Cooking half a hog

[brasco426]

I use natural hardwood lump charcoal and wood chunks in my smoker. Never briquettes as that stuff is made from clay, coal dust and other junk, that's why there is so much ash left over from burning that stuff. Nasty stuff.
I use lumps of different woods depending on what I'm cooking, I usually use hickory for pork, along with oak, apple, cherry, maple, mesquite and others for other meat and fish. For example Mesquite goes good with beef brisket but is too strong for fish but apple works well.
IMO the best lump charcoal seems to be Royal Oak in the red bag and it's also easy to come by. There is a website out there that rates and tests many brands of lump charcoal. If I can't get Royal Oak, Cowboy is good but seems to have a lot of scraps from manufacturers of wood flooring. I'm about to take down a maple tree in our front yard, it will make a lot of good wood for my smoker. BACON!

+1 on the Royal Oak. All I use, there's a company out here that bags there premium lump charcoal as there own name, and the rest is the red bag Royal Oak. Cheaper than Cowboy, and not really any bark in it. The Lump Charcoal burns much hotter than briquettes but when you get the hang of it BBQ is much better and if you want to grill, searing steak with lump charcoal tastes better to me.

 

[teejk]

I use natural hardwood lump charcoal and wood chunks in my smoker. Never briquettes as that stuff is made from clay, coal dust and other junk, that's why there is so much ash left over from burning that stuff. Nasty stuff.
I use lumps of different woods depending on what I'm cooking, I usually use hickory for pork, along with oak, apple, cherry, maple, mesquite and others for other meat and fish. For example Mesquite goes good with beef brisket but is too strong for fish but apple works well.
IMO the best lump charcoal seems to be Royal Oak in the red bag and it's also easy to come by. There is a website out there that rates and tests many brands of lump charcoal. If I can't get Royal Oak, Cowboy is good but seems to have a lot of scraps from manufacturers of wood flooring. I'm about to take down a maple tree in our front yard, it will make a lot of good wood for my smoker. BACON!

I bought 200 BF of rough sawn wild cherry wood a couple of years ago. Yield is terrible (it was "rough") but the price was right. When it goes to the jointer or planer I make sure the floor is spotless. Then I shovel the shavings into those big stand-up paper leaf/lawn bags. I add the checked/split cut-offs from the boards, then parcel them out for Christmas presents (just last night one the recipients from last year was wondering if I had more)! I'm to the point where there might be more value in the by-products. A little cherry goes a long way (very "sweet" smoke). I tend to use hickory as primary but throw in a healthy dose of cherry and apple. I stopped using mesquite for anything other than thick cut beef. I think it is way too acidic and strong for my taste on anything else but that's just me.

 

[dickfoster]

+1 on the Royal Oak. All I use, there's a company out here that bags there premium lump charcoal as there own name, and the rest is the red bag Royal Oak. Cheaper than Cowboy, and not really any bark in it. The Lump Charcoal burns much hotter than briquettes but when you get the hang of it BBQ is much better and if you want to grill, searing steak with lump charcoal tastes better to me.

What's the matter, you don't enjoy the flavor of coal added to your meat? LOL

 

[dickfoster]

I bought 200 BF of rough sawn wild cherry wood a couple of years ago. Yield is terrible (it was "rough") but the price was right. When it goes to the jointer or planer I make sure the floor is spotless. Then I shovel the shavings into those big stand-up paper leaf/lawn bags. I add the checked/split cut-offs from the boards, then parcel them out for Christmas presents (just last night one the recipients from last year was wondering if I had more)! I'm to the point where there might be more value in the by-products. A little cherry goes a long way (very "sweet" smoke). I tend to use hickory as primary but throw in a healthy dose of cherry and apple. I stopped using mesquite for anything other than thick cut beef. I think it is way too acidic and strong for my taste on anything else but that's just me.

