🌳🧱 Do you have MWS? What wood(s) do you currently have for smoking? 🌳

[JGrana]

Ok, what I have on hand now:

Local:
Apple - from a few trees on my property
Cherry - lots of these on my property - always need limbs taken down
Maple - lots in this area
Hickory (Shag Bark mostly, a few Shell Bark) - lots of these as well on my property - wife wants a tall skinny one cut down. Who am I to say no ;-)
Lilac - I took down a medium size lilac tree/bush. Kept some of the larger limbs - perfect size for the KBQ. Still seasoning

Purchased:
Oak - I still have about 5 chunks from a Frutia order. Some Oak in my area (Rochester NY) - non I have access to
Mesquite - purchased from Home Depot

Not sure...
I had 3 huge Cottonwood trees topple during a wicked wind storm a few months ago. Seems like a soft, porous wood. I am likely just going to have them all chipped up and composted.

Anyone every use Cottonwood? Is it worth keeping some of the large limbs?

Here is a group I am trying to accelerate the drying of. I have them all cut to KBQ size, most split and hanging in the warm sun.

[Spinaker]

Chip the Cotton Wood, unless your into wood working.

[Spinaker]

I would be curious to hear how that lilac smokes up.

[PaulstheRibList]

love it

[Huskee]

I forgot I have lilac also, that puts me at 18. I haven't used it yet. I keep forgetting about it, case in point. JGrana have you used any lilac yet or are you letting it all season up first?

[JGrana]

Hi Huskee, I am going to let it season a month. We are getting to the hot, sunny days so I can split it and leave it in the sun. My plan is to do some pork and chicken. I heard lilac is fairly light. I have a KBQ so I will be opening both poppets!
I will take pics and send a review!

[Huskee]

JGrana I was able to do a couple tests with lilac. Not sure if you've read my posts on it, but it smells delightfully peppery, is light (but that depends on how you use it too, of course) but a bit stronger than apple.

[JGrana]

Huskee, thanks for the update. I was just looking at the lilac wood today. Getting close to seasoned enough for the KBQ. I will do some chicken next weekend and report back as well! Hmm, stronger than apple. I think I am going to like it. ;-)

[Steve R.]

My name is Steve, and I have a wood hording problem. The nice tree clearing crew next door left me some goodies just for the asking. Mostly black cherry, with some red oak and a black walnut.

[PaulstheRibList]

Yes!

[Spinaker]

Steve R.
Dang!!!!! You are a lucky guy! That black cherry is like gold, brother. That is my all time favorite. Oak is bomb too, especially blended with cherry. How do you like the Black walnut?

[Steve R.]

I haven't tried walnut for smoking, just for the firepit. I may give it a shot. Yeah, I was happy to learn that was all coming down. Extra bonus that it's some good friends building there.

[Spinaker]

That' always fun! I would keep the walnut in the fire pit. It can be quite strong in the smoker.

[EdF]

I'd do some research on the black walnut. I have some vague memory of it being poisonous from my woodworking days. Look up juglone. It is however an amazing wood for woodworking!

[fitterman]

I don't have much variety but I have a tremendous supply of Apple and Cherry, also a fair amount of oak, maple and access to plenty of alder. Several years ago my brother and I ran low while smoking venison sausage and used so old Apricot . I'm curious , has anyone here ever used it?

[Huskee]

I've used apricot, it's been a couple years but I remember I loved it! Close to peach but maybe not quite as unique as peach.

[Huskee]

It's a fun obsession. My woods have increased by 2 more:

1. Apple (couple kinds, but only counting as one)
2. Post oak
3. Red oak
4. Ash
5. Mulberry
6. Grapevine (gwertztraminer)
7. Grapevine (chardonnay)
8. Maple
9. Sweet cherry
10. Black cherry
11. Plum
12. Sassafras
13. Hickory
14. Honey locust
15. Pecan
16. Orange
17. Peach
18. Lilac
19. Bourbon barrel
20. Almond
21. Alder

[EdF]

Your tastes are clearly more refined than mine! ;-)

[Huskee]

EdF I don't know about that, many of them taste the same to me in real world use.

[Steve R.]

Huskee , #22 needs to be persimmon. I used some persimmon chunks last weekend. Hands down, the best pulled pork I have done so far. This was in the Weber kettle, btw.

[Huskee]

Steve R. You ever get any of that persimmon?

[Steve R.]

That turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. No luck.

[Huskee]

Shoot, ok. I was hoping to make my count 23 by sending you a few bucks. You could've pulled a fast one on me. I appreciate your honesty!

[dajoker]

-Mesquite
-Hickory
-Alder
-Red Oak
-Apple
-Wild Cherry

So definitely not enough.

[Huskee]

Anyone else wanna play? Whatcha got fer wood?

[Steve R.]

I scored about a rick of hickory from the guy who cleared the lot beside mine awhile back. Just had to drive about 20 minutes and I could haul away all I wanted. Doing some ribs tomorrow/today with some of it. I'm on a mission to replicate the Central BBQ ribs we had in Memphis a couple of weeks ago, and I even picked up some bottles of their sauce. Last Meal Ribs are a LOT like theirs, but I'm pretty sure they use only hickory, whereas I have been using mostly cherry. Good either way.

[Huskee]

Nice! Always good to get free wood. Hickory is kinda unique really, I think, adds that special something you find in a lot of commercial places.

[Steve R.]

Yep. Honestly, I have more black cherry and hickory that I could realistically be expected to ever use, and it was all free. But I love free stuff. And I have a wood burning firepit.

[Troutman]

For years it was mesquite and/or oak, period. After I got tired of the over smoking of some poultry I added applewood and cherry to the mix. I’ve read where hickory produces the top BTUs of all the woods so I’ve switched from oak to hickory of late. Although you guys may find subtle differences with other woods, that pretty much keeps me satisfied stick burner wise.

As far as pellets are concerned, again it’s hickory and apple. To be honest though, I can’t tell much of ant difference between pellets anyway.

[texastweeter]

I keep oak and mesquite for beef, hickory for pork, pecan for poultry, and fruit wood (usually apple or cherry) for fish, cheese, and veggies.

[HawkerXP]

Post oak
Hickory
Cheery
Apple
Peach
Peacan

[JPACCFL]

I just may be showing sign of MWS as well and am happy that their is a support group here in case it gets bad for me.

I have apple, cherry, pecan, hickory and peach. I am going out to find alder for Saturday's plan of hot smoked salmon fillets. The fish idea came up this morning in the shower unless it was in my dreams last night, suppressed by my subconscious.

[CandySueQ]

I've burnt up all my cherry! Have pecan and post oak in splits. Got some beautiful red grapevine chunks, some citrus, cherry and hickory chips AND more different kinds of pellets. I'm putting together a box of pellets out of Candy's stash to raffle off at the KCBS Banquet in 10 days! Hard to give up some of my Budweiser aged beechwood and 100% wine soaked oak, but I'll share for this.