# A-MAZE-N Dust - Opinion on all around best wood dust in 5lb bag size?



## hkeiner (Dec 19, 2010)

Well, I have read a lot of good things about the A-MAZE-N box and the MES and plan to pull the trigger and order one. I also want to order some dust at the same time. I see on the website that the 5lb size is a much better deal (cost per pound) than the 1 lb size for the standard woods and so feel compelled to order a 5lb bag size instead of 1 lb bags from the git go. The question is which wood dust to choose. The 5lb size comes in  Cherry, Hickory,  Maple, or Mesquite.  

Any opinions on which wood dust is a good all around choice for doing hot smokes (particularly for ribs, pork butts, turky legs, and brisket) in my MES 40? I have found myself that Mesquite can be a bit strong when using chips and chunks, but I don't know if this might be the same with the guaranteed very nice thin blue smoke you get with the A-MAZE-N box.   

I realize everyone has their own tastes, but I thought I would ask anyway.


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## mossymo (Dec 19, 2010)

Hickory seems to me is the "Go To" choice for most people and also a great all around flavor for most foods. Personally I can run out of other woods, but have never been out of hickory; always have hickory on hand.


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## chefrob (Dec 19, 2010)

pecan, apple or maple seems to be the ones that i have been gravitating towards as of late.


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## mudduck (Dec 19, 2010)

i have a lot of wood pecan cherry pear peach apple but i used more hickory than anything

just my 2 cents


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## captsly (Dec 19, 2010)

Hickory is my go to dust for just about anything, next choice would be the cherry...


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## nwdave (Dec 19, 2010)

Bourbon Oak Barrel, Apple, Cherry, heck most any of them.  I try for subtle smoke flavors, not heavy, over the top. If you have a specific preference, not just the ones offered, I'll bet dollar to a donut that if you sweet talk Todd, he'll fix you up with your flavor choice.   Good choice on the AMNS.


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## bobbygee (Dec 19, 2010)

I think you get the most bang for your buck with hickory.It great for cold smoking cheese.


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## tjohnson (Dec 19, 2010)

I like Hickory on Beef and Pork Shoulder

Cherry, Apple or Maple for Nuts, Cheese, Bacon and poultry

I like to add a little Mesquite to the tail end when I smoke chicken.

Variety makes the world go around!

Todd


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## scarbelly (Dec 19, 2010)

I am a big apple and pecan guy.  I do like all of them. Just smoked a chicken and a chuckie with some cherry that was incredible

Maple is good on nuts and I mix apple and maple when smoking cheese or apple and pecan

It is all good. As one of Todds testers I have tasted all of them and they all are good.


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## beer-b-q (Dec 19, 2010)

Hickory is my primary choice.
Mesquite is probably 2nd
Cherry or Apple 3rd
*Asking a question like this on a forum with over 20,000 members invites over 20,000 different opinions...*


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## hkeiner (Dec 19, 2010)

> *Asking a question like this on a forum with over 20,000 members invites over 20,000 different opinions.*


Ony 4 woods to choose from so only 4 different opinions possible. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.  It seems a majority suggest the hickory over the other three wood choices, so I plan to order a 5lb bag of hickory with my A-MAZE-N box order.

Thanks to everyone for their opinions.


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## beer-b-q (Dec 20, 2010)

hkeiner said:


> Ony 4 woods to choose from so only 4 different opinions possible.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


LOL,  yes but think of all the different combinations of those 4 choices...

Hickory is what I use mostly.  I think overall it is the best choice for most meats...  I try the others mostly in experimenting...


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## fpnmf (Dec 20, 2010)

When I ordered my AMAZEN I got 1lb bags of most everything.

Last week I ordered 2 five pounders. One hickory and one pecan.


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## rstr hunter (Dec 20, 2010)

Personally I have a bunch of hickory, but ordered and use cherry on almost all of my smokes.  It's great on ribs and poultry (have done both chickens and turkeys), I personally like apple for pork butts but would use cherry as my second choice.  Just adds a nice sweet flavor without the slight bite of hickory it also does a nice job showcasing the rubs and such on the meat without overpowering it.


