Sugar Maple ... Smoke wood for what?

Jeepster47

Question: Anyone used Sugar Maple for a smoke wood?  What has your experience been?

Went to Funks Grove yesterday to visit the "Funks Grove Maple Sirup" ( http://www.funkspuremaplesirup.com/history.html ) farm.  The local weather just warmed up, so that they are starting to harvest the sap.  I can remember my father collecting and concentrating the sap to make maple syrup when was a kid, so it's somewhat of a nostalgic trip.  He did it with an open wood fire and a huge cauldron.  The Funks Grove folks have a brand new stainless steel concentration cooker that is about the size of a large SUV.  Much different operation.

A couple of pics of the more traditional part of the farm:



In a "Where's Waldo" search you can see about 16 of the 1,400 buckets that they have collecting sap.



One drip at a time ... takes around 40 gallons of sap for 1 gallon of syrup.




With their permission, I collected one of the smaller trees that had just been thinned out.  It;ll take some drying time, 'cuz it doesn't even know it's been cut down yet.  I texted the above picture to @Ozzie_Isaac and he responded "Cool!! What are you going to cook with it?" ... the missus grabbed my phone and immediately texted back "Pancakes ". 

The question is a good one though.  The smoke wood lists say it's great for poultry ... good for pork ... and hints that it might be okay with beef.

So, again anyone used Sugar Maple for a smoke wood?  What has your experience been?

Mickey

I order Sugar Maple from Maine.
outstanding on ham, ribs, butts, mix with cherry also on ham and ribs and turkey. 
Chunks and chips. 

Darby_Crenshaw

Bacon. Pork. 

All good

ChillyWillis

I LOVE sugar maple, and being from the New England region it's relatively easy to come by up here. It's somewhere in between a light smoke like an apple wood and a mid strength like hickory and very sweet tasting. It does wonders to any pork. Cure some bacon using maple sugar and then smoke with it sugar maple for a real treat. Love it on ribs as well. I'll toss in a chunk when grilling up pork chops. A little goes a long way if you use it on chicken, but it's nice if you're looking for a sweeter profile on your bird. 

To to my taste buds it's the sweetest smoke around. 

NPHuskerFL

I have used it on Ham several times

Legume

I've used on pork, chicken and salmon.  Often use in combo with Apple.  It is the best smelling wood for sitting on your deck.

stlcharcoal

I always use it on pork butts.  Add some apple........to make "mapple"!

Jeepster47

Thanks guys ... appreciate the input.  Looks like a pork cook will be the test flight.  Will cut and split this weekend and it should be ready to go when we're back from our Spring in the Southwest vacation.

If I read between the lines, it sounds like the smoke strength is similar to Pecan with a sweeter taste ... yes?

ChillyWillis

Jeepster47 said:

If I read between the lines, it sounds like the smoke strength is similar to Pecan with a sweeter taste ... yes?

Yep, exactly. 

minniemoh

I use it on spatchcock turkey with Mickey's Coffee Rub. We like the flavor combo. 

YukonRon

I use for salmon and stuffed portas. Most excellent!