Smoked meat, what wood do you use and cut of meat smokes best?

[braggscowboy]

I am sure this has been on here a hundred times before, but I haven't smoked anything in a while and I used oak and some sasafrass mix and also some hickory. I cut some storm damaged apple and some pecan and would like to maybe smoke a brisket or ribs. I do pulled pork sometimes. I know, without a doubt there are some of you out there that has some good recommendations on what meat to use and how best to do it. I like chicken smoked, but have not had much luck. Does anyone have a good way of doing them. I try to cook around 200 to 225 degrees and I try to smoke either in the begining or after with what ever I cook wrapped in foil, wife and grandkids don't like too much smoke. Baste or not to baste during cooking? I would appreciate all your expertise on this matter, I am getting hungry.

[English Oliver]

I use Walnut for beef, Hickory and Cherry for pork. I have smoked turkeys but don't care for them. No basting, just use a rub. If I am doing small batches, like a couple pork butts or briskets, I just use my gas grill. I only use one burner and I wrap the wood in foil poking a few holes in the foil to let the wood smolder. I put the wrapped wood right on the burner and keep the temperature at around 220 degrees.

"O"

[7thswan]

all Fruit trees are good for smoking.

[iwannabeafarmer]

The less marbling the more important it is to brine (poultry, tenderloins etc). Some flavors will be incorporated into meat through brine(basic brine 3 gal water, 2#salt, 1#sugar of prefference, 7oz TCM,adds color and nitrites i don't use but its up to you, also any spice you like) but loads of water will be added and it doesn't make the meat so salty you notice. I do this for roasting and smoking.

some brining times chicken or duck 24-36 hrs, pork butt or loin or boneless ham, whole turkey 5-6 days, corned beef 7-8days, bone in ham 20-24 days

you can also use tea, fruit peels, rice, (anything that smells good and not bitter when burned)

also the lower the temp the longer it will take and more fat/water will be lost in the cooking process, the higher temp the faster it will cook and less water and fat loss and the higher chance to overcook and make tough. as long as you cook it at the temperature the final product should reach it will never overcook and will remain tender and the brining process helps with the water loss. Also I think you mentioned that you don't like a lot of smoke flavor. the faster the product is smoked after brining will reduce the smoke flavor. If you want a lot of smoke hang or lay on a rack in open air in the refrigerator to form a sticky layer called a pellicle that smoke particles can stick to.

[oregon woodsmok]

You are talking about on the barbecue, eat it right now, and not preserving meat in a cold smoker?

I like apple wood. Pear is also quite good.

Chickens are easy. Cut them in half, lay them off to the side, not over the flames. Put them bone side down and never turn them or stick them. Put the lid down on the smoker and take them off as soon as they reach the done temperature, as measured with your meat thermometer.

I do chickens about 325 F. They cook fast and as soon as htey are done, removet them from the fire.

Slow cooking is for things with fat that you want the fat melted and rendered out and you want the meat to fall apart. Pork shoulder and spare ribs get slow cooked. Steak and chicken are not. Domestic duck gets slow roasted, wild duck does not.

[edmonds]

You don't say what type of smoker you are using. If using a charcoal smoker, you only need a few pieces of wood, so foil is not necessary. Fruit woods (and oak to a lesser degree) are milder. Dont use hickory unless you want heavy smoke flavor.

For chicken, brine chicken halves overnight (see above) in fridge with 2T of paprika in brine. Then apply a paprika/onion/sugar/mustard/oregano rub before cooking. 200-225F is good for 2-3 hours. Use a meat thermometer and don't overcook it.

For ribs, remove membrane, generously apply a rub, place on grill fat side up, and spray lightly with apple juice or a vinegar/sweet tea mixture every 30 min or so while smoking. Ribs can take stronger smoke woods (mixture of fruit and hickory/mesquite). When they appear done (2-3 hours at 200-225F), apply a bbq sauce and wrap in foil and cook another 30 min.

For both chicken and ribs, let them rest at room temp for at least 15 min before cutting into them.

Briskets are more involved and take longer.

[XLT]

pecan is my favorite for nearly anything... straight, though mixing with fruitwoods and some oak is not bad. It works well for anything and if dried properly seems to keep a nearly perfect cooking temp without much tampering.