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## pintobean (Dec 22, 2010)

I just ordered an Amazen package yesterday...it came with a lb each of hickory, maple, and cherry, and I ordered an additional 5lb bag of hickory, and a 1lb bag of peach.

Hickory is my go to wood, but I like a little peach mixed in, it makes the smoke very sweet.

Can't wait till it comes! Tracking number says tomorrow.


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## skycam (Dec 22, 2010)

Has anyone managed to create their own sawdust for the Amazen burner that works?

The company won't ship dust outside the US and supplies here in Australia are limited to Mesquite, Mesquite or Mesquite, hell, we don't even grow mesquite here.

We have our own hardwoods like apple mallee, mulberry, yellowbox, wattle etc but I need to get the dust consistency just right for continued combustion.

Roger Of Oz


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## geerock (Dec 22, 2010)

Roger,

Sorry you only have mesquite over there, but to me mesquite can be a bit strong, especially for poultry.  And you can definitely over smoke other meats with mesquite if you aren't careful.  In my humble opinion, hickory is the go to wood for most anything and it does have a a distinctive flavor.  I went to a bunch of different blends over the last 19 years of smoking and basically use a combo of hickory / apple and with beef will sometimes go to hickory / cherry.  After hickory (and the similar oak), the fruit woods are real similar and difficult to tell the difference on.  I remember a long time ago when I visited an ol' timer in Baton Rouge who was a real legend of barbecue and smoking in Louisianna.  He had a small place where folks would come from all over to get his Q and he told me that for a period of about a year he smoked with all kinds of different woods and no one ever knew the difference in the taste.  This was a guy who was open thursday thru sunday only and served thousands every week.  He would laugh about other ol' "pros" coming in and stating how they could taste the flavors from good old applewood, peachwood, etc. when all he might be using was oak.  He claimed that hickory and cherry were the only wood he could pick out when tasting smoked foods.  And this after smoking for over 40 years.  Got the same story from an off the highway smokehouse when I visited back in the eighties.  Anyway, like someone said before, find what you like and go with it.

PS  What the hell is wattle wood??

All the best.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 22, 2010)

Probably 75% of my smokes are done with Hickory, especially my Bacons.

Then 10% Cherry.

And the last 15% are of Apple, bourbon, wine & whiskey Barrel, and Maple & Oak.

Bear


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## hkeiner (Dec 22, 2010)

So for turkey legs, a 50/50 mix of hickory and apple dust would be just about right?


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## rstr hunter (Dec 22, 2010)

hkeiner said:


> So for turkey legs, a 50/50 mix of hickory and apple dust would be just about right?


I bet that would be good.


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## skycam (Dec 23, 2010)

geerock said:


> PS  What the hell is wattle wood??
> All the best.


Wattle is an Acacia and just happens to be Australia's floral emblem, hence our colors are "Green and Gold".

So what type of saw do you use to make sawdust of this consistency that will support combustion, is particle size that critical?


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## Bearcarver (Dec 24, 2010)

Skycam said:


> geerock said:
> 
> 
> > PS  What the hell is wattle wood??
> ...


Crosscutting is best, if you can't get Todd's dust.

Radial Saw

Miter Saw (Chop saw)

Possibly table saw dust (depends on the blade in use)

Bear


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## geerock (Dec 24, 2010)

The dust particle size is important to a degree.  But you have to remember that you are going to have to dry the dust out from fresh cutting yourself.  And the finer the dust, the easier and quicker to dry.  I have a local orchard nearby that is always replenishing their trees so I get all the fruit woods I need.  I just run the wood thru a table saw with a collection bag and then put it out in the sun spread out over a sheet of plastic and let the sun do it's thing.  If you want it quicker, just spread it out thin on a baking sheet and put in a low temp oven.  Stir it around a couple of times and you should be good to go.  Remember if you are using a water pan for your smokes that it gets pretty humid in the smoker and can keep the smoke output real low or even stop it if you are dry enough with the dust to start with.

All the best.

PS    Happy Holidays to all!


