Wood and Where to get it.

[fredrogers]

This is where I get mine!

Yes, but do you deliver?

Thanks for all the info guys. I will check out the site sponsors and local ace hardware.

-=fred=-

[SmokyOkie]

Tim, would it be possible to pick up an order of wood instead of having shipped?

For you? I suppose so. Customer pick up will cost you 1 ice cold sliver bullet!

Give me a couple days notice. This deal is mostly just to keep my wood guy in business and happy. A good Qer needs a good happy wood dude.

The Lang eats it like candy. Here is a big slice of the last cherry tree we cut up around here in July!


It took 3 of us to pick it up and put it in my dads truck. He likes to turn wood on his huge lathe.

In the pile the brighter colored is fresh cut cherry(like the chunk above) and to the left is maple, and on the right and behind the cherry is red oak.

You don't use that red oak for Q do you? Post oak isn't bas, but man that ed oak has tons of tannins in it.

[cabinetmaker]

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You don't use that red oak for Q do you? Post oak isn't bad, but man that red oak has tons of tannins in it.

You nailed it. Red oak has more tannins than almost any other wood. Working with it actually turns your hands a blackish purple and is almost impossible to wash off. Gotta let it wear off. I wouln't use it for smoking, but I know a lot of people do. The smell from machining and sanding can make me mildly nauseous sometimes. I don't think I'd like my food to taste like it.

[SmokyOkie]

You nailed it. Red oak has more tannins than almost any other wood. Working with it actually turns your hands a blackish purple and is almost impossible to wash off. Gotta let it wear off. I wouln't use it for smoking, but I know a lot of people do. The smell from machining and sanding can make me mildly nauseous sometimes. I don't think I'd like my food to taste like it.

They don't call me Smoky Oaky for nuthin'.

It almost smells like a tannery when it burns. It's good fodder for the wood stove ( lotsa btus), but I don't even like to burn it for campfires because of the smell. Pin oak and Burr oak aren't much better.

I'll use White oak, but post oak is the best IMHO.

[Capt Dan]

No problem with it. I build cabinets out of it and smoke with it too. Never had black hands, or bad smells from it. Must be different down there in devils land. How would you now tannins anyways, you burn most of your meats before the smoke even gets to them!

Honestly, a big majority of michigan stickburners use oak, not white oak, red oak. Now walnut on the other hand, theres a wood with some tannins, and will leave yer hands pretty dirty.

[Capt Dan]

a little info for ya!

Reference guide for Woods used to Smoke Food

ACACIA - these trees are in the same family as mesquite. When burned in a smoker, acacia has a flavor similar to mesquite but not quite as heavy. Is a very hot burning wood.

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

[SmokyOkie]

No problem with it. I build cabinets out of it and smoke with it too. Never had black hands, or bad smells from it. Must be different down there in devils land. How would you now tannins anyways, you burn most of your meats before the smoke even gets to them!

Honestly, a big majority of michigan stickburners use oak, not white oak, red oak. Now walnut on the other hand, theres a wood with some tannins, and will leave yer hands pretty dirty.

No, I don't ever burn meat, though I do over cook it from time to time (do you?)

I know tannins. My chemical company deals in tannins. Anybody that smells red oak burning and can't smell the tannins doesn't know tannins

Further, anyone that thinks red oak is the 'queen ' of smoking woods prolly isn't a very good source for info on smoking woods, and I wouldn't rely on their input.

I've burnt more red oak than I care to think about, and I'm not putting that flavor on anything I cook.

There are only two types of red oak, Northern red oak (quercus rubrus) and southern red oak, or Shumard Oak (quercus falcata). While we are in the southern zone, we are also in the native range of the northern red oak, and it grows prolifically here. The two are easily distinguished by the leaf shape, bark, and general shape of the tree. The Shumard is also much slower to drop it's leaves in the fall. I have 2 northern reds and 1 southern red in my yard. It is wonderful firewood, but, like I say, you put it on your meat, I ain't puttin' it on mine, and for that reason, I ain't recommending to anyone else for that purpose.

As for all the folks in Michigan using it, do you suppose that's because they don't have any pecan or post oak?

Just a little information for ya.

[Capt Dan]

I spose its cuz we like it and we aint sissy's!

The red oak(or what we call red oak) doesn't drop its leaves till mid winter and early springtime. The oak we have around here is lighter than cherry, yet darker than ash.

I aint gonna argue with ya about it, I know enough guys who cater and do comps and use it. Your the one who busted my chops about using it.

When you do finally come up here to go salmon/steelhead fishing, I'll make sure we grab some wood from the maple, cherry, apple , or mullberry piles, instead.

What the hell is "post Oak" Never heard of it!

[SmokyOkie]

I spose its cuz we like it and we aint sissy's!

