Wood sourcing for smoking meat

[polarlys]

Hi all,  Roger here from sunny & warm New Jersey

I'm on the edge and seriously considering the purchase of an electric smoker and like what I see with the
SI models.  Leaning towards the 3d model but haven't taken the plunge just yet.    I've been smoking meat and fish for years with a homemade rig and just think it's time to enter the 20th century.  My current rig uses sawdust and is pretty simple and works well.  I also do some woodworking and have lots of scrap hardwoods, oak, maple, walnut, cherry etc. and am wondering how successful I would be using excess lumber cut into pieces small enough to use in the SI smoke box ???  I also have a lot of cherry sawdust and would like to experiment on using that also.

Thanks all,  Happy SMOKIN
Roger from NJ

 

[stout]

i couldn't say much about saw dust.. worth a try for very low temp smokes i guess but i have no experience with trying it

but the other wood you have, if you know it's not treated in any way and i am guessing you know it's not of course. it would work.. cut in to 1 by 2 inch pieces or so

there is also a favorite of forum members smokinlicious http://smokinlicious.com/index.php?home they provide good wood in good sizes to boot.

i have store bought chunks that i also mix in sometimes

 

[polarlys]

ThanX Stout.  With my current rig I do both cold and hot smoke with no problem.  With something like the
SI I  think I would work towards using the fine chips or sawdust for cold smoking.  If it doesn't work well enough then I have a lot of cherry sawdust to dispose of.  But if the scrap wood works I'm good for a loooooong time of good smokin.

ThanX,
Roger from NJ

 

[SconnieQ]

If you want to use scrapwood, then you should probably purchase a moisture meter. They are not terribly expensive on Amazon. Around $20 I think. Some of your scrapwood might be too dry, which will not give you a pleasant flavor if it combusts and burns up too quickly.

 

[SuperDave]

I don't see the need for a moisture meter.  Most hardwoods have been kiln dried and won't measure up to those that think the moisture is necessary to good smoking.  I commonly smoke with bone dry wood and have learned how to control the combustion.  The big factor would be insuring that the wood wasn't chemically treated. 

 

[polarlys]

ThanX all for the input.  Just something to mull over since I have the wood around. 

I hope I'll be joining the SI family soon. 

Roger from NJ