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## Bearcarver (Dec 24, 2010)

geerock said:


> The dust particle size is important to a degree.  But you have to remember that you are going to have to dry the dust out from fresh cutting yourself.  And the finer the dust, the easier and quicker to dry.  I have a local orchard nearby that is always replenishing their trees so I get all the fruit woods I need.  I just run the wood thru a table saw with a collection bag and then put it out in the sun spread out over a sheet of plastic and let the sun do it's thing.  If you want it quicker, just spread it out thin on a baking sheet and put in a low temp oven.  Stir it around a couple of times and you should be good to go.  Remember if you are using a water pan for your smokes that it gets pretty humid in the smoker and can keep the smoke output real low or even stop it if you are dry enough with the dust to start with.
> 
> All the best.
> 
> PS    Happy Holidays to all!


Good point geerock,

I never thought about cutting logs & limbs on a table saw (sounds dangerous).

I was thinking of cabinetmaking scraps, which are generally kiln dried from 6% to 8% moisture content.

Working in cabinet shops for 20 years gave me a one track mind.

Thanks,

Bear


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## iso (Dec 24, 2010)

Opinoins vary so YMMV.

You can smoke any meat with any wood. DJ has an excellent wood pairing guide here. I tend to pick smoking woods to match the meat being smoked. Hickory/mesquite/oak lend well to beef. Cherry/hickory lends well to pork. Fish goes well with fruitwoods.

I've been looking at the AMAZEN dust smoker for cold smoking cheese - another topic all together.


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## tjohnson (Dec 24, 2010)

Skycam said:


> Has anyone managed to create their own sawdust for the Amazen burner that works?
> 
> The company won't ship dust outside the US and supplies here in Australia are limited to Mesquite, Mesquite or Mesquite, hell, we don't even grow mesquite here.
> 
> ...




Hey Roger!

I have shipped to Australia and I actually have a distributor in your back yard!!!

Contact Andrea at http://www.mistygully.com and she can set you up.

In answer to your question regarding sawdust, "Sawdust is Sawdust", but there are different grades or sizes of sawdust.  It ranges in size from wood flour all the way up to a 1/8" chips that are used in butcher shops and commercial smokers.  The perfect sawdust to burn in a AMNS is similar in size to the sawdust that comes off a miter saw or table saw.  I've got some customers that make their own sawdust or have friends that can get it for them.

*Caution*:  Cabinet shops are in the "Cabinet Business", and not in the "Sawdust Business".  The sawdust in their bins could contain glue, laminate, pine and other nasty stuff.  Unless you're 100% sure what's in the sawdust, I would not use it.

Hope this helps!

Todd


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## teesquare (Dec 26, 2010)

Iso said:


> Opinoins vary so YMMV.
> 
> You can smoke any meat with any wood. DJ has an excellent wood pairing guide here. I tend to pick smoking woods to match the meat being smoked. Hickory/mesquite/oak lend well to beef. Cherry/hickory lends well to pork. Fish goes well with fruitwoods.
> 
> I've been looking at the AMAZEN dust smoker for cold smoking cheese - another topic all together.


I think caution is needed when saying "any wood"....Just sawing/milling cedar, and many other "aromatic woods" can make you very sick. I would not recommend anyone use pine for another example, for a few reasons, including - it will make you sick... I think I understand what you meant -any commonly known wood that is used for smoking meats-

Just afraid someone might mis-interpret, and get a wild hare - and try smokin' a pork shoulder over a creosote post!
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






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## samaridad (Jun 25, 2011)

i mix and match. I put some down one channel and different one the other. GO FOR THE BIGGER SIZE...........I have learned to make my own dust... I love his product but ran out. didnt notice i had no hickory left. had to come up with something for the butts. I bought all his dust of wood. had bag all together and relized i was out. please support him great customer service


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## jwsailor (Jun 26, 2011)

I guess everyone has their favorites; I use a lot of pecan and use it for most all my sausage, pork and chicken. However I do use some Hickory and oak occasionally. I even have a small pile of mesquite out back for beef, but I don’t do much beef.

Love my A-Maze-N, absolutely the best thing for sausage.


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## nexpress (Jun 27, 2011)

I like using the Hickory dust and mixing in some of the cherry.  I just got my AMNPS on Saturday.  I am looking forward to using Oak wood mixed with a little cherry for the first time on a brisket this weekend.  Buy   your dust and pellets from Todd.  He gives great customer service and he ships super fast IMO.


