# Can wild cherry be used for smoking meats



## BC Buck (Jan 6, 2019)

I have trees at the farm in Missouri that are wild cherry. Not sure if thats the wood everyone sells for smoking or if it is orchard cherry trees.


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## Bearcarver (Jan 6, 2019)

As long as it's not so wild that you can't catch it, any kind of Cherry should be Great!!
I'm sure it will be Awesome!!

Bear


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## hardcookin (Jan 6, 2019)

Cherry is an excellent wood for smoking. Mild flavor, smoke a lot of poultry with cherry.


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## Bigtank (Jan 6, 2019)

It should be good, after you cut it, I would  suggest splitting it and store in dry location.  You should dry it for a year, also if it was me I would knock off as much bark as possible.


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## motolife313 (Jan 6, 2019)

Wild cherry is good for smoking. If u cut off 2” cookies it will dry really fast because most the water comes out the end of the wood. Couple months and it’s ready if cut  2” and stored outside where wind can hit it and season it good. Of course tarp or something over it to protect it from rain or snow depending where u live

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/green-oak-gona-be-ready-in-2-months.274221/


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 6, 2019)

Absolutely  fine wood for smoking. Most cherry used in furniture is from wild cherry trees.

Warren


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## mike243 (Jan 6, 2019)

The fruit of it is very bitter remembering
from when i was a kid,cant say i would consider it a fruit tree let us know how it turns out


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## SonnyE (Jan 6, 2019)

Bearcarver said:


> As long as it's not so wild that you can't catch it,



LMAO!
Bear, you are rather impish today. 
_____________________________
From what I have read, I think the bark on various woods is responsible for bad tastes.
So I would second removing as much bark as possible before processing down.


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## kruizer (Jan 6, 2019)

I like the free range cherry myself.


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## chopsaw (Jan 6, 2019)

BC Buck said:


> I have trees at the farm in Missouri that are wild cherry. Not sure if thats the wood everyone sells for smoking or if it is orchard cherry trees.


I hunt down in St. James . Those cherry trees get huge . So depends on what you have , but they both work just remove any heavy bark . 



mike243 said:


> The fruit of it is very bitter remembering
> from when i was a kid,cant say i would consider it a fruit tree let us know how it turns out


I agree . The leaves are poisonous to the cattle from what I hear .


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## SonnyE (Jan 6, 2019)

Hummm....
Was Smoking what George Washington had in mind when he chopped down his Fathers Cherry tree?


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 6, 2019)

I LOVE WILD CHERRY!!!...JJ


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## motolife313 (Jan 6, 2019)

chopsaw said:


> I hunt down in St. James . Those cherry trees get huge . So depends on what you have , but they both work just remove any heavy bark .
> 
> 
> I agree . The leaves are poisonous to the cattle from what I hear .





I heard it’s poisonous to horses aswell and can kill them if they eat the bark. A guy said cherry bark is like candy to them


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 6, 2019)

To horses it is never heard of it for cows.

Warren


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## chopsaw (Jan 6, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> To horses it is never heard of it for cows.
> 
> Warren


Just goin by the guy that has his cattle on the farm . Says they eat the leaves to the point they get sick or even die .


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 6, 2019)

Heck I do that myself from smoked meat although I'm still kicking.
Vet never told about cows but did for horses, We would go around the fence row and cut them. Birds are a great distributor of the seeds.

Warren


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 6, 2019)

I don't know much about Wild Cherry, and Cows or Horses...But...Does eat Oats and Goats eat Oats and little Lambs eat Ivy. A Kid 'ill eat Ivy too, wouldn't You...JJ


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## Bearcarver (Jan 7, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Heck I do that myself from smoked meat although I'm still kicking.
> Vet never told about cows but did for horses, We would go around the fence row and cut them. Birds are a great distributor of the seeds.
> 
> Warren




Horses must have weak constitution, as Walnut sawdust can kill them too, without eating it.
Just using it for bedding can kill a horse, but not a cow.

Bear


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## SonnyE (Jan 7, 2019)

chef jimmyj said:


> A Kid 'ill eat Ivy too, wouldn't You...JJ



Umm, No. No, that doesn't sound appealing to me at all JJ.
No doubt I tried it as a kid, because we had Ivy by the front of the house. But it wasn't something I repeated.

I will admit to a long stem of sweet grass to chaw on occasionally though.


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## Bearcarver (Jan 7, 2019)

chef jimmyj said:


> I don't know much about Wild Cherry, and Cows or Horses...But...Does eat Oats and Goats eat Oats and little Lambs eat Ivy. A Kid 'ill eat Ivy too, wouldn't You...JJ



I got it. LOL

John


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 7, 2019)

Although horses can eat willow branches and it's just like taking aspirin. Smell the willow and is smells like aspirin.

Warren


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## Bearcarver (Jan 7, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Although horses can eat willow branches and it's just like taking aspirin. Smell the willow and is smells like aspirin.
> 
> Warren



Pussy Willow doesn't smell like Aspirin!!
Just saying.

Bear


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## chopsaw (Jan 7, 2019)

LOL !


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## Braz (Jan 7, 2019)

Bearcarver said:


> Pussy Willow doesn't smell like Aspirin!!
> Just saying.
> 
> Bear


Not going there.


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 8, 2019)

Leave it to that Bear.  

I meant a willow tree although I get your point. Like said leave it to the Bear.

Warren


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## hardcookin (Jan 8, 2019)

I have never had trouble with cherry. I go through this amount of cherry in about 3 months.


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 8, 2019)

Nice stash Doug.

Warren


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## Hawging It (Jan 8, 2019)

I live out in the country and have plenty of wild cherry. Make sure it is split and cures for several months. Remove the bark after it dries out. Several articles online about the dangers of green wild cherry wood. But if cured well, it is perfect smoking wood.


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## Hawging It (Jan 8, 2019)

Here is my Wild Cherry stack. Cured about 10 months.


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## hardcookin (Jan 8, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Nice stash Doug.
> 
> Warren


Warren thanks

I also got about 1/2 cord of hickory.


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 8, 2019)

Looks good Doug see you at the gathering.  

Warren


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 8, 2019)

Hawging It said:


> I live out in the country and have plenty of wild cherry. Make sure it is split and cures for several months. Remove the bark after it dries out. Several articles online about the dangers of green wild cherry wood. But if cured well, it is perfect smoking wood.



My dad use to make some know your shorts off wine from wild cherries.

Warren


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