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advice on Cherry Wood chunks???

Midnight Smoker
Midnight Smoker Posts: 273
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
i was thinking about getting a big box (35 pounds) of cherry wood chunks from a website for about $80. but i've never used cherry wood before.[p]i know, i should probably get a smaller amount to try it out. but i've heard it's a terrific wood for smoking things like pork ribs, and chicken. (heard it makes food nice and dark too!)[p]but then, on another website, somebody mentioned that cherry wood can be too acrid, almost like the way many people describe an excess of mesquite wood.[p]anyone got any experience with cherry wood? does it make food too bitter tasting? does it impart a nice flavor? does it really darken foods, like a whole chicken? [p]thanks!

Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    Midnight Smoker,
    i mix it with hickory guava and sometimes pecan. i dont notice an acrid flavor, but ive heard that mentioned before. it does darken up poultry. i use more cherry wood than any of the others

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Midnight Smoker,
    If I was able to use only one type of wood cherry would be that wood.
    I think if you add to much of any wood you can get adverse smoke flavors. 35 pounds will last you a good while.
    I ordered my last batch from Cabela's. The price was good and shipping was not a stab in the back.
    I ordered 3 bags and the quality was good.
    I like the flavor and the color.
    Darian

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Car Wash Mike
    Car Wash Mike Posts: 11,244
    bacon2.jpg
    <p />Midnight Smoker,
    I buy it by the 2600 cubic inch box. Don't know how many lbs. I mix cherry and apple for ribs. Make some smoked cherry wood bacon.
    The people I buy from can usually mix a box half and half. See if they can do that and buy some apple, sugar maple, or pecan.[p]Mike

    [ul][li]Chigger Creek[/ul]
  • Essex County
    Essex County Posts: 991
    Midnight Smoker,
    Cherry is my favorite. A couple of years ago, fishlessman gave me some cherry chunks and since then, I've been trimming, cutting, and aging chunks from my own trees. I'd say it's a middle of the road smoking wood. Not as strong as mesquite or hickory but more robust than pecan. Yes, it seems to give a nice mahogany color to chicken. My thought is that any acrid flavor may come from wood that's still a little green or from putting food on too soon after adding the chunks.
    Paul

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    6fc6c1a8.jpg
    <p />Midnight Smoker,[p]Cherry is quite possibly my favorite wood. I have used it for many years and have not experienced any harsh flavors from it. It is, after all one of the fruitwoods.[p]As far as color goes, yes it does impart a nice color to your meats. As you can see, cherry wood is darker than apple (far left) or peach (center).[p]DSC03116a.jpg[p]The pork steaks above were smoked with cherry as were thsse pork shanks, neck bones and I'm 75% sure those thighs were cherry smoked too.[p]30724c98.jpg[p]af041081.jpg[p]06def4d1.jpg[p]
    This salmon was started with alder and finished with cherry.
    fe687265.jpg[p]~thirdeye~

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • spbull472
    spbull472 Posts: 128
    Car Wash Mike,[p]Hey man that bacon looks awesome. Are you using any particular type of bacon? How long and at what temp are you cooking that bacon at? If I can tell from the picture, you are doing a direct heat but with a drop pan under the bacon (to reduce flare up I guess or you just love bacon grease). :)[p]Thanks,[p]STL Scott
  • Car Wash Mike
    Car Wash Mike Posts: 11,244
    Scott,
    Thanks.
    That is to reduce flare ups. 350. No particular type. Let the bacon set out awhile so it is easier to work with. This cook has a ton of smoke coming at you. Also, it is like beef jerky and pig candy. No matter how much you cook, there isn't enough.[p]Mike

  • spbull472
    spbull472 Posts: 128
    Car Wash Mike,[p]Alright, I'll admit my noobery and that I can be a little slow at times. Explain to me what you mean by "Let the bacon set out awhile so it is easier to work with."[p]Are you talking while its raw, before it goes on...just let it sit on tray?

  • SMITTYtheSMOKER
    SMITTYtheSMOKER Posts: 2,668
    Midnight Smoker,[p]Cherry is also my favorite smoking wood at this point.[p]In our line of Smoking Woods, cherry is pushing Apple for the top spot in the last few months as well.[p]Shipping wood does get expensive, if you find a good resource close by you got it made.[p]

    [ul][li]Santa Clara Valley Smoking Woods[/ul]

     

    -SMITTY     

    from SANTA CLARA, CA

  • Car Wash Mike
    Car Wash Mike Posts: 11,244
    spbull472,
    Room temp vrs. fridge temp. You will do alright. Room, easier to work with, HTH.[p]Mike

  • just curious where you get your peach wood from maybe its chigger creek i havent looked at there web site yet :):)awesome food pics
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    JASON Upton ,[p]Rocky Richmond sent me some to try out. So far I've only used it on lamb and chicken. 50# boxes is the best deal.....$50 for logs, $75 for chunks. Shipping is the killer, he lives in NC, I'm in WY.[p]~thirdeye~
    [ul][li]BDS Wood[/ul]
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • dhuffjr
    dhuffjr Posts: 3,182
    Midnight Smoker,
    Cherry is good, Apple is good too. The only thing I've noticed a harsh flavor to is too much hickory. [p]Too much smoke in general is a recipe for bad taste too.[p]H

  • Bahmanicious
    Bahmanicious Posts: 105
    Cherry has become one of my favorite smoking woods. Recently did some back bacon with about 2/3 cherry 1/3 sweet maple and it was awesome. I have an order for cherry chunks enroute at the moment from smokinlicious.com. Their prices INCLUDE shipping. Don't have any association with them, just a happy customer.
    Best,
    WA

    www.smokinlicious.com