Free and better for you and the environment!

[fancy]

all I mentioned was pinecones and hardwood charcoal...are you my mother? I feel like I'm a bad child and need to be corrected.

the food that we cook tastes great...guess I'm just LUCKY.

 

[freemotion]

Whoa, Fancy, that is the style of conversation here and was meant to be shared with good intentions, I'm sure. SKR8PN is the King of Smokin' and I guarantee you, he did not post that to be snotty. To be helpful. Which it was, SKR8PN!

Remember, this is a "flat medium" so always give the benefit of the doubt. The "regulars" here are in the habit of sharing their wisdom freely whenever a subject comes up. We welcome your wisdom, too!

Using emoticons can be helpful, too.

 

[FarmerDenise]

SKR8PN, That is a great list. I will print it out for us to use.
and yes, smoked pinecones would not taste good on food, but they do make excellent fire starters, I just never thought to use them in the bbq, so thank you for posting that, fancy

And what Free said
Consider it an addition to your post, or an enhancement, just in case someone didn't think of making sure the coals are going good, before adding the food.

 

[chicksbestfriend]

thanks for the insight on all the woods that can be used for smokin' on the grill SKR8PN! I was feeling kinda left out thinking I wouldnt be able to use any of them as I do not see many of those types of trees listed, but then I found some on the list at the bottom that I can use: birch, avacado, guava, and persimmon! The only one out of the list I always use is the kiawe and it is wonderful. Definitely saving me a copy of the info. Thanks again!

 

[country freedom]

Fancy, welcome to the board!

Now I will add just a bit of advice to the notion of using pine cones to start a fire that you will be cooking over........

Make darn sure the cones are burned up completely before cooking any food over the coals. Pine tar really doesn't taste all that good on your food.
Also, here is a list of recommended woods for cooking or smoking food with:



Reference guide for Woods used to Smoke Food

ACACIA - these trees are in the same family as mesquite. When burned in a smoker, acacia has a flavor similar to mesquite but not quite as heavy. Is a very hot burning wood.

ALDER - Very delicate with a hint of sweetness. Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds.

ALMOND - A sweet smoke flavor, light ash. Good with all meats.

APPLE - Very mild with a subtle fruity flavor, slightly sweet. Good with poultry (turns skin dark brown) and pork.

ASH - Fast burner, light but distinctive flavor. Good with fish and red meats.

BIRCH - Medium-hard wood with a flavor similar to maple. Good with pork and poultry.

CHERRY - Mild and fruity. Good with poultry, pork and beef. Some List members say the cherry wood is the best wood for smoking. Wood from chokecherry trees may produce a bitter flavor.

COTTONWOOD - It is a softer wood than alder and very subtle in flavor. Use it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor. Don't use green cottonwood for smoking.

CRABAPPLE - Similar to apple wood.

GRAPEVINES - Tart. Provides a lot of smoke. Rich and fruity. Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb.

HICKORY - Most commonly used wood for smoking--the King of smoking woods. Sweet to strong, heavy bacon flavor. Good with pork, ham and beef.

LILAC - Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. Good with seafood and lamb.

MAPLE - Smoky, mellow and slightly sweet. Good with pork, poultry, cheese, and small game birds.

MESQUITE - Strong earthy flavor. Good with beef, fish, chicken, and game. One of the hottest burning woods.

MULBERRY - The smell is sweet and reminds one of apple.

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.

ORANGE, LEMON and GRAPEFRUIT - Produces a nice mild smoky flavor. Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry.

PEAR - A nice subtle smoke flavor. Much like apple. Excellent with chicken and pork.

PECAN - Sweet and mild with a flavor similar to hickory. Tasty with a subtle character. Good with poultry, beef, pork and cheese. Pecan is an all-around superior smoking wood.

SWEET FRUIT WOODS - APRICOT, PLUM, PEACH, NECTARINE - Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.

WALNUT - ENGLISH and BLACK - Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and game.

Other internet sources report that wood from the following trees is suitable for smoking: AVOCADO, BAY, CARROTWOOD, KIAWE, MADRONE, MANZANITA, GUAVA, OLIVE, BEECH, BUTTERNUT, FIG, GUM, CHESTNUT, HACKBERRY, PIMIENTO, PERSIMMON, and WILLOW. The ornamental varieties of fruit trees (i.e. pear, cherry, apple, etc.) are also suitable for smoking.

Types of wood that is unsuitable or even poisonous when used for grilling. Don't use any wood from conifer trees, such as PINE, FIR, SPRUCE, REDWOOD, CEDAR, CYPRESS, etc.

There are many trees and shrubs in this world that contain chemicals toxic to humans--toxins that can even survive the burning process. Remember, you are going to eat the meat that you grill and the smoke particles and chemicals from the wood and what may be on or in the wood are going to get on and in the meat. Use only wood for grilling that you are sure of.

If you have some wood and do not know what it is, DO NOT USE IT FOR GRILLING FOOD. Burn it in your fireplace but not your smoker.

Also ELM and EUCALYPTUS wood is unsuitable for smoking, as is the wood from SASSAFRAS, SYCAMORE and LIQUID AMBER trees.

Here are some more woods that you should not to use for smoking:

Never use lumber scraps, either new or used. First, you cannot know for sure what kind of wood it is; second, the wood may have been chemically treated; third, you have no idea where the wood may have been or how it was used. For all you know, that free oak planking could have been used in a sewage treatment plant.

Never use any wood that has been painted or stained. Paint and stains can impart a bitter taste to the meat and old paint often contains lead.
Do not use wood scraps from a furniture manufacturer as this wood is often chemically treated.

Never use wood from old pallets. Many pallets are treated with chemicals that can be hazardous to your health and the pallet may have been used to carry chemicals or poison.

Avoid old wood that is covered with mold and fungus that can impart a bad taste to your meat.

Wow! Great info here!

 

[SKR8PN]

all I mentioned was pinecones and hardwood charcoal...are you my mother? I feel like I'm a bad child and need to be corrected.

the food that we cook tastes great...guess I'm just LUCKY.

I didn't post what I did to make you feel bad. All I am doing is letting you know that pine or pine cones aren't really accepted as wood for a smoker or a bbq. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. You do whatever you want, it's your food and your body.

Just for sh!ts and giggles I did a google...."pine wood for bbq?" and this is the very first link that popped up.
http://www.barbecuen.com/wood.htm

Scroll down and read the warning at the bottom.

 

[fancy]

Thanks for the HEADS UP, glad I didn't poison anyone. Sorry to get off on the wrong foot.

 

[SKR8PN]

Thanks for the HEADS UP, glad I didn't poison anyone. Sorry to get off on the wrong foot.

No problem. Everyone here just tries to help each other as much as we can. Stuff is getting to darn expensive to waste, and that goes for EVERYTHING, including wood and charcoal, not to mention the food your cooking.

Glad to have you on the board!

 

[murphysranch]

This is a great group - we freely share as little or as much as we feel like sharing. I've learned a ton of things, by reading and reading and reading!