smoking woods

Anyone ever use Maple to smoke with?

No. but I smoked with Mary Jane.

I have heard of its use but never tried it myself. I don't too far out there with the different woods. Primarily hichory along with apple, cherry, oak, pecan, etc. But never tried maple.

John

There are several varieties and those I have used are very mild.

Not much risk of oversmoking anything.

Tom

I live in New England and Maples are every where.
Yes you can use Maple wood and i recomend it i use Maple with pork, Ever hear of maple smoked bacon? it works great with poultry also. In Vermont the maple syrup capitol of the world the have a unique blend of maple and corn cob smoked hams, very famous and delishious. I am also have a competion BBQ team that competes in KCBS circut and in new england maple is king.

We have a bunch of Hickory to use from a tree that we took down 3 years ago. It does a great job, as does the fruit tree pruning remains. This year we got a stack of Persimmon from one small tree that came down...so next season we will use some of it.

I always try to match the smoking medium to the food, Ive used any varity of woods, herbs, corn cobs, nut shells,Tea etc, I have found that some woods are to strong for more delicate meats{Poultry, Fish } Were others are to mild for Beef , Game or pork.
The best teacher is just to experment to your taste
Iam told I make a mean Jasmine tea smoked Duck

I had the owner of a bbq joint suggest soaking my wood chips in liquor...I can't remember if he said bourbon or whiskey. Anyone try anything like that?

I have soaked hickory and fruitwood in Amoretta (sp?) it adds a bit of a sweet flavor and definite aroma to the cooking area.

Gentelmen: Drink the booze and let the wood soak in water- branch water , if you have it.

I agree .You soak the wood to slow the combustion, Any booze would promote faster burning,
However i somtimes use beer or wine in my water smokers drip pan

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

Gentelmen: Drink the booze and let the wood soak in water- branch water , if you have it.

Folks....

You should never need to soak wood! If you are cooking low and slow, your wood will not catch fire. Also, thru vast experimenting, any "flavors" used in either soaking or in the water pan will have no impact on the flavor....so save the money. If you want to arouse attention and attract folks to the smell...throw an onion or 2 in the fire!

Now, if you are using wood chips and are grilling, then yes, you should soak for about 30 minutes.

Stogie

PS...Seafarer John....Mary Jane and I "dated" for many years!! What a sweetheart she was! LOL

Jack Daniels sells the keg wood that it uses to age whiskey as BBQ chips. I bought a bag but haven't tried them yet...I think it's oak.

I am partial to pecan wood, and I reckon that's the same or pertty close to Hickory.

I just had to cut down a Granny Smith apple tree. I hated to do it but it was in bad shape. I cut it into one foot lengths and let it dry. I will use it next summer.


I hope applewood is as good as indicated for smoking.

Paul E. Smith
knoxville, TN

I most often use either alderwood or hickory -- both providing excellent results with various poultry.

quote:

Originally posted by olphart

I am partial to pecan wood, and I reckon that's the same or pertty close to Hickory.

Hickory is best, pecan is my second favorite.

Sundancer, that apple wood will make EXCELLENT BBQ wood!

Bushie: Right now Applewood is all I have got.

I had some of it chopped up into chips and I have soaked it for smoking which I will use for New years Eve smoking on my ribs.

I hope they turn out OK

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

At least a few commercial barbeque pitmasters burn green wood for the coals they slow cook with. I've read and heard a few claims that green wood is actually best for barbequing because it doesn't dry the meat out as much. One of the most notable people in American barbeque (owner of a respected wood burning restaurant) was one who told me this. I think he said he actually uses green wood. He cooks whole hogs.

If the claim of a less dry product is true, why wouldn't all commercial wood burners (places that slow cook hogs, shoulders, Boston butts over hardwood coals for 8 - 12 hours) use inexpensive green wood?

What do the pitmasters here think of this claim?

I just got through reading the novel "Cold Mountain" (which I highly recommend to anyone) and many scenes described the use of gathering and using green saplings or green wood for spitting meat to roast or cooking. I have always thought that using green wood would make a bitter or acrid taste to the meat.

For all of you Mid-Atlantic Road Fooders, check this out re. a new, commercial smoked meats operation in Northern Virginia with an even newer retail outlet -- both offering beef and pork products smoked with pecan wood:

http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=10733011&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=506047&rfi=6

i95, agree with the Alderwood. I have used that for Salmon and it is great! As for other meats I usually go for the Hickory chunks with some beer and onions in the water pan.

Don

Has anyone ever tried to use any type of citrus wood for smoking. We have a lot of orange, lemon and lime trees where I live and I thought that it might give the food a unique flavor????????? Please reply soon.

pumper, I had never heard of anyone using citrus wood, but I found this website that talks about the different characteristics, and it includes lemon and orange:

http://www.azbbqa.com/Articles/consideryourwood.shtml

Thanks, Bushie. My chips of choice are hickory, and I was dismayed the other evening when I saw I was all out. Since I was only smoking a hanger steak for a very short while, I tried oak. I made sure to soak the chips a little longer, and it all came out fine.

When I play golf, I sometimes take along a plastic bag and pick up little sticks of Pecan wood as I walk the course. It raises a few eyebrows from my fellow competators, but as long as I'm not holding up play, who cares?

My normal "Smoking Wood" is Hickory.. Entire back yard is filled with them! I'll throw chunks over my charcoal coals in my grill or soak them when smoking fish or making jerky in my smoker.

quote:

Originally posted by pumper

Has anyone ever tried to use any type of citrus wood for smoking. We have a lot of orange, lemon and lime trees where I live and I thought that it might give the food a unique flavor????????? Please reply soon.

How I wish Orange and Lemon trees would grow in my yard! All we can plant in Michigan is those Hybrid Indoor versions...

quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic

Hickory.. Entire back yard is filled with them!

I'm jealous!!
__________

Grampy, oak is the common wood down here. It's just so plentiful. Most all of the great Texas BBQ joints use oak, so it definitely can produce some good Q.

I grew up on hickory, though, so that's still my favorite.

My lemon tree is full of beautiful blossoms right now Uncle Vic.

We use mesquite for smoking because we have an endless supply . I would like to try hickory though.

As for the citrus - I watched an episode on Iron Chef where some type of fish or meat was smoked using cherry wood.