That's all I use mesquite for too, however it does add to beef like hickory does something good for pork.
I've never thought of giving out my wood shop waste as Christmas presents. That's very clever of you. You're not a lawyer or politician by any chance? LOL

 

[teejk]

That's all I use mesquite for too, however it does add to beef like hickory does something good for pork.
I've never thought of giving out my wood shop waste as Christmas presents. That's very clever of you. You're not a lawyer or politician by any chance? LOL

It only goes to people that we don't normally exchange gifts with anyway so they aren't expecting anything. After they try it though the appreciation factor goes up!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I've been using my jointer to make "smoking chips" for many many years... It makes perfect chips...

Friends and family some times ask if I have any available and I just go make some as needed...usually using green apple as I have so much of it around here. IF they want bigger chunks, I just cut some for them.

Because I have a sawmill, I always have different scrap wood around to use...

SR

 

[teejk]

I've been using my jointer to make "smoking chips" for many many years... It makes perfect chips...

Friends and family some times ask if I have any available and I just go make some as needed...usually using green apple as I have so much of it around here. IF they want bigger chunks, I just cut some for them.

Because I have a sawmill, I always have different scrap wood around to use...

SR

Try a planer sometime! They throw off a pile of shavings in a hurry even if only taking 1/8" passes. I like it because it produces shavings that soak quickly and "smoke" fast. Hence my use of those lawn bags (self-standing so easy to fill). I've some small quantities apple but I can buy that many places. For long smoking operations though I have to use chunks for their duration. One thing I have never tried is oak and quite frankly have never seen it recommended. I know that fresh red oak "stinks". Ever used it for smoking?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I do baby backs in 6 hours at 225. Three hours uncovered in the smoke, two wrapped in foil and the last hour uncovered again. It's about the only thing I smoke by time instead of internal temperature. Of course that doesn't include the dry rub the night before. Some folks also brine them the night before.

Mine would be mush if I cooked them that long. I make my own special rubb...I season them the night before, and put them in a plastic baking bag overnight. I smoke them over direct heat, which browns them somewhat, which is the way I like them. I like mine well done, but not "falling off the bone". I use Mesquite, Blackjack and Pecan for smoking mostly, and never wrap them. Works for me.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Try a planer sometime! They throw off a pile of shavings in a hurry even if only taking 1/8" passes. I like it because it produces shavings that soak quickly and "smoke" fast. Hence my use of those lawn bags (self-standing so easy to fill). I've some small quantities apple but I can buy that many places. For long smoking operations though I have to use chunks for their duration. One thing I have never tried is oak and quite frankly have never seen it recommended. I know that fresh red oak "stinks". Ever used it for smoking?

I use Blackjack Oak, as noted previously. I NEVER use anything but completely cured wood. I found out long ago that green wood does bad things to your digestive system, not to mention the flavor. I also never soak my wood, nor do I use shavings, but the wood I do use, I use in small chunks. Mesquite can be quite bitter if used in large quantities, and for short periods, like cooking a steak. When cooking for longer periods on the smoker, I have never had a complaint, but I do use it in moderation and put it on before I put the meat on.

 

[teejk]

I use Blackjack Oak, as noted previously. I NEVER use anything but completely cured wood. I found out long ago that green wood does bad things to your digestive system, not to mention the flavor. I also never soak my wood, nor do I use shavings, but the wood I do use, I use in small chunks. Mesquite can be quite bitter if used in large quantities, and for short periods, like cooking a steak. When cooking for longer periods on the smoker, I have never had a complaint, but I do use it in moderation and put it on before I put the meat on.

I prefer to soak the wood...for me seems to add more smoke and increase the life of the chunks/shavings. As for shavings/chips, for a quick cook like steaks or chops you should try them...they smoke much faster than chunks (I learned that from an Alton Brown "Good Eats" show years ago where he made a smoker from large flower pots). IMHO chunks take too long to get going and most of them will continue to burn long after the meat has left the heat.