Opinions on the use of wood

[Cuelio]

As some of you may know, I've only been Q'ing a short while. In my first five smoke sessions, I've done well, and I keep improving. But I still have a hell of a lot to learn. For instance on the use of wood.

I have a Brinkmann Cimarron Standard. It has a 16" cylindrical firebox, and it can hold logs very easily. In fact, for economy reasons, I would like to cook with wood, but so far it's been touch and go as far as smoke quality.

Case in point: my all night cook this past Saturday (the one that involved astronomy, a peeping tom and some of Minneapolis' finest having some of my Q'- read about it in the 'having a great weekend' thread), I started with my usual full chimney of Kingsford. I can get steady temps for about two hours on that alone. Once I start dropping down a bit, I try to intorduce wood into the fray. Last time, I put in what I thought was a nice, dry piece of ash (ASH, I said.) And very soon got some smoke piping out that didn't smell or look quite right. I decided to take the log out and just throw some hickory chunks instead. For someone thrying to cook with logs, that's a bit of a cop out, but I wanted to save the meat from getting foul.

The ash in question came from a guy who was selling wood door to door. When I bought the 1/2 cord last year, I wasn't thinking about smoking - I had yet to get my smoker. So I resisted from using my firewood stash until recently. Mind you, I don't burn any resinous wood, and I only use logs that I can manage to take the bark out of, and that I can reasonably recognize as suitable to cooking. I believe that most of the wood I've used for cooking (for heat, not so much for flavor) has been ash. I happen to have two huge ash trees in my land, so I feel I can recognize ash logs pretty well. The other stuff I can't identify I won't use for cooking. But still . . .

Do any of you have any tips on getting really good quality cooking wood cheap? Any input as to the use of firewood for cooking? Should I just give up with the firewood? Should I stop thinking about using wood as fuel altogether? How do you start you cooking wood fires? How do you keep your wood dry? How do you choose it?

Any input is appreciated.

[jt]

I'm not sure on the Cimarron, but in the Bandera I use stuff that's around 2" square and then 7-10" long. And I preheat it so it ignites instantly when I add it to the coal bed. I start with a full chimney of Kingsford and put a couple or 3 pieces of oak on with that. After that I only add charcoal (pre-lit) if I need to replenish the coal bed.

So the questions are: How big are the logs you're putting in and are you preheating them?

[brdbbq]

Do any of you have any tips on getting really good quality cooking wood cheap?


Chain saw would be a good start.

[jt]

http://www.bandera-brethren.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=1771&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=wood&start=0

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

Cue, here's a couple of links that should help. I know I printed the Moving to all wood discussion back when I first started.

[Cuelio]

jt,

I've been trying to use fire-place sized logs (12" to 15" long splits). Too big maybe?

As far a preheating them, no, I guess I haven't done that too much. Thanks for the links! I'll chek them out.

Working on the chain saw mod, Brian.

[kcquer]

http://www.treeguide.com/

cue, click on north american trees, then pick a tree from the list. The individual listings give maps that show where each species grows. That should help narrow the field to local species.

Good scrounge sources include tree trimming services, saw mills and cabinet shops. All my friends and relatives know if they hear a chainsaw in their neighborhood to find out what is being cut and snag it if its a smokin' wood.

[brdbbq]

Working on the chain saw mod, Brian.


Leave it to Beaver Mod. Not sure what a lawyer would do with a chain saw.
:roll:

[Cuelio]

HEY MISTER, :x :P

This 'lawyer' knows how to wield an axe with deadly accuracy. He can also put together an AR-15 AND an AK-47 practically blindfolded. He can fire them, too - he can tap off "shave and a shoe shine, two bits" on full auto. He can pepper the bullseye with just about any firearm you can think of. He can spit, **** in the woods, piss while hanging upside down from a tree WITHOUT pissing on his face. He can move one eye independent of the other, eat a taco while driving stick sift, and many, many other cool things!

[jt]

Save a tree - Eat a beaver.

[jt]

HEY MISTER, :x :P

This 'lawyer' knows how to wield an axe with deadly accuracy. He can also put together an AR-15 AND an AK-47 practically blindfolded. He can fire them, too - he can tap off "shave and a shoe shine, two bits" on full auto. He can pepper the bullseye with just about any firearm you can think of. He can spit, **** in the woods, piss while hanging upside down from a tree WITHOUT pissing on his face. He can move one eye independent of the other, eat a taco while driving stick sift, and many, many other cool things!

Sgt Hulka mod

[Cuelio]

Oh, and I can open and close a butterfly knife without cutting any fingers off!

[ckkphoto]

Oh, and I can open and close a butterfly knife without cutting any fingers off!


Stand back fellas now your dealin with a pro!!! :mrgreen:

[willkat98]

piss while hanging upside down from a tree WITHOUT pissing on his face.

How the hell did you find this one out?

You northerners are farking weird

[Cuelio]

piss while hanging upside down from a tree WITHOUT pissing on his face.

How the hell did you find this one out?

You northerners are farking weird

It was a Jr. High Phy Ed requirement.

[willkat98]

Wow.

How to gut and stuff a Yak must have been needed to graduate.

