# Sumac and other woods



## NoobNoob (Mar 28, 2019)

sorry if this is a repeat thread but I’ve done quite a bit of smoking recently with chips and chunks that I’ve purchased at the fleet supply store and it got me thinking about sustainability and using what might be more available to me. Around my property I have quite a few woods that I’d be really curious to try but wanted to find out if others have tried them. There really is very little information out there. I live in Minnesota and along the fence line on my property I have a ton of Fox grape vine. It really is a nuisance and I cut a bunch of it every year and chuck it in the bonfire. But if I could smoke with it that would be awesome. Similar with a bunch of sumac I have. Not the poison kind but the kind you can make lemonade with, both stag horn and smooth, Rhus species. The last one is Russian olive. Russian olive trees are a nuisance around here, they are not native and actually can grow quite large. Anyone have any advice on any of these? Google does not offer a ton of info. Thanks everybody.


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## Polka (Mar 28, 2019)

My first thought is that as a general rule, if it is temperate zone fruit, or a nut tree, it is quite good.  I read on here someplace that grape is wonderful.  Never tried it.  I'm a pellet smoker.  

I would say, since you have food-type species available, try a bit mixed with some wood you already know.  Don't experiment on anything expensive or for a lot of people.  Just for you, and do the taste test.  You might come up with your first million dollar idea.  But then, maybe not.  Like you, waiting to see what responses you get.  

Rex


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## NoobNoob (Apr 2, 2019)

Going to bump this with an update. I did break a dried twig off the sumac and lit the tip to get a white smoke. I’m not sure how I would class the smell or flavor in terms of other wood flavor profiles but it didn’t smell real harsh or tannic, so I might conclude it would be ok to use. I didn’t fall to the ground wriggling like a stuck fish either so that’s a positive. If I do try it out it’ll probably be on burgers or something that would be easy to toss if it was no good. I’m going to just shoot for straight up sumac.


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## JWFokker (Apr 2, 2019)

Sumac is going to burn fast and not produce a ton of heat. Might go through a bunch of it, but it should be a mild smoke.


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## JWFokker (Apr 2, 2019)

Olivewood is said to be similar to mesquite but less intense.


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## cedar eater (Apr 10, 2019)

I plan on trying some uncommon woods, too. As a general rule, I think that if you can't find something bad about a particular wood, it will probably be fine to just smell the smoke and then smoke something like brats with it. I would first try wood with no bark on it, because some barks can make some pretty acrid smoke. My smoking plans include hophornbeam, blue beech, basswood, and serviceberry.


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