Best Oak for smoking

[RU shooter]

what type of oak wood do you all generally use? Or should I ask do different oak woods have different flavors ? I don't buy my wood I just get it from the rough cut lumber scraps we have left over in the shop that have dried well for a year or so . Been using a lot of cherry which I like and also some oak it was like I said well dried I believe red oak and was also very good a lot better than hickory IMO . Last week I tried a different piece of oak was lighter in color maybe white oak ? Didn't have the same flavor at all as the other piece I used . We have a bunch of different oak around here so its hard to tell what it is when you can't see the bark

[Lloyd Smale]

I like hickory and Apple

[dave524]

Oak from whiskey barrels might be interesting.

[sparky45]

What ever Oak you use, remove the bark before using. To me the flavor is better and removes some of the bitter taste.

[Boaz]

I'm not much help , only pecan and mesquite here (lots of mesquite , lol)

[farmerjim]

I have apple, pecan and persimmon for smoking. I don't bother with oak.

[smokeywolf]

Red oak for beef.

[gambler2200]

Blackjack oak char the wood before you smoke it. That will remove the sap and bitter taste. You can also different blends of wood always char before you smoke with it. You can also purchase lump charcoal which is already to use.

[DerekP Houston]

I use live oak...cause I have 3 giant trees and plenty of scraps. I start a pile of lump charcoal and then drop a log or 2 on depending on size and amount of fire needed. Tastes great, never had a problem with it being bitter. My pit has tons of airflow though, so it never gets stale. I control temperature by the amount of coals not by baffles.

[RU shooter]

Blackjack oak char the wood before you smoke it. That will remove the sap and bitter taste. You can also different blends of wood always char before you smoke with it. You can also purchase lump charcoal which is already to use.

black jack oak never heard of that one we got red , white , pin oak , rock oak those are the most common sure there's a couple more though

DerekP when you say "live oak" do you mean you use green wood or is that a type of oak ?

[DerekP Houston]

black jack oak never heard of that one we got red , white , pin oak , rock oak those are the most common sure there's a couple more though

DerekP when you say "live oak" do you mean you use green wood or is that a type of oak ?

no, I wouldn't use green wood for smoking, it is a variety very common here in Houston.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_fusiformis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_virginiana

Not sure which it is but those look close.

I've got 8 rubbermaid totes full of 3-4" chunks and tons of 10-12" logs of various thicknesses. Former owner of our house hadn't trimmed the trees in a decade so I took off quite a few limbs when we moved in 3 years ago. I use almost exclusively wood other than the batch of charcoal to get it started because it is so plentiful and cheap for me.

[Wayne Smith]

I use White Oak simply because I have lots of it.

[Boaz]

no, I wouldn't use green wood for smoking, it is a variety very common here in Houston.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_fusiformis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_virginiana

Not sure which it is but those look close.

I've got 8 rubbermaid totes full of 3-4" chunks and tons of 10-12" logs of various thicknesses. Former owner of our house hadn't trimmed the trees in a decade so I took off quite a few limbs when we moved in 3 years ago. I use almost exclusively wood other than the batch of charcoal to get it started because it is so plentiful and cheap for me.

Never tried live oak , never heard anyone using it in my area of Texas . We have 'some' live oak here but heck they never die it seems like and a much coveted ornamental/shade tree.

[DerekP Houston]

Never tried live oak , never heard anyone using it in my area of Texas . We have 'some' live oak here but heck they never die it seems like and a much coveted ornamental/shade tree.

guess its the redneck in me. It *is* a great shade tree but it needed trimming away from the house and neighbors houses. tastes delicious to me!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

All Oak wood [especially the leaves and bark] has tannic acid, so it can add a bitterness. Mostly I use Hard Maple, and I prefer it green. I will also use apple tree twigs from Pruning them...also I like those green, I prune them in March, and by July they are all dried out and I no longer use them for smoking and just use 'em up for kindling.

[Boaz]

guess its the redneck in me. It *is* a great shade tree but it needed trimming away from the house and neighbors houses. tastes delicious to me!

I'm in North Texas Derek , mesquite rules in brush country , grew up with mesquite . Most wrap meat in foil if a long cook time , mesquite is good but strong if a long cook time , plus makes a hotter fire . Live oak is probably fine , just never had access to a viable supply .

