Stumbled upon SMF randomly, this thread is a top pecan Google result, sry for reviving again :) If anyone reads this far, here is my experience with pecan, used mostly in an
Akorn JR (a tricky small smoke, but so convenient and great).
First of all, I love all the flavors of all the woods....but that does not mean all the woods are equal. Pecan is superior in many ways. In my opinion (IMO) it is the most superior wood for all around, all cases.
Since no one has really addressed the pecan flavor in any G thread I've seen...I offer my opinion. The initial smoke off the bat is a most delicious mixture of carmelization+ vanilla, and noticeably deep in a fruity way. That initial caramel fruit burn doesn't wear off too quickly, instead transitions nicely into aromas similar to a good clean/white oak. It's a solid wood, with heart core redish in lucky slices. There seems to be a bit more heat than oak/lump, the burn is a bit faster, but not so much that chunks of pecan side by side would burn out on you.
For full heat, the imparted flavor lends itself more than others (IMO) towards the delicious end of the sear reaction. You can spice up the heat and still retain wood flavor, without overdoing it or bittering out. In low and slow, some solid fist chunks gives a good base, and for more flavor you can add 3-4 chips as you need to keep up wherever your coals are hitting. For those who
aren't looking for piercing or obtrusive smoke flavor taking the stage,
this wood is for you. It's about the food, not your wood, right? This wood always performs.
Pecan is not hard to find if you're in the right area. Walmart (or other chains) carry it for less than $6 a bag for chunks here in NW PA. The bag will last you a solid month if you split it with good hardwood lump, and don't have a huuuuge grill :) 3 chunks give a bunch of flavor to handfuls of lump.
These are a few of my favorite things about pecan:
- Fist or chunks of pecan work very well when combined with decent lump. Use lump as heat, and pecan as flavor. The pecan lasts forever even with a ton of lump around. It's a predictable heat with relatively low ash.
- The pecan is light enough, yet robust enough in all the right ways, so that most folks enjoy the flavor. I have onboarded many folks who "hate smoked meats" but "love the charcoal flavor" onto pecan, and they never new it happened.
- Hands down theeeee best smelling smoke (IMO), especially once any Liquid Aminos, Garlic, Onion, or Herbs start their drippings. If you're going to fill your neighborhood or festival, you might as well do it right :)
- The family + neighborhood + consumers comment more about the pecan aromas more than other woods I grill/smoke with. Maybe this is a vanity/random thing, but I just find it interesting that pecan brings more attention (even before the meal hits the grill).
Overall, if you haven't tried pecan, do it tomorrow :)
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