# Orange wood.



## Will Squared (Jan 28, 2020)

Where I live I am surrounded by Mandarine Orange orchards. They just got through their season and will start pruning the orchards in about a month or so. Has anyone used Orange wood for chips or chunks??
I also have some Osage Orange ( Bodark ) Has anyone used this for chips or chunks?


----------



## 73saint (Jan 28, 2020)

I’ve always heard any fruit tree is good (mild) smoking wood.  I’ve used Apple, cherry and persimmon.  Assume orange “wood” work as well.


----------



## jcam222 (Jan 28, 2020)

Osage orange appears to be the same as hedge wood. Mixed bag of answers online but I did find this thread on a smoking site. Several swearing it’s the best wood ever for pork. I do know it burns super hot.


----------



## Will Squared (Jan 28, 2020)

Osage Orange , aka Hedge Apple, is the highest BTU rated hardwood in N America.
Very interesting wood. It is also called Bois d'arc, Bow Wood, as it is the best wood for bows. Around the 1820's (before barbed wire) it was extensively planted along roads as hedges and to be harvested for fence rails.
Thank you for the link.


----------



## Will Squared (Jan 28, 2020)

That was a great thread. All of that info is correct. Fence posts do not decay. The wood can be steamed and bent into a circle! I met a guy that makes custom fish nets with them. I make bows from the wood I have found around here. On a bow the wood molecules on the front of the bow are expanding while contracting on the back without cell failure. That is pretty amazing.

Many in that thread are swearing by Osage Orange for smoking.


----------



## Will Squared (Jan 28, 2020)

Just joined BBQ Brethren (at the link).

I think I like the layout of SMF better. 
...a little easier to navigate...


----------



## Lonzinomaker (Jan 28, 2020)

I don't know for sure, but I would be careful of the bark on orchard wood  because of residual insecticides that may have been used.


----------



## Will Squared (Jan 28, 2020)

I have heard that too. Strip off the bark for better taste. 
The orchards around us are organic.


----------



## tropics (Jan 29, 2020)

I have used Orange wood chunks in my WSM or Kettle. It is a mild smoke
Richie





						Baby backs Wednesday
					

made 2 racks yesterday so we could have some in the freezer.Not a lot of pics  Rubbed    Split in half, foiled & finished in the oven   2 1/2 hrs gave some nice smoke  used KBB with Orange chunks   Thanks for looking Richie




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


----------



## Will Squared (Jan 29, 2020)

Thank you for the input. I am just getting started with smoking and a whole world is opening up.
I will try different woods for chips and for chunks. I want to try to flash smoke with some herbs from the garden.


----------



## kmmamm (Jan 29, 2020)

Citrus is an excellent choice for lighter proteins such as fish, turkey and chicken. I have also used it on pork with good results.  
Osage orange (aka “hedge”) is a great wood for general smoking.  Find someone with hedge growing on their place and there is a good chance you will be allowed to cut all you can haul.  Hedge cures slowly, burns HOT and also has a nasty trait of throwing sparks, but it does make nice smoke.


----------



## Motorboat40 (Feb 16, 2020)

73saint said:


> I’ve always heard any fruit tree is good (mild) smoking wood.  I’ve used Apple, cherry and persimmon.  Assume orange “wood” work as well.


How did the persimmon wood do?!!? We have some trees on our mountain property and I know how sweet the fruit is after a frost and I've wonder about using it for smoking ever since I got a offset smoker and like to use split wood as my heat source in it.


----------



## 73saint (Feb 16, 2020)

Motorboat40 said:


> How did the persimmon wood do?!!? We have some trees on our mountain property and I know how sweet the fruit is after a frost and I've wonder about using it for smoking ever since I got a offset smoker and like to use split wood as my heat source in it.


I like it.  I still have a little but not much.  I usually use it on chicken or fish.


----------



## insight3fl (Dec 9, 2020)

There are many Florida Steak houses and BBQ joints using Orange (we are citrus experts in Florida of course) and mostly combined with oak for beef and pork. Charley's Steak House  in Tamp and Orlando exclusively grill all of their food on an open wood pit with orange and oak. I follow their example as I love their food. Orange chips used to be available from Western  (Brand) but they apparently stopped making them. I have found very few outlets that sell the chips or chunks. Never have found the pellets.. that is why I don't use a pellet smoking tool. I need my Orange!


----------



## daspyknows (Dec 9, 2020)

I have some citrus wood in my collection.  I have mixed it with other fruit woods to make ribs and liked the taste.


----------



## Will Squared (Dec 9, 2020)

insight3fl said:


> There are many Florida Steak houses and BBQ joints using Orange (we are citrus experts in Florida of course) and mostly combined with oak for beef and pork. Charley's Steak House  in Tamp and Orlando exclusively grill all of their food on an open wood pit with orange and oak. I follow their example as I love their food. Orange chips used to be available from Western  (Brand) but they apparently stopped making them. I have found very few outlets that sell the chips or chunks. Never have found the pellets.. that is why I don't use a pellet smoking tool. I need my Orange!


I live in Orange Country in NorCal. Wife & I just went out to one of the many Mandarin Ranches here and bought 20 lbs. Most of these will be sliced and dried. Some will be candied. They told me that they only have wood when they take out trees. We get our Apple wood from orchards up in Paradise. There are also many Olive orchards around us too. That is good wood to smoke with, also.


----------