Brisket is my favorite, thought a pork shoulder is awfully good. Find a good homemade sauce, serve it hot... or don't use any at all.... Heinz does not belong on the table

[Bearfootfarm]

I like Cherry better than most things, with Pecan and Hickory running close behind.
They are also handy since all three grow on the farm

I've smoked Lamb, (legs, shoulders, ribs) Turkey (Whole and breasts) , Duck (whole), Chicken (whole), and Pork (shoulders and ribs). Deer (shoulders and ribs).

[AnnieinBC]

My husband does a fair bit of smoking. A lot of the meat is hams and bacon from our pigs. But he also does smoke trout and makes jerky sometimes.

He uses wood from fruit trees if possible, but also uses a fair bit of aspen (poplar).

[Oldcountryboy]

For beef or chicken I use a lot of Pecan wood since I seem to have a endless supply of it everytime the wind blows. I like to do pork with apple wood.

You really only need to smoke for a few minutes. Then you can transfer your meat to a roasting pan, pour about a cupful of flavored juice over the meat, cover, and place in your range oven till done. Fall off the bone, melt in your mouth.

[Jolly]

Pecan for beef, cherry for pork.

[CJ]

I smoke a LOT. Whole chickens (usually around 4-5lbs) are my favorite. I don't do anything at all to them, simply pop them in, and smoke at 225 degrees for about 6 hours. They are incredibly moist every time.

I also do pork and beef roasts, because they make killer lunchmeat, along with corned beef.

Salmon is also terrific.

My most used wood is hickory, but I also love cherry and apple for smoking. I don't much care for mesquite, but I do use it occasionally with beef. I have to buy it though.

I smoke nearly everything at 225 degrees, fish being the exception. Salmon steaks (thick) I do at 150 for 90 minutes and up it to 180 for another 90 minutes.

[Scavenger]

Any tree that bares fruit or nuts can be used for smoking. Apple, cherry, hickory for chicken, pork...hickory, white oak, red oak for pork, beef. The oak is a little strong. You can also use apple or cherry for fish.
If you like smoked chicken...I coat a whole fryer with Soulfood Seasoning that I buy at the local grocery store. Stuff a 12 oz. beer inside the chicken and smoke at a medium temperature for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours, depending on the size of the chicken. I smoke deer hind quarters whole. I use a mixture of hickory and white oak. Coat the meat with the soulfood seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and slice a large white onion and place the slices on top of the meat. Smoke for 8 to 9 hours at medium heat. After 8 hours, check the meat to see if it needs further smoking (cooking). If you don't like a lot of smoke...place your meat in the smoker and smoke for 30 to 45 minutes, then remove and place in oven and finish cooking. It's hard to tell someone else how to do this because it just comes with practice. I don't really time things down to the exact minute, I just watch it and know when it's done. Also experiment with different woods until you find something you really like...same goes with spices.

[Laura Zone 10]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/

Great great website.

[Scavenger]

Jolly...you are right! Pecan is wonderful for beef!

[GrannyG]

We use pecan or mesquite....love to do brisket....YUMMY !

[Bret]

For lack of anything in a bag one day, I grabbed some dead pieces off the grape vine for a light smoke on some steaks.

I don't smoke often but when I do, I perfer hickory or mesquite. I have been know to mix the two at about 3 to 1.

At the same time I smoke me with JD and Coke.

[unioncreek]

Any hardwood will work, just don't use pine or any other soft wood. We always used cottonwood when we smoked venision summer sausage. My uncle who smokes meat all the time thought that the flavor wouldn't be very good, but really liked it once he tried it.

Right now I use alder or apple, you have to try a variety of woods to find what you like.

Bob

[||Downhome||]

apple hands down, course up here we do not have a few of these trees.

but any hard wood will add a nice flavor.

any fruit tree wood,maple,oak,hickory. wood be my picks.

[jwal10]

Alder for salmon, prune and cherry for delicate flavor with duck, apple for goose. I like green fruit wood for most any meat. Dry hickory and oak for full beef flavor but then any green or wet wood works for any meat. Some more pleasing than others....James