Wood

Busaboyjd · Feb 11, 2013

I see a lot of folks on here use Cherry wood for smoke, is it only from fruit bearing trees or can you use the wild cherry that has the small, non-edible berries?

Does the wood have to cure then get soaked or can you use green wood when smoking? Any dangers in woods? All I have ever used is Mesquite and Hickory chunks out of the bag from the home store...

Thanks
JD in VA

firefighter4634 · Feb 11, 2013

I have only used Cherry wood from a fruit tree. Your wood should be dried, if it is wet it will smolder too much and you may not get clean smoke out of it. Maybe someone else will chime in about the wild cherry trees.

woodbutcher1 · Feb 11, 2013

I would not use orchard harvested Chery wood for smoking. Why? Due to the chemicals used to spray the trees that are absorbed and possibly released when smoldering and getting into the food.
I use only Wild cherry wood , my friend has a farm. I never moisten/soak any wood.

IamMadMan · Feb 11, 2013

Busaboyjd said:
I see a lot of folks on here use Cherry wood for smoke, is it only from fruit bearing trees or can you use the wild cherry that has the small, non-edible berries?

Does the wood have to cure then get soaked or can you use green wood when smoking? Any dangers in woods? All I have ever used is Mesquite and Hickory chunks out of the bag from the home store...

Thanks
JD in VA

Yes you can use "choke Cherry", wild cherry, or ornamental cherry to smoke with. They are similar and have a lighter flavor than orchard cherry.

Yes the wood has to be "seasoned" or dried for 4 to six months depending on the size. I never soak wood prior to use, just add to coals.

You can also buy chunks of wood from doitbest.com and then pick up at a local hardware store and pay no shipping charges. They have apple, cherry, and pecan as well as alder, hickory, and mesquite.

.

HankB · Feb 11, 2013

I have a more or less wild cherry in our yard and have used trimmings from it.

I dry it before using. A couple months in a dry spot is probably enough. If you're in a hurry, put a couple pieces in an oven with a pilot light or put it off to the side of your grill or smoker where it is hot but not hot enough to ignite it.

I don't bother soaking any wood I use for smoking. I control air to keep it smoking vs. burning.

HogFan · Feb 11, 2013

Wild cherry, known here as black cherry, works great! It grows wild here so plenty available and I like the smoke flavor. Seems to add a nice color as well.

Busaboyjd · Feb 11, 2013

Awesome! Thanks for all the great replys, I'll try some scraps I have in a wood pile this weekend and report!

Mo-Dave · Feb 11, 2013

Lots of good info here on wood, scroll way down in the attachment for that.
This can be found in the Bandera 101 stickies in the yellow section up top.
Dave

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=15621&d=1211119502

KotaChuk678 · Feb 11, 2013

Thanks a million, just put in my order!

IamMadMan said:
Yes you can use "choke Cherry", wild cherry, or ornamental cherry to smoke with. They are similar and have a lighter flavor than orchard cherry.

Yes the wood has to be "seasoned" or dried for 4 to six months depending on the size. I never soak wood prior to use, just add to coals.

You can also buy chunks of wood from doitbest.com and then pick up at a local hardware store and pay no shipping charges. They have apple, cherry, and pecan as well as alder, hickory, and mesquite.

.

captndan · Feb 12, 2013

Just like Woodbutcher said ^^^^^^

NickTheGreat · Feb 12, 2013

How about Crabapple trees? I've got gobs of Crabapple branches from my house :razz:

HankB · Feb 12, 2013

NickTheGreat said:
How about Crabapple trees? I've got gobs of Crabapple branches from my house :razz:

The apple I use is actually from an ornamental crabapple that someone cut down and advertised on Craigslist as "free fire wood."

Edit: You live in a Crabapple tree? :rofl:

spider22 · Feb 12, 2013

HogFan said:
Wild cherry, known here as black cherry, works great! It grows wild here so plenty available and I like the smoke flavor. Seems to add a nice color as well.

We have black cherry here in New England as well and it works very well. I think Apple might have a little better flavor but is also harder to come by mostly because you do not want to cut any living Apple trees.

DownHomeQue · Feb 12, 2013

My experience has been most trees that grow fruit; nuts; or hardwoods are good for smoking... I have some Pear, Pecan, Oak, and lots of Hickory in my woodpile :grin:.. need to get me a tarp.. lol

DownHomeQue · Feb 12, 2013

My woodpile.. Pear is Closest on the right.. then pecan/oak.. all Hickory on the far end

smokeisgood · Feb 12, 2013

DownHomeQue said:
My woodpile.. Pear is Closest on the right.. then pecan/oak.. all Hickory on the far end

That picture does us no good without an address and info on closest access......:decision:

NickTheGreat · Feb 12, 2013

HankB said:
The apple I use is actually from an ornamental crabapple that someone cut down and advertised on Craigslist as "free fire wood."

interesting. I was always warned not to eat crabapples as a kid. Maybe I was missing out :mrgreen:

Edit: You live in a Crabapple tree? :rofl:

Well player, well played :clap:

DownHomeQue · Feb 12, 2013

smokeisgood said:
That picture does us no good without an address and info on closest access......:decision:

Hit me with a PM will def share!

Pyle's BBQ · Feb 12, 2013

woodbutcher1 said:
I would not use orchard harvested Chery wood for smoking. Why? Due to the chemicals used to spray the trees that are absorbed and possibly released when smoldering and getting into the food.
I use only Wild cherry wood , my friend has a farm. I never moisten/soak any wood.

There is no discernible residue left from chemical application. By your reasoning you should not eat the fruit from orchards either.

Here is a discussion on orchard wood. Check out post 35.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116114&highlight=chemical

JD, generally wood is seasoned 3-6 months, depending on the moisture content of wood and where you live. You do not need to soak wood chunks. That would require the wood to dry out before it could catch on fire. Wild cherry is ok to use.

DownHomeQue · Feb 12, 2013

Pyle's BBQ said:
There is no discernible residue left from chemical application. By your reasoning you should not eat the fruit from orchards either.

Here is a discussion on orchard wood. Check out post 35.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116114&highlight=chemical

JD, generally wood is seasoned 3-6 months, depending on the moisture content of wood and where you live. You do not need to soak wood chunks. That would require the wood to dry out before it could catch on fire. Wild cherry is ok to use.

Was thinking the same thing.. if the chemicals.. don't affect the fruit adversly.. the wood should be fine to cook with..

Wood

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