Materials to smoke with.......

[shroomgirl]

Cold smoking, hot smoking, tea smoking
etc........
What are the materials you use?
I use pecan shells for chicken and pork
It's a Louisiana thing

[Pete]

grape vines
different types of woods
different liquids to soak my wood chips in
bourbon
beer
watered down juices
herb infused water
fresh herbs
corn cobs

[layjo]

These are some good ideas! I have never really thought about using different liquids to soak the wood with, well I 've pondered about it but never have tried it. I only have used Hickory and Apple for Pork and Poultry, and Pecan and Mesquite Wood for Beef and selected Red Meats. I would definatly like to try using grapevines and tea smoking(chinese technique with rice, tea, and dried spices right?) For Steaks and A la minute preparations we cold smoke before hand in an Alto Sham-smoker.

A number of smoke houses here in Vermont use corn cobs in addition to wood, as well as maple syrup in the curing process. It's a wondeful combo on ham and bacon.

Cheers,
TopChef

[Nick.Shu]

it has been said that the wood from used oak barrel is exceptional for smoking meats.

From what i know over here in Aus, once the barrels have gone beyond useful, apparently, they just chop them up and burn them.

One thing that i have found, hickory smoked salt water crocodile meat makes for a very nice salad.

[shroomgirl]

Yeah but Nick catching the croc has to take a chunk out of your AM
Alligator in LA is chewy and you know I don't think chicken ever tasted like that....
is Salt water croc tender or strong flavored???

I gather corn cobs are soaked and then used just as wood chips....do they give a sweet corn taste....is it any corn cob? my farmers have popcorn now....I'll see about snagging some cobs. I have piggy in my freezer I need to cook/smoke /eat....it's FALLLLL

[Nick.Shu]

hehe, salty crocs never have any flavour because they're always sold frozen - supposedly to defeat any protozoan parasites (like thats going to work), but if you give them a half decent dressing, then it should work.

worked with several chefs that smokede them selfs befor any real smoking.

[mudbug]

We like to mix wood chips marinated in wine.

Instead of throwing them on the coals directly, wrap them in tin foil and open the top. This way they last a lot longer and act to almost steam infuse the food on the grill.

Dried pineapple skins,cinnamon sticks, wild rice, brown sugar, plus all other normal items are great to smoke with.

[shroomgirl]

Tea smoking with wild rice....hmmmmmm
and dried pineapple peel....sounds very interesting....pork...or duck or hmmmmmmm