SMOKING WITH CEDAR

[wingnut]

I have a friend that is wanting to smoke his meats with cedar. 

You use cedar in 'chests and closets', not "smoking" or are we missing a new supply of wood??  

It just sounds wrong to me, am I wrong, or just inexperienced?

Just 'wood; like to know.           Larry

 

[the dude abides]

I "wood" think cedar would be awfully strong and doesn't sound appealing to me.  But I know people use it all the time in the form of cedar planks to grill fish on.

 

[adiochiro3]

I believe that is a different kind of cedar.  I would never use red/aromatic cedar for smoking.  it's probably poisonous due to the resins.

 

[wingnut]

He, my friend, claims that he, and his dad, used cedar 'all the time', in upstate Washington State. 

Well, in Texas I think we have a different type of cedar, and it may NOT be like Washington State Cedar.

He's just starting up a business, and trying to save money and cedar is plentiful, and cheep, in these parts; but then so is mesquite.

Just trying to help him out, and set him on the right path. 

 

[SmokinAl]

I made a lot of outdoor furniture with cedar and it is loaded with natural resins, much like pine is. I don't think I would use either for smoking meat. IMHO.

 

[cliffcarter]

Western Red Cedar grilling planks have been used for a long time to cook fish. As the name says the are used on a grill with high temp/fast cooking technique. I would not use cedar to cook low and slow because it contains aromatic oils that give it that distinct odor. Cooking at low temp over a long period will allow these oils to build up on the meat effectiely ruining it. Grilling on planks does the same thing but because the meat, almost always fish, is cooked quickly the result is an added light aromatic quality to the fish.