Blackjack Oak Wood For Smoking
In general, hardwoods like oak, ash, and beech are more difficult to ignite, but they last a long time. Softwoods like fir, pine and cedar make more smoke, and therefore more creosote. Splitting difficulty for oak varies from each species but can typically be described as a medium chopping wood. The wonderful fragrance and low smoke emitted from oak makes it a great choice for burning in wood stoves. And with a HPC rating anywhere from 24.6-30.7, oak is simply one of the best types of wood that you can burn. I've used Blackjack for grilling for many years since it's considered a scrub oak and readily available here in NE Florida. I recently started using it as a smoking wood in my new Land 60D. The several briskets, pork butts, and chickens have turned out great. FWIW I leave the bark on. Is Blackjack Oak Good For Smoking Casino! Your first deposit at Casiplay Casino will be matched 100% up to £200 and you will also receive 30 extra spins! Start Playing on 21 Dukes Casino read review. Wagering Requirements.
If you live in an area where wood stoves are a main source of heat, you have probably already heard or taken part in the common argument over which type of wood burns best.
Everyone seems to have their own preference, but if you are looking for definitive answers to beat those arguments, we have done the research for you and made a list of the best types of wood based on length of burn time, fragrance, abundance and overall satisfaction with results. Between ease of splitting and how often you have to put another log on the fire, here are the results to keep your work staying warm down to the bare minimum. You may be changing your mind, and your wood, quicker than a wood chuck could chuck wood.
There are a number of factors to consider when deciding which wood burns best in wood stoves. Heat per cord, or HPC, measures the BTU’s by the millions and typically ranges between 20-30, 30 producing the best and longest coals. Apart from HPC, there is ease of splitting, the amount of smoke produced, strength of fragrance and how easily it will spark, jumping out of your stove and causing house fires or serious injury.
Also, it is necessary to consider your region and how easily you can obtain certain types of wood, whether you are clearing the logs yourself or buying by the cord.
Here are the top 5 woods to burn for your heating pleasure. We’re counting them down, 5 to 1.
5. Birch. Starting with the lowest rating, birch is a common wood used mostly in the northern hemisphere where pines take a considerable amount of time to grow. The main benefit of burning birch is the coveted bark, full of essential oils that can easily be lit regardless of wind or damp conditions. It emits a very low spark and the density produces a decent coal that can typically last through the night. With a HPC of 20.8, birch burns with a medium amount of smoke, and splitting difficulty is also medium in comparison to other types of wood. It has a fragrance that can be slightly overpowering if you catch a cloud of smoke in your face, so overall birch has been given a rating of fair when burning in a wood stove.
4. Black Walnut. Found throughout the upper and lower Midwest and East Coast, and sporadically on the West Coast, black walnut is a strong, dark wood that is less dense than the standard oak. Although it is a great wood for building everything from cabinets to gun stocks, it is still incredibly easy to split and emits a very low amount of smoke when burned in a wood stove. The fragrance of black walnuts is extremely pleasant to most. Unfortunately, the logs do create a few more sparks than the above mentioned birch wood, so it is advisable to watch your stove before shutting it up for the night. Burning with a HPC of 22.2, black walnut rates as overall excellent. (Because of the toxicity of black walnut, it is best to use it in an EPA-approved wood stove.)
3. White Ash. If you live anywhere other than the West Coast, and not including South Florida, white ash is one of the most highly cultivated and readily available woods for almost any use you can come up with. This strong, straight, dense wood makes a great burning log but splits with a medium difficulty. White ash is only slightly fragrant and produces a good coal that will retain heat for quite some time. The HPC rating is 24.2 and it emits a low level of spark, making it ideal for open fireplaces. Although white ash does produce a slightly thicker smoke, it is still only medium in comparison to other woods. All in all, this readily available wood comes in as excellent firewood.
2. Honey Locust. Here is a timber that the world will actually thank you for burning. Technically considered an invasive weed in other countries, honey locust can be found almost anywhere in the United States, with the exception of Washington and Oregon states. For being such a nuisance, the tree actually has relatively high HPC, approximately 26.7, and produces excellent coals, reducing the amount of the wood that will be needed to burn throughout the cold winter nights. Honey locust creates sparks about the same as black walnut and birch, but is extremely easy to split and produces a minimum amount of smoke. Only slightly fragrant and a quickly replenished source of solid fuel, honey locust receives a slightly higher than excellent rating when it comes to burning in a wood stove.
1. Oak. With over 600 variant species throughout the world, oak is a timber that can be found in any state and is widely available for thousands of uses. Let’s narrow down to the top 4 oaks and talk about burr, gamble, red and white, although most types will still match these specifications. Splitting difficulty for oak varies from each species but can typically be described as a medium chopping wood. The wonderful fragrance and low smoke emitted from oak makes it a great choice for burning in wood stoves. And with a HPC rating anywhere from 24.6-30.7, oak is simply one of the best types of wood that you can burn. The sparks from ignition and random pops that will occur while burning mean that you should keep a close eye on open flames, but through and through oak is rated as a highly excellent burnable firewood.
