Wood blends

[smallreado]

Do y'all like to sit on one type of wood while smoking or do you create wood blends? I've been experimenting with a blend for my restaurant that has gotten some pretty good results, 60% weight of oak, 20% weight of pecan and 20% weight of cherry.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

The differences in flavor between various woods can be kind of subtle. I prefer using just one. But I sometimes will mix just based on how seasoned the wood is and what my fire needs. I think oak probably gives me the most consistent fire and coal bed so If I were going to mix, I'd do it like you are using mostly oak. Pecan is pretty readily available where I'm at so I like to use it as well. I've wound up using a blend of pecan and oak on occasion and I like it.

 

[smallreado]

The differences in flavor between various woods can be kind of subtle. I prefer using just one. But I sometimes will mix just based on how seasoned the wood is and what my fire needs. I think oak probably gives me the most consistent fire and coal bed so If I were going to mix, I'd do it like you are using mostly oak. Pecan is pretty readily available where I'm at so I like to use it as well. I've wound up using a blend of pecan and oak on occasion and I like it.

It may sound crazy but this is the first time I've used cherry wood, really liking the subtle color change it helps give as well. Do you have a stable supplier for wood or do you generally just look around?

 

[chopsaw]

liking the subtle color change

I add different woods to give the color I want . Peach on chicken .

Mesquite will give a reddish color like cherry . I use mesquite on just about everything .
Hickory or Oak to run the heat .

 

[Fueling Around]

What are you running for a smoker?
What type of wood do you use? Stick, chunk, pellet, or dust?
It really depends on your location for availability.
I'm currently down to a pellet grill (pooper) and oak in the hopper is my favorite. I supplement with a pellet tube

 

[smallreado]

What are you running for a smoker?
What type of wood do you use? Stick, chunk, pellet, or dust?
It really depends on your location for availability.
I'm currently down to a pellet grill (pooper) and oak in the hopper is my favorite. I supplement with a pellet tube

I'm cheating a bit, using an SPK-500 rotisserie smoker. Wood chamber just takes a just a couple small logs for a cook.

 

[whistlepig]

I've tried many different woods. Cherry is the all round best for me.

 

[jcam222]

I've tried many different woods. Cherry is the all round best for me.

I'm with you. I use apple and oak too but given a choice and supply I love cherry

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

I mostly use Hickory for heat since it doesn't add that much smoke flavor but it is cheaper around here. For flavor I use either Coastal Oak (Red Oak) or Mesquite.

 

[jcam222]

I mostly use Hickory for heat since it doesn't add that much smoke flavor but it is cheaper around here. For flavor I use either Coastal Oak (Red Oak) or Mesquite.

Most folks find a pretty pronounced flavor from hickory. Interesting that you don't. It isn't kiln dried is it?

 

[tallbm]

Do y'all like to sit on one type of wood while smoking or do you create wood blends? I've been experimenting with a blend for my restaurant that has gotten some pretty good results, 60% weight of oak, 20% weight of pecan and 20% weight of cherry.

Hi there and welcome!

Yeah I'm a big fan of doing my own blends. I run an electric smoker and use the A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS) tray that burns wood pellets. I use pellet brands that are 100% of the wood mentioned on the label and then make my own blends. Well I do use a few premade blends but then I doctor them up with more 100% pellet.

I find about 60-65% Hickory and then even parts Maple and Cherry is a good all around blend for just about anything.
I like 100% Mesquite for any beef. Best wood flavor and meet combo out there.
For sausage I find 70% Apple and 30% Hickory to be my favorite, also for my bacon as well.
My favorite middle of the road wood is 100% Maple. I also like it for sandwich meat chubs I smoke and put on the slicer.
Finally 100% Alder on my hot smoked Salmon or my cold smoked Salmon Lox.

One oddball blend is about 80% Mesquite and 20% Alder for my smoked meat loaf. This is because I have a bag of pellets that was a blend of Mesquite and Alder but it was skewed like 20-25% Mesquite and the rest Alder. I just flip the ratio by adding more Mesquite.

If anyone tells you that you can't tell the difference in smoke flavor on bacon they are not exactly correct.
The issue I found is that once you fry up the bacon you kind of obliterate the differences and nuances in the smoke flavor. HOWEVER, if you smoke your bacon to a safe eating Internal Temp (IT) of the meat like 140-145F and you eat a slice, you can totally taste all the flavor differences of the smoke at that point.
Just more more food for thought.

I hope all this info helps :D

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

Most folks find a pretty pronounced flavor from hickory. Interesting that you don't. It isn't kiln dried is it?

haha went outside to check and yes it is kiln dried. small print in one corner of the box. It is for smoking so I didn't think it was.

The good thing is I was talking on the phone with my dad earlier about getting larger quantities and he suggested a local place that I thought was closed. I just looked it up and not only are they still open but the prices are very reasonable. I am getting low on the coastal oak and can get 1/4 cord for $245 which is better than any other place I have looked at here. Most other woods they sell are $200-$220 for 1/4 cord.

I am guessing that is a high price for other places but around LA that is not bad.

 

[smallreado]

I add different woods to give the color I want . Peach on chicken .
View attachment 710853
Mesquite will give a reddish color like cherry . I use mesquite on just about everything .
Hickory or Oak to run the heat .

