Thread: just wanted to share tonight's dinner with you guys..

Originally Posted by cudarunner

What I generally use is a product produced here in the NW.

Attachment 266310

While it says that it's HICKORY All Natural chips, down below it reveals that it's a mixture of Ozark Hickory Wood and Pacific Northwest Alderwood.

If I get up to Spokane WA there is a place where I can purchase Pure Hickory Sawdust in 50# units at a reasonable price but those times are few and far between.

I've never played with the other woods that are available such as Apple, Cherry, Mesquite etc. With that said, If I took a hankering to, I can get all the Apple and Cherry wood I want N/C as the orchards are constantly trimming the trees around here.

I've found that for things like Smoked Turkeys, Chickens, Pork Shanks/Hocks etc that I get good results by keeping a heavy smoke for many hours with the top damper open just a bit. However with the Smoked Salmon I only used about 1.5 cups of well dampened chips and with the top vent opened fully so as to not overpower the flavor of the salmon.

I hope this has been of some help.

I use apple for salmon and bacon. I find it milder than hickory. I like cherry for my duck, just a little stronger. BBQ calls for hickory.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

I use apple for salmon and bacon. I find it milder than hickory. I like cherry for my duck, just a little stronger. BBQ calls for hickory.

The trimming of the apple trees will come later this year and early next year. They usually just burn the trimmings so it's no worries. I'll swing by and pick some up and give it a go with some salmon after it's dried.

Thanks for the tip! :

A former boss of mine gave me this bottle of wine 10 - 12 years ago. I pulled the cork this evening with classic steak bearnaise.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

The trimming of the apple trees will come later this year and early next year. They usually just burn the trimmings so it's no worries. I'll swing by and pick some up and give it a go with some salmon after it's dried.

Thanks for the tip! :

If you're getting it for free, like my brother used to, you might as well give it a go. I stay away from mesquite. Mesquite is great for grilling but the flavor is overpowering for smoking. Its very strong. Pear is also great when you want an even milder smoke flavor. Its one of the lighter ones. In Germany, they use something that is very intense with a creosote aroma. I'm not sure if its alder or what but damn its strong.

OCDshaver that steak looks real tasty. Perfect doneness! I use hickory chips quite often although their not true ozark chips but a couple hours north is where I live.

Tonight is nothin special need to use up some sketty sauce before it goes bad in the fridge.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

If you're getting it for free, like my brother used to, you might as well give it a go. I stay away from mesquite. Mesquite is great for grilling but the flavor is overpowering for smoking. Its very strong. Pear is also great when you want an even milder smoke flavor. Its one of the lighter ones. In Germany, they use something that is very intense with a creosote aroma. I'm not sure if its alder or what but damn its strong.

I'm with you with mesquite as I was at a friends for a BBQ and even with the beef it wasn't a pleasant taste for this Yankee/must be a Southern Thing.

Alder (in my experience) isn't a strong tasting smoke. In fact the NW First Nations used it for smoking salmon. My dad said that his father used Alder for smoking the dry cured hams, bacons and sausages (they were dry cured and cold smoked)

I really need to go out to our old homestead and take some pics of the smoke house/I may just do that tomorrow.

Here is a short but good read on what is probably one of my all time favorite dishes. I make this often and suggest you do too. My method of making it is different but I'm sure this one will suffice in a pinch.

https://food52.com/blog/19847-a-trad...ign=La_Baleine

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

Here is a short but good read on what is probably one of my all time favorite dishes. I make this often and suggest you do too. My method of making it is different but I'm sure this one will suffice in a pinch.

https://food52.com/blog/19847-a-trad...ign=La_Baleine

That's the kind of French I like too. Rustic and unfussy . +1 on that one and I will try that.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

I'm with you with mesquite as I was at a friends for a BBQ and even with the beef it wasn't a pleasant taste for this Yankee/must be a Southern Thing.

Alder (in my experience) isn't a strong tasting smoke. In fact the NW First Nations used it for smoking salmon. My dad said that his father used Alder for smoking the dry cured hams, bacons and sausages (they were dry cured and cold smoked)

I really need to go out to our old homestead and take some pics of the smoke house/I may just do that tomorrow.

Maybe the Walla Walla tribes used alder, but here on the coast the go to wood for smoking was Vine Maple. That was the wood that all the old Native Americans I knew used. Exclusively. And so it's what I use. Exclusively. As a wood with which to fire the smoke house, the stuff is elegant. I just went out and cut a load of it. Because of the way it grows, loggers hate the stuff so finding an enormous supply is never a difficult proposition. Vine Maple......for a wood with which to cure various flesh, it's incomparable

Originally Posted by kruppstahl

Maybe the Walla Walla tribes used alder, but here on the coast the go to wood for smoking was Vine Maple. That was the wood that all the old Native Americans I knew used. Exclusively. And so it's what I use. Exclusively. As a wood with which to fire the smoke house, the stuff is elegant. I just went out and cut a load of it. Because of the way it grows, loggers hate the stuff so finding an enormous supply is never a difficult proposition. Vine Maple......for a wood with which to cure various flesh, it's incomparable

heheh Different Stokes For Different Folks!