All wood puts out smoke.

[Shane Rakow]

Hey all!

I'm curious as to know if anybody uses Ash tree wood for smoking? The Emerald Ash Borer continues its march across the US, and leaves devastation in its wake. I have several 40-year Ash trees on my property that will have to come down soon. Most of the wood I can transform into furniture of my choice, but there will be an awful lot of wood left behind. Does anybody know the flavor point of this wood? I've used so many other wood types, but never Ash.

[rat88]

Never cooked with one, but I have a '79 Peavey T40 with an ash body. Judging from the weight, it is a hard wood. Smoke wise it should be in the mid range with oak. Too much Hickory and Mesquite will get you in the yuck range, but ash should be good

[HorseDoctor]

Not used it myself (yet) but reportedly a good choice. Little faster burn than oak but mild flavor. Numerous reports like it for beef. Good luck & let us know. The ash borer beetle is closing in on us here too.

[Steve R.]

From the looks of Craigslist around here, I could load up a semi trailer with dead ash trees many times over for free. May have to check it out. Would at least be good for firepit wood.

[Huskee]

I use lots of ash (for the same reason) and it's hands down my favorite for ribs, it's a fantastic smoking wood. Get all you can! It's mild, different from oak tastewise but similarly middle of the road. Burns hot and fast if well seasoned, seasons quickly. I use it in an old school stickburner, and it's great for that.

[EdF]

http://www.kbq.us/wood-selection/

Good to go, it appears. I'd expect it to be fairly neutral, like oak.

[Spinaker]

I have quite a bit of ash wood. It does work well for smoking, as others have said. I would also put it in the middle of the road for taste, but I don't think it tastes anywhere as good as oak. Maybe it is just the area where the trees were grown, but in my experience, I don't find it to be that impressive of a smoking wood.

I don't cook with it much anymore, because now I have tons of oak and cherry that has come into season. I run a lot of cherry for ribs and shoulders. Oak for everything else in my KBQ.Sometimes I will mix oak and cherry, for a great combo.

It does season pretty fast, but it also burns fast. It is not as dense as oak, hickory or mesquite.

[Craigar]

Shane Rakow sorry to hear those little buggers made it to your house. Hopefully you're not fighting the Japanese beetles and wasps like we are this year.