Wood Bark: How bothered should I be?

[PGH_RAM]

I read the Meathead article " What You Need to Know About Wood, Smoke, And Combustion", and he has this to say about wood bark:

Bark or no bark? Some wood has more bark than others. Some folks say you should remove the bark. Bark has more air in it and is less tightly bound so it will burn differently than heartwood. I don’t remove it, but I try to keep it to a minimum. I know top cooks who remove it all. I know one cook who says hickory bark is the only one good enough to use. One champion competitor I know says “I pity the folks who chip off bark.

I might be overly fixating on this topic, but I just bought some pecan and cherry chunks from Fruita and each batch seems to have a lot of bark. So, I'm trying to figure out how much is "a minimum". I'm also wondering if it just doesn't really matter and my brain has latched on to this because it's more fun than chores or current events. For reference, I mostly do my low-and-slow using the snake method in a 22" Weber kettle.

So, I look to the Pitmasters for guidance. What are your opinions on wood bark during a cook?

[Oak Smoke]

I get all the oak and pecan I need from my yard and usually stack it until the bark falls off. When I buy fruit wood like apple I just don’t worry about it. I love the smell of apple wood in my kamado and can’t tell from the smell if there’s bark or not.

[Troutman]

Burn it. I'm too lazy to remove it from my splits if it doesn't fall off by itself.

[Spinaker]

I try to remove it before I add it to my fire, if I can''t, I do not worry about it.

When you have woods like red oak, which has very thick bark, I think you should try to remove it. If the wood is good and dry, it should pop right off. Again, I do not make to much of it.

Other hardwoods like fruit trees, cherry, maple etc have thin bark and I do not worry about it at all.

[Meathead]

I know pitmasters who meticulously strip bark off. Others don't care. I have never figured out how to test it.

[Andrrr]

Side by side cooks, one with just wood and one with just bark? I'm not so sure you could quantify the results anyhow, but if the all bark version tastes like crap you could surmise that any amount of bark will negatively impact the end result.

[Meathead]

They would have to be on identical cookers, cleaned similarly, thermostat controlled, meat from same hog or family, with a tasting panel of at least 7. Sigh.

[FireMan]

Well, now that it has been brought up, how bout you bein the tester! You tell us whut it’s all about.

[PGH_RAM]

I guess I've got a new project! :-D

[bmillin]

I propose that Meathead builds up a 20+ lb stockpile of bark and has Dr Blonder monitor a cook using just that

[Donw]

I don’t worry about bark very much but certain woods such as Hickory, walnut and pecan wood do contain certain chemicals (juglone) that can cause reactions in certain people. While the chemicals are mainly in the leaf, traces can be found in the bark too. Of the woods mentioned Walnut has the highest concentrations.I personally, nor anyone I know, have experienced any difficulties but some people have reported it triggering burping or phlegm with a taste of smoke

[Huskee]

If the bark's hard I leave it on, hurts nothing. If it's soft or peeling then I try to remove most of it that will come off easily. If it's punky/rotted I put in more effort to remove it.

[Steve B]

As most everyone has stated, if it comes off easily then remove it. Otherwise leave it on. I’ve done cooks with no bark, some bark and with a lot of bark. Can’t say I’ve noticed any difference in taste or flavor profile.

[mrteddyprincess]

Roy (the dog) cooks with bark at my house.