Where to find Red Oak Chips

Bama Egger

I have been searching all over the internet and my local stores to find Red Oak chips. Does anyone know where I can find some? Also I am in the Southern Maryland/Washington D.C. area and trying to do a real Santa Maria Tri-Tip BBQ. Does anyone know any butchers around here that cut a Tri-Tip?[p]Thank you,
Paul

KennyG

Paul,[p]If you'll be attending EggFest this weekend in Waldorf, hook up with RhumAndJerk. He is bringing a carload of red oak with him from Ohio.[p]If you can't find a butcher familiar with that triangular tip of the sirloin that's one of my favorites, You can sometimes get them from Sam's Club with a special order.[p]K~G

Char-Woody

Paul, I don't know about butchers..but a good meat cutter can trim you out a Tri Tip. :-) Kind of a standing joke here about butchers and meat cutters! I will see if I can find my beef section diagram for you to take to your "butcher" man.
Red oak in specifics might be harder to find, but I doubt there is much difference between white oak and red oak for smoke flavor. All my charcoal is lump Oak without specification's of the type.
Good luck with the tri tip, and you might check out the reference below and print it. There is a very exceptional downloadable file but it requires Acrobat Reader in you harddrive files. But its worth keeping.
Good luck again.
Char-Woody[p]

[ul][li]Beef Cuts [/ul]

Char-Woody

KennyG, what are you doing up so early....:-) I thought I had this place all to myself ....heeeyaaaa.
C~W

KennyG

Char-Woody,[p]I figured it was about time that I got my sorry butt out of bed.hehehe BTW, I can't it to EggFest but RhumAndJerk is going to be providing stork/delivery services to bring my new mini back from the event. Can't wait.[p]K~G

Unknown

Char-Woody,[p]You are right on the nose about the tri-tip cut on the drawing you linked. As far as using "red" Oak, as opposed to "white" Oak, I really don't think it will make a difference, ceptin' you wouldn't be considered a "Santa Maria" kinda guy! ;~)[p]When the Red Oak is used, in the traditional Santa Maria kind of Tri-Tip cook, the "Logs" are maybe 4-10" in diameter, some 12-24" long and cooked down to coals (time permitting; and I've had to get on with the cook while some of the oak was still burning). The meat is then cooked some 3-4' above the coal bed. Just 'til the Moo fades into the distance. Don't want no medium or well-done Tri-Tip, thank you very much! Not too much med-rare, either![p]Actually, cooking a Tri-Tip in the traditional way is somewhat of a spectator sport, as most people have never seen meat cooked this way.[p]In any case, to make a short story long, Paul should just use some Oak.[p]Sespe Pete

Unknown

Paul,
I just go to Home Bepot and buy red oak in the lumber dept chair rail and spindle lumber section and cut up the wood

Bama Egger

Sespe Pete,[p]You are correct that generic oak chips would do the job. But I am actually a central coast transplant (from Santa Barbara, just south of Santa Maria) surviving in the wiles of the east coast. It is the homesickness for the real tri-tip BBQ you described that has sent me on this quest to recreate it as closely as possible, without the spectator sport aspect of it. I may just give up and get some White Oak chips, but I figure I'd try as hard as I could to get the Red Oak. Perhaps someday, if I am motivated enough and find a proper set-up, I'll use the actual red-oak logs.[p]Paul

Bama Egger

ftg50,[p]Now that's an idea. I thought about that but I was worried about some of the treatments they put on the wood. Is there a way to make sure you get "pure" wood that won't give of a lovely "better living through chemistry" smoke?[p]Paul

Unknown

Paul,
i just make sure it is untreated,unfinished wood and start burning.

Unknown

Paul,[p]Being from Santa Barbara, as you are, you should recognize my handle.[p]I'm in Camarillo.[p]All the chips I see here are what appear to be White Oak. Hope you get to the red oak stage![p]Sespe Pete

Char-Woody

Sespe Pete, I loved the story, and when a old timer like Sespe Pete talks..I listen up...Good post. I learned a few in's in BBQ..
Cheers to ya..
Char-Woody[p]

Char-Woody

KennyG, ya better have a cold one (Bud Light) and a hot steak ready when R&J parks..That mini is a cutie pie. I will do some baked taters and sweet taters on it for steak tomorrow night. Maybe even saute some mushrooms in it.[p]

djm5x9

Char-Woody:[p]Here is a mushroom thought for you:[p]Portobellos on the grill . . . Make them large and open. Season with a little salt and pepper and place on the grill stem up. Every once in a while open the dome and alternatingly pour on some teriyaki and Bud (the one in your hand will do). Portobellos absorb the flavor of whatever you apply to them and allow for plenty of creativity.

Char-Woody

djm5x9, by golly thats a good idea...do you wash and prep the Porto's or right out of the box??

djm5x9

Char-Woody:[p]You NEVER wash mushrooms. Brush them off. It is permissible to run a little Bud over them before they go on the grill if you must put liquid on them!

Char-Woody

djm5x9, I e.mailed ya a recipe from Epicurious..and I like the grilling part..olive oil inside and outside.. Skip the buns section tho..What ya think?[p]