Bark or no Bark

Nitrofly · Jul 17, 2008

someone told me that leaving the
bark on the wood you are using for
smoke leaves a bitter taste on the meat.
yet I see the stick burners using logs with
Bark..
So I must ask Bark or no Bark :?::?::?:

keend · Jul 17, 2008

If it is a thin bark like on a fruit tree I leave it on.

If it is a thick bark like on oak, I take a hatchet and kock it off. Not sure if it makes a difference or not, just what my father did and his father did.

It also gives me something to do while I'm watching the thermometer and having a beer. Honey...I'm busy chipping this bark, I can't help pull weeds right now.:wink:

Bbq Bubba · Jul 17, 2008

Nitrofly said:
someone told me that leaving the
bark on the wood you are using for
smoke leaves a bitter taste on the meat.
yet I see the stick burners using logs with
Bark..
So I must ask Bark or no Bark :?::?::?:

Someone told you wrong.....

BBQ Grail · Jul 17, 2008

Bbq Bubba said:
Someone told you wrong.....

Bubba,

You are a man of few words. Usually good ones too!

Bigdog · Jul 17, 2008

I leave the bark on and have never had bitter tasting Q.

The Pigman · Jul 17, 2008

You mean I have been cutting it off for nothing............I did hear that from some of the ones that have been smoking for a long time......

BBQ Grail · Jul 17, 2008

Bigdog said:
I leave the bark on and have never had bitter tasting Q.

Excuse me! I seem to remember a brisket recently....

Pitbull · Jul 17, 2008

Leave the bark is's fine. If you preheat it on the firebox it will flame quicker and not generate any white smoke to speak of.

big brother smoke · Jul 17, 2008

Leave it on! I never bother with knocking it off. However, it will smolder if your fire is not hot enough which speaks to another problem.

Secret: I grill with oak bark all the time. It gives a nice flavor on beef!

Scottyj13 · Jul 17, 2008

I like to knock the bark off. I'm not sure it adds any bitter taste to the food, but I do know that the inner most bark is where the phloem lives and transports sap and food. It seems like it takes longer to dry.

Bbq Bubba · Jul 17, 2008

Gotta love Phloem........

BBQ_MAFIA · Jul 17, 2008

I leave the bark on also. Never seem to have a problem with the food tasting bitter.

JediDog · Jul 17, 2008

Same here, I always leave the bark on and have never had bitter tasting BBQ. You can always do a little experiment and do a couple of cook outs using bark and one without bark and you be the judge.

Smokin Gator · Jul 17, 2008

Most of the time when I am making chunks the bark falls off. If it stays on I certainly don't worry about it. When you are using chunks it is such a small amount it doesn't matter. If you are using logs/splits if your fire is right it still shouldn't matter. IMHO

Jacked UP BBQ · Jul 17, 2008

leave the bark, not a bitter flavor for me

Fastball · Jul 17, 2008

I leave bark on. and until just recently, always used a stickburner and never got a bitter taste from it...Also, I went through all of the trouble to cut the chit, and I'll be damned if I'm going to go to the trouble of hacking the bark off of it....that's just too much work.

HB-BBQ · Jul 18, 2008

big brother smoke said:
Secret: I grill with oak bark all the time. It gives a nice flavor on beef!

I do the same with bark only, very tasty on the tri-tip. I leave the bark on my wood all the time when smoking, I think it adds a richer flavor to my food than without it.

FatDaddy · Jul 18, 2008

I usually throw the wood away and after chipping all the bark off and using it along with lighterfluid in the cooker. Have never noticed any off flavor in my meat....

No seriously I dont bother with the bark. I use whole logs or splits in the trailer with no ill effects. Im to damn lazy to chop all the bark off. I too preheat my splits on the fire box and they usually ignite up there then toss em in.

Cliff H. · Jul 18, 2008

I have been taking it off but I have been questioning the WHY of it all.

Pecan bark has a nice layer of green mossy/fungus looking stuff that I don't want to burn. Other woods don't seem to have it.

Fastball · Jul 18, 2008

Cliff H. said:
I have been taking it off but I have been questioning the WHY of it all.

Pecan bark has a nice layer of green mossy/fungus looking stuff that I don't want to burn. Other woods don't seem to have it.

Really.....I use pecan a lot (almost every cook), and I've never seen anything like that on it.

Bark or no Bark

is one Smokin' Farker

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is Blowin Smoke!

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Scottyj13

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