cooking with wood

[Jackcul]

I am new to the group and wanted some tips on cooking with wood. I use lump or brickets right now and just put some hickory chunks in for flavor.

I have an older cast iron smoker with the side box and tried using oak a few years ago and every thing came out to black. I wanted to start using more wood since there is a hardwood forest behind my house.

Thanks

Jack

[parrothead]

That's a loaded question. After some time now, I have sort of went from using as much wood as possible, to just adding my hickory for flavor. I probably will never decide for real, and keep flip-flopping. I have never had a shortage of wood, so that may be why I used lots of wood.

Warning, you are going to get a dozen different answers on this one, all good opinions, but you will end up having to just do as you please after filtering through the info.

Good luck

[Mark]

I am new to the group and wanted some tips on cooking with wood. I use lump or brickets right now and just put some hickory chunks in for flavor.

I have an older cast iron smoker with the side box and tried using oak a few years ago and every thing came out to black. I wanted to start using more wood since there is a hardwood forest behind my house.

Thanks

Jack

Sounds like insufficient combustion air. It would probably help if we knew more about your smoker Can you post some pictures? Also what kind of wood were you using? Was it green or good & dry?

[StLouQue]

Welcome aboard, Jack.

I asked about this back in October and received lots of helpful suggestions. Click the Search link above and search for "Moving to all wood." Hopefully, you'll find the answers I received as useful as I did.

[Saiko]

I switched from charcoal to wood a few years ago, so I'll share my tips:

1)Keep your logs small. The bandera has a small firebox, and if you throw regular fireplace size logs in there, you'll get big spikes in temp. Also, the larger the wood chunk the harder it is to ignite. You don't want your wood smoldering before it ignites, it should just burst into flames. When I get my wood, I use a chain saw and try to cut them into about 8 to 10 inch slices, then I split that into four chunks. It's also much easier to control temps. This is about the size I use:
http://www.markredman.net/bandera/chunk.jpg


2)Preheat your wood. The bandera firebox has a nice flat top, perfect for preheating about 4 pieces of wood at a time. When it's time to add wood, use the chunk that's been on the firebox the longest. All the wood you add should just burst into flames, not smolder. You'll have to turn your wood occasionally, they can get hot enough to actually burst into flames.

3)Make sure your wood is not wet! It doesn't take much moisture to screw it up. If you hear your wood hissing and steaming when it's heating up, you have too much moisture. While it won't ruin your que, it will be a big pain to control your temps, since you have to keep your fire extra hot to ignite those wet chunks.

4)Bbqchef's rock mod. Use a rock to prop open your firebox when you need to vent some heat. Use it on the right side of the firebox, so the farther back you place the rock the more lid is open. I use this whenver I add wood. I add wood, then prop the lid a bit and watch my temps. If they continue to spike, I prop open the lid a bit more until temps are stable. Once the temp spike is over, I close the lid again. Bbqchef's rock mod in action (and notice the wood preheating on top):
http://www.markredman.net/bandera/brisket6.jpg

5) Keep your dampers open. You're exhaust vent should always be wide open, and don't close your inlet vent more than half way, if at all. Control your temps by using small fires, not by dampening the chamber. You want small, hot fires with lots of air circulation, this will keep creosote down to a minimum. If your food ever tastes bitter, you've had too much creosote built up due to poorly circulated fires that smoldered.

6)Cheat when starting a fire. Purists belive in starting a fire from kindling, but I say screw that. I just fire up a chimney of charcoal, throw it in the firebox and use that to ignite my first batch of wood. I always have plenty of charcoal around for my grill anyway. If it's a cold, windy day, you might have to get a pretty good fire going to get your bandera up to temp. After that, you can back off on the size of the fire.

Once you get a few wood fires under your belt, you'll wonder why you ever used charcoal. Use small wood chunks, keep your fires small and hot with lots of circulation, and you can't go wrong.

[Jackcul]

I had had this pit for over 12 years. I was built by some guys in know that work in the local oil fields.

The fire box door has 2 damper doors, 2x2" that work good. As you can see the fire box is starting to rust out. Thats why I got a Bandera. When I used wood only in this pit, I may not have started with hot enough coals.
The oak was seasoned.

If you look in the backround you can see another oilfield pit. I have a buddy thats a welder by trade and he's going to rebuild the fireboxes for me.

