# oak question?



## croketpotmeathead (Jan 27, 2010)

i was wondering if there was any kind of oak better than others?


----------



## meat hunter (Jan 27, 2010)

Red Oak if you can get it. Burns well and has a nice mild aroma to it.


----------



## Dutch (Jan 27, 2010)

Oak is a good fuel wood for smokers as it is some what neutral in flavor and doesn't compete with the wood you use for flavor. 

I use white oak when I fire up the Lang and I'll then use hickory, maple or cherry or a combo of them for flavor.


----------



## mballi3011 (Jan 27, 2010)

I have only used oak as oak not any differant oaks. I like it and it smooth and kinda light.


----------



## hog warden (Jan 27, 2010)

Where are you located and which oaks are your options?


----------



## pineywoods (Jan 27, 2010)

I personally like the red oak family if I can get it. It seems to burn a little hotter and has a nice flavor. Of course all I have at camp is live oak but around the house I can often find red oak


----------



## rickw (Jan 27, 2010)

Red oak is my main wood, it's also good mixed with cherry.


----------



## flash (Jan 28, 2010)

Red oak. My main one I use is Turkey Oak.


----------



## 3montes (Jan 28, 2010)

Red oak is plentiful up here so it is my main source. I really like using it. Sometimes I do not even use a flavor wood with it. You can get a real nice smoky flavor from just using red oak. When using flavored wood I use cherry or apple and sometimes hickory chunks. Hickory is hard to find up here so I have to use bagged chunks or chips.


----------



## treegje (Jan 28, 2010)

I do most of my smoking with oak.
it does not matter what kind


----------



## walle (Jan 29, 2010)

Yeah... the dry kind that produces TBS....
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Didn't know there was different kinds of oak until I found SMF....
I used the "good" kind!

Okay, seriously, how do you tell the difference?  I'm using chipped oak 2x4's from a stack the back door neighbor has.  I can definitely tell they are OAK by the look and the smell, but as far as Red or White....
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	









:icon_quest  ion:
Enlighten us all.


----------



## flash (Jan 29, 2010)

Well, as to Florida

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr004


----------



## denver dave (Jan 29, 2010)

Growing up in New Mexico, we had a yearly event where we would dig a pit and bury a side of beef or a couple of hogs in a bed of coals. We used Scrub Oak for this. Probably because it was abundant. 
Now I use Oak (generally red) all the time. Other woods mix well and are not overpowered by the mellow oak scent.


----------



## harvfish (Jan 29, 2010)

Red oak is great as previously stated for two reasons.  The first is its mild flavor and great coloring to the meat. Not too dark or light...just right.  The second is the coals hold up longer which improves consistent heat.  Up here in Maine, we have ample red oak and maple.  I use a mix of the two when cooking with the maple burning hotter quicker.  If you need to bump up the temp (from not paying attention) maple will get it there quicker as well as giving meats great flavoring.  But for the long cooks, red oak is hard to beat.

Harvey's Sebago Lake Smokehouse
24' Lang tandem 84 deluxe


----------



## hoser (Jan 29, 2010)

Any oak that used to be part of  a whiskey or wine barrel is my personal preference. 
Imparts a wonderful flavor to whatever you're smoking.


----------

