# apple chunks



## njsmoker83 (Jun 24, 2010)

just got some apple wood chunks with my wsm 18.5. i hear its really good flavor


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## subzero (Jun 24, 2010)

Apple is quickly becoming my favorite smoke. I love it on ribs! Even some relatives that claim to not like smoked foods will eat it up when smoked with apple.

I'm sure you won't be disappointed.


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## njsmoker83 (Jun 24, 2010)

and you can put decent amount in right?  i hear it doesnt overpower like hickory or mesq


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## adiochiro3 (Jun 24, 2010)

njsmoker83 said:


> and you can put decent amount in right?  i hear it doesnt overpower like hickory or mesq


Apple wood is nowhere near as strong as hickory or mesq; however, TBS (thin, blue smoke) is still the appropriate order of the day.  I love smoking with fruit woods.


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## coffee_junkie (Jun 24, 2010)

Been using apple for 15 years.....my favorite, and there are always apple trees around that need trimming.


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## mballi3011 (Jun 24, 2010)

Yes apple is my go to chips/chunks I aways have some of them around the grilling area of my back porch.


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## richoso1 (Jun 24, 2010)

Apple and Cherry are probably the most popular of the fruit woods used in smoking. They are compatible with many hardwoods, including mesquite and hickory. I usually mix the fruit woods with some type of hardwood.


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## njsmoker83 (Jun 24, 2010)

richoso1 said:


> Apple and Cherry are probably the most popular of the fruit woods used in smoking. They are compatible with many hardwoods, including mesquite and hickory. I usually mix the fruit woods with some type of hardwood.


i never thought to mix them.


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## scarbelly (Jun 24, 2010)

I like a mix of apple and pecan or maple - the combo puts out a great taste


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## flash (Sep 4, 2012)

CharcoalNMore said:


> Just remember that the meat doesn't take any more smoke past an internal temperature of 141 degrees.


 True, but that is Internally only. The surface area will take on smoke thru out the cook.


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## cabrego (Sep 4, 2012)

+1 on the apple and pecan wood.


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## vichi lobo (Sep 5, 2012)

this is an interesting conversation, is there anything about using Italian Plum wood that i should worry about?  I had a large limb break off recently and am saving it for the smokerr


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## senseirogue (Sep 5, 2012)

How long does the wood, either cherry or apple, have to dry out before it can be used?  I recently used some of my cherry wood, cut only last week, and soaked for only an hour, before cooking, and I'm guessing it either hadn't soaked long enough, or was too green from the start, as it burned up very quickly.  My BBQ was great though.  Any thoughts on this?


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## thrifty token (Sep 5, 2012)

Vichi Lobo --

Plum Wood:  The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.  Good with most meats, great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish.

Try this link on Smoking Wood Flavor:

http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Downloads_files/SmokingFlavorChart.pdf

Enjoy!


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## smokinhusker (Sep 5, 2012)

Apple and cherry are favorites. I like mixing them with the others, especially with oak, maple and pecan


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## johnnybuckeye (Sep 6, 2012)

I just smoked 2 pork butts on my WSM 225 using peach and one chunk of hickory........... My family said it was the best I have ever done.........    Got the idea from Myron Mixon... I actually purchased my peach wood from Jacks Old South..

Low & Slow


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## vichi lobo (Sep 6, 2012)

Thrifty Token,

That is a great list, i have printed it out and it now lives in my permanent smoking binder.  Here in the west most of the fire wood is pine or other conifers.  Fruit wood is a bit more rare so we hold onto what we find.

thanks again.

vl


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## smokedreb (Sep 6, 2012)

I've always done apple, on my last Pork Butt I had to make a store run for more chunks, I wish I was lucky enough to have it grow on trees.


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## peddler (Sep 7, 2012)

+ for Pecan.


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## mikebham (Sep 7, 2012)

I usually mix apple & pecan 50/50. Excellant smoke, excellant taste.No complaints from the crowd - ever!
Also, try some Jack Daniels barrel pieces, mmmmmmm.

Happy smoking!


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## fredaevans (Sep 7, 2012)

+1 several times over. I find the lighter flavor woods (Apple, Pecan - never tried Peach, but that sounds very good) with just a touch of something 'stronger' is the way to go. We maybe 'Wozzies' here in So. Oregon, but a light touch (Personally cut Alder was the standard for a lot of years) is the usual choice.


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## kully (Sep 7, 2012)

I never thought of mixing smoke either.  have a Bradley digital with the bisquettes. Would be easy to alternate them but might that change the flavour or would one smoke be primary and over power the other? Just thinking out loud here.

Kully


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## mountainrubs (Sep 7, 2012)

I have been trying out Apple wood also orange wood on fish ...nice sweet flavor.


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## mneeley490 (Sep 8, 2012)

MountainRubs said:


> I have been trying out Apple wood also orange wood on fish ...nice sweet flavor.


