I lived in California most my life and I used local oak and went more towards white oak as it’s milder than red. When I moved to Texas, I loved pecan. I try and find as much pecan as I can and prefer it
The key to success is what you like and how much you care about getting better than average at it. When I first started grilling/smoking I made plenty of mistakes and learned from them. I feel like doing bbq and playing baseball is very similar, you will never get better by watching a video.
I see that Old Country pit sitting there. I have one, and it's the best bang for the buck offset smoker on the market. As far as wood goes, I always use a hardwood and change up species depending on the mood I'm in. Something I've noticed about wood, depending on how hot it's burning, the aroma changes. Like Post Oak, if it's burning at a leisurely pace it smells buttery and bourbony. If it's burning raging hot, it smells very peppery.
Great video. Ohio resident here. Tons of oak and maple. My family doesn't want it to be to smoky, so I use maple. Had one cut down in yard, almost unlimited source.
Good stuff. I firmly believe and tell everyone I can that technique is much more important than a specific wood or spice. Most people won't know if you used oak or apple, and won't care. If it's cooked correctly and tastes good, that's all that matters
Love your content. Looking for a used smoker now. I raise Berkshire hogs here in Iowa. You have given me the motivation to start to learn how to smoke. Look forward to watching more of your videos. Thank you from Evans Family Farm
I am in Colorado, recently bought a 1.25 CF bag of Mesquite for $30. That is about 10 pieces of wood for $30 at ace hardware.. absolutely insane price for some basically trash wood. My 1/4 off-set has a big appetite for fuel. Hope I can find a source for wood. Might road trip down South to fill my truck with wood.
SoCal resident here, post oak is near impossible to get out here unless I get it from a hardware store which is stupid expensive. Red oak on the other hand is pretty abundant from local distributors and I’ve come to love it. Burns good and makes my bbq taste great
Another great video, me myself live in Florida and post oak is not available, but i can find oak very easy. But the information you gave is always spot on , thank you
Hey! I’m in CT! I smoke with everything regional. We have lots of red oak and maple, plenty of hickory, and I love pork and chicken smoked with local cherry.
Connecticut? Get a Rope! JK. Good video, from Southeast Texas. BTW Mesquite has been working for me for 25 years. You just have to use dry wood and keep it burning. Hickory has no flavor to me.
I'm in the north Houston Texas area. I can get any of the hardwoods but my go to is post oak and pecan. There is a barbecue joint near here that made Texas Monthly's top fifty that uses red oak...
Great video. I have a question. Why do you think I get soot on my food and hands? There is always this present black oil like substance on the grates. fter the cook, You can see it on the meat, and then I get some of it on my hands from the meat. This cant be healthy. I am a newbie.
Excellent question. Honestly, that will happen. That's just a bi-product of smoking. If you can't taste it, meaning you feel like you're gagging on smoke, you'll be fine
What type of oak wood do you have for smoking meats in Connecticut? I have white oak and pecan in my state will that work? Is that good mix for smoking?
When I get firewood for my fireplace it’s typically a mix of maple, yellow birch and alder. I’m looking to get my first offset smoker, is yellow birch and alder an option for smoking?
I haven't personally smoked with either, but I've seen some comments from people that have and they like them. As long as it's hardwood, you'll be fine!
@@FattysFeasts thanks! I imagine maple works well with pork, does it also work well with beef? I know I can buy hickory chunks in bags locally. Would another option be tu use charcoal and throwing on hickory chunks to add flavour, or would I need to buy too many bags of chunks that it would cost a fortune that way? I like making briskets, ribs and pork bellies mostly.
I've used maple for all three. It definitely burns cooler and has less smoke flavor. It's just not as dense as oak or hickory. But you can definitely use it. As far as the charcoal goes with the chunks, it depends on what offset you purchase. Something extremely small from home depot would primarily be fueled by charcoal. If you get something like the brazos, you'll definitely need splits. Hope that helps!! @@marcapaulajos
Post oak is in the white oak family, just not as big and strong. So buying white oak to smoke with is fine. I bet if you go to your local cabinet shop they might have fall off pieces of a variety of wood they may just give away.