Beautiful color on that bird, thanks for your answer!

Hi there and welcome!

Yeah I'm a big fan of doing my own blends. I run an electric smoker and use the A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker (AMNPS) tray that burns wood pellets. I use pellet brands that are 100% of the wood mentioned on the label and then make my own blends. Well I do use a few premade blends but then I doctor them up with more 100% pellet.

I find about 60-65% Hickory and then even parts Maple and Cherry is a good all around blend for just about anything.
I like 100% Mesquite for any beef. Best wood flavor and meet combo out there.
For sausage I find 70% Apple and 30% Hickory to be my favorite, also for my bacon as well.
My favorite middle of the road wood is 100% Maple. I also like it for sandwich meat chubs I smoke and put on the slicer.
Finally 100% Alder on my hot smoked Salmon or my cold smoked Salmon Lox.

One oddball blend is about 80% Mesquite and 20% Alder for my smoked meat loaf. This is because I have a bag of pellets that was a blend of Mesquite and Alder but it was skewed like 20-25% Mesquite and the rest Alder. I just flip the ratio by adding more Mesquite.

If anyone tells you that you can't tell the difference in smoke flavor on bacon they are not exactly correct.
The issue I found is that once you fry up the bacon you kind of obliterate the differences and nuances in the smoke flavor. HOWEVER, if you smoke your bacon to a safe eating Internal Temp (IT) of the meat like 140-145F and you eat a slice, you can totally taste all the flavor differences of the smoke at that point.
Just more more food for thought.

I hope all this info helps :D

Really appreciate the insight thank you! I've actually not tried Maple either! Gonna have to go get some this weekend!

 

[Newglide]

Welcome from NC, I run an offset stickburner, I think you'll find that typically people use what's locally available. In my area oak and hickory are plentiful so that's mainly what I use. I do have some apple and maple as well, those came from a couple of trees we took down last year. I usually keep my apple for poultry. everything else gets the hickory and oak, I don't see much difference in the oak and hickory as far as taste. So I use the next log in line.

 

[Chasdev]

Oak and pecan for me, on beef anyway.
Pork is hickory forward with oak backing up.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

It may sound crazy but this is the first time I've used cherry wood, really liking the subtle color change it helps give as well. Do you have a stable supplier for wood or do you generally just look around?

I'm a backyard guy so my experience is way different, but generally the people who sell firewood are tree service guys. I'll generally buy a rick. That will last me quite a while. The first time, I bought off facebook marketplace and got a mix of pecan, oak, and god knows what. Now I've found a purveyor that sells post oak, or as best I can tell it's post oak, and they'll let me buy half ricks or whatever, which is more in line with how much I actually use my stick burner.

I also have a WSM that I run with charcoal and chunks. I can tell if something was smoked with a fruit wood but I doubt I could discern peach from apple for example. I like fruitwoods on pork and part of it is the experience of smelling the wood smoke and I can tell a difference there.

 

[uncle eddie]

Interesting about the blends.
Here, in central Missouri, the two smoke-house restaurants that I like to frequent use oak for the base fire and add splits of hickory, or whatever, depending on what is in the smoker.

Hickory, apple, mesquite are my go-to's (MES40) - in that order.
I like pecan as well but it is more like an every other year thing for me - reminds me of muted-hickory.

 

[smallreado]

I appreciate and enjoy everyones answers, Thanks!

 

[tallbm]

Interesting about the blends.
Here, in central Missouri, the two smoke-house restaurants that I like to frequent use oak for the base fire and add splits of hickory, or whatever, depending on what is in the smoker.

Hickory, apple, mesquite are my go-to's (MES40) - in that order.
I like pecan as well but it is more like an every other year thing for me - reminds me of muted-hickory.

Yeah Oak seems to be the easy button because it burns well, smoke is forgiving, and well everything about it is consistent and simple. Everyone uses it here and I've been burnt out on Oak since I was like 6 years old hahaha. I am so glad I discovered the joys of Maple and it is my equivalent of the middle of the road Oak flavor that can go on anything. I love Maple for this!

 

[Fueling Around]

Do y'all like to sit on one type of wood while smoking or do you create wood blends? I've been experimenting with a blend for my restaurant that has gotten some pretty good results, 60% weight of oak, 20% weight of pecan and 20% weight of cherry.

I'm cheating a bit, using an SPK-500 rotisserie smoker. Wood chamber just takes a just a couple small logs for a cook.

I don't consider that a "cheat". If you need to put out some serious poundage to keep the clients happy, those do a great job without the real estate required for a shack full of offsets plus a couple pit masters to keep them stoked and smoking.
I've had some outstanding smoked meat from a rotisserie smoker (not sure which makes).
Flip side of that coin, I've had some g. a. meat, too.

Smoke flavor is really a personal and regional taste thing.
You've gotten a lot of great ideas here. Just go with it and hopefully, you don't trash 10 briskets.
As many posted, they like different flavors for beef, pork, and chicken. I do as well.

Maple is a great wood and I used it when I had an offset.
I need to rethink some kind of stick burner as I get oak, maple, and ash (another unsung hero wood) for free off my trees. Apple trees now gone.