What to Use for Heat

[ron petersen]

Still learning the cooking with my RF tank and getting ready for competition in a few months. I am liking the wood so far but cannot find any here in Watford City, ND or nearby.

Few Q's

What is best for getting heat to the smoker, especially for 4-8 hour cooks or longer?

I can use chunks for smoke, Best places to buy? We have Menards and WalMart.

Menards has the hardwood firewood, not knowing what kind of wood it is but it's mixed.

WalMart now has Hickory split logs in plastic bags, problem is that I see moisture and mold starting to grow on it, is this any good?

I have been using the Stubb's Briquettes which I like better than the Kingsford. There is a taste difference. I am starting to use lump and seeing how that works out.

Thank You in Advance for the Help.

 

[jake0531]

Have you checked your local and surrounding areas on Craigslist? In my area there is plenty of wood but everybody wants an arm and leg for it. But if you go 30 miles to the east of me the prices drop off drastically because the wood supply increases so much. I picked up a truck bed load of split hickory wood last week for $30. That same amount where I live was going for as much as $300 at some sellers. If you're willing to do a little driving it can be worth it sometimes.

 

[ron petersen]

Where I am at there are hardly any trees. Only trees are in the fields to act as a wind break. 

Nearest place I could find wood is Oak or Ash about 350 miles away. Not sure how good it is.

 

[jake0531]

What about a hardware store? Sometimes they have wood splits that I've found are pretty decent.

 

[joe black]

Ace Hardware usually has hardwood splits in a plastic wrap at a fairly decent price. I think it's kiln dried, so there's not much flavor in it, but it should deliver good heat.

 

[ron petersen]

Believe it or not, only places I find actual hardwood is at Menards and not Walmart. The other if they have any firewood it's usually softwood. I wouldn't mind buying a pallet full and have it delivered. Still looking for places that have split wood without the outrageous prices. 

Yesterday I smoked a pork butt and pastrami using lump charcoal. Taste was different as I am used to using the Menards hardwoods mixed with various wood chips. Going to try chunks next cook.

 

[jake0531]

If all else fails you could just use charcoal and for heat mostly and get pellets of your flavor choice and throw them on top. Make sure they are 100% the flavor you want though and have no fillers.

 

[ron petersen]

I am looking to go to Minnesota to pick up a pallet of red oak. Supposedly it's a cooking wood according to the wood supplier who supplies wood for firewood or cooking.

I didn't know there was a difference, unless it's cleaner and seasoned well? Can anyone explain here?

I am reading that one place uses post oak and live oak, what is the difference and what is it?

Any pros and cons with red oak?

I seem to cook better with wood than I do with charcoal, but I do get darker meats with wood. I'd like to try to get that mahogany color meats if I could. But it's all about taste.

 

[gr0uch0]

I am looking to go to Minnesota to pick up a pallet of red oak. Supposedly it's a cooking wood according to the wood supplier who supplies wood for firewood or cooking.

I didn't know there was a difference, unless it's cleaner and seasoned well? Can anyone explain here?

I am reading that one place uses post oak and live oak, what is the difference and what is it?

Any pros and cons with red oak?

I seem to cook better with wood than I do with charcoal, but I do get darker meats with wood. I'd like to try to get that mahogany color meats if I could. But it's all about taste.

Biggest distinction is post oaks are native to Texas and aren't commercially available because they don't transplant well. Lives are commonly found at nurseries for landscaping. Posts drop their leaves, lives don't usually. Here's more:

http://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=5433

 

[ron petersen]

Thank you, just never heard that one before. Might have found a source for red oak to cook with. Hopefully it'll work well.