[MaryB]

White oak is more subtle and great on poultry and fish, red oak has more of a bitter smokey flavor that works better on pork and beef. When I was catering and had the wood fired pit I only used oak because it was readily available in MN... the smoke is barely visible in this picture and that is how a good clean burning fire should look like. If you have lots of white bitter smoke that is what your food will taste like.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/bbqparty003-1.jpg

[OnHoPr]

I don't use oak for smoking, but it is pretty good for grilling. Like JonB, my preference is hard maple, but seasoned. The pieces can be thrown in a bucket of water for a while to add longevity and keeping the heat down. I have used wild cherry, apple, peach, oak for smoking and the oak had a less desirable taste. The apple, peach, and wild cherry is good, but for the flatlander tourist types. I would like to try hickory and mesquite if I could get it in chunks instead of little store bought chips. In Germany they use pine for smoking. I don't know about that one. But, some of them like their beer room temp, not me. Get some snow from the alps for that keg at Oktoberfest. If the smoker is not smoking with the light grey white smoke then it is getting to hot or almost out. I think I have tried June berry, but can't remember the experience. If it was that bad I would have remembered it.

[big bore 99]

Any oak should do good. Be sure to soak it for awhile as previously mentioned. Never use pear wood. The best ribs I've ever had were done with dried out corncobs soaked first in a bucket of water.

[Meatpuppet]

I think you would be fine with any oak. They key with BBQ (and it took me years to figure it out) is to let the wood burn at 100%. That is, do not use a damper to reduce the temp. Once your smoker is up to temp, adjust your heat by using smaller pieces of wood. As long as the wood is burning efficiently you will not get any bitter taste and clear or light blue smoke.

[Lloyd Smale]

mesquite is another good wood to use. To me oak is just to bitter. Its fine if your only laying on the smoke for a short time but if your smoking for hours or using a heavy smoke it can impart a bitter taste.
All Oak wood [especially the leaves and bark] has tannic acid, so it can add a bitterness. Mostly I use Hard Maple, and I prefer it green. I will also use apple tree twigs from Pruning them...also I like those green, I prune them in March, and by July they are all dried out and I no longer use them for smoking and just use 'em up for kindling.

[RU shooter]

mesquite is another good wood to use. To me oak is just to bitter. Its fine if your only laying on the smoke for a short time but if your smoking for hours or using a heavy smoke it can impart a bitter taste.
I use a small brinkman elec. model smoker , made a wood box to set on the burner I normall lay the smoke to the meat for about an hour or so till the wood stop smoking , so not along time . I guess I'm the opposite I like the taste of oak even better when I mix with wild cherry . To me misquite is not to my liking it's overpowering for me anyways . Same with hickory but not as much . Everyone's tastes are different with things I guess .

[DerekP Houston]

mesquite is another good wood to use. To me oak is just to bitter. Its fine if your only laying on the smoke for a short time but if your smoking for hours or using a heavy smoke it can impart a bitter taste.

One of the best tips i read for smoking was to keep the smoke "blue". Thick white smoke is just heavy and bitter, i keep the airflow high and just a light blue smoke coming from the pit. I prefer pecan wood tbh but I'm not paying for it while I have a huge stash of free wood to use up. Fruit trees are the best for chicken and pork that I've found, but again pretty pricey. Everyone has their own favorites and personal tastes/techniques.

[Butchman205]

One of the best tips i read for smoking was to keep the smoke "blue". Thick white smoke is just heavy and bitter, i keep the airflow high and just a light blue smoke coming from the pit. I prefer pecan wood tbh but I'm not paying for it while I have a huge stash of free wood to use up. Fruit trees are the best for chicken and pork that I've found, but again pretty pricey. Everyone has their own favorites and personal tastes/techniques.

Great tip on the airflow!

You guys ever try maple?

A thought hit me years ago...you never hear of hickory or mesquite syrup, but maple syrup is pricey!!!!
And it makes an AWESOME smoke for steaks, burgers, pork...and a WONDERFUL smoke for wood fired pizza. Yum-yum!!!


-Butchman

[OnHoPr]

I guess "Smoking" is the key word here. My smoker is/was a old refrigerator with a 5 gal steel bucket made into a stove with 4" pipe flowing into it with heat not trying to get above 180. That is for those 6 to 8 to 12 hour smokes. I never did do a turkey or the like, but those are 24 hr smokes. I do a little smoking/grilling with an old portable gas grill, but I don't consider that really actually smoking.

[Lloyd Smale]

I like a less bitter smoke so I can smoke the entire length of the cook. I think it imparts the smoke deeper into the meat without being overpowering. Hickory and Apple wood are the best for doing it that way.
I use a small brinkman elec. model smoker , made a wood box to set on the burner I normall lay the smoke to the meat for about an hour or so till the wood stop smoking , so not along time . I guess I'm the opposite I like the taste of oak even better when I mix with wild cherry . To me misquite is not to my liking it's overpowering for me anyways . Same with hickory but not as much . Everyone's tastes are different with things I guess .

