smoke strength of woods?

[fghmx]

@ Gary S

Yes, you are right. I used to live in the Hill Country - West of Greene - and there I used a Pecan / fruit tree mix. Pecan is very similar to beech.

Good flavor good taste of the meat.

@ T Johnson

Let me ask: How r u binding the pellets? No binders no glue no nothing? I´m guessing: impossible. as sawdust is not binding together from alone w/o some help like glue or such.

even if it is pressed  w/ high pressure it will fall apart after the pressure is off. I would be very interested in knowing how u do that. Just out of curiosity. For me there is ONLY sawdust the first choice.

On your offer talking about bulk prices: Today I talked to a friend of mine who tried to cross the border into MX with some lumber for his house down here.

The Mexicans took the boards at the border: "No importacion de madeira" !

So I have to check on that. Sawdust is wood (madeira) but u might think about the price. Take your time. I need about 50 to 70 Lbs a month.

Smoking for Europeans is different as I pointed out already > and you just confirmed that. In Europe we smoke slow and low. For 10 h - no problem. Then we´r giving the smoke flavor time to penetrate the meat or sausage. We are hanging it back into the fridge for at least 3 days before starting the next smoke session.  

This way the flavor can get towards the middle of the meat. You don´t want it just only at the outside.

Think about "Kassler" which is pork chops with bone. Cured for about 5 to 7 days. Stored to dry it for 2 days. Than smoking for at least 20 hours > but not in one session.

I know that Americans want everything "fast and now" The meat must be ready for lunch if they start smoking at 10 a.m. Some are using liquid smoke!!! What a sacrilege!

O.K., a little bit off topic. Hope that is not a sin! 

 

[fghmx]

@ gary s

that is absolutely correct what u r saying. I used to live in the Hill Country for more than a decade outside Kerrville and there I used Pecan and some mix. 80% Pecan and 20% fruit tree, mostly pear. Pecan is very similar to beech. At least it does not ruin the flavor but makes it <VERY similar to beech.  

@ T Johnson

THX for the info, Todd. Well, not b/c I am a German, but b/c the Germans are the best sausage maker in the world (said that already and will not repeat it again) I mean best sausage maker next to beer!!! LOL

O.K., on the pellets: How did you "glue" the sawdust together to get pellets. Asking just out of curiosity - not that I want to use them. Pellets are n substitute for sawdust as - that´s what I think - one cannot regulate as good as with sawdust.

The German way of smoking is different from the American way. We smoke slowly - Americans want everything fast and now.

We smoke i.e. a piece of meat like "Kassler" (that s one chunk of chops about 5 lbs. on the bone -- cured for at least 10 days , then dried for two days)for about 10 h. SLOW! Then let it penetrate the flavor into the meat by placing it into the fridge for 3 days. Then smoking again until the color is yellow to brown. BUT: slowly is the secret.

on the sawdust I need: I just talked to a friend of mine coming crosthe border w/ lumber. The lumber was taken away @ the border NO IMORTACION DE MADEIRE.

You got to have a special permit (Mexicans are asking for $$$$ for ay permit) before importing any wood product. So I have to talk to the "Departemento de Agricultura" first about getting the permit. It is not customs!

I´ll keep you posted   

 

[fghmx]

this is strange: yesterday I wrote the first post. It vanished into the nirvana. I tried everything to get it back, but NO!

Today I wrote the second post and - what a surprise - the first post was posted today.

Can somebody explain to me this miracle???

 

[tjohnson]

 
@ T Johnson

THX for the info, Todd. Well, not b/c I am a German, but b/c the Germans are the best sausage maker in the world (said that already and will not repeat it again) I mean best sausage maker next to beer!!! LOL

O.K., on the pellets: How did you "glue" the sawdust together to get pellets. Asking just out of curiosity - not that I want to use them. Pellets are n substitute for sawdust as - that´s what I think - one cannot regulate as good as with sawdust.

The German way of smoking is different from the American way. We smoke slowly - Americans want everything fast and now.

We smoke i.e. a piece of meat like "Kassler" (that s one chunk of chops about 5 lbs. on the bone -- cured for at least 10 days , then dried for two days)for about 10 h. SLOW! Then let it penetrate the flavor into the meat by placing it into the fridge for 3 days. Then smoking again until the color is yellow to brown. BUT: slowly is the secret.

on the sawdust I need: I just talked to a friend of mine coming crosthe border w/ lumber. The lumber was taken away @ the border NO IMORTACION DE MADEIRE.

You got to have a special permit (Mexicans are asking for $$$$ for ay permit) before importing any wood product. So I have to talk to the "Departemento de Agricultura" first about getting the permit. It is not customs!

I´ll keep you posted   

There is a protocol for importing sawdust into most countries

Sawdust must be heated to a specific temperature for a specific time

Each country seems to have a different specification

Pellets are heated during the manufacturing process, and therefore already qualify for these regulations.  I have never had an issue shipping pellets into any country.

Wood contains "Lignin", a naturally occurring glue that holds wood together.  As pellets are processed under extreme heat and pressure, the lignin is released and a pellet is formed.  Hardwoods contain more lignin and is often used as a base wood for making pellets.

Todd

 

[timberjet]

You should just send Todd a PM. He may not want to discuss business with everyone in the world but only just you. My humble opinion.

 

[fghmx]

Todd,

great news I really appreciate and certainly can use talking to the Department of Agriculture.

Let me see if they know that and if they accept that about the process of making pallets.

I clearly see that sawdust might be difficult to import. But I will figure out.

Am I right when saying: This is not business talk between you and me but generally talk about smoking and its products.

When time is right I will use PM, no problem.

Thanks a lot - the info is extraordinary good.

 

[susieqz]

i'm finding this thread informative n fun.

 

[tjohnson]

Some countries require that sawdust be "Fumigated" with chemicals to kill off any potential bugs

I wouldn't want to use sawdust after it was subjected to chemicals

 

[ssorllih]

 
Some countries require that sawdust be "Fumigated" with chemicals to kill off any potential bugs

I wouldn't want to use sawdust after it was subjected to chemicals

I think that would depend on the chemicals used. Carbon dioxide will kill all active insects.

 

[tzem143]

I love mesquite wood. from AZ so all around me. Hickory is a great wood and gives u a lot of smoke flavor. The more I smoke the more I like the heavier woods.

 

[fghmx]

I love mesquite wood. from AZ so all around me. Hickory is a great wood and gives u a lot of smoke flavor. The more I smoke the more I like the heavier woods.

b/c the lack of beech in Mx, I am using mesquite and mix it w/ other woods..@ tzem143,, would you agree that using mesquite when hot smoking is required, that the meat or sausage is getting somehow a "bitter" flavor? I can´t do hot smoking w/ mesquite at all. Slow or cold smoking works well w/ mesquite, no problem. But not hot smoking! Hickory is only a substitute for me. That sawdust smells awful ! And I think there is a lot of oil (what kind - I don´t know) in it. Rubbing the sawdust between the fingers, you can feel that. IMHO a ´fumigated´ sawdust is just a No-No for me. No further comment.

 

[tjohnson]

 
I think that would depend on the chemicals used. Carbon dioxide will kill all active insects.

This is correct, but may not meet the requirements for import into a foreign country

You would hate to have the shipment seized and be out the $$$!!!

 

[j the jaybird]

Back to the origional topic, I did a little digging on the net while bored at work and came across a great PDF that gives quite a bit of contrast between woods and their matching meats. Hope this helps! Here's the link, it's a PDF. http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Downloads_files/SmokingFlavorChart.pdf