I know Elm is a great hardwood, and perfect for fireplaces.. but I have read (on here) that Elm is a definite no no for smoking.
Read this post..
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=15438
As the post says... I have a fireplace, so I studied up on my hardwoods a bit before I got my smoker..
So I know hardwood = good for home fireplaces with little creosote and therefore good for smoking..
and softwood = bad for home fireplaces with lots of creoste buildup and bad for smoking..
but the list in the above thread says cottonwood is good for smoking while elm is bad.
Also.. just for the record, I remember seeing this list parroted on a few other places.. can't remember exactly where tho.
Until I can find some definitive answers as to why, I wouldn't use Elm for smoking.. even tho it "should" be ok since it's a hardwood.
I'm also still a little hesitant to use cottonwood for smoking even tho it says it is OK. I will be studying up on this topic as time goes by cause my apple won't last forever... and I have access to tons.. and I really mean tons of cottonwood.
Hope this helps without confusing you too much.. cause I'm slightly confused myself.