In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Using own wood for bbq, Smoking

Discussion in 'The Smokehouse' started by FatBoy85, Apr 13, 2017.

  1. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    So I posted about some apple that seasoned really awesomely last year picked it up recently then split it into wedges. These would be maybe 6-8 inch long splits from limb rounds. I haven't smoked with this wood, just the bagged stuff. I'm late for the party I know. But does it matter if the bark is on there? I guess if Id rather go for the best flavor, just chip it off and it does pretty well too. Just let me know your suggestions. Most of this wood is ready to go. I can't wait to soak these and let it smolder for a shoulder or brisket for hours. :D:grizz::chef::drool:
     
  2. Grizzly Adam

    Grizzly Adam null

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    I leave the bark on mine and it tastes great.
     
  3. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    I didnt know if it mattered sincea lot of fruit wood here in WA tends to get a lot of moss growing on it. Not poisonous but doubt i want that flavoring my food. So I just removed enough of it but I have other wood that aren't as covered in it just not seasoned yet. The small amounts are worth keeping for the grill, they are easier to cut up for serving size. No bigger than your wrist...
     
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  4. saskwoodburner

    saskwoodburner

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    For the amount of effort to strip bark off with a hatchet, I'd remove it. When I've bought bags of wood chips, they don't have any bark.
     
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  5. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    Yeah I see big bbq'ers not worry about it but its because they split the log then put the wood cut face down in the coals, bark was up by the food
     
  6. lukem

    lukem

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    I leave the bark on. I can't tell any difference. Some stuff I smoke using only hickory bark.
     
  7. Erik B

    Erik B

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    Friend of mine would like some cherry wood for smoking. Would cutting cookies and splitting them into chunks with a hatchet be the preferred method for getting the wood ready for smoking?
     
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  8. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    Thats what i did for the unseasoned wood but i think I'll wait a bit and then cut them in cookies so its less mess and easy to store away in a box for bbq material. Also have some plum and mature cherry as well so i can have the option of picking choice cuts of wood to my choice cuts of meat!
     
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  9. Erik B

    Erik B

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  10. NortheastAl

    NortheastAl

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    I don't leave the bark on for no particular reason. I have heard that fresh unseasoned wood works better than well seasoned as far as taste. Soaking wood doesn't matter much when it comes to dry wood. Wood isn't a sponge and the water doesn't penetrate that far into it. Plus, ya gotta steam off the moisture before it will smolder anyway. Just like what happens in our wood stoves with poorly seasoned wood.
     
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  11. fishingpol

    fishingpol

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    I tend to slice smaller apple limbs into cookies and soak. Larger apple with heavy, crusty bark, I do not to use. Here is a pork loin cooked on a cherry plank in the mud oven from a few years ago. I'd like to try cooking some chicken on a maple plank this spring.

    [​IMG]
     
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  12. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    I use pear a lot and it tastes awesome bark and all!
     
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  13. Viking80

    Viking80

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    Good to know. I have a pear tree old as a mountain coming down soon. Also a plum tree.
     
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  14. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    Doesn't using unseasoned wood give off creosote and other unsavory flavors? Ive read that this is likely to create this burned taste to wood.The soaking does steam the food but keeps it from flaring when you put it on fired up coals. I normally do it for safety since it helps give me time to start the wood smolder then put the food on.
     
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  15. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    Plum is pretty mild ive got some too in big rounds just gonna cut some and try it later this summer. Smoking simple burgers just sounds good!
     
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  16. NortheastAl

    NortheastAl

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    I would have guessed that too with unseasoned wood. I only know what I've heard and have not tried it myself.
     
  17. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    Most of what I read is the smoke you want is thin blue smoke. With white it tends to overpower it. I havent smoke with unseasoned but popular opinion tells me its not a great idea. Ive overdone it with the dry stuff.
     
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  18. NortheastAl

    NortheastAl

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    I have to look and see if I can find an article on it. I just read that kiln dried wood has very little flavor left in it, and air cured is best. And, yes thin blue smoke is what you want.
     
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  19. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    I can definitely see why kiln dried stuff is flavorless. Basically all the terpenes in the wood have been cooked off. These small amounts of oil are what we smell in the burn but kiln dried almost....I could almost compare it to like a bleached smell. Sometimes some of these oils make the wood adhere so it has some integrity and "life". You could look at kiln dried cherry and air dried cherry and see some apparent differences in appearance and smells. Natural dried wood just has a much better platform. Kiln pushes temps so the wood is just cooked. FUBAR!
     
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  20. NortheastAl

    NortheastAl

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    That makes a lot of sense.
     
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