I do like the bandera though, because it hold alot more meat.

Thanks for the help,

Jack

[BBQchef33]

There are soooooo many threads on this topic.... heres one of them.. Do a search for "wood type" or "all wood" or different things.. you'll get a ton of info..

heres one link.. http://www.bandera-brethren.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=684&highlight=wood

[Saiko]

My stash. 100% Georgia Cherry, woot!

http://www.markredman.net/bandera/wood.jpg

[kcquer]

Did my first cook today and used lump for quick heat to get started. After food was in added 1 stick just like the one above and 4 to 6 pieces of kingsfordevery 45mins. Held 235 using that system until the weather quit cooperating. Mods done, wind, temp dryness of wood, all variable but I was really suprised how much easier maintaining temp was with wood over charcoal and chunks.

[Davewey]

Very very nice stash.

[tommykendall]

My stash. 100% Georgia Cherry, woot!


Maybe for $hits and giggles, we should start a "Show of Wood" thread. Buncha crazy bastidges showing each others wood.

[Mark]

I could definately use some more pics for the wood scrounging guide.

And Jack; looks to me like your smoke stack might be a little on the small side. That could be at least part of the problem.

[Saiko]

And Jack; looks to me like your smoke stack might be a little on the small side. That could be at least part of the problem.

Yet another quote I have to bite my tongue on...... :D

[Jackcul]

Thanks for the input Mark, but I can normally get this old smoker to run 250 for 4 to 5 hrs with only 10 lbs of lump. I think one of the problems I have learned here is start with hot coals and smaller logs.

Jack

[Mark]

And Jack; looks to me like your smoke stack might be a little on the small side. That could be at least part of the problem.

Yet another quote I have to bite my tongue on...... :D

Huh?

Jack wanted some feeback regarding his bad experiences using wood in his smoker. I asked for a pic. He posted one. His exhaust pipe looks like it came off a car. Too small for the that smoker don't you think.

[parrothead]

Too small for the that smoker don't you think.

That is a definate possibility there Mark. Good eye. That is the problem with homemade smoker's. I have never been able to find any kind of formula or chart for exhaust pipes.

[brdbbq]

My wood

[Jackcul]

Nice wood brdbbg.

If I used gas I would have no excuse to give my wife for sitting outside drinking beer and tending the fire!

Jack

[Mark]

My stash. 100% Georgia Cherry, woot!


Maybe for $hits and giggles, we should start a "Show of Wood" thread. Buncha crazy bastidges showing each others wood.

TK: you're a moderator right? How about just strarting a file in the photo section for wood and then start a post asking for pics to be put into that file?

[willkat98]

Its in there now Mark

I believe anybody can start a new album at any time though, not just mods.

[Solidkick]

Nevermind, I should have looked before I posted.

Yes there is a whole new section for wood.

[Saiko]

And Jack; looks to me like your smoke stack might be a little on the small side. That could be at least part of the problem.

Yet another quote I have to bite my tongue on...... :D

Huh?

Jack wanted some feeback regarding his bad experiences using wood in his smoker. I asked for a pic. He posted one. His exhaust pipe looks like it came off a car. Too small for the that smoker don't you think.


LOL, I need to get my mind out of the gutter: "Looks to me like your smoke stack might be a little on the small side".......I had a lot of smart assed replies in my head :D

[Mark]

Yeah, I know. But you opted to show discretion. Thanks.

[rusold]

Saiko,

What do use to split the wood after you get the sections?

R

[brdbbq]

Hi-Karate :D Sorry could not resist.

[Jorge]

Hi-Karate :D Sorry could not resist.

I still remember smelling that in the 70's! And that's not a good thing! That reminds me, I need to buy unwrap the Old Spice I got from my Dad for X-mas. It is one of those recycled gifts that shows up in the most unusual ways!

[Saiko]

Saiko,

What do use to split the wood after you get the sections?

R

I use a chain saw to cut the logs into about 8 - 10" sections, then use a big ass fiberglass wedge/maul/splitter type thingy to cut those into 4 chunks. The wood in the front has been cut and split, while the wood in the back is still in "log mode".

[Bigdog]

Saiko,
Nice wood pile! I also enjoyed reading your post on wood. Well written and good use of pictures.