First order of Smokinlicious!!!

[shrews824]

Received my first shipment of Smokinlicious Wood today. Ordered it on Thursday, December 28th and it arrived today, December 30th. Can't wait to get 'em in the smoker to see how they do. I've heard nothing but good things.

1 cubic foot of double filet
Hickory
White Oak
Wild Cherry

 

[old sarge]

Good stuff. So is Fruit a wood. With my Smokin-it, I split and weigh the chunks. A little goes a long way.

 

[shrews824]

Good stuff. So is Fruit a wood. With my Smokin-it, I split and weigh the chunks. A little goes a long way.

Yeah, I checked on the Fruit-a-wood too. I may try some of that after I run through this batch. This should last me a while however. Haha. Just eyeballing these, I believe I could get by on just one filet per long smoke and about half a filet on shorter smokes. Trial and error I guess.

 

[old sarge]

Trial and error is the way of life. Even with smoking.

 

[motocrash]

How big are the chunks? There's nothing in the pic for scale...

 

[shrews824]

How big are the chunks? There's nothing in the pic for scale...

Sorry about that. They are roughly 3.0 inch/1.5 inch/1.5 inch (LxWxH)

 

[old sarge]

As Scott will probably report back later, this is some really good wood for smoking. Far better than what is available from big box stores.

 

[shrews824]

As Scott will probably report back later, this is some really good wood for smoking. Far better than what is available from big box stores.

I'll definitely report back. Hoping to do another smoke within the next week. Not sure what just yet, but I'll find something. ;)

 

[SmokinAl]

Gosh that seems like an awfully expensive way to buy wood.
I use whatever is available around here in my stick burner.
Mostly oak & hickory, and I have even used the dead branches from an oak tree in my back yard.
Looking forward to see if you get a big flavor difference with the boxed wood!
Al

 

[shrews824]

Gosh that seems like an awfully expensive way to buy wood.
I use whatever is available around here in my stick burner.
Mostly oak & hickory, and I have even used the dead branches from an oak tree in my back yard.
Looking forward to see if you get a big flavor difference with the boxed wood!
Al

Yeah, it is. I've always bought my wood however. My father in law has some Hickory laying around that I need to cut up and see how it does. I guess this is just a bit more convenient for me. I'm hoping this box lasts me for most of the year.

 

[motocrash]

Gosh that seems like an awfully expensive way to buy wood.
I use whatever is available around here in my stick burner.
Mostly oak & hickory, and I have even used the dead branches from an oak tree in my back yard.
Looking forward to see if you get a big flavor difference with the boxed wood!
Al

I'm sure there will be a perceived quality difference due to the placebo effect as this is normal human psychological behavior.Other than this perception based on physical appearance or perceived quality due to cost,how would you qualify or quantify any true quality difference ?

 

[GaryHibbert]

When I had my stick burner I just whatever I could get. Lot if willow around here and it's a great wood for smoking.
Gary

 

[red sled]

Looks like good stuff. Someday I will have to buy smoking wood too.

When I was using my Brinkman charcoal smoker and I needed smoking wood, I would grab the lopers and walk through my sister's hardwood timber and trim branches off of younger hickory trees. Fresh hickory with the bark on has a sweeter taste than dried hickory, in my opinion.

 

[shrews824]

Looks like good stuff. Someday I will have to buy smoking wood too.

When I was using my Brinkman charcoal smoker and I needed smoking wood, I would grab the lopers and walk through my sister's hardwood timber and trim branches off of younger hickory trees. Fresh hickory with the bark on has a sweeter taste than dried hickory, in my opinion.

Never tried any "fresh" wood. Everything I've used has been bought. I may have to give that a go sometime.

 

[tallbm]

Very interesting!
I like the idea of being able to get some special or different kinds of wood to play around with.

