As I've posted, I'm having a kitchen remodel. The cabinet maker said that he has scrap cherry, oak, maple, walnut, etc. available if I would like to have it. Apart from the potential glue or nails, is there any issue with using scrap cabinet wood in my offsets for smoking meat? I don't think this wood is kiln dried.
I wouldn’t think there would be a problem unless there is a finish on it or something like a laminate attached to it. If it is just scraps from cuttings it should be fine. But, the scraps could be unusable to burn in your stick burner, and then you will have a disposal problem.
I’d have to check on the walnut to see if it’s to use. Other wise if it’s just plain wood scrap it should be ok. If the pieces are small you may be adding them often but heck it’s free.
John "JR"
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If you are happy with it, it's good. Kiln dried wood is about 7% in my area, and I think 15 - 20% is recommended for smoking wood. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
You might get a little less smoke flavor with the lower moisture wood, but it sounds like Spinaker gets enough flavor from what he uses.
There some varieties of wood that can impart a nasty taste to your foods, and yeah, I would look into walnut before you use it. I never burn Osage orange for example. I'm sure there are others.
My local AI says that the following are not good for smoking.
Pine, fir, spruce, cypress, elm, eucalyptus, sycamore, redwood, and most softwoods.
Learn all about wood smoke and how it adds flavor to BBQ. Discover the truth behind the claim that different woods have different flavors.
I smoke with elm, but it is a PITA to split. Otherwise is burns hot and clean. Not sure why the AI would include a hard wood in there. If I could get Osage Orange in MN, I would save that for the stove or evaporator. That stuff burns HOT!
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
******************************************** Grills/Smokers/Fryers Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
Burch Barrel V-1 Karubeque C-60 Kamado Joe Jr. (Black) Lodge L410 Hibachi Pit Barrel Cooker Pit Barrel Cooker 2.0
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R&V Works FF2-R-ST 4-Gallon Fryer *******************************************. Thermometers
FireBoard (Base Package)
Thermoworks ThermaPen (Red)
Thermoworks MK4 (Orange)
********************************* Accessories Big Green Egg Plate Setter
Benzomatic TS800 High Temp Torch X 2 Bayou Classic 44 qt Stainless Stock Pot
Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner Eggspander Kit X2 Finex Cat Iron Line FireBoard Drive Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron Grill Grates Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4 Lots of Lodge Cast Iron Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet Large Vortex Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run) Smithey No. 12 Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3 Stargazer No.10, 12 ******************************** Fuel FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal Kingsford Blue and White B&B Charcoal Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60 ************************************************* Cutlery Buck 119 Special
Cuda 7' Fillet Knife Dexter 12" Brisket Sword Global Shun Wusthof ********** Next Major Purchase Lone Star Grillz 24 X 48 Offset
7% is really low, Just like RonB said, you want to try to stay between 15 and 20% moisture. With our humidity here, we never get wood that is that dry anyway, in Minnesota.
If the wood is too dry, it will not hurt a thing, it just will have a much more neutral flavor and it will burn up quicker.
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Most cabinet makers around here use oak, cherry and maybe walnut for higher end jobs, but mid to lower cost cabinets would typically be built (especially if they will be painted instead of stained) with poplar and pine.
Neither poplar or pine do you want in your smoker. I wouldn't use walnut either, I assume it would be bitter. Bluetail66213 is right, any softwood or pine variant would be bad as well. Too much soot (would be bitter as heck and make a mess of your smoker) due to the sap from those woods. If you wouldn't burn them in your indoor fireplace, you certainly don't want them in the smoker.
Laminated materials would be just as bad, but that goes without saying. Most of my offcuts from woodworking usually go into my firepit to keep me occupied while I enjoy some bourbon later in the evening!
If not cooking outdoors, I am cooking on the stovetop with my 14" carbon steel wok, 12" CI skillet, or in the oven with my two Lodge CI pizza pans, or two dutch ovens. I've also got a nifty Lodge carbon steel grill pan that rocks for veggies outdoors.
As long as it is not plywood - usually oak or birch - as those would have glue, any hardwood scraps should be perfectly usable for smoking. Now, they may be DRYER than normal firewood, but if just using them as smoking chunks, I doubt it will matter much.
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fav is brisky. Love Turkey on PBC. also Turkey in the glass,(any nice bourbon)
Bud has always been my barley pop.
Been smoking a handful of years, just got serious in the last two or three years. Thanks to AR n @glemn picked up an SnS Kamado for appx 1/3 price of new. I dont think he used it twice. Love AR! keep calm n smoke on! Miss you Bonesy.
I have a woodworking shop. I call myself a serious hobbyist that makes furniture for friends and family. Anyway, I have an endless supply of scraps that I use for smoking. Oak, ash, maple, cherry, and walnut mostly. I mostly use it as small chunks in my kettle. Never any issues. Great tasting results.
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