I used orange the last time I smoked turkey legs. That produced a great flavor.


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## mikebham (Sep 8, 2012)

I've found that when mixing smoke they tend to blend together. You can change the flavor by varing the percentages of each. Ie instead of 50/50, try 70/30 or maybe 50/30/20. 
I've never had a bad mix? I like to add a bit of mesquite occasionally too,


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## bobtheump (Sep 8, 2012)

Anybody add any of the flavored ash to their smoker?  Given a gift of bourbon char from JD barrels but haven't tried it yet.  Worried about flame-ups and the like.


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## mccaf (Sep 9, 2012)

JohnnyBuckeye said:


> I just smoked 2 pork butts on my WSM 225 using peach and one chunk of hickory........... My family said it was the best I have ever done.........    Got the idea from Myron Mixon... I actually purchased my peach wood from Jacks Old South..
> Low & Slow



I totally agree. I read Myron's book and tossed a couple emails with him. I  decided  to try some peach wood and am hooked. Also mixed with some cherry. There is a place in Fruita CO called fruitawoodchucks.com. Best selection and prices in the US. The guy has a great curing system  for cutting the wood and drying it out. 
Go Buckeye's!


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## conchokitty (Sep 9, 2012)

I have been using apple wood (chunks) more than any other flavor for all but beef, such as brisket, for which I still prefer hickory.

For us, the apple flavor is delightful.

The temptation to "over-smoke," a very subjective term, has been an _extremely_ hard one for me to overcome.
 

I have yet to have too little smoke flavor and have been systematically dialing it down to find that sweet spot of jusssst riiiight.

Goodness, my first first time experience with smoking, many years ago, threw me off smoking entirely until last year.

Knowing absolutely nothing about smoking, I used a inexpensive charcoal-fired bullet smoker and creosoted those ribs so bad I had to throw them out.

Yesterday, I smoked nine chicken-broth/apple juice injected chickens in a single go, for a get-together.

I only used two medium sized apple chunks at 225 degrees which lasted about 1 1/2 hours. No more smoking after that.

I foiled the chickens after the initial smoking and continued at about 300 degrees. I removed the foiling for the last 45 minutes at 350 degrees for skin finishing.

Without a doubt, the results were the best beer-butt chickens I have ever smoked. They were not overpowered with smoke and the apple wood flavor was wonderful.


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## lmci (Sep 9, 2012)

I generally mix Apple with Mesquite - usually 2 or 3 to 1 ratio (heavy on the Apple).  Awesome results, on either pork or poultry.  Tomorrow is Salmon, curious to see how that works out.

Enjoy!

Larry


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## mikebham (Sep 9, 2012)

I guess I have. Academy Sports sell Jack Daniels whiskey barrel chunks in a bag. Great flavor. 
Smoke is actually sweet like cherry, taste is wonderful when mixed 20/80 with something light like pecan. Happy experimenting!!


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## mikebham (Sep 9, 2012)

I've found the same thing. I generally load the basket with chip and when they're gone, no more smoke. That usually translates to about 1-1/2 to 2 hours for buts that will smoke for 8 hours. I've found that's plenty of smoke.


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## conchokitty (Sep 10, 2012)

MikeBham said:


> I guess I have. Academy Sports sell Jack Daniels whiskey barrel chunks in a bag. Great flavor.
> Smoke is actually sweet like cherry, taste is wonderful when mixed 20/80 with something light like pecan. Happy experimenting!!


I have a bag of those Jack Daniels oak barrel chips I bought at Ace Hardware but have not tried them yet. I have used pecan, peach, and cherry with good luck and flavor.

Being from Texas, I first went for mesquite and over smoked with it which was a disappointment. I stopped using it all together but will revisit mesquite again now that I have a grasp of how much is too much smoking.

Looking forward to smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving in the vertical smoker. Will pick up a turkey blaster locally for that or order it on-line.


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## newmexicosmoke (Sep 10, 2012)

I also llike pecan, cherry and apple.

If you like those, I WARN YOU, avoid peach!

It will take over minds and senses. I have converted avid smoke haters and beaten hickory restaurants in comparisons.


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## hansel wenczel (Sep 10, 2012)

Just did some brined bluefish with 50/50 mix of Alder and Hickory.  My most sincere critic, my brother the life-long commerical fisherman said it was excellent, but I am still so strongly partial to a 50/50 mix of apple and cherry.   Peach is hard to come by here on Long Island, but would like to mix it in.


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## hansel wenczel (Sep 10, 2012)

Just did some brined bluefish with 50/50 mix of Alder and Hickory.  My most sincere critic, my brother the life-long commerical fisherman said it was excellent, but I am still so strongly partial to a 50/50 mix of apple and cherry.   Peach is hard to come by here on Long Island, but would like to mix it in.