I use the AMNPS and pellets. Lumberjack offers variety packs of pellets like 7 one pound bags where you can mix and match the 1 pound bags. It is expensive for 7 pounds but the value comes in the fact that a person on the East Coast, West Coast, or in the Midwest can try Mesquite wood for a beef smoke some day. Or guys like me here in Texas can try Alder for Salmon Lox smokes, etc. etc.

I think having 1 pound of the following (Mesquite, Hickory, Apple, Maple, Pecan, Cherry, and Maple/Hickory/Cherry Blend) will open the eyes of a lot of us smokers as to how we can craft the BEST bbq dishes possible.

For instance, I am a firm believer that any beef or beef like dishes are best produced with Mesquite.

I think that Chicken is like the rainbow of the smoked meat world where it can take all kinds of different woods and combos of wood depending on what you want to make (Southwest chicken throw in some Mesquite into the blend, BBQ chicken throw some Hickory in the blend, Chicken for Chicken salad smoke with pure Apple or Maple, etc. etc.)

Fish, give Alder a try... especially for Salmon!

Pork go heavy on Hickory or like me I blend Hickory at about 50% with 50% Apple or do I do 40% Hickory, 30% Apple, 30% Maple.

So you can see how I'm a HUGE proponent of being able to get different woods to try out and then you can figure out what you want/need and buy accordingly in bulk or in small doses :)

 

[shrews824]

Very interesting!
I like the idea of being able to get some special or different kinds of wood to play around with.

I use the AMNPS and pellets. Lumberjack offers variety packs of pellets like 7 one pound bags where you can mix and match the 1 pound bags. It is expensive for 7 pounds but the value comes in the fact that a person on the East Coast, West Coast, or in the Midwest can try Mesquite wood for a beef smoke some day. Or guys like me here in Texas can try Alder for Salmon Lox smokes, etc. etc.

I think having 1 pound of the following (Mesquite, Hickory, Apple, Maple, Pecan, Cherry, and Maple/Hickory/Cherry Blend) will open the eyes of a lot of us smokers as to how we can craft the BEST bbq dishes possible.

For instance, I am a firm believer that any beef or beef like dishes are best produced with Mesquite.

I think that Chicken is like the rainbow of the smoked meat world where it can take all kinds of different woods and combos of wood depending on what you want to make (Southwest chicken throw in some Mesquite into the blend, BBQ chicken throw some Hickory in the blend, Chicken for Chicken salad smoke with pure Apple or Maple, etc. etc.)

Fish, give Alder a try... especially for Salmon!

Pork go heavy on Hickory or like me I blend Hickory at about 50% with 50% Apple or do I do 40% Hickory, 30% Apple, 30% Maple.

So you can see how I'm a HUGE proponent of being able to get different woods to try out and then you can figure out what you want/need and buy accordingly in bulk or in small doses :)

Oh yeah, I've really been delving into understanding the finer points of wood and how they incorporate differently with each cook. It's great to hear from someone as passionate as you about woods.

I totally agree about "buying" woods so as to try different styles that one would otherwise never get to try. That's kind of the beauty of it.

 

[tallbm]

Oh yeah, I've really been delving into understanding the finer points of wood and how they incorporate differently with each cook. It's great to hear from someone as passionate as you about woods.

I totally agree about "buying" woods so as to try different styles that one would otherwise never get to try. That's kind of the beauty of it.

I may be in oddball in this area. I just don't like being restricted to 1 option or only being able to make 1 kind of smoked food (hence all my smoker mods hahaha).

After my wood pellet trials I have landed on buying Mesquite, Hickory, Apple, Pecan, Cherry, Maple, and Alder. These are all 100% of the wood (no blends) from Lumberjack.

I can do great competition style blends with Hickory/Maple/Cherry.
I'm not really a hardcore hickory guy so I like being able to blend Apple with Hickory.

Pecan is kind of my middle ground wood as apposed to Oak.

Apple will be for blending or for light smoked flavors for when I do things like sandwhich meat type items. I thinking I'll do a chicken sausage some day with pure Apple!

