Newbie here - Questions about wood

snyper77 · 09-09-2011, 10:56 PM

I'm in northeast Alabama. There are LOTS of trees down due to recent tornadoes and tropical storms. I have people offering me oak and hickory. I've already accumulated 2 chevy truck loads of hickory.

Should I get some oak also?
Should I always mix oak (70%) with hickory (30%) or would the hickory be overbearing if I use it 100%?

I'm definitely going to get pecan and fruit wood if it's offered.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

JMSetzler · 09-09-2011, 11:09 PM

I'd say get whatever you can if it's free and create yourself a nice stockpile of dried woods to use.

jimithing78 · 09-09-2011, 11:09 PM

Depends on what you like to cook. I like oak and pecan for brisket. I use hickory for pork and sometimes for chicken. Hickory is definitely a strong wood, a little goes a long way for me. Never hurts to get some while you can though. If you end up not liking the taste of a certain wood you can always give it away free on craigslist.

Boshizzle · 09-09-2011, 11:13 PM

I like to mix oak and hickory at about 80% oak and 20% hickory. Works really well. Don't pass up oak. It's also good by itself. So, yes, go for it!

Use oak for heat and hickory for smoke. But, oak for heat and smoke works good too.

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 09-10-2011, 01:53 AM

Oak is especially good for beef.

gtr · 09-10-2011, 02:03 AM

I wish I had a situation like that! Oak is great. Hickory is my go-to, but I love 'em all. As mentioned already, I tend to go for the oak when doing beef. If I'm worrying about hitting the grub too hard with smoke, I'll start using apple or just even some lump. I've been loving pecan with chicken lately.

tmehlhorn · 09-10-2011, 02:24 AM

Oak is one of the best woods for bbq. It burns hot and long, has a nice mild smoke to it mixed with the hickory would be excellent

posey's_pork_pit · 09-10-2011, 06:54 AM

Yes.......yes........and yes!

h20loo · 09-10-2011, 07:04 AM

I would get as many varieties as you can and stockpile them- or participate in the brethren exchange.
I have a 10' long row of split wood beside my smoker and I chunk it as I need. I have cherry, oak,apple, hickory, maple and pear. My hickory is local(rare) and not near as strong a smoke flavor as your southern hickory. I really enjoy the taste and smell of southern hickory and the power of your mesquite wood. and pecan.... ummm!

My point is that its good to have a nice variety on hand so you can cook to your groceries or to your guests. When its just us guys, they all love the heavy smoke. For the girls I will use the lighter smoking fruit woods.

Turky1 · 09-10-2011, 08:14 AM

Sounds like you hit the jackpot. You can use either 100% oak or 100% hickory, and it won't be overpowering. Mix them if you like, it's purely a matter of taste. For most people hickory works well on everything. Oak is usually associated with beef, I think mainly because of a texas connection, and it's pretty pungent. No rules though. Have fun.

T

deguerre · 09-10-2011, 08:23 AM

I'm originally from North central Alabama and hickory is my favorite smoking wood, just by itself for pork. I hadn't used oak until a few years ago but MAN what it does to beef! Grab both while you can!

Puppyboy · 09-10-2011, 10:19 AM

I use pecan all the time & love it.

twinsfan · 09-10-2011, 10:33 AM

Grab some hickory, cut it up, and send me some chunks of Alabaman hickory

Dave Russell · 09-10-2011, 10:59 AM

Both are just fine if your smoke is burning sweet, but I'd prefer the straight hickory for only pork butts. We smoked a bunch of leg quarters last weekend with nothing but oak and the flavor was incredible, so it does great by itself with yardbird, just like beef. Also I'll second or third the hickory/oak combo that works on anything.

Be sure to use bricks to keep the wood off the ground and it'll be good for quite a while.

btcg · 09-10-2011, 01:38 PM

Pecan is unusable, and dangerous to handle. Send it to me and I'll get rid of it for you. PM me and I'll give you my address.

09-09-2011, 10:56 PM	#1
snyper77 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-25-11 Location: Sweet Home Alabama	Newbie here - Questions about wood I'm in northeast Alabama. There are LOTS of trees down due to recent tornadoes and tropical storms. I have people offering me oak and hickory. I've already accumulated 2 chevy truck loads of hickory. Should I get some oak also? Should I always mix oak (70%) with hickory (30%) or would the hickory be overbearing if I use it 100%? I'm definitely going to get pecan and fruit wood if it's offered. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks. __________________ Lang 100 Deluxe trailer rig (60" smoker w/warming box and 40" chargrill)

09-09-2011, 11:09 PM	#2
JMSetzler Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-25-11 Location: Valdese, NC Name/Nickname : John	I'd say get whatever you can if it's free and create yourself a nice stockpile of dried woods to use. __________________ [URL="http://facebook.com/mancavemeals"]http://facebook.com/mancavemeals[/URL]

09-09-2011, 11:09 PM	#3
jimithing78 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-11-09 Location: Plano, TX	Depends on what you like to cook. I like oak and pecan for brisket. I use hickory for pork and sometimes for chicken. Hickory is definitely a strong wood, a little goes a long way for me. Never hurts to get some while you can though. If you end up not liking the taste of a certain wood you can always give it away free on craigslist. __________________ Weber Performer / Weber Genesis S-320 / 22.5" WSM / XL BGE

09-09-2011, 11:13 PM	#4
Boshizzle somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-26-10 Location: Virginia	I like to mix oak and hickory at about 80% oak and 20% hickory. Works really well. Don't pass up oak. It's also good by itself. So, yes, go for it! Use oak for heat and hickory for smoke. But, oak for heat and smoke works good too. __________________ Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member - I am Obsessive Compulsive about BBQ. Google it.

