Premium firewood and smoking firewood

[esshup]

Pin Oaks here grow in wet areas, have branches that come out from the truck all the way down the trunk to the ground, (if growing in a sunny area) and the branches always droop down. PITA to split because of all the branches. Yes to the Red Oak family, they bear acorns every 2 years. They grow pretty big too, 24" DBH isn't unusual.

 

[ihookem]

I have been told you smoke fish with wood that has berries and meat that has nuts. As for wood fro smoking, I cut it up in chunks when I smoke catfish and white bass. If you cut it upo with a chainsaw, I always empied the bar oil and put in some old cooking oil that is not toxic. I wouldn't want any bar oil getting smoked into my food. As for good firewood for smoking, I thought of that too. I can get a lot of wood but I dont think ash is the best for smoking. Soft maple is a sour wood. If it smells good , it is , if it is sour, like popple, box elder it is not good for anything but a wood stove.. Nice gig ya got, and remember , wood is a commodity . It is now worth 100% more than it was 1 yr. ago . I told my wife today, that pile of wood I split this winter was wrth about $1000 in BTU's , next fall it will be worth $2,000 in BTU's. A few yrs. ago , it was hardly worth the time . I amke $45 hr. as a self employed carpenter and most times it is not worth it. I was pleased to see she is starting to have some respect for my efforts, cause this oil, gas price might get worse.

 

[sandman2234]

I cut a lot of blackjack oak back in 2015 and had one face cord of it left, when my Mother decided to start using her fireplace again. We usually use a few pieces of it tossed into the charcoal grill and it gives the meat a really good taste! Not much left of it since Mom burned her fireplace all winter, before we figured out that her heat pump wasn't working on anything except electric heat strips!
David from jax

 

[super3]

I have been told you smoke fish with wood that has berries and meat that has nuts. As for wood fro smoking, I cut it up in chunks when I smoke catfish and white bass. If you cut it upo with a chainsaw, I always empied the bar oil and put in some old cooking oil that is not toxic. I wouldn't want any bar oil getting smoked into my food. As for good firewood for smoking, I thought of that too. I can get a lot of wood but I dont think ash is the best for smoking. Soft maple is a sour wood. If it smells good , it is , if it is sour, like popple, box elder it is not good for anything but a wood stove.. Nice gig ya got, and remember , wood is a commodity . It is now worth 100% more than it was 1 yr. ago . I told my wife today, that pile of wood I split this winter was wrth about $1000 in BTU's , next fall it will be worth $2,000 in BTU's. A few yrs. ago , it was hardly worth the time . I amke $45 hr. as a self employed carpenter and most times it is not worth it. I was pleased to see she is starting to have some respect for my efforts, cause this oil, gas price might get worse.

You should try sassafras for the fish.

 

[SS396driver]

I have been told you smoke fish with wood that has berries and meat that has nuts. As for wood fro smoking, I cut it up in chunks when I smoke catfish and white bass. If you cut it upo with a chainsaw, I always empied the bar oil and put in some old cooking oil that is not toxic. I wouldn't want any bar oil getting smoked into my food. As for good firewood for smoking, I thought of that too. I can get a lot of wood but I dont think ash is the best for smoking. Soft maple is a sour wood. If it smells good , it is , if it is sour, like popple, box elder it is not good for anything but a wood stove.. Nice gig ya got, and remember , wood is a commodity . It is now worth 100% more than it was 1 yr. ago . I told my wife today, that pile of wood I split this winter was wrth about $1000 in BTU's , next fall it will be worth $2,000 in BTU's. A few yrs. ago , it was hardly worth the time . I amke $45 hr. as a self employed carpenter and most times it is not worth it. I was pleased to see she is starting to have some respect for my efforts, cause this oil, gas price might get worse.

Ash is a popular wood to smoke with It’s light and goes well with fish . I’ve used it many times with great results

 

[ihookem]

Good to know! I could try it if I run out of apple. However, I am going to start making my own cut up little blocks to grill with . I figure a 15 lb. bag of charcoal is $9.00 now or more, I can cut a bag of it up real quick. Later, ihookem.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Hickory smoked roast beast!

 

[echomeister]

 

[ihookem]

I started using little ash hockey pucks to cook my fish and food in the grill . Seems to have more flame and seems hotter that charcoal but almost free with all the little dead ash trees in my back yard. Just get a 2" trunk and start cutting with the skill saw.

 

[MFV]

Yes, I have a couple decent sized cherry trees to harvest right now.
Neighbor has a pecan I can have (if I trade him in oak).
I'm hoping to get some hickory - always keeping my eyes open for that.
Not much white oak, but I might be able to score some large branches.
Lots of pin oak. Gobs and gobs of that. Is that good for smoking, though?
Keeping my eye open for sugar maple. A fair bit of that around here. I have one on the property of one of my rentals, but I'm not cutting it down for firewood!
No fruit wood. But then again, I know the family that owns the largest orchard farms (Yes - farmS) in the area, so maybe I can ask them.

What kind of effort is it worth to me, though? For $300 a face cord, it's worth a bit of effort! But I have so many jobs lined up - kitchens, basements, bathrooms, etc. Ugh. Not much time left for wood.


GeeVee, that's a good idea about the kindling. Never occurred to me that some people who burn wood wouldn't be set up for that. Might be worth it to buy a big box of fire-starters and throw one of those in with every bundle.

A lot of people around here compation bbq only use pin oak

 

[echomeister]

Firewood store

https://www.cuttingedgefirewood.com/contact/

 

[vtcycle]

Well, I'm glad I stumbled upon this thread as my neighbor has several apple trees that are down and I can have for free. Will have to find the time to haul them out of the woods and split, then sell after it seasons for how long? Six months? 12 months?

 

[djg james]

Well, I'm glad I stumbled upon this thread as my neighbor has several apple trees that are down and I can have for free. Will have to find the time to haul them out of the woods and split, then sell after it seasons for how long? Six months? 12 months?

I'd give it 9 mos to a year. Keep it covered on top after it's split/stacked or it'll rot.

 

[Philbert]

Any easy way to make chips for smoking, other than with a wood chipper?

Thanks

Philbert

 

[djg james]

Any easy way to make chips for smoking, other than with a wood chipper?

Thanks

Philbert

Bandsaw or hatchet.

 

[jolj]

I don't get it that often. That's why I want to make sure I get a fair price. You can't get any where you live? I'm constantly drooling over all the Cherry cut and posted by all you East Coast guys!

I have wild black cherry trees I st under as a child, still growing on my farm.
We use mostly oak for BBQ/grilling here.