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roaster BBQ Fan
Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 252 Location: vermont
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Posted: Oct 22 2006 Post subject: Burning wood |
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What type of wood do you burn in your cookers. I know you don't just burn your smoking wood. |
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Gourmet-Gator BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 1806 Location: Evans, Georgia
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Posted: Oct 22 2006 Post subject: |
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I use oak for heat, oak is plentiful and save the good stuff for flavor! |
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wnkt BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 1329 Location: Upstate South Carolina
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Posted: Oct 22 2006 Post subject: |
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If all you burn is wood.......isnt it ALL smoking wood?
Sure you can add other woods for different flavors. _________________ Electricity can be dangerous. My nephew tried to stick a penny into a plug. Whoever said a penny doesn't go far didn't see him shoot across that floor. I told him he was grounded. - Tim Allen |
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roaster BBQ Fan
Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 252 Location: vermont
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Posted: Oct 22 2006 Post subject: |
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do you buy by the cord or cut your own. Up here can get a load of green firewood for about 140.00 MIxed hardwood maple oak ash |
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Bob M Newbie

Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 72 Location: Meridian Miss.
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Posted: Oct 22 2006 Post subject: |
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Any of that would be good, but you got to let it dry. I mean really dry. Down south, I let mine dry under the wood shed at least 8 months to 1 year depending to the size. Temps of 100 degrees are not uncommon during the summer so if it is split kinda small, it drys faster. I also heat with wood, so I always have 5-8 cords stacked. Just got to keep the rain off so it will cure. Read some of the posts around and you will see what happens when you burn green wood. Good luck, Bob |
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roaster BBQ Fan
Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 252 Location: vermont
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Posted: Oct 22 2006 Post subject: |
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Thanks for the info. Will do a search on green wood. I am currentlt making a reverse flow smoker. Going to burn wood. Also thinking of maybe using gas.
http://usera.imagecave.com/roaster/smoker/
Scott |
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BBQMAN BBQ Super All Star

Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 15475 Location: Florida
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Posted: Oct 22 2006 Post subject: |
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Green wood, not good!
I burn straight logs, and use a log lighter, no charcoal. A reverse flow set-up will take more wood than a traditional offset.
I generally use oak and/or citrus fruitwood. I get it (almost) free from local tree services. We feed em' some ribs, and throw in a case or two of beer- gotta keep the tree guys happy!  _________________ BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005. |
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Thomas P. BBQ Pro

Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Posts: 596 Location: Texas
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Posted: Oct 24 2006 Post subject: |
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Oak is best for coals, with pecan coming in a close second. You can use mesquite coals, but they burn hotter and burn out quicker. So, you have to get used to the temp of mesquite.
If you're cooking iwht straight wood, I would recommend burning down your first coal bed in the cooker, which will warm the cooker up nicely. After that, I would burn all my wood down to coals outside the cooker, and shovel them in. Just add whatever wood you're using for smoke straight to the cooker. If you put all your cold wood straight in the cooker, and expect it to burn down into coals, you'll over smoke your food. _________________ Leading the quest to abolish propane from Que'dom...
Big Tom, Hillbilly Ambassador to flatlanders everywhere!
GO VOLS! |
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roaster BBQ Fan
Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 252 Location: vermont
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Posted: Oct 24 2006 Post subject: |
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[quote If you put all your cold wood straight in the cooker, and expect it to burn down into coals, you'll over smoke your food.[/quote]
Very interesting. Never heard of that |
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BBQMAN BBQ Super All Star

Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 15475 Location: Florida
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Posted: Oct 24 2006 Post subject: |
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I burn straight logs, and do not go thru the burn barrell coals routine. I might also add that my wood is VERY DRY, and burns well (read clean) when added to an established fire with a bed of coals. My smoker is also very large, so straight logs may not work well for those with a smaller cooker!  _________________ BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005. |
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Thomas P. BBQ Pro

Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Posts: 596 Location: Texas
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Posted: Oct 24 2006 Post subject: |
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BBQMAN wrote: | My smoker is also very large, so straight logs may not work well for those with a smaller cooker!  |
WHO SAYS MY COOKER IS SMALLER!!!
No worries, BBQMAN. It's just Carolina style vs. TX style. You have to have a cooker built for it specifically if you want to burn all your coals down in the cooker, which you obviously have.
I grew up shoveling coals, and probably always will. My Grand-pa's ghost looing over my shoulder likes it that way. Hell, he never even added smoking wood. He just shoveled in straight hickory, oak, and pecan coals, and the smoke taste was perfect! _________________ Leading the quest to abolish propane from Que'dom...
Big Tom, Hillbilly Ambassador to flatlanders everywhere!
GO VOLS! |
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BBQMAN BBQ Super All Star

Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 15475 Location: Florida
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Posted: Oct 25 2006 Post subject: |
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It's not the size of the cooker that matters, it's how well you use it!
You were lucky to have some family cooking techniques passed on to you Thomas!  _________________ BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005. |
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gordo BBQ Super Fan

Joined: 12 Nov 2005 Posts: 410 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Oct 25 2006 Post subject: |
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I burn 95% straight oak...cheap, makes good coals, and easy to find around my area....pecan is a second choice and sometimes mix it with the oak...... _________________ Smokers Inc.
Bates Custom Pit |
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Bob M Newbie

Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 72 Location: Meridian Miss.
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Posted: Oct 25 2006 Post subject: |
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My cooker is 5ft by 24 in. Fire box is 24 in by 24 in. I usually start with lump to get started, and get a good bed of coals. Then use oak and hickory that has been in the woodshed at least a year. I try to keep the wood kinda close to the firebox to warm it some before burning it. From my experience, If you have a good bed of coals, and add 1 or two pieces at one time, you will have no problems. If you try and fill up the firebox at one time, you are gonna get a lot of excess smoke, because some the wood is going to smoulder, before it catches fire. Watch your stack. Light white to almost no smoke is good. Black, blue yellow, or anything dark is bad. This indicates a smoulder or incomplete burn. Usually from wood that is not dry enough, or trying to overfill the firebox at one time. Just my 2 cents worth. Bob |
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NCBBQFAN BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Oct 26 2006 Post subject: |
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Oak is all I use. It burns good and gives as good a flavor as any wood. |
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Lewis & Herschel BBQ Pro

Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 757 Location: Smyrna, TN
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Posted: Oct 26 2006 Post subject: |
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Bob M wrote: | Light white to almost no smoke is good. Black, blue yellow, or anything dark is bad. This indicates a smoulder or incomplete burn. Usually from wood that is not dry enough, or trying to overfill the firebox at one time. Just my 2 cents worth. Bob |
Blue smoke is good and pure. More so than any white smoke. The decorative bird house that my wife hung near my smoke stack is almost completely blue.
I might add the tenants said to heck with this. It is the hat by the smoke stack, it was once bright white.
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Pointerman BBQ Fan

Joined: 19 May 2006 Posts: 119 Location: Valley Center, KS
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Posted: Oct 26 2006 Post subject: funny |
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The dog in the picture looks like he is saying "is it done yet dad"
Sorry just thought it was funny.... _________________ Andy
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
-Will Rogers |
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Rub N Smoke BBQ Pro

Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 713 Location: Houston, (BY GOD!!) Texas
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Posted: Oct 26 2006 Post subject: |
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I use B&B lump and Hickory for about the first 140- 150 degrees (on a brisket) then switch to Pecan and B&B for the rest of the time. My B&B is pre-burned Oak.  _________________ Cookin' Wit' A Little Spit Aint Yo' MaMas Barbecue!!
My Toys Are:
Trailered Competition Pit
4320/ Tejas Cooker
My 7 year old Daughters E-Z Bake Oven (only in Emergencies)
Check out: www.myspace.com/cookinwitalittlespit |
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Lewis & Herschel BBQ Pro

Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 757 Location: Smyrna, TN
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Posted: Oct 26 2006 Post subject: Re: funny |
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Pointerman wrote: | The dog in the picture looks like he is saying "is it done yet dad"
Sorry just thought it was funny.... |
Yep, that is Lewey, his brother, Herschel just parks himself under the smoker for hours at a time. Herschel, is a dark long hair, he comes in with his hair slicked back looking like a mob enforcer.
But who can blame them when the know this is in there:
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