Oak VS Oak?

[TJewell]

Let me start by saying I dont know one piece of wood from another. I know I need to put a little effort into getting educated on this if I want to excel at this style of cooking, but for now I really am relying on other people. Basically I am looking for things to be labeled for me.

So last year I bought a 1/4 cord of "oak" that I used in my KBQ, and it made some amazing food! Everything I loaded in it came out great!

I ordered another 1/4 cord of oak this year from a different company.... It's different. Can anyone help figure out what tyoe of oak it is? I called the company and the lady just said, "yep. Its oak."

Piece on the left is from last year. ITs a bit different color, and its HARD. I cant get this stuff to split on the kindling cracker for nothing. It rings like I am trying to split a piece of steel. The new stuff splits with a couple smacks of the hammer.

[TJewell]

This is also this years purchase...

[Santamarina]

Based off the first picture it looks like the new stuff could be red oak. Most wood suppliers don’t differentiate between the many different types of oak. And with your KQB I’d be willing to bet the flavor profile won’t be noticeably different.

Now when grilling over an open wood fire - as I do with steaks and tri-tip - red oak gives me a slightly sweeter smoke. But the difference is probably just my nose while I’m standing next to the grill and less noticeable in the plated product.

[texastweeter]

Yeah it looks like red oak. I use it almost exclusively now, but mainly due to having a shed full of it.

[realdocBBQ]

Woods are really hard to identify sometimes. You've got to look at the meat of the wood (what you're showing us) AND the bark, and even then lots of people still disagree and you gotta see the leaves of the tree. I see these questions on FB smoker groups all the time, "What kind of wood is this?" The answers usually vary wildly and number in the hundreds.


So, don't feel bad. It's tough. Bottom line, if it's a hardwood, it's MOST LIKELY fine for smoking. Not many that are bad in that group I think... elm maybe? Seems like someone said elm isn't good for smoking. But I've even seen people using hackberry here, which is considered junk wood. I dunno how their que came out, but... oh well.

I'm using some cherry I got early this year for my Thanksgiving cook - I fully expect to be able to tell NO difference from my normal pecan or walnut.

[Finster]

smoke is smoke to me too. Cherry does add great color though

[RonB]

au4stree may have some idea, but methinks it will be difficult.

[au4stree]

On it

[Johnny Booth]

TJewell I know the type of wood you are talking about. I always assumed it was red oak, but I’m just guessing.
I use an axe to split after I cut to length. Sometimes that hard red stuff ‘rings’ my axe, which is hard on the joints. I have noticed it cooks hotter and longer than other woods. I have to be careful when I use it so I don’t overheat.

[au4stree]

If you have a sharp saw handy is to cut a clean end piece. Look at the end grain (sometimes a damp cloth will make the grains pop), the best way to tell red from white is closely look at the rings. Pores will be “open” in red oak and “clogged” in white oak. The clogged pores are why white oaks are favored in boat building, more water resistant than the reds.

As mentioned above, leaves and bark are dead give aways. Leaves on white oaks tend to have rounded lobes, reds are more pointed on the leaf margin.

Disclaimer: I was proud to get a C in Wood Science so take my advice with a grain of salt. That was one of the hardest classes I took in school over 20 years ago 😂

[Oak Smoke]

I just learned something. Thank you!