cherry wood

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twistertail

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jun 26, 2007
693
11
Central Ohio
Used cherry wood a few times now and I'm still undecided. I'm not getting much smoke that I can see but I can smell it so I assume that I'm doing it right. It does have a very light flavor, too light I think. I've dont turkey, brats and pork chops and its all been good but I think I like hickory better. Not getting much of a smoke ring either from. Is this all normal for cherry wood?
 
I think cherry produces one of the most prominent smokerings, you may be using to little or it's not seasoned.

Smoked a chuckie with strait cherry, look at the color it gives beef....


By imn88fan
 
For me, cherry usually is good for outside color. It gives ribs a nice reddish color.

I usually only use it for poultry and then usually mixed with other woods.

It does have a very light smoke taste compared to other woods.
 
I agree with the mention above to mix it with Apple. I normally don't have much cherry, so this is just what I've always had to do. But the mix is nice.

Side note: I had to take down an apple tree this weekend and I burned the rotten parts in a brush fire. If you really want to find out if you like a particular wood, this is the best way (wastes a bunch of wood, though). I'm just kicking myself that I didn't have something prepped for smoke, because that stuff was amazing. I was able to salvage about 1/2 a truck load, so not a total waste.
 
I love the flavor of cherry by itself, but some meats can handle more smoke flavor......i.e. pork butts.....or brisket.

If you like LOTS of smoke flavor, cherry probably won't get you there by itself. It will, however, "calm down" some of the stronger woods like hickory or mesquite....try mixing it 1:1 with another kind of wood. If I want more smoke than cherry provides, I mix it with oak....gives more smoke flavor, but is still smooth and mellow.

hope this helps,
Eric
 
Could it be that I'm using a GOSM so I'm not actually burning the wood? I just dont seem to get much smoke from it. Maybe I need to cut it down to smaller chunks? If I have more of the wood surface touching the wood pan it should smoke more right?
 
I've never really checked out the smoke ring when using cherry on salmon. I'll be smoking some salmon over the weekend using cherry, and I'll post my results.
 
Possibly...that would be a question better answered by some of the GOSM owners out there.....I use chunks in a charcoal ecb and like it just fine by itself, or mixed with other woods.

GOSM owners speak up!!......
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L8r,
Eric
 
Cherry is a light lighter smoke then many woods. Hickory has the strongest smoke. Use cherry on small pork, poultry and fish. Otherwise can be used mixed with other woods to add color ta the meat. As fer usin a GOSM, I can attest ta the fact yall can set that wood ta burinin real easy ifin ya don't cover yer pan with foil! Trust me, that wood i'll burn! I use a 9x9 cake pan, fill er with chips and chunks, cover over with foil, poke bout 5 holes in the foil. After awhile the smoke dies down, the chunks are dark, I then pull the foil, shake the pan a bit and put em back in, finish the burn that way. Remember, we want' thin and blue, ifin yer smellin smoke ya still got it. Good luck.
 
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