Question about Smoked Garlic Powder & Smoked Onion Powder

[micbeane19]

Page 172 of Meathead's book, the recipe/instruction for Smoked Garlic Powder & Smoked Onion Powder, I have two questions:

Is there a recommendation for wood to flavor, or would these be just the smoke from the coal be best (that is what I am leaning towards, as it might be the most 'neutral')?

Second, assuming the finished product is properly sealed and stored, what would be estimated shelf life? 3 months? Less? More?

[UncleSpike]

I don't know if there's a proper wood to use, but I've done it with briquettes and hickory, and I thought the flavor was perfect...

[Willy]

I'd venture to guess that the type of wood matters little, after all, smoked onion or garlic is likely to be a very small amount of whatever recipe you'll use them in. Then again, I am most definitely not a super taster. As for powdering, I keep anything like this in the size that it was smoked or dried in--the idea being that the larger the chunk, the less volatiles lost.Grind just enough for your recipe each time and keep the rest "whole". Shelf life? I dunno, but probably many months.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I'm Italian.... garlic ain't no "very small amount" of my recipes!