Smoking with Russian Olives

[got14u]

Has anyone smoked with or heard anyone smoking with russian Olive trees. There is a abundence of it where I live. It cost so much up here for any good smoking would so I am wondering....Maybe I will give her a shot.

 

[chefrob]

i think alx as well as some others have used it with good results.

 

[donnylove]

Oh man, I'd love to hear that Russian Olive's provide good flavor. I could have RO wood coming out my ears! Anyone else with opinions?

 

[rw_manley]

My uncle’s neighbor brought some goose jerky over he smoked with Russian olive. Was delicious. We’ve been using it on duck & goose jerky the last five years or so. Tried some elk jerky with Russian olive at Christmas. Decent Smokey flavor. Needed more salt though. - Roger

 

[pit 4 brains]

Rodger.. welcome to the forum and thanks for resurrecting this one. I've never heard of using olive tree wood so I am completely ignorant on this one.
- Pete

 

[SmokinEdge]

I’ll be curious the out come of this test. We have Russian olive here to, nasty thorny weed of a tree/bush. When burning the wood smells horrible, I think burning cow Pattie’s smells better.

 

[rw_manley]

I’ll be curious the out come of this test. We have Russian olive here to, nasty thorny weed of a tree/bush. When burning the wood smells horrible, I think burning cow Pattie’s smells better.

Cow patties & pine both smell much better when burning. Mentioned that I’d used Russian Olive to a friend & he told me to look into if it’s toxic or not. Didn’t find anything about that when researching. (Wouldn’t surprise me as nasty as the thorns are). Did happen across this forum though.

 

[Hockeydudde]

I realize this is an OLD thread, but felt better to keep the info in one place. I've been using Russian olive for over a year. We had a bunch of dead trees taken out, so I've got a few cords of the stuff. Unfortunately I've decided I don't like it. It burns SUPER fast, I've got to add wood like 3x as often as if using oak. The flavor I do like, but using it as the main heat source, the flavor is too much. It also burns pretty dirty (or at least it is harder to maintain a clean fire since it burns so fast).
I'll occasionally continue to use it as flavor wood, but an going to switch to something else (that I'll have to buy ) for the base wood.

It makes great fire pit wood because the kids can add new logs much more often!