Cherry Wood questions


 
J

Jay C.

New member
I have a wild cherry tree that is going to have to be cut down so I am going to chunk up some pieces for smoke wood. What kind of meat works best with cherry? Also, as a more general question, would this be good wood to use for several years or does it have a "shelf life" where it should be used only for a certain amount of time after curing?
 
Jay, lots of folks will tell you that you need to season all wood for at least a few months. I'm not one of them, when it comes to fruitwood. As to being good for "several years", thats pushing it. I check out a piece of wood by looking at it and smelling. I want at least a hint of smell, and don't want it to look like it's starting to rot. Take out of the elements if you can, and leave the bark on and cut to chunks as needed to hold in moisture a little more if you want to.

It'll go with about everything, being great on it's on for poultry and ribs. I like to mix fruitwood with a nutwood like hickory with my brisket or pork shoulder.
 
I use cherry alot and really like it! I wouldn't chunk up some pieces, I would chunk up all
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I use cherry on the same meats as I would use apple, maple and sassafrass which is all but beef. I use pecan on beef 90% of the time, hickory is the other 10%. I would let it dry for a month at least. JMHO
 
Cherry is good for just about everything.

IMO, beef needs something stronger like oak or hickory but, as you can see, others like it just fine.


I doubt "shelf life" is going to be much longer than a couple of years. Depends on how it's stored.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">

I doubt "shelf life" is going to be much longer than a couple of years. Depends on how it's stored. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

There's a shelf life on wood? I store mine on an enclosed porch out of the weather. I have over 20+ logs (fire place size) of cherry and apple. Pretty much a lifetime supply for me...lol. Seeing as I only use one or two baseball size chunks at a time
 
I picked up a bunch of freshly cut apple wood from an apple orchard and have been using it a lot recently. I have been very happy with the results. I do not know of a shelf life but I can vouch that I think you can use your fruitwood immediately without waiting for it to "season".
 
Mesquite wood for me, for smoking purposes the fresher the wood the better full of moisture, for grilling the drier the better hope that helps
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve Whiting:
I picked up a bunch of freshly cut apple wood from an apple orchard and have been using it a lot recently. I have been very happy with the results. I do not know of a shelf life but I can vouch that I think you can use your fruitwood immediately without waiting for it to "season". </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Come on, Steve. Don't ya know that if it still has sap you'll get creosote?!
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Nah, I love it, too...especially peach. I've got to get back out to the orchard and get some limbs.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sean S.:
yep, me too. it's all cherry for me (well, and a lot of birch, too). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Birch, huh?
I just happen to have a recently felled white birch in the woods on my lot. So what does birch give you in the smoker?
 
Yeah, Sean, I'd be interested in hearing your impressions of birch, too.

I guess I should have qualified earlier by saying that my mainstay woods are still hickory and apple, but really come to like cherry and think it goes well on everything.
 
Having tried all the staples (apple, hickory, pecan, mesquite)cherry wood has become far and away my favorite wood for smoking. You really can use it on everything, but it goes great with anything pork. Provides a mild smoke but enough so that you know it's there.
 
My father in law has a cabin in the Norwegian woods. In the woodshed i have found wood maybe fifty years old. The pine and evergreens are no good and almost compost already, but birch and trees with leaves are useful. I won't advice anyone to store wood for more than a few years, but ten years old birch? No problem. As long as it is dry, you can store wood for several years.
 
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