Tree Identification

When I bought this home in 1990, there was a plum tree out back that was 4 or 5 years old. It produced very few fruits until 1996, when I harvested a bounty of red plums from it. We had plenty of bee pollenators that Spring. Many of those delicious plums went to my neighbors and many went in my own family's tummies.
The next year, that old tree died of a fungus and it sat there for another year until it was cut down. I saved a 4-inch thick limb for possible smoking. Much to my surprise, this wood has excellent sweetness in it's smoke. It leaves a deep red stain when soaked and it is slow to burn on even the hottest coals. It gives T-bones and Porterhouse steaks a rich sweet aroma, works well with chops, and chicken.
For my tastes, it can't be beat. It doesn't "overwhelm" like hickory and is sweeter than cherry. There's not a hint of bitterness in the flavor of the meat, as you might taste using persimmon or oak. I'm surprised that no one has mentioned plum wood on this board as an excellent smoking wood.

JaxJoe

Welcome JaxJoe and thanks for sharing your experience with plum wood. Your post makes me wish I had some to try.

We have some wild plums growing around here. Sounds like I need to snag a few for smoking wood. Hope the results will be similar to yours.

Again, welcome and thanks!

Longmill

Welcome to the board JaxJoe!

I got to cook with plum wood once and I agree.

We're taking down several very tall tulip poplars from our property. We're keeping the trunks to be seasoned & used for firewood next winter, but I'm also wondering about poplar as fuel for our pit?

Looks like a difference of opinion about poplar - some recommend it and some steer clear. Seems to me like it should be ok - it's a hardwood, not conifer. As a firewood it burns fairly fast, producing lots of heat.

Anyone have experience with it?

Thanks,

Here are some links that contain some useful smoking wood info.

http://www.kickassbbq.com/Woods%20For%20Smoking.htm

http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/faq2/8.html

All said and done Tulip Popular may be fine as a wood heat. But if I couldn't find reliable info that it had been used successfully and safely as a smoking wood; I would recommend against using it. There are hardwoods that produce poisonous by-products in their smoke that the heat doesn’t render non-poisonous , Eucalyptus trees come to mind. If I couldn't find where someone else was recommending it and using it I wouldn't. I wouldn't use myself, family or guest as Guinea pigs.

The rule of thumb isn't that it's just a hardwood. But that it produces either a fruit or a nut. I don't know anything about Tulip Popular, does it produce either?

Good luck and hope this has been of some assistance.

I've used Poplar for grilling at a friends farm. I don't know if I'd recommend it for smoking, but it is certainly ok to let it burn to coals and use it as a heat source.

They have a lot of random wood around from a sawmill and my general rule is to burn a piece of wood and smell the smoke before using it. I've used woods like Basswood, Birch, Locust, and Poplar for grilling many times with great success. I save the Cherry, Oak, Hickory, and Apple for smoking.

Hello all,
Just found this forum, and I'm lovin' it

Don't know if this link has been posted or not, but it's a printable pamplet to help determine a tree species. I've used it in my woodturning hobby.
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/leaf/Adobe/Key.pdf

Also, just wanted to mention. If you can find a local woodturner. You may be able to get their "scraps" of local and foreign woods to us for smokin'. Now if you could only smoke with "shavings" I'd be set

BTW, I have the Char-griller with the firebox.

Ryan

Welcome to the board kckndrgn!

Thanks for the link Ryan.

I have a large piece of Apple Tree, What size pieces should I cut it into?

I like fist sized chunks.

OK, I just got a piece of Ginko from my woodturning club. The piece is too small for me to do any turnings will (well, not really, but I'm not into micro turnings ) so, would Ginko be and good for smoking?

I'll probably cut a small piece off the end and burn it to see if I can tell anything from the smoke, but I thought I would ask here.

Thanks
Ryan

Ryan unless someone comes on that really knows I'd suggest using the rough rule of thumb....and ask your self ..does it produce an edible fruit or nut?

Though there are a few woods that may be all right that don't fit that category (mesquite comes to mind) most all do. I'd suggest to be very wary and careful when it comes to inhaling or ingesting exotic hardwood smokes unless your really sure. Not trying to rain on your quest for new flavors only expressing a word of concern and caution.

Although the Ginkgo fruit is "edible" I can't see any reason why in the world anyone would want to. We had a grove of Ginkgo trees, both male & female, on our High School campus and when the fruit was ripe, let's just say ripe explains the smell too. If you stepped on one you'd definitely be wiping your shoe off in the grass wondering where the dog left his surprise.

The seeds, however, are a sought after delicacy in China. Here is a link that explains further: http://www.thenutfactory.com/kitchen/ed ... ingko.html

Being that it is a non-poisonous fruit bearing tree and folks eat the seeds, I can’t see why it wouldn’t qualify. It is also widely available in “health food” products and teas, but I’ve never heard of using it for smoking with so I can’t say what to expect for results.

Bob this is just another example of why this fourm is so great! It truly is an education in more ways than one. Just like to thank you for the time, thought and trouble you and the others go to to make this place what it is.

kckndrgn it sounds like your Ginko wood might be worth a try...unless of course this excerpt from Bob's referal link causes you to pause.

"When you smell a ginkgo, however, it is disagreeable and not liked. This "stink" is what has stopped Americans from eating the ginkgo nut. The term "stink to high heaven" may have come from this tree."

Good luck.

Anyone tried Lilac?
It produces a very mild smoke with no bittrness. Last year I hauled away a large quantity for someone (was well paid for doing it I might add). I checked one of my BBQ books and found out it was suitable for smoking Been useing it ever since.