Best wood for flavor

[oldmangunner]

What wood do you think gives food the best flavor, or do you not worry about the kind of wood that you cook your food over when you are camping. I know sometimes there is not much choice since you can't travel with wood.

 

[Refrigerator]

Apple, Hickory, Mesquite

 

[Footprints]

Hickory is the first thing that came to mind, but no we don't plan out any type of wood for camping. If you have the option though, it would be worth it.

 

[OutdoorsGirl]

Apple is defiantly a good choice if you can get it. I also like grilling on cedar, it gives a very nice flavor to fish.

 

[ChadTower]

Go to a BBQ forum to learn the best details.

Basic summary of what is used: Pork, beef, dark meat requires a stronger smoke so use hickory or mesquite. Oak and maple are second choice. White meat or fish are best with a fruit wood like apple, cherry, or peach.

My personal favorites are cherry for poultry/fish and hickory for beef/pork. I'll sometimes use maple for dark meats because in my area I can grab it off the ground.

 

[GROUNDpounder]

Young maple.....
I cook over whatever I find on the ground though, cooking over an open wood fire tastes 43598345X better than anything at home on the stove IMO!

 

[Newanderthal]

pecan, apple

 

[Grandpa]

and sagebrush for rocky mt oysters

 

[InTheWoods]

Being from Texas, I highly recommend mesquite. It has a slightly sweet flavor and just makes those steaks taste so good! And the smoke smells great too! I also like pecan and hickory.

 

[dinosaur]

All hardwoods produce excellent flavor. This includes Sugar Maple. Another one I didn't see here is Elm. All fruitwoods are good as are nutwoods including Beech. There is one softwood that is also good - Willow.

 

[Jobiwan]

This is what I use:

At home using a garbage can smoker: Beef:mesquite, maple, oak. Pork: Hickory, apple Chicken: apple, maple, oak and sometimes mesquite. Fish: apple, maple. Jerky: mesquite only.

At home on the charcoal grill: I stick with pretty much the same woods as above with the exception of using cedar planks for fish. And I don't make jerky on the grill.

When car camping:I'll bring along some maple or oak logs.

Dinosaur: I'm kinda curious about using willow...I may have to try it. Can ya recommend a meat that goes good with it?

 

[Refrigerator]

Okay Jobiwan....sounds like your the Trail Chef....

 

[Jobiwan]

Okay Jobiwan....sounds like your the Trail Chef....

Actually, Fridge, on the trail all I do is boil water for dehydrated or freeze dried foods! After 10 years of living south of the Mason-Dixon line, I can honestly say that I do know how to make REAL pulled pork.... Some the the restaurants here in Vt tend to crock pot a shoulder, add a bottle of Hunts BBQ sauce and then pawn it off as REAL southern pulled pork. It makes me cringe.

Pulled Pork

A hunk of pig ( I use butt, boneless shoulder or fresh picnics)

Smoke (at 225-250 degrees) with hickory until it falls apart (8-12 hours depending on size)

Pull it apart, add to taste: apple cider vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt & black pepper. Serve on rolls with coleslaw and hot sauce. Very basic, simple and quite delicious.

 

[Refrigerator]

ah yes Pork butts...We grill a couple every year and at Trail days they usually do 6 to 8 of them at out camp area. Takes much charcoal and time but boy does this hit the spot...

 

[dinosaur]

Yeah, there's nothing like a good piece of butt.

 

[ChadTower]

Heh, I just did 6 butts about two weeks ago over hickory. I do them every 3 months or so and freeze most of it. We pull out a bag every other week or so until it's time to do it again.

I'd do it more often but after 14 hours I start cursing myself and swearing I'll never do it again. Then we run out and I want more.

 

[southerngal]

I love using apple wood and I have used pecan wood a lot since we have an abundance of pecan trees around here so it's free!

 

[Hikebike]

I have never heard of mesquite wood. I wonder if it's in this neck of the woods? I live in NY.
I use Cherry or maple the most. It's what we have here (we cut and sell wood for wood stoves and campfires).

 

[greentea]

When I'm with the car I like to stick with charcoal, when I need to use wood from the surrounding area however anything except evergreens will do, guess my taste pallets are not as brood to smokey flavors.

 

[dinosaur]

No, Hikebike, mesquite doesn't grow in New York. But you can buy it. It's sold all over in stores.