomato plants are quite poisonous, but we can eat the tomatoes!)

To get the info, just Google it; there are quite too many sources to list. But stop by a horse farm, agricultural station or library if you can; the internet is not the repository of all man's knowledge.

Ray

[charlesh1609]

Here's a more comprehensive review of woods from my favorite bbq specific site.

Virtual Weber Bullet Wood Review

I read somewhere that one of the primary variables for wood use is the moisture content.

Edited August 29, 2007 by charlesh1609 (log)

[charlesh1609]

Dave, try uncured meat over cherry as compared to other woods.  The cherry has a beautifully sweet light fragrance that I don't find in apple.  And although I know it's sacrilege, I don't find that alder imparts any flavor other than "smoke."  Alder is a trash tree here, almost a weed, so I think smoking over alder is just making a virtue out of necessity.

←

I dunno, Abra. Alder smoked salmon has been a staple of our Native Americans for several generations, and it's pretty darn delicious.

Tillicum Village Salmon Feast

[Kent D]

Everything mentioned so far is wonderful for smoking. Just be extra careful and DO NOT use walnut for smoking. It is POISONOUS! Don't believe anyone who says it isn't. It has and still does kill horses when used for bedding, and its extractives are deadly.

Ray

←

Are you sure? Walnut was the first wood we burned in our fireplace when we moved to California in 1980. Unfortunately walnut orchards are being cleared for development at an alarming rate in the central valley of California, and the trees are piled up and burned. I've used walnut oil in cooking for years and my understanding is that it is one of the healthiest oils available. I would like to know where you got the information relating to walnut toxicity.

←

I'm positive. Remember that burning wood in a fireplace (or woodstove) does not expose one to the smoke, unless something is wrong. And the oil comes from the nutmeats, not the wood, bark, husks, or leaves. (Tomato plants are quite poisonous, but we can eat the tomatoes!)

To get the info, just Google it; there are quite too many sources to list. But stop by a horse farm, agricultural station or library if you can; the internet is not the repository of all man's knowledge.

Ray

←

I Googled "Walnut wood smoking" and the first page was nothing but companies selling walnut chips and chunks for barbecue smoking. Hm...