In California they don’t BBQ because it’s bad for the environment and the vegetables burn up on the grill… but pass them some weed they will smoke that all day…. Because that smoke is medicinal 😂
Do you have any more info on the place you were able to get the cord from? I'm in Western Mass and haven't been able to find any places around me that aren't outrageous in prices currently.
Depends on what I'm mixing. If I'm mixing a fruit wood with something like oak, I'll usually do 1 split of fruit for every 2 splits of oak. Otherwise, if it's something like oak and hickory, i'll just alternate every other. With my smoker though, I usually put on 2 splits at a time anyway, so I usually just mix them at the same time.
Less than 20% moisture is ideal. Id say let it sit covered for at least 9 months before using it if freshly cut. If you get it from a tree service, just ask them if it is pre-seasoned and you should be good if they say yes. If you don't want to buy a moisture meter, you can just knock the wood together. If the sound is at all muffled, the wood isn't good yet. You want a good knock between them. Hope that makes sense, it's kind of tough to explain 😂
If you're not familiar with seasoned wood get a MM. Split a split, check the inside not the outside. Woods all have different drying times. Seasoned wood does not mean it's dry, it means it sat for a season or so. Oak takes long at least 2yrs, don't buy seasoned wood thinking it's "dry" enough to Smoke. As mention anything 20% or under is good.
@@nelsonerobersonjr7153 Yes, but be leery not all sellers are honest and will simply tell you it’s dry. Let them prove with a mm or purchase one yourself and check it. Many folks who heat their homes with wood will buy it not fully dry well ahead of time and let it sit to dry out on their own property. Also not all types dry in same amount of time. Maple will be dry in under a year. Oak as mentioned much longer. 20% or under is considered the standard for moisture. Hope this helps!
Sweet! I got mine from Eric's tree service in Columbia. I was surprised they delivered to Ellington for no additional fee. I believe they have their delivery areas listed on their website, but it's pretty vast if I remember correctly.
I LOVE pecan! Problem is, for me at least, it's hard to come by. If I want to get Pecan down here in TN, it's substantially more expensive than just getting oak or hickory. If you can get some, go for it!
@@FattysFeasts ive used pecan for smoking ribs and turkey and it always turns out great. This year I couldn't find pecan and used maple with a little mesquite to smoke my turkey breats and everyone agreed that the turkey from last year smoked with pecan was much better.
Kinda off topic. In a previous video you mentioned that you live in the north east. Where did you find a brazos cause the only one I could find came with an insane shipping charge.
I ordered it online at Academy Sports. The shipping was 100 or 150 I believe (which for the weight isn't bad), but the firebox door got dented during shipment, so they refunded me. Seems like a common problem people have. Since publishing that video, I have heard some true horror stories.
@@dillanmorro3668 That's odd, considering when I ordered they seemed to be delivering everywhere. However, it seems from what I have heard of recent, they have not been as efficient or customer service friendly. I'm not sure what's going on with them exactly.
Glad you enjoyed the video! I have not tried it. We do have it around here, mostly in the CT valley region, which I live just outside of. It's not as prevalent as white or red oak. I get my wood from far Eastern CT, so I don't think they would have it. If I can get my hands on it I'll definitely give it a try!
I have a reverse flow by Oklahoma Joe... my stack is 3 in. But I am going to increase it to 4 inch and add more fire box venting... I have used this thing for many years now... stick burner...
Exactly...I have the upmost respect for him, but I've seen many people do exactly what he does and it just isn't the answer to make amazing BBQ depending on where you are. Plus, I don't think his smokers are that great. Don't tell anyone though 😉
And I think you mentioned a pellet grill, too. I have found pellet grills are good for smoking cheese. You can run them at about 150 F or maybe even a tad lower. Bad for any kind of cooking accept, cheese.. That is about all they are good for.. Go ahead and prove me wrong.. Lazy and weak form of cooking any kind of meat.. End of story...
I agree and honestly, most of my friends with pellet grills would agree. They don't want to sit and maintain a fire all day, but they will fully admit their food is not as good as it would be on an offset.
LOL good question. You're the first to ask. It's because my patio was very uneven and I had to use those to prop it up so the grease would drain. It was the old model with the front trap. I now have the new model with the rear trap and it's so much better.