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## SmokinAl (Jun 27, 2011)

I'm a hickory kind of guy.


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## alelover (Jun 27, 2011)

I like hickory, pecan and apple.  I make my hickory and pecan dust on my mitre saw. It's quite plentiful here. Works great.


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## Bearcarver (Jun 27, 2011)

SmokinAl said:


> I'm a hickory kind of guy.




Same Same Me !!

Bear


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## domapoi (Jun 29, 2011)

It all depends on what you are going to smoke the most!

For me:

Beef and whole turkey: mesquite or whiskey barrel oak

Pork: apple

BB Ribs and pork belly: hickory

cheeses: usually maple or cherry

chicken:  pecan

and all the above:  avocado, lemon or orange is good for a change.

The latter ones are from trees I have myself and use a BlendTec blender to turn them into sawdust. Have you ever been to that site for Blendtec that answers the question "Will It Blend"? Well, along with iPhones and other items, they do do wood too.


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## tjohnson (Jun 29, 2011)

I use Apple for my "Go To" Wood

Orange is absolutely wonderful, and awesome on Fish or Poultry!!

Todd


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## johnyd (Jul 1, 2011)

Skycam said:


> Has anyone managed to create their own sawdust for the Amazen burner that works?
> 
> The company won't ship dust outside the US and supplies here in Australia are limited to Mesquite, Mesquite or Mesquite, hell, we don't even grow mesquite here.
> 
> ...


Hey Roger, we do have it a bit more difficult at the bottom of the world eh!I looked at getting an amazen from across the ditch but it was over $100 by the time you convert Au$ into NZ$ and the dust was just as bad! 

Sorry to say Todd but its a rip off price in Aussie on your product. I know you sell at a good price in the States

Roger if you microwave the dust before you put it in the amazn it will burn even. I use the dust off a drop saw, I just stand there and dropsaw a bunch of native wood........ might take to the axe handle and make some hickory dust too!


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## biaviian (Jul 2, 2011)

Has anybody used the wine barrel on anything other than cheese?  I tried it beef or pork (I can't remember which) and it was horrible...I think it was pork.  However, it is my go-to for cheese.  I'm wondering if it was just a fluke or if it really doesn't go with pork or other meats. 

The wine barrel also makes a great cheese.  I used that for my last batch and it all came out excellent (horseradish, pepper jack, and extra sharp white cheddar).


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## biaviian (Jul 2, 2011)

nexpress said:


> I like using the Hickory dust and mixing in some of the cherry.  I just got my AMNPS on Saturday.  I am looking forward to using Oak wood mixed with a little cherry for the first time on a brisket this weekend.  Buy   your dust and pellets from Todd.  He gives great customer service and he ships super fast IMO.




Yeah, the shipping speed is amazing.


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## domapoi (Jul 3, 2011)

Hey, I just recently got my AMNS and now they have come out with the AMNPS that handles both pellets and dust! Is Todd going to be phasing out the AMNS or is he going to keep supporting it and supplying dust for it as well?


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## scarbelly (Jul 3, 2011)

Todd told me he was going to support both the dust and pellets.


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## biaviian (Jul 3, 2011)

Yeah, that is what I heard too.  I will still use dust for cold smokes and also to get me over the hump on long smokes.  That way I can take my time reloading the one that went out.


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## skycam (Dec 19, 2011)

geerock said:


> He claimed that hickory and cherry were the only wood he could pick out when tasting smoked foods.  And this after smoking for over 40 years.  Got the same story from an off the highway smokehouse when I visited back in the eighties.  Anyway, like someone said before, find what you like and go with it.
> 
> PS  What the hell is wattle wood??
> 
> All the best.


Yeah, I thought that might be the case where only a couple of woods were detectable, thanks Gee.

BTW: Wattle is an Acacia and is our national symbol with yellow flowers on green background, hence the "Green and Gold" of Australia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cootamundra_wattle


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## sprky (Dec 20, 2011)

IMHO  I recommend hickory and apple. I don't have the A-MAZE-N-SMOKER yet. How ever I am basing my opinion on what i currently use. I use a mix of hickory chunks and apple chips, occasionally I'll throw in a chunk or 2 of Mesquite. Just my 2 cents worth


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