I have a woodworking shop. A chunk of 8" maple run through the bandsaw and/or planer would last for a long time! Hickory is available in stores everywhere as is apple and mesquite. Even seeing cherry lately but I have a pile of that from the shop (I even give it away for Christmas presents).
No shortage of poplar here (I'm surrounded by it...probably enough to smoke every fish in the world). I've read that alder and "popple" are one and the same and it's merely a matter of local terminology. Have to see if "poplar" and "popple" are the same tree (they might be). If so I can quite paying for smoking wood!
Great read...nothing I disagree with other than his blanket statement about the "myth" of meat no longer accepting smoke beyond a certain temp. Early in his article he explains smoke absorption and rightly says it is related to moisture in the meat. I agree. But absent injecting or constant basting of the outside (bad IMHO because that requires opening up the box way too often), as the internal temp rises the outside moisture of the meat will decrease a lot faster than the middle. That's just how meat cooks. But thanks for the post...I learned/confirmed some stuff. Now to experiment with my poplar that I normally throw on the burn pile!
