# Can Larch be used for smoking?



## Ohoopee (Oct 15, 2020)

Ok, so I know as a general rule, conifers should not be used for smoking but Larch is a bit different from most conifers.  For one, it is not an evergreen.  I was talking to a guy in Veitenam who opened his own american bbq restaurant over there.  He told me the first thing he would recommend to be smoking meat in Ireland is to try the local woods that are cheaper and more readily available.  I found a guy over here who has larch for very cheap.  I have searched google and there doesn't appear to be general concensus about smoking with Larch or not.  I would not have thought that Larch was a hardwood being a conifer but it was listed among hardwoods on the irish forestry website.  So what do you guys think, can you hot smoke with Larch?


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## Winterrider (Oct 15, 2020)

I had seen somewhere that Larch was "not" to be use for smoking. Will see if I can find again and post.


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## Ohoopee (Oct 15, 2020)

Winterrider said:


> I had seen somewhere that Larch was "not" to be use for smoking. Will see if I can find again and post.


Thanks, I just bought a big load of Ash wood..it appears to be mainly white ash with a small bit of red ash mixed in.  I have never used Ash before either..but this Ash wasn't exactly cheap so I am trying to find a more price friendly alternative.  Both sides of my family were land owners in the States and I am really starting to miss just going out in the woods behind the house and cutting my own wood to smoke with.


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## gmc2003 (Oct 15, 2020)

Most all hardwoods can be used. One example of a hardwood *not* to use wood be balsa. Larch is considered a softwood so I wouldn't use it.  

Just my take
Chris


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## Winterrider (Oct 15, 2020)

This is not the article I had seen before but. . .
*Absolutely No Softwoods for wood for smoking*

Right up front, let me tell you, *only* smoke with hardwood.  Softwoods or coniferous woods should *never* be used for cooking because they have elevated sap levels and more air in their cell structure.  This causes the wood to burn fast, hot, produce lots of sparks, and produce unpleasant flavors not ideal for flavoring foods.  Let’s be clear on what a softwood is: pine, redwood, cedar, fir, spruce, hemlock, larch, cypress.


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## GaryHibbert (Oct 15, 2020)

I've never smoked with larch, but as I have quite a bit of it on my property, I've burned lots in the fireplace--it's great for that.  It has an unpleasant smell to it when it burns.  So I'd suggest burning some first to check out the smell before trying it in your smoker.
Gary


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## Ohoopee (Oct 15, 2020)

Winterrider said:


> This is not the article I had seen before but. . .
> *Absolutely No Softwoods for wood for smoking*
> 
> Right up front, let me tell you, *only* smoke with hardwood.  Softwoods or coniferous woods should *never* be used for cooking because they have elevated sap levels and more air in their cell structure.  This causes the wood to burn fast, hot, produce lots of sparks, and produce unpleasant flavors not ideal for flavoring foods.  Let’s be clear on what a softwood is: pine, redwood, cedar, fir, spruce, hemlock, larch, cypress.


Lol, I don't even think we have Larch in Georgia where I am from but I was getting conflicting information from people.  Larch was listed on the Irish forestry website with the Hardwoods and I even ran into a guy on a chef forum I go too that claims all his restaurant uses is Larch.....but I will go with you guys.  I know not to use softwoods but based on what I was reading, there didn't appear to be a consensus on whether Larch was soft or hard wood...evne though it was a Conifer.


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## GaryHibbert (Oct 15, 2020)

Winterrider said:


> This is not the article I had seen before but. . .
> *Absolutely No Softwoods for wood for smoking*
> 
> Right up front, let me tell you, *only* smoke with hardwood.  Softwoods or coniferous woods should *never* be used for cooking because they have elevated sap levels and more air in their cell structure.  This causes the wood to burn fast, hot, produce lots of sparks, and produce unpleasant flavors not ideal for flavoring foods.  Let’s be clear on what a softwood is: pine, redwood, cedar, fir, spruce, hemlock, larch, cypress.



Germany and the Scandanavian countries use softwood for smoking.  Not sure I'd try it though.
Gary


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## Ohoopee (Oct 15, 2020)

GaryHibbert said:


> I've never smoked with larch, but as I have quite a bit of it on my property, I've burned lots in the fireplace--it's great for that.  It has an unpleasant smell to it when it burns.  So I'd suggest burning some first to check out the smell before trying it in your smoker.
> Gary


 Thanks, I might just leave it based on what I am seeing here.  All the hardwood here is so expensive and then I found this guy with Larch for dirt cheap...I knew it was too good to be true.


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## Ohoopee (Oct 15, 2020)

GaryHibbert said:


> Germany and the Scandanavian countries use softwood for smoking.  Not sure I'd try it though.
> Gary


Especually for how long it will be exposed to the smoke, salmon is one thing but it can take a long time to smoke a Pork Butt.


