# Bark or no bark



## petty731 (Jul 18, 2020)

I am fairly new to the smoking world. Wanted to get everyone's thoughts on smoking with wood. I know i have used oak in the past and left the bark on one time and it made for an interesting eat found out later that bark left on the wood can be dangerous or so ive been told. I smoked some meat a while back using wild cherry wood and it has a real thin bark was wondering is it ok to leave the bark on ? If it is ok which wood can you leave it on and which one do you need to remove it on. Thanks for any help ...


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## flatbroke (Jul 18, 2020)

I cook with and without bark on oak just depends on which piece I grab. Smaller rounds I don’t split at all.


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## flatbroke (Jul 18, 2020)

Welcome to the forum


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## pineywoods (Jul 19, 2020)

Like Flatbroke I burn some with and some without bark. Most of the time after seasoning the wood the bark will about fall off or will fall off depending on the variety of wood and if it was split before seasoning/drying


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## mike243 (Jul 19, 2020)

Welcome to our place. Never know anybody to get sick from it, I have never torn the bark off to use just the wood, that said shag bark off a hickory will give you the best tasting grilled food you have ever eaten


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## D.W. (Jul 19, 2020)

Same here, I cook with and without bark on. Just depends on the piece. Never have I tried to take it off, and with cherry almost 100% of the time it has bark on.


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## smokeymose (Jul 19, 2020)

I'd rather not have bark because it seems to take a little longer to get burning right, but I don't stress it. Never heard of a health issue...

Welcome to the forum!


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## kruizer (Jul 19, 2020)

Welcome to SMF from Minnesota.


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