The red oak(or what we call red oak) doesn't drop its leaves till mid winter and early springtime. The oak we have around here is lighter than cherry, yet darker than ash.

I aint gonna argue with ya about it, I know enough guys who cater and do comps and use it. Your the one who busted my chops about using it.

When you do finally come up here to go salmon/steelhead fishing, I'll make sure we grab some wood from the maple, cherry, apple , or mullberry piles, instead.

What the hell is "post Oak" Never heard of it!

The very basis for Texas BBQ, quercus stellata

I wasn't bustin your chops about using it Dan. I just didn't really think you would use it for BBQ. Hell, it smells like fresh vomit when it's green.

Don't you guys have any hickory up there? Shagbark is one of the best all around woods you could get (we don't get it around here). In fact, they say shagbark is the only 'true' hickory, they say the rest are 'pecan hickories'. Why anyone would use red oak over cherry is beyond me.

Sorry if I came off too harsh. I was just trying to 'throw it back atcha'.

It's all good from here.

I do suppose a man would have to be a 'Real man' to enjoy the red oak smoke.

The wife won't even let me burn if for campfires.

[Capt Dan]

Hey, Its all good here. Folks are beatin down the door for Q around here, so I doubt I'll change much. Remember I use a stickburner and I don't do ovens, and foil very late(175-180) Tannins don't seem to be a problem. I do try my best for the TBS at all times, and except for startup, there is seldom much smoke comming from the Lang. I do apreciate your input and Knowledge. This site, from the link you listed"quercus stelleta" list quite a few different oaks that are sometimes called red oak in North America. Perhaps the type I have been using is different, I have split alot of green oak and have yet to smell anything close to vomit.

Worldwide, the oaks (

Quercus spp.) consist of 275 to 500 species that can be separated into three groups
based on their microanatomy: the live or evergreen oak group, the red oak group (Erythrobalanus), and the
white oak group (Leucobalanus). Species within each group look alike microscopically. The word quercus is
the classical Latin name of oaks, said to be derived from Celtic fine and tree.
The commercial North American species are as follows:

Red Oak Group (

Erythrobalanus)

Quercus coccinea

-bastard oak, black oak, buck oak, red oak, scarlet oak, Spanish oak, spotted oak

Quercus falcata

-American red oak, bottomland red oak, cherrybark oak, Elliott oak, red oak, Spanish oak,

southern red oak

, swamp red oak, swamp spanish oak, turkeyfoot oak, water oak

Quercus kelloggii

-black oak, California black oak, Kellogg oak, mountain black oak

Quercus laurifolia

-Darlington oak, diamond-leaf oak, laurel oak, laurel-leaf oak, swamp laurel oak, water
oak, obtusa oak

Quercus nigra

-American red oak, blackjack, pin oak, possum oak, punk oak, red oak, spotted oak, water
oak

Quercus nuttallii

-nuttall oak, pin oak, red oak, red river oak, striped oak

Quercus palustris

-pin oak, red oak, Spanish oak, Spanish swamp oak, Spanish water oak, swamp oak,
swamp Spanish oak, water oak

Quercus phellos

-black oak, laurel oak, peach oak, pin oak, red oak, swamp willow oak, water oak, willow
oak, willow swamp oak

Quercus rubra

-American red oak, black oak, buck oak, Canadian red oak, common red oak, gray oak,
eastern red oak, leopard oak, Maine red oak, mountain red oak, northern red oak, red oak, Spanish oak,
spotted oak, southern red oak, swamp red oak, water oak, West Virginia soft red oak

Quercus shumardii

-American red oak, Schneck oak, Schneck red oak, shumard oak, Shumard red oak,
southern red oak, spotted bark, spotted oak, swamp red oak, Texas oak, Texas red oak

Quercus velutina

-American red oak, blackjack, black oak, dyer oak, jack oak, quercitron, quercitron oak,

redbush, red oak, smoothbark oak, spotted oak, tanbark oak, yellowbark, yellow oak, yellowbark oak.

as you can see, alot of these listed are also sometimes called red oak.
Both red oak and white oak are used in the making of lump charcoal.

and finally, I did forget part of your responce. I have overcooked a couple meats in the last 6 months!



Just finished a whole kitchen cabinet job of quartersawn red oak, a semi load of it. We get it rough sawn with one straight edge, so we plane it and saw/plane to dimension, and then joint and machine our own doors, and panels. The sheet material is ofcourse plywood. But I never suffered any ill effects or blackness on my hands. I have asthma, and I would know if it was any worse than any other woods. I actually have a rougher time with the black cherry, and of course any osb or MDF.

Anywho, its been fun, and if anyone asked what happened to me, just tell them I died in the "tannin booth"!