One of the nicew things about the bradley smoker is that it is very easy to use woods of different flavor in the same smoke in a very controlled way. So tee em what is your favorite? And how much of each do you like to mix together...
I like to mix different woods with apple.
oak/apple
hickory/apple
pecan/apple
I don't mix much. I have my general rules:
Mesquite on brisket
Oak on roast beef
Apple on cheese
Hickory on pork
Maple or hickory on bacon
etc.
I have mixed but to me it's kinda like putting too many spices in a soup. Hard to tell what you're eatin'
I don't mix.
And I don't like my foods to touch each other on the plate. :o
just kidding about the latter. ;D ;D
I mix Apple/Pecan on turkey.. (since it is a smoke sponge)
I'm in the same boat as the other dont mix guys.
Oak on beef
Alder or Apple on cheese, poultry and fish
Hickory or Pecan on pork
Pecan on sausage
Well I do have my belifes of what should go with what.. Still sometimes I just like to play and see how it goes, with in reason. I have yet to have any complaints.. At times I have even been supprized. Just a few weeks ago, I smoked a chuck with oak, and apple, we were all very pleased with it. Maple with apple I have learned is amazing with Salmon.
Well dribron, as you said you can easily mix the wood. Experiment and do it to your taste. What you're getting here are opinions, not answers :D
Wasn't looking for answers, just wondering what other did, how they felt. Sorry if I offended someone, it was just a question.
You offended no one. It's a matter of personal taste. That's why I suggested you experiment. Keep a log though. Sometimes it's difficult to remember what went on what - especially at my age.
Its all good.
I dont mix cause I like the flavor of the wood, just my opinion.
To each there own I always say.
No I understand, in the past I never mixed and with something I never would. Brisket is one of them.. I wuodl never sway from how I smoke it now. And I am pretty firm on pork loin, or babby back ribs. I think it should almost always be hickory. But a few times I have added apple to the mix, and it was good. I have also found pecan to be nice with ribs.... But I do understand when someone feels they should smoke with only one way, or with one wood. Over time we find what works for us, at times this may have been at a cost of several smokes before the right combo of this or that was discovered. Certainly there isnt anything wrong with staying with what works..
Too me choosing to try a different wood from the norm, or a mix of woods is very much like picking the right whine. You don't just randonly grab and chug, you pick based of that one wines charature. I really feel that smoking wood is simular because certain woods do impart certain charaturistics to the meat that is being smoked. ;D
No offense meant or taken here either.
Now about this wine thing.
I admit I know nothing about wine, whisky thats another matter, but have some recipes that call for a red wine and I cant find one that dont make what I'm cookin taste off, kinda bitter almost like its spoiled.
Anything?
Get yourself a cheap port Fairbanks comes to mind. It has a sweet flavor to it.
The majority of my smoking gets:
50% Apple
30% Alder
20% Hickory
This is for Pork, Fish, Cheese, Fowl.
Beef would get:
30% Misquite
30% Hickory
20% Alder
20% Apple
My grey ha....no white hair belies a benign bewilderment bordering on backwardly bodacious befuddlement!
(oak+(hickory+mesquite)-(maple*pecan))/apple
oh my head hurts!
I keep it simple and solo - Just so I can remember!
Well my most discerning palate will only tolerate certain wood for certain foods........Ok that was a load of crap. :D :D :D I am one of those that can't tell one wood from another. If it tastes like it was smoked that is good for me. However I use mostly Alder for salmon and what ever my hand touches first for everything else. :D :D :D
I use to mix and occasionally will still do so. I found that on long application of smoke (3 hours or more), mixing does not work as well as foods that require 2 hours or less. So when I do mix it is when I am smoking chicken, fish, sausage etc. So I will mix pecan or hickory 50% with maple or apple. Then there are occasions when I am doing a long smoke I will thin the taste of mesquite (40% or less) with either hickory or pecan.