# Oak from my yard...



## wbrian (Jun 13, 2011)

Hi All,

I am (as  I type) having an oak tree cut back in the front of my house.  I use a Brinkmann Vertical charcoal smoker.  OK to use this wood for smoking?  I know to age it and let it dry out.  I was considering using the pieces I don't use for firewood as smoking wood.  Is oak a good flavoring?

Thanks!

Brian


----------



## Dutch (Jun 13, 2011)

Brian, Oak is a great wood to use. Here is an excerpt from the "Woods for Smoking" Wiki:

     Quote:


> *OAK - Heavy smoke flavor--the Queen of smoking wood. RED OAK is good on ribs, WHITE OAK makes the best coals for longer burning. All oak varieties reported as suitable for smoking. Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game.  *


----------



## wbrian (Jun 13, 2011)

Excellent!  Then I should have kept the little stuff.  They mulched it all up by the time I got back from the bank...  But now I know.  I'll do the trimming from here on out!

Thanks again,

Brian


----------



## SmokinAl (Jun 13, 2011)

We use oak  all the time, it's very abundant down here in Florida.


----------



## cliffcarter (Jun 21, 2011)

Depends on where you are and which species of oak you have. I'm in Maine and because of the climate the red oak we have up here can take 2 years or more to season properly for cooking. I have a pile stacked in my back yard that has been off the stump for almost 21 months and it still has too much moisture in it to BBQ with it.


----------



## venture (Jun 21, 2011)

Go figger.  The California red oak from the central coast area was historically the wood of choice for grilling the Santa Maria Tri-tips.

Good luck and good smoking.


----------



## cliffcarter (Jun 22, 2011)

Venture said:


> Go figger.  The California red oak from the central coast area was historically the wood of choice for grilling the Santa Maria Tri-tips.
> 
> Good luck and good smoking.


The oak used in Santa Maria is called "red oak" as a local name, it's common name is coastal live oak and is not the same tree as northern red oak or southern red oak.

All tree species have scientific and common names and many will also have "local" names that are region specific- ie red maple is called "swamp maple" in Maine because it grows in wetter, low lying areas.

Oak has, by my count, 49 species in the US. I have seen mention of 6 by name that are used in BBQ- live oak, northern and southern red oaks, post oak, white oak and coast live oak. If anyone uses any of the other 43 oak species to cook with I would like to know about it and add to the list.


----------



## venture (Jun 22, 2011)

I figured something like that had to be going on.

Good luck and good smoking.


----------



## michael ark (Jun 22, 2011)

Nothing is better than free wood for  smokeing
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






.


----------

