Well, I guess you know what I think about HD's prices, and most things in general.
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Here's a bit of BBQ history! Used to be that there were 2 feuding Texans that provided most of the chips and chunks, labelled and private labelled. They both got purchased by a very large corporation. And a couple of years ago, that same corporation purchased your supplier at Academy. Buy up. Those prices aren't going to last!Comment
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Yes, jfmorris! Consolidation is rampant. Frankly, 2020 was a banner BBQ year in most product areas. People who have to stay home, cook outside more. It was NOT a new norm and many companies geared up assuming it was. Look at the contraction of Traeger and the purchase of Danson by WC Bradley.
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I have a question while we’re on the subject, it concerns wood chunks, not logs on a Stick burner. Can anyone that’s used naturally dried wood chunks AND the store bought kiln dried chunks tell me if there’s much of a difference in the smoke flavor/taste/profile in their food? I’ve always used the kiln dried wood sold in the big box stores. I’ve never bought or ordered from someone like Fruita wood that Huskee mentioned. I’ve always been happy with the kiln dried, but I’ve never used anything else to compare it with. I’m considering ordering from Fruita wood and would like your feedback. Thanks.Last edited by Panhead John; June 14, 2023, 07:43 AM.Comment
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My opinion -- if it's not dried properly, wood will grow moldy. That just doesn't make good tasting smoke. The wood I use is kiln dried or pelleted, which exceeds kiln dried temps.
I am not familiar with Fruita, but I do regularly order splits from All Things BBQ and Vaughn Wood Products. I think Fruita is on dangerous ground using photos of Jack Daniel's to offer their bourbon barrel chunks! -
I order from Fruita only because they have wood that I couldn't get locally like plum. Not that I can taste the difference lol. And the types i buy are starting to show up locally. I do like the quantity though. One shipment lasts me a really long time, like several months.
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Kingsford seems proud of their wood. The HD by me has 350 cu inch Weber bags for 7.98. Still, I have a cheaper place to buy Western chunks at 9.49 for 549 cu inches. Not as good as Academy, but as good as I can find around here.Comment
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I've recently begun sourcing my wood chunks from a local orchard / farm.
They list a wide variety, but don't always have stock of each type so you go with what's available.
Currently using hickory. A half bushel box was under $20, which I don't think is bad.
I don't use much fruit wood except cherry, and I was gifted about a 2 year supply by a friend who had some limbs come down in his yard. I just had to cut it into chunks.
Not sure if the naturally dried wood makes a difference in smoke profile, but I have noticed that I use less of it per cook because it burns slower than kiln dried.
Added bonus, my cash goes to support locals as opposed to Homie or LowesComment
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I predict that we'll all become wood hoarders! I had a small plum and cherry trees die and I'm out with my small chain saw, cutting chunks.Comment
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I installed hardwood floors commercially and residential for thirty years. Gymnasiums were maple and residences were typically red or white oak. Some cherry some hickory. Occasionally I will buy a bag of apple or mesquite. As things go I have enough cut offs to fuel my BBQ passion til they put the dirt over me. I guess this is one thing that is a plus from my never throwing anything out.
smoke on my bruthas n seesters.
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Cut your own or pay the price. Hate to say it.
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I do happen to live in a town named Maple Valley. There's even a reason for that name ..... all the Maple trees. I could probably just go whack a few limbs off some of the trees out in the county, dry them, and be good to goComment
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Just for fun, I checked the website of the place I buy my chunks.
Half bushel box has gone up a bit from the last time I purchased it, to $22.
A little quick math (google is your friend) shows a half bushel is 1075 cubic inches.
So, for roughly $5 more, I'm getting more than 3 times as much wood compared to that package of Kingsford...
Wow
Edit: just noticed that I can get a full bushel of splits for just $3 more. I would just have to put a little work in cutting them into chunks. Might have to consider that for next time.Last edited by Finster; June 14, 2023, 10:40 AM.Comment
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In the last couple of bags I've purchased I noticed that there were a lot of smaller pieces and fewer chunksComment
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