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## peddler (Sep 11, 2012)

Mesquite and Pecan ... 50/50.


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## pryan1877 (Sep 11, 2012)

I just did two chickens with briquettes and Mulberry, they were great. Mulberry is a sweet wood and we have a lot of them in Illinois so it isn't too hard to get some.


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## blowingsmoke (Sep 11, 2012)

All friut woods are great I get alot of peach from local orchards and apple and pecan from my place Im going to try plum we have several that we trim every year the cuttings are just now getting big enough to keep ,a beer can chix smoked with plum wood maybe some chineese 5 spice rub ,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## dbclark (Sep 12, 2012)

I am a novice smoker, very quickly abandoning my grill.   I was wondering about Choke Cherry.   I would assume it has similar qualities as Cherry, but thought I'd ask?    I have one taking over my back yard that I am getting ready to do major pruning on and am thinking of keeping for the smoker.


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## mikebham (Sep 12, 2012)

Chokecherry should be great, but I think I.' d mix it 50/50 with something like pecan. I'd love to have a bunch of the Berries,.


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## fredaevans (Sep 12, 2012)

Everyone has 'different tastes' on what the end smoke/flavor end game may be. And that's half the fun of this silly game.

Candidly, when I got it 'really wrong' even the Dogs didn't want anything to do with it .........

:>(

But light smoke (fruit wood) seems to narrow the 'mistakes' down to an acceptable level ... or so Sandy and Husky tell me.

;>)


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## blowingsmoke (Sep 13, 2012)

Trial and Error is all the expierince I have there wasnt internet when I started I like to use a cheap meat like chicken when trying something new if we dont eat it the dogs will I do know that  lump char coal is way better than regular charcoal and that I add the flavor wood towards the end of the smoke so it doesnt over power the meat but thats just how we like it .


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## john 4 21 ribs (Sep 13, 2012)

dbclark said:


> I am a novice smoker, very quickly abandoning my grill.   I was wondering about Choke Cherry.   I would assume it has similar qualities as Cherry, but thought I'd ask?   I have one taking over my back yard that I am getting ready to do major pruning on and am thinking of keeping for the smoker.


From the USDA:


CAUTION: PARTS OF THIS PLANT CAN BE POISONOUS

  

The seeds are toxic due to production of hydrocyanic acid in the leaves, stems and seeds.  The almond-like nuts are treated to deactivate the poisonous glycosides before they are put on the market.  Cases of illness and deaths have been traced back to eating the seeds of these trees.  

Wikipedia:

Chokecherry is toxic to horses, and moose, cattle, goats, deer, and other animals with segmented stomachs (rumens), especially after the leaves have wilted (such as after a frost or after branches have been broken) because wilting releases cyanide  and makes the plant sweet. About 5–10 kg of foliage can be fatal. Symptoms of a horse that has been poisoned include heavy breathing, agitation, and weakness.


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## dbclark (Sep 13, 2012)

my wife just put up some for jam.   Unfortunately only had enough for a few jars, but it is a wonderful jam.


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## mikebham (Sep 13, 2012)

Oh yea, it makes terrific jam or syrup for pancakes. ( seeds are removed when juicing the Berries)


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## woodcutter (Sep 13, 2012)

I'm interested in trying choke cherry as well. I tried plum and really liked it. I think the plum trees in Wisconsin may be a different variety because the fruit is just a little larger than a quarter.


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## bluto (Sep 14, 2012)

I'm kinda partial to apple and oak, and I have an apple tree that I'm about to trim WAY back, so I'm looking forward to using it after it dries some, but I also have a pear tree that I'm about to do away with, anyone use pear with anything?


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## java (Sep 14, 2012)

i have used pear, and it was pretty good, if i remember right we used it with a little peach.


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## hobo (Sep 14, 2012)

Not sure about the Italian Plum...but I consistently use Wild Plum wood up here in Canada.  I find it very sweet and uniquely spicy that really does a number on pork or poultry!


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## hobo (Sep 14, 2012)

Choke cherry works wonderfully....quite pungent but surprisingly sweet.  It smolders away very, very slowly which is a nice bonus feature.


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## blowingsmoke (Sep 14, 2012)

Try it once if you and your crew like it do it again .It sure is nice to a forum to find out if your ideas are to out of the box though ! I dont know what kind of plum trees we have but there several i will try to find out which type it is and report back


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## blowingsmoke (Sep 14, 2012)

I have a bunch of Bass in the freezer I may smoke it with the plum ,I will tell you a rub I like CHINEESE 5 SPICE is good on fish and chicken


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## real smoke (Sep 14, 2012)

Been using fruit trees for 30 years I think it makes everything you smoke taste better.


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## flatbottombros (Sep 17, 2012)

I love using apple with my pork and pig.  Yumm


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