Can Larch be used for smoking?

[Ohoopee]

Ok, so I know as a general rule, conifers should not be used for smoking but Larch is a bit different from most conifers. For one, it is not an evergreen. I was talking to a guy in Veitenam who opened his own american bbq restaurant over there. He told me the first thing he would recommend to be smoking meat in Ireland is to try the local woods that are cheaper and more readily available. I found a guy over here who has larch for very cheap. I have searched google and there doesn't appear to be general concensus about smoking with Larch or not. I would not have thought that Larch was a hardwood being a conifer but it was listed among hardwoods on the irish forestry website. So what do you guys think, can you hot smoke with Larch?

 

[Winterrider]

I had seen somewhere that Larch was "not" to be use for smoking. Will see if I can find again and post.

 

[Ohoopee]

I had seen somewhere that Larch was "not" to be use for smoking. Will see if I can find again and post.

Thanks, I just bought a big load of Ash wood..it appears to be mainly white ash with a small bit of red ash mixed in. I have never used Ash before either..but this Ash wasn't exactly cheap so I am trying to find a more price friendly alternative. Both sides of my family were land owners in the States and I am really starting to miss just going out in the woods behind the house and cutting my own wood to smoke with.

 

[gmc2003]

Most all hardwoods can be used. One example of a hardwood not to use wood be balsa. Larch is considered a softwood so I wouldn't use it.

Just my take
Chris

 

[Winterrider]

This is not the article I had seen before but. . .
Absolutely No Softwoods for wood for smoking

Right up front, let me tell you, only smoke with hardwood. Softwoods or coniferous woods should never be used for cooking because they have elevated sap levels and more air in their cell structure. This causes the wood to burn fast, hot, produce lots of sparks, and produce unpleasant flavors not ideal for flavoring foods. Let’s be clear on what a softwood is: pine, redwood, cedar, fir, spruce, hemlock, larch, cypress.

 

[GaryHibbert]

I've never smoked with larch, but as I have quite a bit of it on my property, I've burned lots in the fireplace--it's great for that. It has an unpleasant smell to it when it burns. So I'd suggest burning some first to check out the smell before trying it in your smoker.
Gary

 

[Ohoopee]

This is not the article I had seen before but. . .
Absolutely No Softwoods for wood for smoking

Right up front, let me tell you, only smoke with hardwood. Softwoods or coniferous woods should never be used for cooking because they have elevated sap levels and more air in their cell structure. This causes the wood to burn fast, hot, produce lots of sparks, and produce unpleasant flavors not ideal for flavoring foods. Let’s be clear on what a softwood is: pine, redwood, cedar, fir, spruce, hemlock, larch, cypress.

Lol, I don't even think we have Larch in Georgia where I am from but I was getting conflicting information from people. Larch was listed on the Irish forestry website with the Hardwoods and I even ran into a guy on a chef forum I go too that claims all his restaurant uses is Larch.....but I will go with you guys. I know not to use softwoods but based on what I was reading, there didn't appear to be a consensus on whether Larch was soft or hard wood...evne though it was a Conifer.

 

[GaryHibbert]

This is not the article I had seen before but. . .
Absolutely No Softwoods for wood for smoking

Right up front, let me tell you, only smoke with hardwood. Softwoods or coniferous woods should never be used for cooking because they have elevated sap levels and more air in their cell structure. This causes the wood to burn fast, hot, produce lots of sparks, and produce unpleasant flavors not ideal for flavoring foods. Let’s be clear on what a softwood is: pine, redwood, cedar, fir, spruce, hemlock, larch, cypress.

Germany and the Scandanavian countries use softwood for smoking. Not sure I'd try it though.
Gary

 

[Ohoopee]

I've never smoked with larch, but as I have quite a bit of it on my property, I've burned lots in the fireplace--it's great for that. It has an unpleasant smell to it when it burns. So I'd suggest burning some first to check out the smell before trying it in your smoker.
Gary

Thanks, I might just leave it based on what I am seeing here. All the hardwood here is so expensive and then I found this guy with Larch for dirt cheap...I knew it was too good to be true.

 

[Ohoopee]

Germany and the Scandanavian countries use softwood for smoking. Not sure I'd try it though.
Gary

Especually for how long it will be exposed to the smoke, salmon is one thing but it can take a long time to smoke a Pork Butt.

 

[Winterrider]

Germany and the Scandanavian countries use softwood for smoking. Not sure I'd try it though.
Gary

I have seen them use it on a few of the Alaskan shows also. I'll steer clear of them.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Not any good at an answer here but waiting to see the outcome.
Fortunate to live in a area with abundance of hard wood.
How about fruit trees in your area?

Warren

 

[Ohoopee]

Not any good at an answer here but waiting to see the outcome.
Fortunate to live in a area with abundance of hard wood.
How about fruit trees in your area?

Warren

Not really in my area but some parts of Ireland do have apple trees, not in my area but..the most common type of hardwood in my area appears to be Ash. I live in the Southwest of Ireland, most of the Apple orchardfs I have eard of have been on the east coast.

 

[Bearcarver]

I'll give you the very little I know about Larch:
#1. They say it's "Usually" an Evergreen. (One No Vote)
#2. I carved a Bear with it, and it was about as Soft as Pine, and easy to Chainsaw carve. (Another No Vote)
#3. It is resistant to Rot, so I would think that whatever is in it that makes it resistant to Rot is Not Good for Smoking your food. (Another No Vote)

So I would Not use it.

Bear

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the like Ohoopee it is appreciated.

Warren

 

[Ohoopee]

Thanks for the like Ohoopee it is appreciated.

Warren

No problem, appreciate the comment. I'm really trying to find my footing over here dealing with strang woods that I would have never thought about using back in Georgia....if we even had them in Georgia. So I can use all the help I can get.

 

[gmc2003]

My vote is a NO

Chris

 

[Bearcarver]

Like I said above ----No.

Bear

 

[Jonok]

Pallets are usually made of hardwood and are ubiquitous. If you can score Missouri white oak in australasia for scrap prices, why would you do anything else

 

[gmc2003]

Pallets are usually made of hardwood and are ubiquitous. If you can score Missouri white oak in australasia for scrap prices, why would you do anything else

Be careful with pallets. Most have been sprayed with some type of insecticide.

Chris