| Guy |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/19/08 12:16 AM |
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BBQ Wood Talk
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Read some other posts about what type of wood to use, so thought I would start this thread.
Mesquite, strongest smoke, but will burn the hottest, next comes Hickory. Before you say mesquite is not the strongest smoke, note that mesquite burns the hottest, more fire = less smoke, so mesquite may smoke less, but that is only because it burns hot, but what smoke is produced is very strong. That is why mesquite is good for steaks, it burns hot, but most importantly, because it is over open flame, there is little smoke, so with little smoke, you need strong smoke, that is mesquite.
When smoking with mesquite, and to a lesser extent hickory, you do have to worry about over smoking because the smoke is so strong, this is mainly on poultry and fish.
So smoking brisket, mesquite is best imo. Why? 1) it is hard to over smoke a brisket, and 2) mesquite burns the hottest, so just more energy for the buck. Brisket is really hard to screw up on a smoker.
Pecan is absolutely my favorite wood!! JMO, the best all-around wood, much milder than mesquite and hickory, hard to over smoke, the best for chicken, and excellent with pork, and I even use for steaks over open fire. I just like the pecan smoke flavor as well. But if I’m doing steaks over open fire or brisket in a smoker, I go with mesquite if given a choice, but pecan will getter done as well.
Apple/Cheery wood are your most mild wood, most suited for fish, but also good for pork. This wood is just kinda expensive and hard to find, but I recently smoked a salmon with cherry wood and it was nice.
I’m sure many may not agree with what I posted, lets here what you think! We never had a good debate in the cooking forum.
| spanky |
| (Veteran Tracker) |
| 06/19/08 06:47 AM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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I had a peach tree that died and I cut it up and let it dry. I tell you really, some good wood to smoke with for pork and chicken and maybe fish. I would think almost any nut or fruit tree would be good.
| Crazyhorse |
| (THF Celebrity) |
| 06/19/08 09:51 AM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Good Post Guy!
I love cooking over an open fire, to the point that unless the weather is real bad, practically all of our evening meals are cooked outside.
You are correct on mesquite burning ho and producing little smoke.
Personally, and I have access to a couple of places in Young county where I get the stuff, I prefer mesquite that has been dead for many years and has been allowed to cure out, sometimes even trees that have been dead for 20 years or more, but are still standing.
That and stumps that have been dozed up.
When gathering the dead stuff, the rule I go by, is that the best wood will be heavy for its size.
Lighter chunks, the same size or even larger, are usually full of insect holes, and will burn really fast without putting out a lot of heat.
The heavier stuff, especially the stumps burns slower, but because it is denser, burns hotter.
When I can get it, I like mixing good oak wood in with the mesquite as it gives to me at least a truer "Hunting Camp" flavor to food, especially steaks.
I second what Spanky said about the fruit and nut woods.
Some of the best brisket Lora and I ever had was up in Collbran Colorado, the town I hunt elk out of.
This guy had him a smoker set up and was selling sliced brisket samiches and he was smoking the brisket over cherry wood.
| campcook |
| (Pro Tracker) |
| 06/19/08 11:07 AM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Randall, it was apple - but was fantastic either way.
Main thing, stay away from the evergreen woods, and OLEANDER - which is so toxic that the smoke will kill you.
Lora
| Crazyhorse |
| (THF Celebrity) |
| 06/19/08 11:12 AM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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I stand corrected, I think!
It may have been apple, maybe when we were talking to him he talked about using cherry wood sometimes.
All I know, it was plenty dang tasty.
| Regretzi |
| (Woodsman) |
| 06/19/08 12:35 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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I tend to disagree with using just mesquite for brisket. When I first started smoking a brisket I would use mesquite only and the brisket looked great but in my opinion the smoke flavor was too strong. This may sound disgusting but when you burp the next day and it still tastes like mesquite you might need to try a less potetnt wood. I knwo uses a pecan with a few sticks of mesquite. Just my personal prefernce. Good thread Guy. Anyone else have an opinion?
| Regretzi |
| (Woodsman) |
| 06/19/08 12:37 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Almost forgot. One of my favorite things to smoke is salmon and nothing beats alder wood when it comes to that.
| easton1025 |
| (Pro Tracker) |
| 06/19/08 02:09 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Quote:smoking with mesquite,not direct grilling,allows the oils from the mesquite to absorb in the meat..Alot of people will get major heartburn for days if too much mesquite is used..thats why most places use a mix of oak and mesquite..I love using a mix of hickory and pecan for most of my smoking..Cherrywood is excellent,but muy expensive..
I tend to disagree with using just mesquite for brisket. When I first started smoking a brisket I would use mesquite only and the brisket looked great but in my opinion the smoke flavor was too strong. This may sound disgusting but when you burp the next day and it still tastes like mesquite you might need to try a less potetnt wood. I knwo uses a pecan with a few sticks of mesquite. Just my personal prefernce. Good thread Guy. Anyone else have an opinion?
| Cool_Hand |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/19/08 02:35 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Quote:
I tend to disagree with using just mesquite for brisket. When I first started smoking a brisket I would use mesquite only and the brisket looked great but in my opinion the smoke flavor was too strong. This may sound disgusting but when you burp the next day and it still tastes like mesquite you might need to try a less potetnt wood. I knwo uses a pecan with a few sticks of mesquite. Just my personal prefernce. Good thread Guy. Anyone else have an opinion?
The reason I disagree with this method is when smoking with mesquite you have to know when to take the meat off and wrap it. The secret to wrapping is ............ well just know you have to wrap your meat. That is the key to regulating the amount of smoke it gets. Yeah sure, if you just leave it on the open shelf and do tend to it its going to be real smokey!! My2cents.
