Woods???

MW · March 2001

I have owned a large BGE for over a year and love it. Have been using "Cowboy" natural whole lump but would like to know what the experts feel about different woods. I soak Pecan or Apple for flavor and use with good effect, however I would like to learn moe about the different types of whole lump.
Thank you... your such a resource
MW

J Appledog · March 2001

MW,
A lot of people will probably tell you that Cowboy Charcoal is junk. I, personally was never unhappy with the stuff & have never passed up a bag of any kind of lump when I was into my last bag. You are lucky to have a supply of pecan. You will find that people here on the forum are willing to swap indigineous woods. Here in Michigan we are blessed to have a bottomless supply of apple, cherry & hickory, & I've been given lovely gifts of pimento (allspice), guava & buttonwood.
If you have a local ServiStar or True Value hardware store you can special-order lump. I posted the item numbers a couple of years ago & they are in the archives in a number of places....
HAVE FUN. JCA[p]

J Appledog · March 2001

It's INDIGENOUS; a word that is printed on every label on every bottle of jerk that goes out the door. And I wrote the copy....

Mike Oelrich · March 2001

MW,[p] Usually, I don't notice much difference in taste from different types of lump charcoal. Noramally, the wood is reduced to almost pure carbon in the creation process. The one exception is the mesquite lump from Texas Mesquite, which is made from green wood and not totally carbonized. Defnintely a mesquite flavor from that stuff. As far as lump quality goes, it's usually hit or miss. I've had bags of off-brand stuff that have been great and I've had bags of BGE charcoal that have had rocks in them. About to go through my new bag of BBQ Galore lump as NatureBoy posted he got some painted wood in his. Find somthing with some decent sized chunks and few impurities and the brand doesn't seem to matter that much.[p] Wood chips and chunks are a different matter. Each wood supplies a distinct flavor. Mesquite is a bit harsh, but good if you don't overuse it. Hickory is the "standard" flavor most people seem to be used to. I like pecan for pork, and any type of poultry. I like fruitwoods (whatever I can get my hands on) for pork, poultry, etc. Sugar maple is my favorite for pulled pork. Apple is my favorite for bratwurst. I like oak for brisket. Alder is the way to go for salmon -- you get the idea. I think the best way to approach it is to treat each different smoking wood as a you would a spice when preparing a BGE meal. Just like there are times when I would never use curry powder in a recipe, there are times when I won't use mesquite. Wood chunks burn (and provide smoke) longer than chips do. Also keep in mind that as the meat begins to cook, it absorbs less smoke over a set amount of time than it does when cold. Experiment and see what works best for you.[p]MikeO

Spin · March 2001

MW,[p]I agree with the posts below and want to add that (like spices) smoking woods can be mixed to create different flavors. Apple mixed with hickory subdues the hickory somewhat and adds a hint of sweetness.[p]Below is the link to the BGE section on smoking woods.[p]Spin

[ul][li]Smoking Wood[/ul]

Woods???

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