buying wood chips

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sourmash

Newbie
Original poster
Nov 11, 2010
2
10
I live on long island ny and I just bought a smoker bbq but the only types of wood I can find in the stores are mesquite and hickory.Does anybody know of a store by my house that sells different flavored wood.I found plenty online but but for a 9.00 bag of apple wood chips its over 11.00 in shipping.It seems like a waste of money.Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.
 
I have found a variety of wood chip flavors available in our area.  Stores are Lowe's hardware and various hardware stores (e.g. ACE).  Typical prices are about $4.99-5.99 for a pound bag, enough for 2-3 smokes easily.

Look at anyplace that sells smokers, and they ought to have chips.
 
Some Walmart stores carry wood chips, I've even seen them at the 99 cent stores. Kepp looking, I'm sure you'll find a local source. It's all good my friend.
 
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What kind of chips are you looking for, Apple, Cherry, Maple???

Todd
 
And do you really have to use Chips. Chunks will last you so much longer. Even in Long Island, you have trees, so scout around and if you see a neighbor cutting down a tree, offer to take some branches from them. That's how I get my Pecan and Cherry here in Florida.
 
Kmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart all usually carry at least chips, and most carry chips and chunks. (sounds like the morning after a really big drinking binge.... lol)
 
Flash has a great idea. Limbs from many types of hardwoods work well.

I live where fruit is grown commercially.

Usually fruit growers stack up their tree prunings for burning or chipping.

You can find apple, cherry, pear etc.  I take the branches 4" or smaller and cut them

into "cookies"  1"-2" thick using my mitre saw. A sawzall would work equally well.

Don't ask me how I know ...but... it takes 2 pieces of wood to make a fire!!

One cookie at a time in the smoker. If it is split, break it at the split and use 1/2 at a time.
 
I order mine online, and get a nice variety at one time. Mine came from Yakima, WA, but I'm sure you can find something closer so the shipping would be less.
 
Another good option is the city recycle center. If you know your wood you can prune off the piles at the recycle center and take them home with you.

The orchard is another good option. I have a small personal apple orchard and give away a lot of trimmings. Keep in mind l, most orchards trim in late winter/early spring.
 
These are what I use when I buy chips.  

Apple chips at w-mart

Usually find them at Menards on sale actually right now for $2.50 a bag  and my Local WM normally has them at the 2.99 - 3.50 range.
 
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I get some of mine at Academy Sports and Outdoors. They usually carry apple, cherry, mesquite and hickory chips and chunks. Also, the grocery stores here carry some varieties of chips. I get them from Lowes.
 
Academy Sports has the best selection I've found anywhere. good selection of bag sizes and price is reasonable.
Try some Jack Daniels chips. Mix 50/50 with Pecan. Great
 
Flash has a great idea. Limbs from many types of hardwoods work well.

I live where fruit is grown commercially.

Usually fruit growers stack up their tree prunings for burning or chipping.

You can find apple, cherry, pear etc.  I take the branches 4" or smaller and cut them

into "cookies"  1"-2" thick using my mitre saw. A sawzall would work equally well.

Don't ask me how I know ...but... it takes 2 pieces of wood to make a fire!!

One cookie at a time in the smoker. If it is split, break it at the split and use 1/2 at a time.
be careful about what people use to cut wood with.  chainsaws, for example, can leave oily stuff on the cuts.  and you don't want that nasty stuff in the smoke to get on your food.

I've been fortunate enough to work at a woodworking shop that has vertical bandsaws. there, I trim off contaminated parts of the wood and then slice the rest into cookie biscuits.  just another example of what you can do if you know someone who has access to such machinery that helps do the job.

as Doohop mentioned, the wood pieces from a recycling place can be treated the same way.

good luck, and happy smokin'!
 
I get large pieces of hickory FREE from a BBQ joint on my route. I cut them with my chop saw then hatchet them into chunks.
 
You'll find them at just about any decent hardware store, whether it be Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace. The big box stores have a larger selection. In my area there's a supermarket called Fred Meyer which is like a combo food/department store and it has wood chips in separate grilling and smoker areas. Fred Meyer is part of the Kroger chain so you might have a similar type of store in Long Island.

As for Walmart, I make it a point to boycott that store every chance I get.
 
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