Maple is my ground Venison Pastrami go-to, plus it blends really well or works well with a lighter meat smoke. I really like maple blends I have tried to this point.

Cherry at this point is a blender for me and I need to do some more experimenting with it. As of now I know I like it for my own custom Maple/Hickory/Cherry competition style blend.

Alder is basically for my salmon lox smokes and if/when I do hot salmon smokes I'll do the same. I'll play with it for other fish smokes and I think I can/will blend it with smokes where I want mostly Mesquite or Hickory flavors but need to cut the strength down a little so like 30% Alder with 70% Mesquite like I did on my first meat loaf smoke this past weekend and it was amazing!!!

I'm going to avoid Oak as it is quite generic to me and most places in my area smoke with Oak since it is so readily available. I'm not knocking Oak smoke flavor I just am not fascinated by it enough to feel like it offers enough benefit for me when I already have some mild woods I like better :)

I think I'll avoid Beech as well since I read it is similar to Oak but I wouldn't mind a 1 pound bag to try :)

 

[shrews824]

I may be in oddball in this area. I just don't like being restricted to 1 option or only being able to make 1 kind of smoked food (hence all my smoker mods hahaha).

After my wood pellet trials I have landed on buying Mesquite, Hickory, Apple, Pecan, Cherry, Maple, and Alder. These are all 100% of the wood (no blends) from Lumberjack.

I can do great competition style blends with Hickory/Maple/Cherry.
I'm not really a hardcore hickory guy so I like being able to blend Apple with Hickory.

Pecan is kind of my middle ground wood as apposed to Oak.

Apple will be for blending or for light smoked flavors for when I do things like sandwhich meat type items. I thinking I'll do a chicken sausage some day with pure Apple!

Maple is my ground Venison Pastrami go-to, plus it blends really well or works well with a lighter meat smoke. I really like maple blends I have tried to this point.

Cherry at this point is a blender for me and I need to do some more experimenting with it. As of now I know I like it for my own custom Maple/Hickory/Cherry competition style blend.

Alder is basically for my salmon lox smokes and if/when I do hot salmon smokes I'll do the same. I'll play with it for other fish smokes and I think I can/will blend it with smokes where I want mostly Mesquite or Hickory flavors but need to cut the strength down a little so like 30% Alder with 70% Mesquite like I did on my first meat loaf smoke this past weekend and it was amazing!!!

I'm going to avoid Oak as it is quite generic to me and most places in my area smoke with Oak since it is so readily available. I'm not knocking Oak smoke flavor I just am not fascinated by it enough to feel like it offers enough benefit for me when I already have some mild woods I like better :)

I think I'll avoid Beech as well since I read it is similar to Oak but I wouldn't mind a 1 pound bag to try :)

Wow!! Obviously, you have put some major time and thought into your woods!!! That's awesome. I'm still just getting my feet wet with experimenting so I have a lot to learn. I'm sure going to have fun trying however. I'm really looking forward to smoking with Oak. I've never used it before so I can't wait to see how my smoke may turn out.

 

[browneyesvictim]

I find their claims and attention to detail about the moisture levels VERY interesting. At moisture levels above 20% I still consider "green" wood that is not seasoned properly. Now that is for my woodstove! In fact I use a moisture meter for that religiously. But for smoking wood, I never gave it much credibility the opposite is desirable, and in my pre-conditioned mind always thought the smoking wood should be seasoned as well. In fact that wood wouldn't burn very well at all in a stick burner. I DO believe green wood will produce more smoke and not burn up as fast. And that is with using an external heat source to maintain combustion (such as a propane or electric element). Im not sure Im convinced though that it would be CLEAN smoke of that produced by seasoned wood lower than 20% moisture levels. Those in the know don't "Soak" their wood either for the same reasons.

I took out a peach tree this summer that is "seasoning" now. I might try to cut into it and measure moisture levels and do some further unscientific experimenting.