Trade Hardwoods for BBQ/Smoker?

[huntinaz]

I recently acquired a smoker and have decided it is awesome I've been doing elk roasts and they are coming out great. I was wondering if anyone else would be interested in trading woods. I have oak and mesquite to trade. I'd like to get some alder but am open to others, whatever your favorite is. Should be able to ship plenty in a medium flat rate box, especially if it's cut into small chunks already. Any interest?

[Art Eatman]

I'm dubious that anything can compare with oak and mesquite! Maybe hickory, I dunno.

Lord knows I've cussed mesquite thorns many a time, but it's some of the finest barbecue wood the Good Lord ever gave us!

[rickyrick]

Not gonna trade, but, look into pecan and most fruit trees. Another Texas hated tree is the mulberry, not hard wood, but pretty tastey when mixed with others.

One thing is to be sure no cedar gets mixed in by mistake.....that happened 20 years ago, I will never get over it LOL.

[rickyrick]

+1 what Art said, everything else is just a filler to stretch mesquite out.

[huntinaz]

I'm dubious that anything can compare with oak and mesquite!

I am quite fond of both as well!

Not gonna trade, but, look into pecan and most fruit trees.

Yeah I think I can get some pecan, maybe cherry. You know growing up we had 5 pecan trees and never once did we try and grill over pecan coals. Always mesquite or oak. I'll have to find some.

[rickyrick]

You can throw handfuls of shells in the fire also, whole pecans become little blow-torches however.

[Doyle]

Just remember to be very wary of using fruitwood. If the fruit wood came from a commercial grove, it is likely to be contaminated with pesticides. Use fruit woods that home owners have trimmed from their own trees.

A good source of wood is to make friends with a couple of small-time tree trimmers. Swap them jerky or beer and you'll have all the wood you could ask for.

[Pahoo]

The selection of most woods used for smoking, is mostly regional. Here in the Midwest, we are big on Hickory and the nice part, is that I just go out and strip the loose bark, without doing any damage to the tree. ....
Another, is apple and that is readily available from all the orchards we have around here. We also have a lot of Oak but have never used it and if Y'all are telling me it's good, I'll try it. .....

Now then, my wife's relatives are big into smoking fish and they use corn cobs. ..

Be Safe !!!

[markj]

I use maple, pecan, hickory apple depends on how I wish to flavor the meat I am cooking.

[BigMikey76]

I usually trim the apple tree in my yard 2 or 3 times a year. The trimmings make some pretty good 'que smoke. I like mesquite better, but wood from my own tree is free, which is my favorite flavor

[rickyrick]

Pay for mesquite? .....you're getting hosed LOL

[mete]

There are some restrictions about taking wood across state lines or even within a state because of insects. One is due to the emerald ash borer !!

[Deja vu]

Wen I was a kid we tried Sage brush. At the time I thought it was good but now I am not sure I was thinking right at the time.

[Scorch]

Really depends on what I'm cooking, but apple wood or alder are hard to beat for venison, beef, salmon, pork, goose, or pheasant. Mesquite, hickory, pecan, almond, all good but not always available everywhere.

[youp]

pesticide free apple for mesquite

[sc928porsche]

I usually use Hickory, I really like the flavor. Pecan, Oak, and Misquite are ok. I never tried Apple. Whenever I am in the Sierras, it's Pine and Sage. But that is for camp cooking and not smoking. Still, it make for good food at the camp!

[Rembrandt]

What?........no one uses OSB!

[Tom Matiska]

+1 to cherry....other fruit woods second.... but more importantly

use the heartwood portion for best results. The resins in the outer sapwood and bark are why creosote forms in chimneys.... little sapwood is no big deal... but a little too much is....

[shortwave]

Like cherry as well as apple. This year I plan on trying pear as I've got a couple in need of pruning.

[spclPatrolGroup]

I use hickory for all pork and red meat, most of the people at the cook offs I compete in do as well. The person who taught me allways said, the pro's all use hickory, the amatures use apple. However I do like to use maple for chicken, I think it give it another dimension of flavor.

[L_Killkenny]

I use mesquite for beef and pork but definitely prefer hickory for birds. Also, mulberry works dang well with about anything and I'm constantly fighting those dang things around the place so I have a ready supply.

LK

[shortwave]

The person who taught me allways said, the pro's all use hickory, the amatures use apple.

Not only do I like to smoke with apple, I've been known to open up a can of beer and place a whole bird over top of can. Place setup in smoker and cook....

...guess that makes me a 'redneck amateur' smoker.

[hogdogs]

REGIONAL!!! Central florida found me utilizing Black Jack Oak (NOT LIVE OAK NOR WATER OAK) and citrus woods... But if a Bikini state native redneck is wise enuff... You also will include smashed citrus fruit of any ripeness (peels and all) into your wood soak and when you scoop a handful you make sure to have some fruit meat and skin...

Inedible "wild" oranges known as "sours" really impart that citrus'y lemon'y flavor to your cookin's...

Brent

[rickyrick]

Hogdogs, that sure sounds tastey.

[huntinaz]

I was able to round up some pecan wood today, I'll try that out next. Smelled good when I was cutting it into chunks. Soaking with citrus sounds good. I believe I've heard of folks soaking with whiskey too...