[sundog]

I know this is about oak, but since other woods have been mentioned, I'll throw in my preference.

Pecan.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

It's easy to see there are several ways to add smoke to your food. I'm thinking the magic [or science] is getting to know your smoker/grill and how it needs to be run, especially if your heating source is all wood and not electric/gas/charcoal brickets.

I didn't mention this before, but I use Ash wood for a base fire [for long cooking times], as it burns fairly consistent and is kind of neutral in flavor, then add maple [or flavor wood] during the end of the cooking cycle.

[smokeywolf]

I guess "Smoking" is the key word here. My smoker is/was a old refrigerator with a 5 gal steel bucket made into a stove with 4" pipe flowing into it with heat not trying to get above 180. That is for those 6 to 8 to 12 hour smokes. I never did do a turkey or the like, but those are 24 hr smokes. I do a little smoking/grilling with an old portable gas grill, but I don't consider that really actually smoking.

Not a good idea to smoke poultry at temps below 240 F. Poultry has to be taken from 40 degrees to 140 degrees internal temp, much quicker than other meats. I usually smoke poultry at around 260 to 280 degrees and won't smoke a turkey that weighs over 15lbs.

[MaryB]

Wet wood smolders/gives off bitter white smoke. Dry wood in a small clean burning fire gives off the thin blue smoke as mentioned. I did full length cooks burning oak and never had an issue with the food being bitter. I would see guys load their firebox to the max then choke down the airflow so it smoldered, then wonder why they were not winning competitions!

[Boaz]

I know this is about oak, but since other woods have been mentioned, I'll throw in my preference.

Pecan.

Agreed ! Pecan is a milder smoke and dang good to use .

[RU shooter]

Agreed ! Pecan is a milder smoke and dang good to use .
I'll have to find some to try if I can find a store that sells it . Closest thing we have to pecan we have around here that grows wild is butternut but it's a member of the walnut family and had heard walnut is not good for smoking I know the saw dust is bad for animals so can't be good for humans either , can anyone shed light on that ?

[MaryB]

Nice chart
http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Woods.htm

Butternut



Strong smoke, like walnut, bitter when used alone

Good on red meats like Beef, Pork, Venison and other game meats. Can easily overpower poultry.






I'll have to find some to try if I can find a store that sells it . Closest thing we have to pecan we have around here that grows wild is butternut but it's a member of the walnut family and had heard walnut is not good for smoking I know the saw dust is bad for animals so can't be good for humans either , can anyone shed light on that ?

[Lloyd Smale]

making summer sausage today. Smoker will fire up tommarow with a mix of hickory and apple.

[dale2242]

We like alder here in the Northwest.....dale

[Lloyd Smale]

smokers pumping smoke. 20 stick of summer sausage and 20 lbs of snack sticks getting cooked! That's the first batch. Next week the second. Little short on venison this year so that will probably be it.

[DerekP Houston]

smokers pumping smoke. 20 stick of summer sausage and 20 lbs of snack sticks getting cooked! That's the first batch. Next week the second. Little short on venison this year so that will probably be it.

firing up mine at the moment to smoke a brisket

[Shiloh]

I use red oak. It's what I have.
I also use chunk mesquite, hickory, cherry, and apple from a downed crabapple tree.

SHiloh

[RU shooter]

Doing a smaller pork butt tomorrow just got done applying the rub can't wait !! I should have gotten a smoker years ago , last year was my first for smoked venison roasts can't wait for deer season now just for that reason .

[leeggen]

Try some of the fruit trees. Tangerine and orange work great with poultry and some fish. Don't go overboard with the smoke, it can get strong tasting.
CD

[Lloyd Smale]

I need to pick up another small smoker. I had a nice one and gave it away when I built my big one. Problem is the big one uses so much wood and gas that its just a waste to do one brisket or pork but in it.
firing up mine at the moment to smoke a brisket

[MaryB]

Get a 35 gallon food grade drum and make an ugly drum smoker. Very efficient, one load of charcoal for 18+ hours. Or some cut a ring out of them and fit them on a weber kettle to make a smoker.

[TXGunNut]

Another hickory and apple fan here, generally use both. I use pecan when I can find it. I know oak has it's fans but for me nothing beats the smell of hickory smoke, even throw some in the fireplace now and then.

[MaryB]

A nice clean burning oak pit smells sweet!

Many think heavy white smoke means they are smoking... no you are depositing creosote on your meat and then wondering why it tastes like tar...