You know what?.. Find what you like and who cares what other people have to say. I find Franklin to be a bit of a snob and I'm not going to bend to his style. Don't get me wrong... He is very good. But, I promise you, I can do things different and he would be at least ok with it. Doesn't matter. Cook what you like. Play around and don't get stuck on just one style like guys like Franklin do and have fun... Sometimes it turns out bad. Sometimes it's ok.. Sometimes it's freaking awesome!!! Guys like Franklin will never find that if they only stick to the old ways and I know he doesn't. I know he experiments. That is what good BBQ is all about. Have fun and don't be afraid to fail... Just don't fail time after time... My whole point is, I don't base my BBQ and smoking on someone else's plan... Just a thought... Oh, and I am type 2 as well.. so I get it my friend..
I love every word of what you just said. I love learning from other BBQ pros and enthusiasts. Unfortunately, too many people are stuck in their ways and they never want to try new things. Also, welcome to the channel my fellow diabetic friend!! Always a struggle but we are in this together!
What wood do you typically use in your offset smoker? Do you agree or disagree with any of my opinions? Let me know below!
Hickory and Oak
Hickory, oak, cherry,maple, apple, occasionally sassafras!!!
I have some pruned limbs and want to know if I can use these to smoke meat. They are: willow, crepe myrtle and native TX tree.
I use Pecan. Cause that is what I got. And It is pretty good. It is like Hickory's less harsh little brother...
I would love to get my hands on some pecan
@@FattysFeasts So we could make that happen...
I lived in California most my life and I used local oak and went more towards white oak as it’s milder than red. When I moved to Texas, I loved pecan. I try and find as much pecan as I can and prefer it
The key to success is what you like and how much you care about getting better than average at it. When I first started grilling/smoking I made plenty of mistakes and learned from them. I feel like doing bbq and playing baseball is very similar, you will never get better by watching a video.
Absolutely. Getting information is only maybe 20% of the process. Actually putting it into practice is the other 80%.
I see that Old Country pit sitting there. I have one, and it's the best bang for the buck offset smoker on the market. As far as wood goes, I always use a hardwood and change up species depending on the mood I'm in. Something I've noticed about wood, depending on how hot it's burning, the aroma changes. Like Post Oak, if it's burning at a leisurely pace it smells buttery and bourbony. If it's burning raging hot, it smells very peppery.
I've kind of noticed that too, but until you said it, I never really thought of that. Great observation!
Over here in new Zealand I use a hard wood called beach. It has a beautiful red colour and gives such an incredible flavour!
I don't know how available that is here, but if I can get my hands on some, I'll try it!! Also, greetings from the states!
Great video. Ohio resident here. Tons of oak and maple. My family doesn't want it to be to smoky, so I use maple. Had one cut down in yard, almost unlimited source.
Good stuff. I firmly believe and tell everyone I can that technique is much more important than a specific wood or spice. Most people won't know if you used oak or apple, and won't care. If it's cooked correctly and tastes good, that's all that matters
Exactly!
@@FattysFeasts wat is good wood
@@Justin-bz1dp What do you mean?
Love your content. Looking for a used smoker now. I raise Berkshire hogs here in Iowa. You have given me the motivation to start to learn how to smoke. Look forward to watching more of your videos. Thank you from Evans Family Farm
That means alot!! Can't go wrong with fresh hog, or any fresh meat in general! Let me know how your cooks turn out.
I am in Colorado, recently bought a 1.25 CF bag of Mesquite for $30. That is about 10 pieces of wood for $30 at ace hardware.. absolutely insane price for some basically trash wood. My 1/4 off-set has a big appetite for fuel. Hope I can find a source for wood. Might road trip down South to fill my truck with wood.
It's literally insane what they charge for wood at the big box stores.
SoCal resident here, post oak is near impossible to get out here unless I get it from a hardware store which is stupid expensive. Red oak on the other hand is pretty abundant from local distributors and I’ve come to love it. Burns good and makes my bbq taste great
I find any oak to be great!
Another great video, me myself live in Florida and post oak is not available, but i can find oak very easy. But the information you gave is always spot on , thank you
Glad I could share some good info!!
Great vid. Thanks!
