Who likes cherry wood?

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smokininidaho

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Nov 11, 2011
395
130
N. Idaho
Found a great deal on some seasoned cherry wood, $70 for a half cord. I've used apple for some time now but never cherry, except for some chunks a few times. Can't wait to try it in my new braunfell offset.
 
I love my cherry wood.  It burns at a fairly medium-to-hot temperature, puts off a delicious smell, gives the meat a good color, and never "over-smokes" anything.  I have (or had) a 4x8 rack of cherry.  Now it is a 4x4 rack.  I use it on everything I cook.

I'll smoke chicken / poultry with nothing but cherry.

Pork I probably do 40% cherry, 40% pecan or hickory, and 20% oak.

Beef I will probably do a 20% cherry, 40% pecan, and 40% oak.

Point is, cherry goes well with everything and it mixes very well with other woods to give you the flavor and color that you like.
 
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Sweet-new neighbor moved in and is an arborist. Followed the smoking pork to my backyard on sat and is offering me now all the wood I want. All types of fruit wood, sugar maple and white oak. Is dropping a cherry tree on Wednesday and bucking trunk and large branches down to 12"and I, 'll take it from there. Took over some mulberry smoked pulled pork yesterday-blew him away. I think this is going to be a long friendship.
 
You will love that cherry wood.

I like to mix it with stronger woods.

Cherry and maple are my go-to for smoked cheese.  Thanks Todd for your great products!

Good luck and good smoking.
 
I tried it last night, with pork loin. I've been looking for it for a long time; the stores here have plenty of hickory, mesquite and apple chunks but seldom cherry. I found some marked as fireplace chunks under the Weber brand.

I started the fire by finishing a bag of Kingsford, then I finished a bag of apple chunks, then switched to the cherry. The flavor was darker and more tangy than I expected; to my taste it was closer to oak than apple. It did lend a dark red color to the loin - that was rubbed in garlic salt and black pepper, and it came out smelling like tasso.

Maybe part of my problem was burning oversize chunks in the dark. I was holding a flashlight in my teeth. I'll enjoy using the rest of the bag but I think I'll use it lightly as a flavoring.
 
When it comes to chunks neither the Boss nor I can taste one species from another. Will be firing up the Reverse Flow for the first time here shortly....have over a cord of cherry...and about a quarter cord of maple...hope we like it....
 
Does it matter the variety of cherry tree? We planted 2 different trees a couple years ago (to grow cherries). Can i use the smaller branches that i plan on trimming to add a cherry flavour, or do i need a bigger core wood for this? Branches are about 1" currently.
 
As a follow-up, the smoked loin is surprisingly close to a Canadian bacon without the brining. I fried some slices in butter. I'm still not used to the cherry aroma and it was funny to walk through the house and get a whiff of something smoky but not familiar.
 
I did the burn in fire on our Reverse Flow yesterday using cherry... can't wait to cook on it....the smell was incredible
 
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I had two large wild cherry trees cut down this summer and they have been cut up and split,  Is that wood any good for smoking???  If not, I will use it in my outdoor fire pit.
 
 
I had two large wild cherry trees cut down this summer and they have been cut up and split,  Is that wood any good for smoking???  If not, I will use it in my outdoor fire pit.
If there was a chance it was ever sprayed with any pesticides or the like then I would refrain from using it.

TW
 
Yes, I love smoking with cherry wood! [emoji]128077[/emoji] I'll use cherry and hickory mix and also use cherry and apple, love the flavor if gives to the meats.
Happy Smokin'
-Joe
 
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