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Steak w/ Pecan Smoke Wood

Jeepster47
Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
in Beef
With the up coming move, I'm trying not to buy any additional smoke wood.  Last night rib eyes were on the schedule and my oak wood was depleted.  So,  threw a couple small pieces of pecan in with the Rockwood lump.  Damn, the steaks weren't that good.  They had a stronger than normal smoky taste that was almost bitter.  So, my questions are: Has anyone else cooked steaks over pecan smoke wood?  What was your experience?  What was the taste profile?

Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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Comments

  • GregW
    GregW Posts: 2,678
    I've never used pecan, but I thought it was pretty mild compared to hickory.
    I've heard a lot of people use it on turkeys. Give that use, i would think pecan wouldn't be a bitter wood to smoke with.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,017
    Not sure why you had that problem, Tom. I love pecan chips and chunks and choose it for poultry as I find it mild like apple. I've even used pecan shells for smoke successfully. 
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    The missus doesn't like a heavy smoke flavor, so I tend to use the lighter smoke flavored woods.  Pecan is one of my favorite smoke woods ... that and/or apple are used when cooking pork.  Poultry is always orange wood.  Beef is a reduced amount of oak.

    We eat at a couple of BBQ joints in Arizona that use only pecan and the brisket is great, so don't understand what happened.

    @GregW ... I've used hickory, but find a lighter load of oak gives a little better flavor.  Like you, I was surprised by the slightly bitter taste of the rib eyes.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Cant offer any advise, but if you dont want to move any wood or charcoal I would be more than happy to take them off your hands.  =)
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    saluki2007 said:
    Cant offer any advise, but if you dont want to move any wood or charcoal I would be more than happy to take them off your hands.  =)
    @saluki2007 ... thanks for the offer. I'll keep you in mind.  @tbent has offered to take the left over Rockwood ... if he backs out I'll PM you. 

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,017
    saluki2007 said:
    Cant offer any advise, but if you dont want to move any wood or charcoal I would be more than happy to take them off your hands.  =)
    I thought the very same thing when I was responding to his pecan post this afternoon, but you spoke first so I'm second in line! 
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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
    i like pecan for pork or poultry - i don't do any extra smoke for steaks. i know that oak is popular for briskets

    pecan is a mild cousin of hickory. since you didn't like pecan, definitely don't do hickory with steak
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    i use pecan a LOT.  i guess it's just available at the stores near me.  i think it's juuuuust slightly mellower than oak, so i will use it on anything.  
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,075
    I use pecan on just about everything. I use it for flavor, when cooking for those who do not like heavy smoke. I am curious as to what happened. I use a boutique 6 chunks dispersed throughout the lump on long low and slows. Usually 1 or 2 chunks for hot and fast. I use so much of it, my neighbors call me PecanRon.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • pescadorzih
    pescadorzih Posts: 926
    I love pecan for beef. Are you sure it was pecan and not mesquite? 
    Personally, I think mesquite is a bitter smoke.

    SE PA
    XL, Lg, Mini max and OKJ offset
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    pescadorzih said:
    I love pecan for beef. Are you sure it was pecan and not mesquite? 
    Personally, I think mesquite is a bitter smoke.

    Never been any mesquite in the house, so that's not it.  Think I'll simply chock it up to an outlier result and go back to using oak for steaks.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • RedSkip
    RedSkip Posts: 1,400
    Any bark on the wood?
    Large BGE - McDonald, PA
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    RedSkip said:
    Any bark on the wood?
    No bark ...

    In fact, very little bark on any of the wood from our local supplier.  I'm going to miss buying from them.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 33,854
    Just to pile on- always great and mild results with pecan.  Wood of choice for poultry.   With luck it will become the stick burner wood in the near-term.  Gotta have been an out-lier especially when compared to oak and with beef.
    BTW- best wishes and safe travels with the move.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    I haven't tried it on beed, but I am not a huge fan of pecan smoke in general.  I know a lot of people love it and perhaps my results were outlier...or maybe I used too much...but I just didn't care for the taste compared to fruit woods. 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,233
    I like pecan. Light and sweet. Did you get your lump going well prior to dropping the beef?
    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    Teefus said:
    I like pecan. Light and sweet. Did you get your lump going well prior to dropping the beef?
    Yep, Rockwood and about 45 minutes before dropping the beef on at 250 degrees.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    This should prove rewarding.  Pecan is good with just about anything.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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