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Got it. Fireplace only. BTW I did search, but only in this forum. Guess I figured that if there was a wealth of knowledge on it, it would be here. Thanks for the info.
This is from Dutch's thread about smoking woods, It was a sticky.
Quote :Other internet sources report that wood from the following trees is suitable for smoking: AVOCADO, BAY, CARROTWOOD, KIAWE, MADRONE, MANZANITA, GUAVA, OLIVE, BEECH, BUTTERNUT, FIG, GUM, CHESTNUT, HACKBERRY, PIMIENTO, PERSIMMON, and WILLOW. The ornamental varieties of fruit trees (i.e. pear, cherry, apple, etc.) are also suitable for smoking.
I've been reading on dozens of sites about sweet gum. Some suggest using it to smoke, some say it's a no-no. It is never listed as toxic, only not recommended. It is specifically listed in some fish smoke recipes. Sweet gum seems to be classified as a medium hard wood, along with willow and silver maple. I found a firewood website that lists it as "hard to burn". My guess is that it is tough to keep hot enough to cook, or causes creasote problems. I may try some on some chicken quarters to see how it works, after I check my health insuance policy.
Sweet gum gets a bad wrap. It's because you don't use it like other woods. My uncle makes some of the best smoked sausage I've ever had and he only uses sweet gum. But he only uses young green sweet gum sounds strange but results don't lie
I personally don't like sweet gum as firewood (to even burn in a fireplace). Mainly because there are just a lot of better woods out there. But if you've got to take the tree down and will have a bunch of sweet gum wood, let it season for at least 6 months and give it a try. Go pick up a pork shoulder for ~$15 and give it a whirl. Worst case scenario, the pork comes out tasting like crap and you lost $15. Then you'll know how the wood performs in the smoker. Reason I suggest a pork shoulder is because I just think it is the best gauge for wood types. Chicken quarters are cheaper but chicken tends to not do well with stronger woods and flavors anyway.
At the very least, it can be campfire wood when seasoned enough to burn.
Hickorybutt. The secret to sweet gum Is to use it young and green. Find a small tree 2 to 3 inches Cut it small and soak it. Almost like you would with chips. It is not good when aged