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## Winterrider (Oct 15, 2020)

GaryHibbert said:


> Germany and the Scandanavian countries use softwood for smoking.  Not sure I'd try it though.
> Gary


I have seen them use it on a few of the Alaskan shows also. I'll steer clear of them.


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 15, 2020)

Not any good at an answer here but waiting to see the outcome.
Fortunate to live in a area with abundance of hard wood. 
How about fruit trees in your area?

Warren


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## Ohoopee (Oct 15, 2020)

HalfSmoked said:


> Not any good at an answer here but waiting to see the outcome.
> Fortunate to live in a area with abundance of hard wood.
> How about fruit trees in your area?
> 
> Warren


Not really in my area but some parts of Ireland do have apple trees, not in my area but..the most common type of hardwood in my area appears to be Ash.  I live in the Southwest of Ireland, most of the Apple orchardfs I have eard of have been on the east coast.


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## Bearcarver (Oct 15, 2020)

I'll give you the very little I know about Larch:
#1.  They say it's "Usually" an Evergreen. * (One No Vote)*
#2.  I carved a Bear with it, and it was about as Soft as Pine, and easy to Chainsaw carve. * (Another No Vote)*
#3.  It is resistant to Rot, so I would think that whatever is in it that makes it resistant to Rot is Not Good for Smoking your food.  *(Another No Vote)

So I would Not use it.*

Bear


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## HalfSmoked (Oct 15, 2020)

Thanks for the like Ohoopee it is appreciated.

Warren


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## Ohoopee (Oct 15, 2020)

HalfSmoked said:


> Thanks for the like Ohoopee it is appreciated.
> 
> Warren


No problem, appreciate the comment.  I'm really trying to find my footing over here dealing with strang woods that I would have never thought about using back in Georgia....if we even had them in Georgia.  So I can use all the help I can get.


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## gmc2003 (Oct 15, 2020)

My vote is a NO

Chris


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## Bearcarver (Oct 15, 2020)

Like I said above ----No.

Bear


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## Jonok (Oct 15, 2020)

Pallets are usually made of hardwood and are ubiquitous.  If you can score Missouri white oak in australasia for scrap prices, why would you do anything else


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## gmc2003 (Oct 15, 2020)

Jonok said:


> Pallets are usually made of hardwood and are ubiquitous.  If you can score Missouri white oak in australasia for scrap prices, why would you do anything else



Be careful with pallets. Most have been sprayed with some type of insecticide. 

Chris


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## Jonok (Oct 15, 2020)

Black Forest Ham is the obvious exception to the no-conifer rule. I’m pretty sure that’s all the smoke it gets.


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## Jonok (Oct 15, 2020)

gmc2003 said:


> Be careful with pallets. Most have been sprayed with some type of insecticide.
> 
> Chris


Wasn’t aware that that was the case.  Lived in Missouri for a long time and saw the royal oak people recycle a lot of them for charcoal, but I will defer to those who are more in the know.


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## gmc2003 (Oct 15, 2020)

Jonok said:


> Wasn’t aware that that was the case.  Lived in Missouri for a long time and saw the royal oak people recycle a lot of them for charcoal, but I will defer to those who are more in the know.



I'm far from an expert, but I did work in a warehouse for a few years. We did spray them and reuse them. Also you don't really know what kind of hazardous chemical was stored on them. If your positive that they were built for a certain company and only used by that company. Then they may be fine. Me after what I've seen. I'm not willing to risk it for a few dollars.

Chris


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## Ohoopee (Oct 15, 2020)

gmc2003 said:


> Be careful with pallets. Most have been sprayed with some type of insecticide.
> 
> Chris


Exactly, you can get pallets here for cheap but that is why I don't use them, because I don't know what has been done to the wood.


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## GaryHibbert (Oct 16, 2020)

Ohoopee said:


> Thanks, I might just leave it based on what I am seeing here.  All the hardwood here is so expensive and then I found this guy with Larch for dirt cheap...I knew it was too good to be true.



Well if you have a need for firewood in your fireplace or firepit, larch burns well and puts off great heat.  And you said it was cheap.
Gary


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## GaryHibbert (Oct 16, 2020)

Bearcarver said:


> I'll give you the very little I know about Larch:



Well I don't know a whole bunch about it either John.  What I can say though is that a grove of larch, when the needles turns orange in the fall, is a beautiful sight in the dawn sunrise.
Gary


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## Bearcarver (Oct 16, 2020)

GaryHibbert said:


> Well I don't know a whole bunch about it either John.  What I can say though is that a grove of larch, when the needles turns orange in the fall, is a beautiful sight in the dawn sunrise.
> Gary




Yup---I saw some like that in a search---Really Pretty!!

Bear


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