Where do you guys usually source your wood, and what do you pay? I went to a new butcher yesterday looking for some pink salt, and they were selling a bunch of different wood varieties. I picked up 2 cuft of pecan wood for $25, it seemed like a reasonable price to me but I’m not sure. The local wood (apple, cherry, etc) was a lot cheaper, $15 for 2 cuft. It’s not chunk, it’s more like logs. I’ll just hack it up with a chop saw to use in the UDS.
I smoke with kiawe (Hawaiian mesquite), ohia (endemic) and waiwi (invasive strawberry guava). I cut all three myself. My cost is in gasoline for my truck and chainsaw.
When I lived in Orlando I had oak trees in my yard. I cut oak for smoking. Man I miss those oak trees sometimes.
I just bought three bags of alder chips from the outdoor kitchen store at $5.95 per bag. Each bag is 180 cubic inches and weighs between 1.5 and 1.7 pounds.
I found this site that has pretty much the same thing a bit less expensive, but then there’s shipping:
I have a lot of citrus in my yard which is nice and much cheaper, but it’s hard to chop up.
I have sourced some from here, located in PA.
http://www.chuckssmokehouse.com/SMOKIN_STIXS_s/26.htm
This is a little closer to Tom, in Yakima, WA. Have bought from them also.
If you want fruit wood for free go to you local orchard and ask them when they prune their trees. Then just pick up a truck load full, more than you could probably use.
I use the pecan-wood that falls off the tree in the back-yard. Otherwise It’s hickory (yum!) or oak. Mesquite isn’t all that great for smoking but still works.
I pay less than $5 for 720 cubic inches of chunk at the local grocer.
Which around here means a lot of apple. Could get some peach over on the west side of the state.
For other fruit woods such as citrus, I have to order on line.
Not much alder grows around here. 
At work, all I can handle, free. Apple, cherry, maple, hickory, oak, etc. Currently working for a tree service company… Will have a lifetime supply soon… ;D
Awesome, thanks guys.
Thanks for this Jeff. http://www.barbecuewood.com/StoreFront.bok I’m pretty sure that is the guy that offered to make me dust for my cold smoker, I just need to send him a sample.
I love the orchard idea, that is an easy hookup on the stuff that grows around here. That’s not pecan though. :) Apple I can get off my own tree, and a few other fruit woods as the trees get older. If I want citrus and other non-local wood though, I’m SOL without a source. Based on what I’ve seen, $25 for 2 cuft is a reasonable price. I’ll have to go back and see what else they have, I need to make more bacon anyway.
Jeeze, I’ve got more smoking hardwood than I can ever use. I keep my bee hives in a kiawe “forest” where I am encouraged to cut as much deadfall as I can haul away. You guys talk about buying smoking wood by the cubic inch, at obscene prices. I’d send it to you by the cubic yard if shipping costs weren’t such a bee itch. Maybe it might be cost effective anyway?
These days when I grill I use an all wood fire most of the time. It takes longer than charcoal, but I enjoy it a whole lot more, and I think the flavors are far superior to charcoal.
Football season is almost upon us! Football season = grilling season!
I see the topic for a new thread…
I live in a mountain forest off hickory trees so that is never a problem. I grow a couple of small citrus trees in my solarium but never used them for smoking. What types of food do they work best with? I’m thinking trout?
Anyone ever try smoking with sassafras? I burned some a couple years ago and I thought the aroma from the wood was very pleasant.
Sassafras didn’t have the flavor that the smoke indicated.
Persimmon on the other hand, was excellent.
Both were used on pork tenderlion.
Thanks - I have a bunch of persimmon trees out there as well. Gonna give that a try!
I’ve used fruit wood on cheese, that’s it.
I’ve got all of the maple I can ever use, but the rest of the common trees around here aren’t suitable for smoking food. Douglas fir, cedar, that kind of stuff. I might try some juniper next time I prune the trees.
Try talking to some of the local BBQ or wood oven pizza joints in your area. I’m sure they have local sources that they may be willing to recommend. Also try some of the local guys selling firewood. I get all of my smoking wood from a local guy who sells firewood. He happens to also sell hickory, apple, oak and cherry. I can get a stack for $10. A stack is enough for about 5 smokes.
I’m not sure juniper would be good as a smoking wood. Seems it would be very resinous.
Great idea Ron, I’ll have to poke around. How much do you go through for a smoke? With the UDS I only go through about half a log and have a nice intense smoke. The 2 cuft of pecan I got should last me for 50 or more smokes I think, but I haven’t counted the logs.
I just but on 20 lbs of pork shoulder a couple of hours ago . . .
You might be right, but apparently it’s traditional in some cases:
"Some sausages like German or Polish Hunter Sausages develop their characteristic flavors and aromas by adding juniper branches or berries to the fire. Juniper is the main ingredient for making gin, so we know it has to be a fine element. "
I’d forgotten about that badass site. Thanks Tom.
Yeah, good site. :) I was inspired by the amount of wood Ron seems to go through, so I tossed some more on the smoker for the shoulders that are going now. You can’t see much, but enough . . .