Btw, I just smoked four briskets Monday and served one of them at our eatery and everybody gave it an A+!!
| Guy |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/19/08 02:52 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Quote:Quote:
I tend to disagree with using just mesquite for brisket. When I first started smoking a brisket I would use mesquite only and the brisket looked great but in my opinion the smoke flavor was too strong. This may sound disgusting but when you burp the next day and it still tastes like mesquite you might need to try a less potetnt wood. I knwo uses a pecan with a few sticks of mesquite. Just my personal prefernce. Good thread Guy. Anyone else have an opinion?
The reason I disagree with this method is when smoking with mesquite you have to know when to take the meat off and wrap it. The secret to wrapping is ............ well just know you have to wrap your meat. That is the key to regulating the amount of smoke it gets. Yeah sure, if you just leave it on the open shelf and do tend to it its going to be real smokey!! My2cents.
Good point, I always wrap mine first (when most smokey), then in the last few hours I unwrap when fire is burning good. Also with mesquite, I use very little wood (especially in last few hours when unwrapped and fire buring hot), open the vents, and let it burn hot, there is less smoke this way, and becasue I use very little wood, it is not too hot becasue the fire is not big.
Nothing wrong with not liking mesquite tho!
| easton1025 |
| (Pro Tracker) |
| 06/19/08 02:53 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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they have a smoker at the place where yall are hog hunting..?
| DCS |
| (Tracker) |
| 06/19/08 03:02 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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How long would you let pecan dry out or season before using it? I have always heard it would make you sick if you used it before it it had a chance to really dry out.
| Cool_Hand |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/19/08 05:37 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Yes, a big one!!! We have to be super careful with fire right now as there is a big time burn-ban on. Grasses are like gasoline, one spark and poof!!! Heres the kicker. Most fires according to recent studies result from maganification!! Dew, glass on the by-ways and in the bar ditches. No susposed to be any outside cooking!!
| Cool_Hand |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/19/08 05:42 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Dcs, it needs to be dry and not green I would say pretty close to a year for green pecan. It will sour your meat if its too green. I knock the bark off my mesquite also. Most of my wood is fallen or dead mesquite(honey). I let mesquite season for almost a year if I happen to cut it green. Hope this answered your question.
| Cool_Hand |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/19/08 05:44 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Never thought of wrapping it first! Thats a idea! Thanks, I'll try that one time and see.
| Sethfish |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/19/08 07:20 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Bradford Pear
Ficus
Pine
Crepe Myrtle
Japanese Maple
Purple Robe Locust
Texas Sage
and the best
old particle board cabinet
| Cool_Hand |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/20/08 09:20 AM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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How does it taste??
| kbobbjr |
| (Pro Tracker) |
| 06/20/08 11:23 AM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Quote:
How does it taste??
Like an old particle board cabinet!
| Guy |
| (THF Trophy Hunter) |
| 06/20/08 02:10 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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I know this guy that uses any kinda wood he can find in the woods to smoke with, that is crazy, becuase some woods put off toxic smoke.
| cajundave |
| (Veteran Tracker) |
| 06/22/08 12:07 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Quote:
I had a peach tree that died and I cut it up and let it dry.
I did the same thing and it was great. I've got some low limbs right now and as soon as they drop peaches, I may start drying wood.
| RedRiverHogSniper |
| (Tracker) |
| 06/23/08 04:42 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Oak is a good smoking wood,
| nuprofessor |
| (Tracker) |
| 06/24/08 03:53 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Here in Missouri, I have three apple orchards within 30 miles of me. I just go to the orchards in late winter / early spring and find out when they will be pruning. I then come back then. Or usually they have a tree that is damaged or old they let me take wood off of. I have not smoked any meat in a few years, but I bought a 55 gal metal barrel to make a smoker. Will try out as soon as I get it built.
| becox |
| (Woodsman) |
| 06/24/08 11:17 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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http://tfsfrp.tamu.edu/wildfires/DecBan.png
here is a link to burn bans
| caprocker |
| (Pro Tracker) |
| 06/27/08 11:15 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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i was told by an old black man here in garza county that you need to combine a bit of greener mesquite with your dry to make the fire sustain longer. his brisket is unbelievable...but , my father in law has him beat by miles...he cooks his indirect mesquite and oak for 12-16 hours and never wraps it..it has a smoke ring about an inch and a black crust on it that is soooooo tasteful...the drawback , whoever mentioned it earlier is that the older i get the more i taste that smoke flavoring the next day...i love good brisket but its straight up steak and chicken for ole cap right now...and im only 35
| LawnMower1 |
| (Tracker) |
| 07/07/08 11:57 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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How Much Wood... Could a Wood Chuck.... GOD ONLY KNOWS?
| texaschef |
| (Woodsman) |
| 07/08/08 01:43 AM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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IMO mesquite and oak are great for grilling. if i'm going to smoke with mesquite i try to use it for cold smoking and for a short period of time. most steaks and loins only take 20 minutes in a cold smoker to give you the flavor you want. then you finish them on a grill or in the oven. if i'm doing a brisket or a turkey then i have to use pecan. it's easy to regulate the temp with that wood and gives a great flavor that doesn't over power the flavor of your meat. when you are cooking you try to enhance the flavor not change the flavor. JMO
| Paul Marx |
| (Light Foot) |
| 07/28/08 03:49 PM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Anybody around Galveston county need green pecan? I'm trimming my parent 17 acre and have some big branches.I'll be doing it in the next 2 to three weeks.
| LawnMower1 |
| (Tracker) |
| 08/03/08 01:39 AM |
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Re: BBQ Wood Talk
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Opinions and taste are all in the eye of the be- holdr!