Choosing and finding wood

[Archena]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Whoops! Should have been four feet, not sixteen inches. [Note to self: when copying someone else's measures make sure it's actually the one you're looking for. And no more math before 8 am for me!]

I guess the length does matter, huh?

[heliman]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Just a follow up on this post: http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/16/c...html#post79322

I used 3 pieces of this wood over the weekend and after only a few weeks of drying I was surprised to find that it burned very well and produced a good coal. There was very little sap coming out of the ends so it looks like I will be able to use it to supplement the regular wood right away.

[asimenia]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Found this on the internet
as hubby wanted to use some of the woods with toxins as the grow in Greece - think we have to stick to olive trees

ALDER - Very delicate with a hint of sweetness. Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds.

ALMOND - A sweet smoke flavor, light ash. Good with all meats.

APPLE - Very mild with a subtle fruity flavor, slightly sweet. Good with poultry (turns skin dark brown) and pork.

ASH - Fast burner, light but distinctive flavor. Good with fish and red meats.

BIRCH - Medium-hard wood with a flavor similar to maple. Good with pork and poultry.

CHERRY - Mild and fruity. Good with poultry, pork and beef. Some List members say the cherry wood is the best wood for smoking. Wood from chokecherry trees may produce a bitter flavor.

COTTONWOOD - It is a softer wood than alder and very subtle in flavor. Use it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor. Don't use green cottonwood for smoking.

CRABAPPLE - Similar to apple wood.

GRAPEVINES - Tart. Provides a lot of smoke. Rich and fruity. Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb.

HICKORY - Most commonly used wood for smoking--the King of smoking woods. Sweet to strong, heavy bacon flavor. Good with pork, ham and beef.

LILAC - Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. Good with seafood and lamb.

MAPLE - Smoky, mellow and slightly sweet. Good with pork, poultry, cheese, and small game birds.

MESQUITE - Strong earthy flavor. Good with beef, fish, chicken, and game. One of the hottest burning woods.

MULBERRY - The smell is sweet and reminds one of apple.

OAK - Heavy smoke flavor--the Queen of smoking wood. RED OAK is good on ribs, WHITE OAK makes the best coals for longer burning. All oak varieties reported as suitable for smoking. Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game.

ORANGE, LEMON and GRAPEFRUIT - Produces a nice mild smoky flavor. Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry.

PEAR - A nice subtle smoke flavor. Much like apple. Excellent with chicken and pork.

PECAN - Sweet and mild with a flavor similar to hickory. Tasty with a subtle character. Good with poultry, beef, pork and cheese. Pecan is an all-around superior smoking wood.

SWEET FRUIT WOODS - APRICOT, PLUM, PEACH, NECTARINE - Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.

WALNUT - ENGLISH and BLACK - Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and game.

Other internet sources report that wood from the following trees is suitable for smoking: AVOCADO, BAY, CARROTWOOD, KIAWE, MADRONE, MANZANITA, GUAVA, OLIVE, BEECH, BUTTERNUT, FIG, GUM, CHESTNUT, HACKBERRY, PIMIENTO, PERSIMMON, and WILLOW. The ornamental varieties of fruit trees (i.e. pear, cherry, apple, etc.) are also suitable for smoking.

Types of wood that is unsuitable or even poisonous when used for grilling. Don't use any wood from conifer trees, such as PINE, FIR, SPRUCE, REDWOOD, CEDAR, CYPRESS, etc.

There are many trees and shrubs in this world that contain chemicals toxic to humans--toxins that can even survive the burning process. Remember, you are going to eat the meat that you grill and the smoke particles and chemicals from the wood and what may be on or in the wood are going to get on and in the meat. Use only wood for grilling that you are sure of.

If you have some wood and do not know what it is, DO NOT USE IT FOR GRILLING FOOD. Burn it in your fireplace but not your smoker.

Also ELM and EUCALYPTUS wood is unsuitable for smoking, as is the wood from SASSAFRAS, SYCAMORE and LIQUID AMBER trees.

Here are some more woods that you should not to use for smoking:

Never use lumber scraps, either new or used. First, you cannot know for sure what kind of wood it is; second, the wood may have been chemically treated; third, you have no idea where the wood may have been or how it was used. For all you know, that free oak planking could have been used in a sewage treatment plant.

Never use any wood that has been painted or stained. Paint and stains can impart a bitter taste to the meat and old paint often contains lead.
Do not use wood scraps from a furniture manufacturer as this wood is often chemically treated.

Never use wood from old pallets. Many pallets are treated with chemicals that can be hazardous to your health and the pallet may have been used to carry chemicals or poison.

Avoid old wood that is covered with mold and fungus that can impart a bad taste to your meat.
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[dublintom]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

I have just completed the dome so am not at fire building yet but wondering if anyone uses their oven after cooking to dry out fresh wood. Would there be any problems with this like leaving a lot of sap behind?

[goorpoo]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

HI every budy... I live were you can cut your own dryed standing trees... hard maple oak cherry and apple..

[Roy acuff]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Hello.

It looks pretty good for me.
thanks for shearing.

[Fire Wood Pizzero]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Any information about using Mahogany? It is a very hard wood but can't find whether or not the fumes area toxic.

[Archena]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

MAHOGANY FOR FIREWOOD. - Article - NYTimes.com

Evidently not - but why would you want to burn such a beautiful wood?

[Tscarborough]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

I am a wood slut, pardon my French. I beg, borrow, or pick up from the side of the road any free wood I can. I draw the line at milled lumber or shrubs. I have a 3 year supply of dried oak stacked in my yard, but it has to be split.

[Fire Wood Pizzero]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Thanks. I just made four Pizzas last night with the Mahogany. The only problem was there were to much moisture in the wood. After last nights firing I stored more pieces inside the oven and today they look dry enough. Mahogany here is abundant which I pick at a local sawmill for free. No complains!!!

[Bartondad]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Just shows you that different woods are abundant in different places, I can't imagine burning mohagany either. We don't grow much of it in the northwest. @Tscarborough-But I do stop short of burning any milled wood also, because you don't know what chemicals its been treated with- especially pallet wood, that I know some people use. Also hardwoods do tend to stay moist longer and are harder to split, but once dry burn longer.

[Forno Gator]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Our oven is on the way to completion and so starts my hunt for wood. Apple can be bought in Alberta but it's expensive and hard to find... $350 for 1/2 cord delivered split and cut or I can get it in BC for $230/cord (split and cut)... which would cost about $420/cord for me to go pick it up. White Birch is considered our premium local "hard" wood and easy to find. Can seasoned White Birch be used in the forno oven or is the bark too sooty?? Anyone here use it regularly? Also Poplar is easy to get and the least expensive local wood, anyone use that?

[brickie in oz]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

As long as it burns Im sure you can use it.

[Bartondad]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

As long as it burns Im sure you can use it.

I agree as long as it is virgin wood. But I do strongly caution against any milled or treated wood. Earlier in this thread it was pointed out that pallets are sent overseas and therefore treated with lots of chemicals to keep bugs out. Using light virgin wood kindling to start your fire and then adding the hard woods for longer burning is the most common way to get things up and running, but now I am partial to keeping a propane "wand burner" handy and just using hard wood with a blast of heat to get the it going.

[Neil2]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

"As long as it burns Im sure you can use it."

Brickie is correct, these things are not fussy. You can burn any kind of normal firewood in them. Since all firewood produces almost the same BTU's per pound, the best value is what ever is cheapest by weight. Ease of hand splitting is also a consideration.

Both the Alberta white birch and poplar will work just fine.