Bark on or off the wood.

M&Emike · Joined: 02 Jun 2011 Posts: 24 Location: Minneapolis

Does anyone strip the bark off their wood before they burn it or just leave it on? I leave it on, but I know that bark can leave a bitter taste on the meat.

zysmith · Posted: Dec 22 2011 Post subject:

I don't use a stick burner but I do take the bark off the wood chunks that I use.
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SHIMANOFAN · Posted: Dec 29 2011 Post subject:

I'll burn bark as long as its a split thats not completely wrapped in bark or its a thin bark like fruitwood if not I let it cure till I can get the bark off fairly easily.

Frosty · Posted: Dec 29 2011 Post subject:

I burn mostly kiln dried lumber, but, in Ol' Nellie, a HORIZONTAL stick burner, I DO use logs too, & I DO burn the bark if it doesn't fall off the wood.

However...Nellies requires a vigorous fire ..but smokes poultry better than anything I've ever tasted...

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tacklebox · Posted: Dec 29 2011 Post subject:

If it stays on-I burn it.
If it falls off-I burn it too Wink

I haven't done a true scientific study, but I don't notice a bitter flavor when the bark is burned.
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StickPigBBQ · Posted: Dec 29 2011 Post subject:

Most of the wood I use in the offset comes from local people and/or friends so its just fresh cut trees that I split and put in a rack to season for months on end. Personally I have never worried about the bark nor have I ever tried to take it off. I just throw the logs in the firebox and roll with it.

Josh
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SHIMANOFAN · Posted: Dec 30 2011 Post subject:

I've never noticed any flavor problems but thick bark like oak is just hard to burn through before the wood catches.

dmike25 · Posted: Dec 30 2011 Post subject:

I use apple chunks in my Weber and uds, usually with Stubbs briqs. Sometimes the bark is on, sometimes not. Never noticed a difference in flavor. I never gave a thought to whether it affected temps or not. I'll guess that it doesn't make a huge difference or I would have noticed it.
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