Mango wood for smoking?

[juicemia]

We recently cut down a mango tree in our yard. It was perfectly healthy, just something that unfortunately had to be done.

I've looked online to see if anybody has used mango wood for smoking but I haven't found much. I haven't found many people talking about how their food came out, it's mostly people saying they are going to try it or people saying they shouldn't because the sap can be toxic and that mango trees are often treated with chemicals to help with fruit production and pests.

I know this tree hasn't been treated with anything because it's ours. Also, nobody I know is allergic to the sap. It gets on our hands all the time and nothing happens to us, it's just really sticky. Either way, when you dry wood, the sap evaporates. I smoke using charcoal so I really want wood chunks, not whole splits to feed something like a stick burner, so I'll be removing the bark and can even take off wood that has sap on it without much of an issue.

What I'd like to know is if anybody has used it and how the food turned out. I've burned some dried branches that have fallen from our other tree and it smelled nice, almost like caramel but more perfumed like those incense sticks people burn in their homes.

 

[Steve H]

We recently cut down a mango tree in our yard. It was perfectly healthy, just something that unfortunately had to be done.

I've looked online to see if anybody has used mango wood for smoking but I haven't found much. I haven't found many people talking about how their food came out, it's mostly people saying they are going to try it or people saying they shouldn't because the sap can be toxic and that mango trees are often treated with chemicals to help with fruit production and pests.

I know this tree hasn't been treated with anything because it's ours. Also, nobody I know is allergic to the sap. It gets on our hands all the time and nothing happens to us, it's just really sticky. Either way, when you dry wood, the sap evaporates. I smoke using charcoal so I really want wood chunks, not whole splits to feed something like a stick burner, so I'll be removing the bark and can even take off wood that has sap on it without much of an issue.

What I'd like to know is if anybody has used it and how the food turned out. I've burned some dried branches that have fallen from our other tree and it smelled nice, almost like caramel but more perfumed like those incense sticks people burn in their homes.

mango wood

Was just wondering if mango wood be good for smoking. my neighbor has a tree she wants cut down because its grown to close to her house. thinking i could take the bigger pieces season it then use next year some time. I have no problem getting kiawe wood to smoke with and that is also free. was...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[fltsfshr]

I wouldn't use it. Mango can be very irritating, I won't burn it in my firepit either.

 

[juicemia]

I wouldn't use it. Mango can be very irritating, I won't burn it in my firepit either.

You've burned it before and been irritated? Do you remember if you had the bark on it or any dried up sap?

 

[juicemia]

mango wood

Was just wondering if mango wood be good for smoking. my neighbor has a tree she wants cut down because its grown to close to her house. thinking i could take the bigger pieces season it then use next year some time. I have no problem getting kiawe wood to smoke with and that is also free. was...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

That's actually one of the things I saw when I looked it up before joining. The only two that actually mentioned using it were some international members and one guy from Hawaii said he was getting some but nobody really mentioned any first-hand experience with it. I actually do know one person that's allergic to the sap, so maybe he'd have a hard time with it, but since everybody else in my family has had mango sap all over them I wonder if it would affect them. I also wonder if I take the bark off and sand down the inside of the splits to take off any remaining stuck on bark if it would be fine.

 

[fltsfshr]

I have a large mango tree in my yard. Not only is the bark reactive but so are the leaves and the wood. Ever taste an unripe mango? It taste like diesel fuel. I would not recommend using it to smoke in any form. There are many tropical trees that can cause a skin reaction.

 

[juicemia]

So just to follow up about this, I had a dried up branch that fell on the ground two days ago. I was messing with my grill so I decided to throw it on there and cook some chicken tenders that I had left over from the chicken breasts I had prepped for dinner. The smoke was a little bit irritating but only when I put my face in it coming out of the exhaust. I asked my wife and my in-laws to come out and see if the ambient smoke bothered them and they said it didn't at all and that it actually smelled nice. They liked the chicken tenders so much that I ended up cooking all the chicken breast on the same fire for dinner.

It doesn't quite taste like anything I've had before. It's not really sweet, it's more earthy.

 

[juicemia]

So just to follow up about this, I had a dried up branch that fell on the ground two days ago. I was messing with my grill so I decided to throw it on there and cook some chicken tenders that I had left over from the chicken breasts I had prepped for dinner. The smoke was a little bit irritating but only when I put my face in it coming out of the exhaust. I asked my wife and my in-laws to come out and see if the ambient smoke bothered them and they said it didn't at all and that it actually smelled nice. They liked the chicken tenders so much that I ended up cooking all the chicken breast on the same fire for dinner.

It doesn't quite taste like anything I've had before. It's not really sweet, it's more earthy.

I don't know why this happened I went to edit the original comment and it did this.

 

[Redicans]

I have used chunks here and there during some of my cooks. I am smoking on an offset and don't really get full smoke in the face. Never did a full smoke only on Mango but have read articles of people using it in south America areas and also in asian countries with no problem. I would try a full smoke on it but I only have a limited supply so I only throw a few chunks on now and then. Never any ill affects from it. I think the most important thing is for it to be very dry. The wetter it is I think you could have more reaction to it. Just my thoughts. Hope this helps.

 

[juicemia]

I have used chunks here and there during some of my cooks. I am smoking on an offset and don't really get full smoke in the face. Never did a full smoke only on Mango but have read articles of people using it in south America areas and also in asian countries with no problem. I would try a full smoke on it but I only have a limited supply so I only throw a few chunks on now and then. Never any ill affects from it. I think the most important thing is for it to be very dry. The wetter it is I think you could have more reaction to it. Just my thoughts. Hope this helps.

Yeah I don't think anybody would ever have enough to do a full smoke using it. Mango trees are super productive and live long, there aren't enough of them being cut down to justify it.

How would you describe the taste? I'm having a tough time thinking of the words.

 

[Redicans]

Yeah I don't think anybody would ever have enough to do a full smoke using it. Mango trees are super productive and live long, there aren't enough of them being cut down to justify it.

How would you describe the taste? I'm having a tough time thinking of the words.

The taste is mild to me but as I said I only use it sparingly. My primary wood I smoke with is Kiawe wood here in Hawaii. I get it cheap compared to buying bags from Home depot or Lowes. I would be interested to try a full smoke on Mango though.

 

[fltsfshr]

Here's a bit about mango allergies. Just so you are aware that it's not uncommon..
https://www.verywellhealth.com/mango-allergy-82833

 

[juicemia]

The taste is mild to me but as I said I only use it sparingly. My primary wood I smoke with is Kiawe wood here in Hawaii. I get it cheap compared to buying bags from Home depot or Lowes. I would be interested to try a full smoke on Mango though.

Same up until now I've mainly used mostly charcoal and i'll take a dry branch that fell off the tree, peel the bark, and put it on there.