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Post by daylilydude on Dec 23, 2010 4:47:34 GMT -5
Is there a certain kind that is best or is just a matter of preference, if so what do you use?
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rintintin
Pro Member
Posts: 150
Joined: December 2010
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Post by rintintin on Dec 23, 2010 22:33:19 GMT -5
There is no such thing as "best". A lot of it has to do with your likes and dislikes. A lot also has to do with what you are smoking. Another factor is creating a regional flavor.
As an example, here in the PNW (Pacific North West), the most commonly smoked item is salmon. Traditionally, here in the PNW, alderwood is used. It gives a nice smoky flavor without overpowering the rich taste of a freshly caught wild salmon. In the traditional flavors of the South West, mesquite is the most commonly wood used for smoking. It gives a wonderful (and authentic) flavor to fire roasted chilies. Nobody from the South has grown up without hickory smoked ham/bacon, or other cuts of pork.
As a general rule, most fruit tree chips make a good source of smoke. A "new" one gaining popularity is grape vines. I have not tried it yet, but since I plan on growing grapes (and they NEED annual pruning), it won't be long.
I would imagine that almost any non resinous hard wood would work fine. Smoking is a whole new dimension to cooking (not really new since that used to be the only way to cook). It is a somewhat lost art that is rapidly being revised. I wouldn't eat a longaniza any other way!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2011 15:43:08 GMT -5
I use the following... pecan, apple or oak for beef apple, cherry or peach for pork alder or apple for seafood apple or cherry for chicken
I will use fruit wood for most anything, I rarely use hickory as I find it tastes a little sour to me. I did not like he grape or herb smokes. I will use them for grilling though.
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