[BBQchef33]

HEY MISTER, :x :P

This 'lawyer' knows how to wield an axe with deadly accuracy. He can also put together an AR-15 AND an AK-47 practically blindfolded. He can fire them, too - he can tap off "shave and a shoe shine, two bits" on full auto. He can pepper the bullseye with just about any firearm you can think of. He can spit, **** in the woods, piss while hanging upside down from a tree WITHOUT pissing on his face. He can move one eye independent of the other, eat a taco while driving stick sift, and many, many other cool things!


Thats impressive.

But how good is YOUR brisket? :mrgreen:



Best place for wood.. I've said it many times around here..


MAKE FRIENDS WITH A TREEMAN.!!!

A while back, i started to stop and talk to the neighborhood treeguys. Told them I'll buy small loads of any hardwood or fruitwood from them.

before I knew it, I had tree guys dropping wood in my driveway.. oak, hickory, cherry, pear, mulberry, pear, apple. Just found a major source around here for red oak too. They take only a few bucks for pickup trucks full. Toss them some Q on occassion and they're happy. I got more wood ont eh side of my house that this spring I asked them to backoff for a little while. I'm pretty much all wood in my cooking, aside from the initial chimney, and i still got more wood from these guys that i can burn in a season.

http://tinyurl.com/39hzs

[midnight]

Do any of you have any tips on getting really good quality cooking wood cheap?


Chain saw would be a good start.

Black ski mask and a flashlight helps too.

[midnight]

I hate to be the one to bring this back on topic but here goes....

I use mostly ASH for my heat and flavor with hickory, apple, mesquite, etc..
My food turns out great (IMHO), only time I ever had a problem with ash is when I tried to use some that was rotten (realy soft) and I could smell the difference the moment I threw it in the fire box.

I buy most of mine from a local guy for $80 a pickup load. He takes all the bark off for me and cuts it to about 12-16 inches long and splits it in 3 or 4 sections. I split it even smaller, about the thickness of my wrist is the biggest piece, 1/2 that thick is nice for most pieces.
Make sure it is seasoned and not green!

I start my fire with a small chunk of ash laid on the grate and slivers of ash leaned against it. I have lots of small pieces about the thicknes of my finger ready to be added as soon as the fire is lit.

To light the fire I use a Burns-o-matic soldering torch with a 1 lb canister of MAPP gas. Lights her quick. (Don't need the whole bottle of gas, just a few seconds of flame.).

When I get the fire going I add bigger pieces of wood until I have a good fire going. Let it burn down some to get some good coals. Add a stick of wood about every 30- 45 min. to keep temps between 200-250.

I add a few chunks (about the size of my fist) of flavor wood (hickory, apple, etc.) that I have soaked in water for about 30 minuets, every time I add more ash for at least the first 2 hours.

Keep some smaller pieces of ash around in case your fire dies way down and you need to get it heated up quick.

There does seem to be quite a temp swing when using wood but with some trial and error you will learn how your smoker likes to burn it.

Good Luck, and don't give up.

[BigAl]

Save a tree - Eat a beaver.

You win, I am with you brother, better than SPAM any day :!: or night :!: :P :P :P :P :P :D

[racer_81]

HEY MISTER, :x :P

This 'lawyer' knows how to wield an axe with deadly accuracy. He can also put together an AR-15 AND an AK-47 practically blindfolded. He can fire them, too - he can tap off "shave and a shoe shine, two bits" on full auto. He can pepper the bullseye with just about any firearm you can think of. He can spit, **** in the woods, piss while hanging upside down from a tree WITHOUT pissing on his face. He can move one eye independent of the other, eat a taco while driving stick sift, and many, many other cool things!

I said, "Shrink, I want to kill. I mean, I wanna, I
wanna kill. Kill. I wanna, I wanna see, I wanna see blood and gore and
guts and veins in my teeth. Eat dead burnt bodies. I mean kill, Kill,
KILL, KILL." And I started jumpin up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL," and
he started jumpin up and down with me and we was both jumping up and down
yelling, "KILL, KILL." And the sargent came over, pinned a medal on me,
sent me down the hall, said, "You're our boy, Cue'lio."

[brdbbq]

You're our boy, Cue'lio."


That's funny and he gets J-Lo to boot.

[Mark]

Something wrong with eating dead burnt bodies?

[kcquer]

This whole group belongs on the group-w bench!!!!

[smokeypig]

HEY MISTER, :x :P

This 'lawyer' knows how to wield an axe with deadly accuracy. He can also put together an AR-15 AND an AK-47 practically blindfolded. He can fire them, too - he can tap off "shave and a shoe shine, two bits" on full auto. He can pepper the bullseye with just about any firearm you can think of. He can spit, **** in the woods, piss while hanging upside down from a tree WITHOUT pissing on his face. He can move one eye independent of the other, eat a taco while driving stick sift, and many, many other cool things!

ROTFLMMFAO..... :lol:

[racer_81]

This whole group belongs on the group-w bench!!!!

what's the group-w bench?

[Mark]

This whole group belongs on the group-w bench!!!!

what's the group-w bench?

http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/alices.shtml

[BigAl]

Change the name to "Fast Eddy's" in Alton, Il and the rest of the song fits.