Question about wood chips

Is there any particular part of the tree that wood chips for smoking come from? Or can they come from any part of the tree? Branches, roots included?

Thanks

Wood is wood is wood provided you don't use the bark and of course soft woods are a no no. As a matter of preference, I like chunks better than chips.

Okay, I found a local orchard that let me scrounge for tree clippings, got a couple of branches ranging from 1" to 3" in diameter. I guess I'll take a hatchet and debark them before I cut them up into chunks. Any other pointers?

Thanks

Since I live in a City setting, it's not easy for me to come up with wood. I have to get mine at the local stores, already bagged. Maybe, I should bring some back from up north the next time I go.

Pete

If you're dealing with clipping make sure that the wood is sound. No rott, No soft spots, No knots. Anything that would be considered impure will distort the flavor.
I don't know of any other way to debark wood than with a wood workers draw blade or the old fashioned way, sitting on the front porch in a rocker with a case knife. Thats all a bit much work for me though, I'll stick with buying mine.

Good Luck!

Maybe it is just me, but I just purchase the wood chips that I use - I get a bag that lasts for about 5-6 cookings for $1.99 at by butcher shop

I do the same thing. I just bought a bag of mesquite wood chips from Meijer. The bag cost $1.99, and is offered by Char-Broil, their website: www.charbroil.com.

Pete

I have to purchase hickory chunks from the store as mentioned above. I love the aroma and taste that hickory adds to meat.

But I have 20 acres of mesquite. So I'll trim a good sized branch when ever I need wood. I'll use branches as small as 1 to 2 inches in diameter. No reason to waste it. It's a good idea to remove the bark before using it.

When I want smoke, using a gas grill, I make the foil smoke pouch. While I was reading the directions on the bag of wood chips, it says to either make the foil pouch, or throw the wood chips directly on the lava rocks. I won't do this because the pouch is simple, throw the pouch out after it has cooled. No mess, etc. Just curious, has anyone with a gas grill, put the wood chips directly on the lava rocks?

Pete

I don't own a gas grill, but I've always heard to use a metal box or foil pouch as you do. I think the ash would be difficult to clean up on a grill that wasn't designed for it. Keep using the pouch.

Bob.

To add my own two cents here, I like hickory for pork and chicken, oak for beef, lamb, and veal, apple for pork and poultry, and cherry for seafood and duck.

I use chunks in my smoker and chips in my grill. Soak the chips if you want a heavy smoke flavor. When direct grilling, toss the chips on the coals to approximate the light smoke flavor of grilling with wood.

Sounds like several of you are do it yourselfers in terms of cutting your own wood. Just make sure not to use a pressure treated lumber (which contains arsenic) or trees that have been sprayed with pesticides.

Happy smoking!

Steven Raichlen

And the master has spoken!

Steven - thanks for all of your insights, its nice to know that you are roaming through these forums with us.

I recently ordered some apple chunks from barbecuewood.com and I was a little taken back by the package that I received. I got a box filled with about 6 pounds of loose wood- bark included. I was expecting individual packages of 2lb x 3. I'm not saying that this isn't good, just not what was expected. As mentioned in the thread, I should probably remove the bark, but I think that I'll just wing this one and see how it turns out. I don't feel like removing the bark off of numerous pieces of wood chunk.

Good Luck Chagan, I still think I'd de-bark the stuff. I've heard that the bark tends to burn funky/foul.
At least don't try it on an expensive cut of meat as a tester.
Good Luck and let us know if you survive...I mean...like it...

Thanks Grand Scale, I understand the recommendation but I am a bit leary as I have been known to cut myself on a spoon. I can just see me out there with the Ka-Bar flying in all directions. Maybe I'll put the chunks on the top of the chimney starter and let them burn down a bit before adding to the grill. This should get through the bark I would think.