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Cherry wood

Haggis
Haggis Posts: 998
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
A close friend recently passed away and his widow offered me everything in the basement - he was a fine furniture maker and restorer and had lots of high quality planks of many varieties. He also had a fair amount of cherry logs he never got around to having sawed. I believe these are flowering cherry but might be wild stuff (black cherry?) Does anyone know if all varieties of cherry have the same basic flavor when used for smoking? Is any particular variety good or bad? TIA!

Comments

  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    I have heard cherry has a very strong smoke flavor and can overpower some meats. I don't personally know but am anxious to hear from other eggers.
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Cherry is excelent, IMO better than apple.

    I am going to try grape this weekend.

    My next choices are pecan, hickory and lastly misquite.

    Misquite IMO is the strongest.

    The amount of smoke flavor will depend on how much is put in the egg, how cold the meat is and how fast the cook is.

    GG
  • Eggtucky
    Eggtucky Posts: 2,746
    Cherry is an excellent smoking wood and as far as I know any variety...for me it depends on what I am cooking..I like a strong hickory/oak for ribs, butts, briskets...milder woods like cherry and pecan for fish and poultry...mesquite I reserve for quesadillas, burritos, and sometimes a little w/a pizza, some beans and stews...I and my whole family pretty much like smoke flavoring so almost always have chunks of something in the egg when cooking... doing chicken burritos tonight using mesquite...
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Chicken Burritos, sounds really good. Are you cooking the chicken in the burritos or using previously cooked chicken?

    GG
  • Krusty
    Krusty Posts: 77
    I'm curious about this as well. My neighbor cut down a wild cherry tree (non-flowering or fruiting) and gave me the wood to burn in my fire pit. I took several of the pieces and put them in my garage to dry out with the intention of using them in the egg. I have no idea what variety of cherry is typically used for smoking, so I have no idea how this wood is going to work out. I thought I would try it on something cheap and quick first, like maybe chicken, just to see how it does.
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    whoever told you that wasn't smoking cherry, they were smokin' weed.

    cherry is great. ribs, especially.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    the meat temp doesn't affect smoke flavor.

    except for leftovers, maybe. meaning, sometimes i swear i taste/smell more smoke the next day. even then, though, it's probably because i cooked the dinner, and after smelling all that smoke, your nose kind of gets used to it. in the morning, you can really smell it again.

    but the old myth that colder meat 'absorbs' more smoke is just that, a myth.

    (i know, i'm always the party pooper...) :S
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Haggis
    Haggis Posts: 998
    In general, past comments about cherry have been favorable - that's why I raised the question regarding different varieties. But in any case, I recommend avoiding any bark in your smoking wood - I've found that it tends to taste a bit like the smell of burning leaves (for those of us old enough to remember when it was legal to burn your leaves on the street.)
  • The best burger I have ever had was cooked using cherry smoke.
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    The best ribs I've ever done were with cherry, too.
  • Eggtucky
    Eggtucky Posts: 2,746
    egged the chicken first during another cook..save the chicken and pull it for the burritos..good stuff! ;) ..
  • Eggtucky
    Eggtucky Posts: 2,746
    I havent noticed any odoriferous emmanations from smoking chunks of wood with bark..probably wouldnt do a total smoke with nothing but bark...but the chunks having bark on them hasnt caused any problem for me..but then..I always liked the smell of burning leaves too ;)
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    I thought so, thanks for letting me know.

    GG
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    "but the old myth that colder meat 'absorbs' more smoke is just that, a myth"

    I thought that was you that said that & now it is a myth, my hell stike how am I supposed to keep all this stuff straight. ;) :laugh:

    The hotter the less time in the cook & the less time in the smoke - sounds reasonable to me.

    Seriously though... I hve also noticed that a lot of things seem to have more smoke flavor the next day. (Except cheese which gets less as time goes by). Others I have sent leftovers home with have also commented about the increased smoke flavor the next day.

    Kent
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Dogs, Brats (shallow cuts through the casings), Chicken & Chicken all fantastic with cherry.

    GG
  • OzarkQ
    OzarkQ Posts: 150
    Just a thought - if those are seasoned furniture grade cherry timbers - you might want to consider selling them rather than using fine wood for smoking. I don't know the market well, but quality wood can be pretty expensive! Then use the funds to buy more eggcessories and lots of cherry scraps for smoking!
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    well. i will score you a point for the idea that if the meat goes on cold, it will take longer to cook, and technically be in the smoke more. plus one point for you, you bugger! grrr. :blush:

    hahaha
    i was referring to the common misconception that folks should "put the meat on cold because the longer it is under 140, the more smoke that gets 'absorbed' "... that's the falsehood i was referring to. which might not have been what you meant.

    you think i'm bad now. this book on dry-curing sausage that i just got is a stickler's paradise. very interesting stuff.

    anyway. thanks for reminding me that other folks can be right too!
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Hammer
    Hammer Posts: 1,001
    He said it; and chastised me when I said different. We should name him"Dancing Stike", however the wind blows I am there!"
    Just kidding Stike, but you did say it; I couldn't miss the opportunity!
    Hammer
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    The post was to just 'rib' you, no pun intended... :silly:

    "dry-curing sausage" - that sounds a bit, um, risky for lack of a better word.

    Kent