Thanks for this information and video even though I am 10 months late to see this. I am purchasing a Brazos soon and your input was great. Thank you!
Glad I could help! Let me know how it goes!
Hey! I’m in CT! I smoke with everything regional. We have lots of red oak and maple, plenty of hickory, and I love pork and chicken smoked with local cherry.
Nice! Whereabouts? I love hearing from fellow CT residents and glad to hear more people here are into true smoking 😀
@@FattysFeasts Central CT.
@@AV8R_1 Nice. I'm in Ellington.
@@FattysFeasts I know Ellington, in a past life I was a commercial helicopter pilot, I used to go to the helicopter school at the airport up there.
Connecticut? Get a Rope! JK. Good video, from Southeast Texas.
BTW Mesquite has been working for me for 25 years. You just have to use dry wood and keep it burning. Hickory has no flavor to me.
HAHA! Well you'll be glad to know I live in TN now. Just gotta change their minds about brisket being king instead of pork 😁
I have really enjoyed watching all of your videos. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the kind words! Glad I can bring some entertainment your way! 😃
Subscribed! Enjoyed your breakdown
Thank you!
Just getting started with an Oklahoma Joe down state. Thanks for the heads up.
Glad to hear from another CT resident! Hope your BBQ turns out great!
I'm in the north Houston Texas area. I can get any of the hardwoods but my go to is post oak and pecan. There is a barbecue joint near here that made Texas Monthly's top fifty that uses red oak...
Nice! I'll be in the Houston area in February. What's the joint called? I may have to check it out if I have the time!
What’s the name of the bbq place mention in your post?
Very informative! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Like number 392. Hickory to me is number one then maple then oak. To me mesquite and post oak are to strong. Great vidio.
Gotta love that hickory!! I do agree, it seems to have the perfect amount of flavor.
@@FattysFeastsHickory smoked bacon 👍🏻😂
I got that on my list!!@@billmitchell7731
I like mesquite for smoking Pork butt Hawaiian Kalua Pig on my offset- then wrap in Banana leaves and foil
In Finland we use mainly birch . Cheap and available everywhere here
I've actually never used birch...How's the flavor profile?
@@FattysFeasts I think its close to post oak.
Clean fire! Most important.. I agree!!!!
Hell yeah!
Great video
Thank you!
I always mix woods. Apple, Maple, Hickory, and Oak for pork is nice. Pure oak for beef, though.
Nice! Try mixing in some hickory on beef if you want a little more smoke flavor. I've come to enjoy that more than just oak.
@@FattysFeastsso you say mixing hickory with any type of oak gives a smokiness to all meats (beef, pork or chicken)
@@nelsonerobersonjr7153 Any wood will give you smoke but hickory is more defined than oak
Great video. I have a question. Why do you think I get soot on my food and hands? There is always this present black oil like substance on the grates.
fter the cook, You can see it on the meat, and then I get some of it on my hands from the meat. This cant be healthy. I am a newbie.
Excellent question. Honestly, that will happen. That's just a bi-product of smoking. If you can't taste it, meaning you feel like you're gagging on smoke, you'll be fine
What type of oak wood do you have for smoking meats in Connecticut? I have white oak and pecan in my state will that work? Is that good mix for smoking?
Those are excellent! I'm actually jealous. Wish I could get my hands on some pecan.
When I get firewood for my fireplace it’s typically a mix of maple, yellow birch and alder. I’m looking to get my first offset smoker, is yellow birch and alder an option for smoking?
I haven't personally smoked with either, but I've seen some comments from people that have and they like them. As long as it's hardwood, you'll be fine!
@@FattysFeasts thanks! I imagine maple works well with pork, does it also work well with beef? I know I can buy hickory chunks in bags locally. Would another option be tu use charcoal and throwing on hickory chunks to add flavour, or would I need to buy too many bags of chunks that it would cost a fortune that way? I like making briskets, ribs and pork bellies mostly.
