# Hardwood Firewood in Offset?



## elm (Sep 15, 2021)

I live in Idaho, so I don't have access to "wild" smoking woods, am I ok to go to my local arborist and pick up a bunch of hardwood firewood for use in an offset? Would there be anything in that mix I wouldn't want to use? Thanks, y'all, I much appreciate your expertise!


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## Chasdev (Sep 16, 2021)

I think at one time or another or at one geographic location or another, most every type of wood has been used for smoking.
The only ones I can think of that are not ok are pine and hackberry, but I guess if I was starving and all I had was hackberry I would use it too.


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## SmokinEdge (Sep 16, 2021)

Welcome from Colorado.
No, I would not go to my local arborist and get some “hardwoods” to smoke with. Not all hardwoods are suitable for food prep. Look for orchards in the area. Most fruit wood is great for smoking food. If you have a Lowes or Home Depot they carry splits of hickory and mesquite.
Here is some reading on the subject.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/woods-for-smoking.50439/


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## crazymexican (Sep 16, 2021)

I live in Utah and I use a lot of fruit woods apple and cherry. If you watch every once in a while Walmart will sell mesquite logs in a 50LB bags . Find someone with an orchard or has fruit trees and see if they would let have any wood from dead trees or trimmings


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## chopsaw (Sep 16, 2021)

When I had my offset all I used was wood I had stocked for my fireplace . 
In Missouri it's mostly Oak , Hickory and wild cherry . I knew what I was pulling from the pile , and if I wasn't sure I didn't cook with it .


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## smokin peachey (Sep 16, 2021)

SmokinEdge said:


> Welcome from Colorado.
> No, I would not go to my local arborist and get some “hardwoods” to smoke with. Not all hardwoods are suitable for food prep. Look for orchards in the area. Most fruit wood is great for smoking food. If you have a Lowes or Home Depot they carry splits of hickory and mesquite.
> Here is some reading on the subject.
> https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/woods-for-smoking.50439/


What are the hardwoods that wouldn’t be ok to smoke with?


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## elm (Sep 16, 2021)

smokin peachey said:


> What are the hardwoods that wouldn’t be ok to smoke with?



I have to admit, I was wondering the same thing. Sometimes when I walk to work in the cold mornings I smell hardwood firewood coming out of chimneys and it smells YUMMY.


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## chopsaw (Sep 16, 2021)

You won't go wrong using a load of fire wood to run your offset .


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## smokin peachey (Sep 17, 2021)

elm said:


> I have to admit, I was wondering the same thing. Sometimes when I walk to work in the cold mornings I smell hardwood firewood coming out of chimneys and it smells YUMMY.


I was hoping someone might give more specifics on this. I don’t know of any hardwoods in my area that could be used.


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## SmokinEdge (Sep 17, 2021)

smokin peachey said:


> What are the hardwoods that wouldn’t be ok to smoke with?


Just from what I have read on the subject, hard woods generally not good to cook with,
Walnut
Elm
Eucalyptus
Sycamore,
Sweet gum
Willow
plus a lot of shrubbery 
The local arborist cuts everything and while this may be a great source for firewood, it’s is also likely some undesirable woods could get mixed in for cooking purposes. Now that said, if you know your trees and or know a arborist that you trust, I’m sure you could pick up some fine hardwoods although since they cut trees every day probably tough to get seasoned wood from them, Idk.


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## chopsaw (Sep 17, 2021)

Firewood is pretty big around here . If you sell junk you're not in Business long . 
Don't know anyone that cuts walnut for firewood . Sells for $14.00 a board foot last time I checked . I wouldn't smoke with it either though . 
I get mine like this . Wrapped and not stored on the ground . I use it for my fireplace , but always cut some up into chunks for the smokers . 
I guess it depends on where you live . 






All kinds of good cooking wood in there if this is your only option . 
Red and white oak , hickory and a few sticks of cherry .


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## SmokinAl (Sep 17, 2021)

My Walmart sells huge bags of hickory splits for under $20.
Al


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## daspyknows (Sep 18, 2021)

I have a bit of walnut and it's ok with beef mixed with oak.  I also use it to get my fire going.  Definitely not my favorite but it gets the job done.


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## chopsaw (Sep 18, 2021)

daspyknows said:


> I have a bit of walnut and it's ok with beef mixed with oak.


I'm just going by working with it in the shop .  The smell to me is nasty . Cut some cherry or maple , it always has a nice aroma .


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