Orchard trees for smoking

[alung]

I have the following trees in my orchard: Almond, cherry (stella), cherry (bing), apple (fuji), plum, apricot, peach filbert (barcelona), walnut (franquette), walnut (hartley), pistachio (peters male), pistachio (kerman female), filbert (duchilly).

Can I use any of these for smoking? which ones? Can I use them green, it seem like they would really smoke. 

I also have alder tress, they are always dropping dead branches. How about using this wood?

Does anybody have any recommendations for storing this once I get it to smoking size?

 

[mneeley490]

All of those can be used to smoke, but the walnut produces a heavy and somewhat bitter smoke. I know some people that use it, but they use it sparingly. I, myself, believe wood is best after it has been dried and seasoned. Up here, that's about a year. In Elk Grove, I don't know how quickly that might take. Alder is especially good on salmon.

 

[alung]

I have lots of dried alder, do you think it matters if it was dried on the tree, because the branch was dead? I have enough that I can thin the trees and store the wood. I don't like wood around because of the bugs, is there any way I can store this to keep bugs away, I'm thinking bug spray would be bad, it might make my salmon taste funny. :)

 

[mneeley490]

I don't think it matters. Dry is dry. And yeah, no bug spray. Contaminates can also include chain oil from chain saws, if you go that route.

I once tried using some apple that was still too green. It made a bitter smoke that really stung my eyes, and created creosote inside the smoker.

 

[alung]

wow, thanks. I didn't even think about the chainsaw. I guess I'm going to have to use a handsaw. I have a Christmas tree saw and and ax. This may also be my new workout plan.

 

[daveomak]

 
wow, thanks. I didn't even think about the chainsaw. I guess I'm going to have to use a handsaw. I have a Christmas tree saw and and ax. This may also be my new workout plan.

alung, evening.....  You can put vegetable oil in your saw for cutting smoking wood...  Pour out the Bar oil and put in veggie oil...

 

[cliffcarter]

 
I have the following trees in my orchard: Almond, cherry (stella), cherry (bing), apple (fuji), plum, apricot, peach filbert (barcelona), walnut (franquette), walnut (hartley), pistachio (peters male), pistachio (kerman female), filbert (duchilly).

Can I use any of these for smoking? which ones? Can I use them green, it seem like they would really smoke.

Does anybody have any recommendations for storing this once I get it to smoking size?

 
... Contaminates can also include chain oil from chain saws...

You can use any of those to smoke, but I recommend the cherry and apple.

I would not use any of the nut woods until they have been properly seasoned, if you are using the wood in chunks for smoke flavor you can use the apple or the peach unseasoned, but I recommend that you cook at least 275° or higher if you do.

The chainsaw oil is a non-issue unless you have an older saw with a manual oiler that spews oil everywhere. I use chainsaws to cut all my cooking wood and oil contamination has never been a problem. There is no need to use cooking oil as bar and chain lubricant.