I've used maple for all three. It definitely burns cooler and has less smoke flavor. It's just not as dense as oak or hickory. But you can definitely use it. As far as the charcoal goes with the chunks, it depends on what offset you purchase. Something extremely small from home depot would primarily be fueled by charcoal. If you get something like the brazos, you'll definitely need splits. Hope that helps!! @@marcapaulajos
Post oak is in the white oak family, just not as big and strong. So buying white oak to smoke with is fine. I bet if you go to your local cabinet shop they might have fall off pieces of a variety of wood they may just give away.
That's a good point. Never thought of that!
In California they don’t BBQ because it’s bad for the environment and the vegetables burn up on the grill… but pass them some weed they will smoke that all day…. Because that smoke is medicinal 😂
Very good video. I like your content, too..
Do you have any more info on the place you were able to get the cord from?
I'm in Western Mass and haven't been able to find any places around me that aren't outrageous in prices currently.
The place I got mine was Eric's tree service in Columbia, CT. Not sure how far they would deliver. I don't see any MA towns listed on their website.
Pecan is a pretty good option.
Hell yeah! I wish I could get my hands on some!
@@FattysFeasts I’m pretty lucky I have a endless supply of pecan and blackjack oak and it’s free.
@@garykruta145 I'm so jealous!
If mixing wood when do you start mixing do u put 1 of each or rotate 1 wood first when you have to put more wood use the other going ba k and forth
Depends on what I'm mixing. If I'm mixing a fruit wood with something like oak, I'll usually do 1 split of fruit for every 2 splits of oak. Otherwise, if it's something like oak and hickory, i'll just alternate every other. With my smoker though, I usually put on 2 splits at a time anyway, so I usually just mix them at the same time.
What brand is your smoker?
The smoker in this video is the Old Country BBQ Pits Brazos
How seasoned should the wood be before smoking it and what moisture content? Brand new to smoking and trying to learn.
Less than 20% moisture is ideal. Id say let it sit covered for at least 9 months before using it if freshly cut. If you get it from a tree service, just ask them if it is pre-seasoned and you should be good if they say yes. If you don't want to buy a moisture meter, you can just knock the wood together. If the sound is at all muffled, the wood isn't good yet. You want a good knock between them. Hope that makes sense, it's kind of tough to explain 😂
@@FattysFeasts Thanks for the reply. Any recommendation for a decent moisture meter?
If you're not familiar with seasoned wood get a MM. Split a split, check the inside not the outside. Woods all have different drying times. Seasoned wood does not mean it's dry, it means it sat for a season or so. Oak takes long at least 2yrs, don't buy seasoned wood thinking it's "dry" enough to Smoke. As mention anything 20% or under is good.
@@cbaur88so should you just ask for dry wood when you buy it? I’m new so I’m still learning.
@@nelsonerobersonjr7153 Yes, but be leery not all sellers are honest and will simply tell you it’s dry. Let them prove with a mm or purchase one yourself and check it. Many folks who heat their homes with wood will buy it not fully dry well ahead of time and let it sit to dry out on their own property. Also not all types dry in same amount of time. Maple will be dry in under a year. Oak as mentioned much longer. 20% or under is considered the standard for moisture. Hope this helps!
I’m also in central CT where have you found the best place to get wood from?
Sweet! I got mine from Eric's tree service in Columbia. I was surprised they delivered to Ellington for no additional fee. I believe they have their delivery areas listed on their website, but it's pretty vast if I remember correctly.
What wood do you use for tri tip?
I typically stick with maple, oak and hickory for everything. i just recently started using cherry as well!
Has anyone used hackberry?
I have not. I can't get it around me, otherwise I'd give it a try!
What is your opinion on using pecan wood?
I LOVE pecan! Problem is, for me at least, it's hard to come by. If I want to get Pecan down here in TN, it's substantially more expensive than just getting oak or hickory. If you can get some, go for it!
@@FattysFeasts ive used pecan for smoking ribs and turkey and it always turns out great. This year I couldn't find pecan and used maple with a little mesquite to smoke my turkey breats and everyone agreed that the turkey from last year smoked with pecan was much better.
Makes sense! I try to avoid mesquite. It can be too pungent, even with the mixing of maple.@@pimosabe8043
Kinda off topic. In a previous video you mentioned that you live in the north east. Where did you find a brazos cause the only one I could find came with an insane shipping charge.