Blackjack Oak Wood For Smoking Turkey Breast
Regardless of the type of wood you choose to burn in your wood stove, always make sure to practice the highest safety precautions, especially throughout the winter season when fires are burning almost constantly. Always burn wisely, and stay safe!
Do you agree with our list? Share your thoughts in the section below:
Cooking food is mostly done over a fire. But, using wood to smoke a food particularly brisket will surely give a smoky, yet sweet flavor. The flavor produced by the smoke is so iconic, but each type of wood adds aromatic element and unique flavor to the food.
That’s why it’s important to choose the right type of wood appropriate to the food you need to smoke such as brisket. See to it that the wood complements the meat better.
Different Types of Wood For Smoking Brisket
If you’re planning to smoke a brisket, you should consider meat-wood combinations in order to achieve the best results.
Hardwood works best for heavier meats like pork and beef. On the contrary, lighter hardwoods are recommended for delicate meats like fish and chicken.
To help you know more about smoking wood, check this out.
- Oak
Oak wood is stronger than cherry or apple, yet lighter than hickory or mesquite. It is very versatile as it yields a medium smoky flavor works well with different type of meat making it perfect for a newbie to smoking. It is best to use oak wood when smoking beef, lamb, brisket, or sausages.
- Hickory
This type of wood can be used to smoke in varied ways. But, you should be careful in using too much hickory wood for smoking brisket because it can lead to a bitter flavor of your brisket. Nevertheless, using it correctly can produce a savory, sweet, and a bit bacony flavor to your smoked meat.
It is ideal for smoking pork shoulders, larger cuts of ribs, poultry, and all red meat.
Recommended 5 Best Wood Chips For Smoking
- Mesquite
This wood has earthy and strong flavor on your brisket. If used improperly it can lead to the bitter and harsh flavor. It burns fast and strong because mesquite is an oily wood. It’s a perfect choice for grilling dark meats.
- Maple
If you’re planning to smoke poultry or game foul, the best choice of wood is the maple. It is subtle that’s why you can expect for a light, sweet, and mild smokiness.
- Apple
Apple wood yields a sweet and mild flavor. But, its smoke takes time to infuse into the meat. Thus, you should expect to smoke your food several hours. It is best to use apple wood when you smoke pork, wild foul, and chicken.
- Pecan
Pecan wood provides a sweet, rich, and nutty flavor. You can also combine another harder wood to balance the flavor. You can use this type of wood if you will smoke ribs, roasts, and briskets.
- Cherry
Another fruitwood that works for all types of meat is the cherry. It offers fruity and mild flavor making it perfect for pork and beef. Combining it with hickory complements each other flavor, thus achieve amazing results. You can also use cherry wood to smoke ham, turkey, or chicken.
There are other types of wood that are not recommended to use when smoking meat such as pine, fir, Cyprus, or any wood that is considered “evergreen”. It’s because these types of wood have sap and they don’t add flavor to the meat.
Extra Tips For Smoking Brisket
Here are some tips on how to obtain the best possible results when smoking:
- Soak the wood – If you will use wood chips when smoking the meat, you should soak them in water at least 12 to 24 hours and drain them afterward. This way, the wood chips won’t create flames when placed on hot coal. Instead, it will increase the volume of smoke and steam inside the smoker. On the contrary, if you’ll use fresh hardwood logs, it’s not necessary to soak them because it contains moisture enough to generate steam and smoke.
- Avoid excessive smoking – The smoke plays a big role in the taste of the brisket, but you should avoid excessive smoking. Otherwise, leaving the brisket inside the smoker for an extended time will create bitter taste.
- Combine different woods – Each type of wood has its own scent and flavor. It follows that pairing different types of woods can enhance the aroma of the smoke and at the same time enhance the taste of the brisket.
If you want to make the most of smoking a brisket, you need to consider some factors such as the thickness of the meat, the rubs, smoking techniques and others. Additionally, selecting the right type of wood also impacts the success of smoking a brisket.
Read How To Use Electric Smoker Wood Chips
Choosing the right size of wood
Blackjack Oak For Smoking
If you will smoke a brisket, you should consider the size of wood. It usually comes in three sizes such as:
Oakwood For Smoking
- Chips – Wood chips are also known as wood scraps or shavings. They are available in a small size that’s why they easily burn. If you’ll smoke larger cuts of brisket, using wood chips is not recommended. You can buy chips in stores.
- Chunks – If you will smoke larger cuts of brisket, using wood chunks is perfect. It does not burn easily, but once ignited it will last for hours. This means that wood chunks work best if you need to smoke the meat in a long time.
- Logs and sticks – If you’re using offset smoker you can consider using sticks and logs. It is difficult to keep them burning, but they produce the volume of smoke.