After years of buying bags of Mesquite, Pecan, Cherry, and Hickory, I found that I already had the best smoking wood ever right in my own back yard. Manzanita! Manzanita is a large shrub that grows wild here in my western Sierra foothills It has a beautiful smooth red bark. Very dense and hard wood, the branches are 1 to 3" inches in diameter so they are easy to cut into chunks. The smoke flavor is not as heavy as Mesquite and goes well with all meats that I have tried it on.
What is your favorite wood? and does it grow naturally in your neck of the woods?
What is your favorite wood? and does it grow naturally in your neck of the woods?