Cherry / Plum Wood

[pennz]

I have the opportunity to get some cherry plum wood for free. How is cherry plum wood for smoking? What meats is it best for?   

 

[smokein man]

wouldn't turn down any free wood. I've done turkey with Cherry and was very pleased withe the results
 

 

[rstr hunter]

I'd  take all the cherry I could get.  After trying it, it's myy go to wood for almost anything.  I've done chickens, turkeys, ribs, pork buts, pork loins, bacon, canadian bacon, etc on it and love it.  Haven't done brisket yet on it as I use mesquite for that, but cherry is a very versitile smoking wood.  It's a lighter sweeter taste as is common with fruit woods, but I don't think its as sweet as apple.  If it says anything, I'm buying cherry when I have almost a cord each of dry apple, hickory, and oak I can use. 

 

[cliffcarter]

I have the opportunity to get some cherry plum wood for free. How is cherry plum wood for smoking? What meats is it best for?   

did you mean cherry wood and plum wood or did you mean cherry plum, which is a common name for this tree, the Purple Leaf Plum-

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=459

 

[pennz]

I was told it is cherry plum. Not cherry.

 

[mountainhawg]

It will be a sweet light smoke similar to cherry but a bit different. Used it a long long time ago when I had plum trees, very nice. Make sure the tree was not sprayed with oils and insecticides within the last couple of years. If it was, pass it up.   

 

[pennz]

Thanks for the info MontainHawg. I will be picking it up this weekend. It is still green. How long do you think it will take for wood to dry or as they say season? Is it better to split or not split for the drying process?

 

[mountainhawg]

Thanks for the info MontainHawg. I will be picking it up this weekend. It is still green. How long do you think it will take for wood to dry or as they say season? Is it better to split or not split for the drying process?

Branches up to 3 inches about 4-6 months in a dry place. Cut them into a comfortable handling size 12-15 inches. Trunk wood 9 to 12 months

in log form, if split probably 6+ months again in a dry place. Obviously the smaller you split things up the quicker they will dry, still a minimum of 3-6 months. Don't split it all, save whole pieces for next year and out. 

I have trunk pieces cut into 2-3 inch thick pie shaped slabs. I usually will not touch those till needed. Slabs that size take 6-9+ months to dry but they are easy to handle and split down nicely into chunks.

 

[pennz]

Great info!   Thank You. I am new at smoking all the info I can get the better. I'll keep you posted on the wood gathering.