The Texas BBQ Forum

Had a couple of bad snow storms here about 3 years ago that took out a old crab apple tree. I cut it up for firewood but decided to use it to smoke a brisket the next summer...it passed a lite miracle on the "Big Nasty"

Thanks for the info OSD. I have been wondering about different woods myself for a while now. Now I just have to buy me a Stihl chainsaw and go out there and cut away. Thanks again.

We have oak and maple and a grapevine as big as your arm (gotta try that) but does anyone know about sassafras? They need cutting down but my immediate thought is, no good for smoking?

Sassafrass is fine for smoking. You may get a slight wintergreen rootbeer flavor though.
Do,however,use it lightly-a little goes a long way.

dub(its best on beef)

Does anyone have any experience smoking mahogany?

I have a couple of off-cuts that i can't really see being used for anything.

Pretty awesome list of woods. I can almost taste the flavor just reading about it!

Losp wrote:Does anyone have any experience smoking mahogany?

I have a couple of off-cuts that i can't really see being used for anything.

I burned a guitar once

Sailor Kenshin wrote:Well. Duhhh to me.....

So happens DH has a 'leafsnap' app on his phone.




Which narrowed it down to oh, twenty trees or so. Some of which were maple. I know this is not maple. Red, black, and scarlet oak did come up too.

It would be good if the app had habitat. I'm in southernmost NYS if that helps.

The leaf's a bit chewed. Sorry.

That's a red oak leaf. Makes the big acorns. Got em all over the farm along with post and live oak and peeeeeecan which is my favorite mixed with some cherry. Pecan sucks for heat and coals though, burns up to nothin.

Sailor Kenshin wrote:Well. Duhhh to me.....

So happens DH has a 'leafsnap' app on his phone.




Which narrowed it down to oh, twenty trees or so. Some of which were maple. I know this is not maple. Red, black, and scarlet oak did come up too.

It would be good if the app had habitat. I'm in southernmost NYS if that helps.

The leaf's a bit chewed. Sorry.

That is from a northern red oak, not to be confused with all the other red oak trees .
FWIW I have used it before, very nice mild nutty smoke when properly seasoned, which in my neck of the woods takes about 3 years. YMMV.

Thanks....Does it (how long seasoning takes) depend how big the cuts of wood are?

Say, a two-inch diameter branch cut into rounds no longer than five inches or so? Is that really going to take three while years?

And they do drop enormous acorns, which you end up tripping over all the time.

Sailor Kenshin wrote:Thanks....Does it (how long seasoning takes) depend how big the cuts of wood are?

Say, a two-inch diameter branch cut into rounds no longer than five inches or so? Is that really going to take three while years?

And they do drop enormous acorns, which you end up tripping over all the time.

Sorry, I should have specified splits for a stick burner, chunks should take less time. I recommend storing them in a heated area. I don't know how long it will take to season, but it will most likely take longer than other species, such as maple.

I have a dieing Ash to be removed. Never thought of using it for smoking.

Tessa, Welcome to the forum
I have seen folks on here using all kinds of wood for smoking, to answer your question, I would say the ash wood would work for smoking but would burn fast and hot...in an electric smoker it might just work, give er a try and let us know your results, along with some pictures

Ok so dumb newbie question.

My father in law is a gardener and he has some oak he felled last year and i was wondering ho big should the bits of oak i use be in a vertical smoker?? Should it be chainsaw shavings size. Chips, 1inch by 1inch by 1/8inch. Chunks 1x1x1inch. Lumps3x3x3 or blocks 6x6x6

And should i soak wood first?

Thanks
Fdm

fuzzdmedic wrote:Ok so dumb newbie question.

My father in law is a gardener and he has some oak he felled last year and i was wondering ho big should the bits of oak i use be in a vertical smoker?? Should it be chainsaw shavings size. Chips, 1inch by 1inch by 1/8inch. Chunks 1x1x1inch. Lumps3x3x3 or blocks 6x6x6

And should i soak wood first?

Thanks
Fdm

I personally wouldn't bother with anything less than fist sized chunks and forget the soaking.