I live way up by lake George in New York and only thing I could get my hands on was an Oklahoma joe longhorn
I ordered it online at Academy Sports. The shipping was 100 or 150 I believe (which for the weight isn't bad), but the firebox door got dented during shipment, so they refunded me. Seems like a common problem people have. Since publishing that video, I have heard some true horror stories.
Weird I tried ordering from academy sports and they said they wouldn’t deliver to anywhere in my area
@@dillanmorro3668 That's odd, considering when I ordered they seemed to be delivering everywhere. However, it seems from what I have heard of recent, they have not been as efficient or customer service friendly. I'm not sure what's going on with them exactly.
Wood 101,
Easiest way to know what is a hard wood?
Leaves!
Trees with leaves are hard wood.
Anything else is considered a soft wood. (Ex: Pine).
Good point! I think I was referring to more when you have a pile of wood and don't know what it is, but I should have mentioned that as well.
Have you ever tried pin oak?
great video, we have a ton of pin oak in nj
Glad you enjoyed the video! I have not tried it. We do have it around here, mostly in the CT valley region, which I live just outside of. It's not as prevalent as white or red oak. I get my wood from far Eastern CT, so I don't think they would have it. If I can get my hands on it I'll definitely give it a try!
Can live oak be used for smoking meats
Absolutely. As long as it’s a hard wood. I’ve never tried it but I think it’s a more mild oak compared to the stuff I use.
@@FattysFeasts where would you say that it ranks with post oak, mesquite, red oak and pecan ?
What is the diameter of your stack?
My stack on the brazos is 5 inches. With the extension it goes from 5 to 6 with an adapter.
I have a reverse flow by Oklahoma Joe... my stack is 3 in. But I am going to increase it to 4 inch and add more fire box venting... I have used this thing for many years now... stick burner...
@@fredyow5395 You'll notice a difference for sure!
What are the benefits to a larger stack? Seems like it would let smoke out that you'd want going into your meat.
I am in norcal what are your thoughts on almond wood. Almonds are a huge crop in my area
I haven't tried it, but I know it has similar characteristics to oak. I would use the hell out of it if that's what you got!
I'm sure I'm in the minority here....but Aaron Franklin is just one of many great pitmasters....kinda meh
Exactly...I have the upmost respect for him, but I've seen many people do exactly what he does and it just isn't the answer to make amazing BBQ depending on where you are. Plus, I don't think his smokers are that great. Don't tell anyone though 😉
And I think you mentioned a pellet grill, too. I have found pellet grills are good for smoking cheese. You can run them at about 150 F or maybe even a tad lower. Bad for any kind of cooking accept, cheese.. That is about all they are good for.. Go ahead and prove me wrong.. Lazy and weak form of cooking any kind of meat.. End of story...
Pellet grills make awsome beef jerky.
I agree and honestly, most of my friends with pellet grills would agree. They don't want to sit and maintain a fire all day, but they will fully admit their food is not as good as it would be on an offset.
Ok... Maybe I missed something? But can you explain to me why you have all those flat stones under your Blackstone? I would love to know...
LOL good question. You're the first to ask. It's because my patio was very uneven and I had to use those to prop it up so the grease would drain. It was the old model with the front trap. I now have the new model with the rear trap and it's so much better.
You know what?.. Find what you like and who cares what other people have to say. I find Franklin to be a bit of a snob and I'm not going to bend to his style. Don't get me wrong... He is very good. But, I promise you, I can do things different and he would be at least ok with it. Doesn't matter. Cook what you like. Play around and don't get stuck on just one style like guys like Franklin do and have fun... Sometimes it turns out bad. Sometimes it's ok.. Sometimes it's freaking awesome!!! Guys like Franklin will never find that if they only stick to the old ways and I know he doesn't. I know he experiments. That is what good BBQ is all about. Have fun and don't be afraid to fail... Just don't fail time after time... My whole point is, I don't base my BBQ and smoking on someone else's plan... Just a thought... Oh, and I am type 2 as well.. so I get it my friend..
I love every word of what you just said. I love learning from other BBQ pros and enthusiasts. Unfortunately, too many people are stuck in their ways and they never want to try new things. Also, welcome to the channel my fellow diabetic friend!! Always a struggle but we are in this together!