09-10-2011, 01:53 AM	#5
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont	Oak is especially good for beef. __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle

09-10-2011, 02:03 AM	#6
gtr somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA	I wish I had a situation like that! Oak is great. Hickory is my go-to, but I love 'em all. As mentioned already, I tend to go for the oak when doing beef. If I'm worrying about hitting the grub too hard with smoke, I'll start using apple or just even some lump. I've been loving pecan with chicken lately. __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD?

09-10-2011, 02:24 AM	#7
tmehlhorn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-20-11 Location: pratt, KS	Oak is one of the best woods for bbq. It burns hot and long, has a nice mild smoke to it mixed with the hickory would be excellent __________________ Weber performer, Smokey joe, Weber go anywhere. Mini-wsm, WSM-Soon

09-10-2011, 06:54 AM	#8
posey's_pork_pit is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-11-10 Location: Doraville GA	Yes.......yes........and yes! __________________ Super fast Purple Thermapen Shirley Fabrication Offset 24x60, Weber SS Performer date code EE, Weber 18 and 22.5 OTS Kettle w/Marty's handles, Smokey Joe Silver w/wooden handle a.k.a. Mini Me, Weber Smokey Joe Platinum date code ER Sipsey: Secret's in the sauce.

09-10-2011, 07:04 AM	#9
h20loo is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 01-22-08 Location: waterloo ontario	I would get as many varieties as you can and stockpile them- or participate in the brethren exchange. I have a 10' long row of split wood beside my smoker and I chunk it as I need. I have cherry, oak,apple, hickory, maple and pear. My hickory is local(rare) and not near as strong a smoke flavor as your southern hickory. I really enjoy the taste and smell of southern hickory and the power of your mesquite wood. and pecan.... ummm! My point is that its good to have a nice variety on hand so you can cook to your groceries or to your guests. When its just us guys, they all love the heavy smoke. For the girls I will use the lighter smoking fruit woods.

09-10-2011, 08:14 AM	#10
Turky1 Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 07-06-11 Location: Chicago IL	Sounds like you hit the jackpot. You can use either 100% oak or 100% hickory, and it won't be overpowering. Mix them if you like, it's purely a matter of taste. For most people hickory works well on everything. Oak is usually associated with beef, I think mainly because of a texas connection, and it's pretty pungent. No rules though. Have fun. T

09-10-2011, 08:23 AM	#11
deguerre somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-15-09 Location: Memphis, TN...Formerly of Decatur, AL	I'm originally from North central Alabama and hickory is my favorite smoking wood, just by itself for pork. I hadn't used oak until a few years ago but MAN what it does to beef! Grab both while you can! __________________ Guerry [FONT=Book Antiqua]Pit Beeatch for Team Munchkin[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua][B]Avatar by Northwest BBQ [/B][/FONT]"...In nature, there are predators. I believe the common denominator of the universe is not harmony, but chaos, hostility and murder..." Werner Herzog

09-10-2011, 10:19 AM	#12
Puppyboy Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-07-06 Location: Osage City, Kansas	I use pecan all the time & love it. __________________ www.facebook.com/BarkinDawgsBBQCatering

09-10-2011, 10:33 AM	#13
twinsfan is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-28-11 Location: New Jersey	Grab some hickory, cut it up, and send me some chunks of Alabaman hickory __________________ Bell Mt. BBQ- Sourland Mountains, NJ, http://bbqapprentice.blogspot.com/

09-10-2011, 10:59 AM	#14
Dave Russell is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-06-10 Location: Lebanon, Tennessee	Both are just fine if your smoke is burning sweet, but I'd prefer the straight hickory for only pork butts. We smoked a bunch of leg quarters last weekend with nothing but oak and the flavor was incredible, so it does great by itself with yardbird, just like beef. Also I'll second or third the hickory/oak combo that works on anything. Be sure to use bricks to keep the wood off the ground and it'll be good for quite a while. __________________ If you're lookin' you ain't cookin', but if you're overcookin' you might start lookin'!

09-10-2011, 01:38 PM	#15
btcg Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-28-10 Location: North Potomac, MD	Pecan is unusable, and dangerous to handle. Send it to me and I'll get rid of it for you. PM me and I'll give you my address. __________________ Graduate: Jack's Old South BBQ School, Smokin Triggers BBQ School, Paul Kirk BBQ School