Using wood instead of charcol

[dan-0]

Becuase of charcol costing so dawggone much I am going to try to just use wood. The two predominate woods in my area are hickory and oak. They are both strong woods, I was wondering if used just 10 pounds of charcol and then added plenty of hickory would the flavor be to strong? I though about adding oak instead but I think that using it as a base would probably not leave much hickory flavor(becuase of it being a strong Flavor). whats ya'lls thoughts on this?



Dan

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Dan,
The short answer is that the meat will be absolutely fantastic when cooked over wood only ... especially hickory and/or oak. I've done it a number of times. Once upon a time, I lived in a very rural area (in Georgia). We actually had two fires. That is, we would start a fairly large fire and allow it to burn down. As it did, the coals from it were shoveled out and placed under the meat which was being barbecued. The "feeder fire" would be kept going and the coals removed to the "cooking fire" as needed to maintain that wonderful 225* temp. (Except back then, we didn't have the thermometers..... the older or more experienced men just knew when and how much to add). I, as a youngster, participated by keeping the feeder wood pile full and listening to the many strories. It was a great time!

Fl. Bill

 

[dan-0]

THOUGHT you for the reply!

I am going to try to smoke a couple of our pastured chickens on the smoker sometime next week-I plan on just using wood.


Thank you

 

[dan-0]

exuse me-got a bad keyboard-I ment Thank YOU-not thought you

 

[mdram]

once you go wood, you wont go back, lol
just watch yer fire, i kept a bucket of wet sand to help if it got too high

 

[bob-bqn]

Another thing I've learned about cooking over all wood (if your not pre-burning to coals) is to build the fire small and let the wood burn (on fire) by keeping the intake damper all the way open. When the wood is on fire it burns clean and doesn't "smoke" as much which keeps the smoky flavor from being as strong as if it were to smolder. When using chips or chucks for smoke you want them to smolder to product a maximum amount of smoke, but when using all wood you want a cleaner burn for more heat and less smoke.

 

[dacdots]

Roger,I just noticed your from MD,we might as well be neighbors,your just over the big ridge from me.

 

[mdram]

and across the ditch, lol