# Who likes cherry wood?



## smokininidaho (Oct 20, 2014)

Found a great deal on some seasoned cherry wood, $70 for a half cord. I've used apple for some time now but never cherry, except for some chunks a few times. Can't wait to try it in my new braunfell offset.


----------



## pc farmer (Oct 20, 2014)

Sounds like a great deal too me.


----------



## kc5tpy (Oct 20, 2014)

Hello.  Cherry will give your food a nice mahagony color and slightly sweet taste.  Add some pecan and you will be a VERY happy camper.  Good luck.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


----------



## chef willie (Oct 20, 2014)

Yes, love the cherry wood now....and, like posted above will give you a beautiful color...Willie


----------



## hickorybutt (Oct 20, 2014)

I love my cherry wood.  It burns at a fairly medium-to-hot temperature, puts off a delicious smell, gives the meat a good color, and never "over-smokes" anything.  I have (or had) a 4x8 rack of cherry.  Now it is a 4x4 rack.  I use it on everything I cook.

I'll smoke chicken / poultry with nothing but cherry.

Pork I probably do 40% cherry, 40% pecan or hickory, and 20% oak.

Beef I will probably do a 20% cherry, 40% pecan, and 40% oak.

Point is, cherry goes well with everything and it mixes very well with other woods to give you the flavor and color that you like.


----------



## timberjet (Oct 20, 2014)

Yep I agree with all the other posters. Cherry is great especially mixed with apple.


----------



## smokininidaho (Oct 20, 2014)

cherrywood2.jpg



__ smokininidaho
__ Oct 20, 2014






Thanks for the replies, just got back, wound up being closer to a cord as he had more than what is shown in pic. Would love to try pecan or oak but it's not found up here in North Idaho. I do use royal oak charcoal though and love it. Pics of the bing cherry wood.













cherrywood.jpg



__ smokininidaho
__ Oct 20, 2014


----------



## wimpy69 (Oct 20, 2014)

Sweet-new neighbor moved in and is an arborist. Followed the smoking pork to my backyard on sat and is offering me now all the wood I want. All types of fruit wood, sugar maple and white oak. Is dropping a cherry tree on Wednesday and bucking trunk and large branches down to 12"and I, 'll take it from there. Took over some mulberry smoked pulled pork yesterday-blew him away. I think this is going to be a long friendship.


----------



## venture (Oct 20, 2014)

You will love that cherry wood.

I like to mix it with stronger woods.

Cherry and maple are my go-to for smoked cheese.  Thanks Todd for your great products!

Good luck and good smoking.


----------



## bluewhisper (Sep 16, 2015)

I tried it last night, with pork loin. I've been looking for it for a long time; the stores here have plenty of hickory, mesquite and apple chunks but seldom cherry. I found some marked as fireplace chunks under the Weber brand.

I started the fire by finishing a bag of Kingsford, then I finished a bag of apple chunks, then switched to the cherry. The flavor was darker and more tangy than I expected; to my taste it was closer to oak than apple. It did lend a dark red color to the loin - that was rubbed in garlic salt and black pepper, and it came out smelling like tasso.

Maybe part of my problem was burning oversize chunks in the dark. I was holding a flashlight in my teeth. I'll enjoy using the rest of the bag but I think I'll use it lightly as a flavoring.


----------



## tumbleweed1 (Sep 16, 2015)

I use cherry mixed with hickory from time to time. I've also mixed it with apple for long smokes with good results.

TW


----------



## wimpy69 (Sep 16, 2015)

Last couple butts iv'e done have been a mix of pecan and cherry. Really like the color and taste of the cherry. No complaints yet.


----------



## inkjunkie (Sep 16, 2015)

When it comes to chunks neither the Boss nor I can taste one species from another. Will be firing up the Reverse Flow for the first time here shortly....have over a cord of cherry...and about a quarter cord of maple...hope we like it....


----------



## rogan (Sep 16, 2015)

Does it matter the variety of cherry tree? We planted 2 different trees a couple years ago (to grow cherries). Can i use the smaller branches that i plan on trimming to add a cherry flavour, or do i need a bigger core wood for this? Branches are about 1" currently.


----------



## wimpy69 (Sep 16, 2015)

No and yes. Branches like that season fast and can be thrown right in. Bark is thin so no problem.


----------



## bluewhisper (Sep 17, 2015)

As a follow-up, the smoked loin is surprisingly close to a Canadian bacon without the brining. I fried some slices in butter. I'm still not used to the cherry aroma and it was funny to walk through the house and get a whiff of something smoky but not familiar.


----------



## inkjunkie (Sep 17, 2015)

I did the burn in fire on our Reverse Flow yesterday using cherry... can't wait to cook on it....the smell was incredible


----------



## stan r (Oct 13, 2015)

I had two large wild cherry trees cut down this summer and they have been cut up and split,  Is that wood any good for smoking???  If not, I will use it in my outdoor fire pit.


----------



## tumbleweed1 (Oct 14, 2015)

Stan R said:


> I had two large wild cherry trees cut down this summer and they have been cut up and split,  Is that wood any good for smoking???  If not, I will use it in my outdoor fire pit.


If there was a chance it was ever sprayed with any pesticides or the like then I would refrain from using it.

TW


----------



## joes bbq ribs (Oct 14, 2015)

Yes,  I love smoking with cherry wood! [emoji]128077[/emoji]  I'll use cherry and hickory mix and also use cherry and apple, love the flavor if gives to the meats.  
Happy Smokin' 
-Joe


----------



## inkjunkie (Oct 14, 2015)

At what moisture content can wood be used for splits?


----------



## smokeshowingbbq (Mar 14, 2016)

I cook with Cherry / Apple on my baby backs and my cast iron smoked beans. I use cherry on allot of what I smoke as well as apple.  Burns / Smokes great!


----------



## hoity toit (Mar 14, 2016)

smokininidaho said:


> Found a great deal on some seasoned cherry wood, $70 for a half cord. I've used apple for some time now but never cherry, except for some chunks a few times. Can't wait to try it in my new braunfell offset.


I am from New Braunfels, and am sure the cheery will be good in that smoker'


----------



## caliperson (Jul 20, 2016)

Question:

I'm a newbie working my way through the various woods to develop a palate for the differences. 

I did a small pork sirloin roast using only cherry chips on my electric today, and while the meat was good, I could barely taste the smoke.  I used a salt/brown sugar/black pepper rub, and it seemed like I could taste that more than anything. Once I added the finishing bbq sauce all traces disappeared.

There was kind of a hammy, almost corned-beef taste, but I assumed that was mostly just the salt and pork?  Is cherry just really mild/subtle?  I used about 2-3X more wood than my previous cooks with hickory/apple anticipating it being mild.


----------

