I just had to chop down a small maple tree. I don’t have a fireplace, but I do have a grill that I’ve smoked meat on before. Any reason I can’t use the brand new, freshly dead maplewood to smoke a pork butt or shoulder?
It seems like it’d be perfect, but I vaguely recall something about not burning green wood (I think you’re not supposed to burn it because it smokes…but that’d be a GOOD thing in this case. Right?)
Fenris
since you were so helpful to me, heres’ what I could quickly find (since I can open so many windows again 
):
but sadly for your purpose this one green wood smoke = bad meat
suggests that you don’t.
these are short ones, that suggest using green wood in small quantities, only if you ‘know what you are doing’ the first one includes suggestions about which meats go with which woods.
who barbecues cheese?
You’ve never had smoked Gouda or smoked Mozzerella? Yummy. Have I ever actually smoked 'em myself? Nope.
I found another one that said agreed that small amounts of green wood are good.
What we need is Zenster or Javamaven1 or Scylla or some other Doper who’s actually USED green wood to give some tips. The maple tree was all sappy when I cut it down too. Not enough to boil and see if I got syrup, though.
Fenris
Of Course I’ve heard of smoked cheese, but gads, who ever thought that’s how they got it?? I thought, well, to be honest, I didn’t care for it much in the first place so I didn’t think about it at all.
heres another that favors it. Wow, this is just like a trial - with each side lining up experts. yea, where’s Zenster when you need him?
???!
[url=“http://www.motherearthnews.com/kitchen/kitchen173.shtml”]This site[/ur] says exactly the opposite!
I wonder if this is a Cecil-worthy question?
Fenris
damn Fenris we found the same source ('course, I didn’t screw up the coding… )
Maybe it IS a Cecil worthy question.
bump, in hopes that Zen, Java or some other Doper with food-smoking experience will see this.
Fenris
::rushes in, wiping virtual ink off of his hands from writing The Hat Thread in IMHO::
Had to do a little research on this myself, as I only use dry wood chips when adding some smoke to the 'cue.
Here is one brief entry;
Excerpt from Barbecue Inferno,
by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach.
As usual there are some mixed signals in all of this. Below you will find some other comments on the use of green woods for smoking.
Rock McNelly–
Well-seasoned COTTONWOOD is successfully used in several barbecue establishments near me in Colorado. It is a softer wood than alder and very subtle in flavor. Use some chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor. I was told don’t ever use green cottonwood for smoking.
Dave Klose–
On the subject of BBQ woods, I have found the best results to be from nut and fruit-bearing trees, cut down from 6 months to 2 years ago. Live oak, hickory, mesquite, pecan, peach, pear, apple, apricot, and maple to list a few. These are the safest types to use for cooking. I have found that wood over two years old tends to produce a dirty taste in the food more often than not. Wood can be cut down whole, and split after five or so months of seasoning. I recommend splitting three days or so before cooking with it.
As you can see, there seems to be the thought that somewhat fresh wood may be best. The six months of curing sounds about right to me and I would personally go with at least a week or two’s drying of the wood prior to use after it has been split. It will give you a more controlled burn and quality of flavor by eliminating some of the less predictable issues such as moisture pockets in the wood grain, volatile oils, squirrel poop and what such.
Here’s wishing you great results. A maple smoked side of slab bacon sounds awfully good. Maybe a pork loin or two would shine in similar circumstances.
That makes sense: Pending any new info, I think I’ll wait a week or so and do a 75-25 blend of dried wood chips to the fresh stuff.
**
Pork loin nothin’, I’m gonna do my ultimate smoked pork shoulder recipe! (Which I think I’ll add to the “Ultimate Recipe Thread” at some point)
Thanks for the tips, Zen!
Fenris
You’ll have to try smoked fish. Carp is good and up north in Minnesota they eat smoked cisco.
My wife picked up a smoker 2 years ago and I haven’t tried it yet.
I believe I’ll give it a try.
My ultimate goal is smoked turkey.
Hey Fenris
keep us up to informed as to your experiments.
I don’t have a problem finding wood. I have a slowly dying apple tree.
Smoked Chicken–It is supposed to be duck
One chicken whole
salt cavity
Stuff cavity with sliced apples and onions
Smoke till meat easily pulls off thigh.
MMMMMMMMM good