Fruita Wood Supply - new baby steps needed?


 
Yesterday, I fired up a couple chunks of the red oak. No lie, after it got going in the smoker I could honestly catch the aroma of oak in the nearby air. In the two years of my smoking adventure I have never experienced that. Today, I received a box of hickory and--once again--with the box open I can smell if from a few feet. I'm going to order a couple fruit woods. If only they had sales like KBB :rolleyes:
 
I just got my box of post oak in. I'm super excited to try it. It does smell great. I had them send it to my work address and I think they threw in a few extra pounds.

I was initially thinking fruitawood was kind of dumb. I doubt if I tried to run my offset with splits this fresh I'd have any luck but running chunks with charcoal, I bet I see a big difference.
 
I've been using the peach from Fruita for a few years now and the smell is wonderful. When I smoke a pork butt, I've actually had walkers and joggers stop and ask what I'm smoking. Good stuff!
 
I used a few Fruita oak chunks again last night during a HH Tri-Tip. It was another pleasurable experience catching its aroma while nearby the smoker. And I heard a few crackles & pops early-on. I'm not smart enough to know if that's good or bad but I enjoyed it and never experienced it while using retail chunks. And almost right out of the gate the exhaust has a better tint.

I do not post pics of sliced beef because we eat it medium well or beyond.

 
I just tried my post oak on a fattie. Fatties tend to soak up a lot of smoke. I put in 3 chunks and it was almost but not quite too much. I noticed a pretty big difference between the chunks I usually use and this. Smells great while cooking too.
 
Last Saturday I used their sweet cherry to smoke some bacon and it turned out excellent.

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Bob, I’m really starting to hate you!
Good grief that has to be some of the most beautiful bacon I have ever laid eyes on! Where did you find such a perfect side?
 
Bob Bass said:
BFletcher... Would love to hear how your Coastal Red Oak smoke flavor infusions are going !

As far as shelf life, it has been said that 6 mos would be the most. I concur with that assessment, based on my personal usage of Fruita Wood chunks. Heck, even past those 6 months, it's still better than any big box store plastic wrapped wood.
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I concur with Bob. I have Fruitawood chinks stored in my garage in the box they were shipped in for well over 6 months and they’re still great. Fantastic product.
 
I had an interesting day; first, a friend informed me of a good meat farm in one of the towns that I pass through fairly regularly during my work days. Time to keep a cooler in my trunk. Then, even closer to home, I stumbled on a "wood for sale" sign. This guy is a tree trimmer and sells fresh cherry, hickory, and apple wood for $60 per 1/4 cord. But given some of your feedback on a 6 month shelf life I don't know that I can benefit from this.

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If it were for an offset, I'd say you were fine. I've used wood a few years old. I doubt his wood is that seasoned. WSM or any smoker that burns charcoal with wood chunks seems to benefit from wood with more moisture content.
 
BFletcher said:
Then, even closer to home, I stumbled on a "wood for sale" sign. This guy is a tree trimmer and sells fresh cherry, hickory, and apple wood for $60 per 1/4 cord. But given some of your feedback on a 6 month shelf life I don't know that I can benefit from this.
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I'd stop and ask if he'll sell you just a few split logs. Can't hurt to ask. I'd have to think if you're standing there in front of him with money in hand, it becomes a question of whether he wants your money or not. To him a couple logs is nothing. He might even have some odd sized scraps he's willing to give you or at least sell very cheaply.
 
JayHeyl said:
I'd stop and ask if he'll sell you just a few split logs.
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Yeah, he might but he didn't exactly make that offer when I saw him and I'm not one to impose. His availability on-site is limited and he has a self-serve pay box. But I did catch him on this particular day and he voluntarily gave me a few logs of apple to sample. But, honestly, when I sniff it I cannot smell anything. The two boxes from Fruita amaze me; I have red oak and hickory and when I reach into the boxes I quickly catch the aroma. $35 for 15 lbs is not the most economical supply but I feel they deliver a beautiful smoke unlike anything I've had from retail. If I had gotten a whiff from the apple samples I'd say that even if I had to use a good portion of it for bonfires I would have benefited from paying $60 given the fact that I know I would use more than 2 X 15 lbs of Fruita in a 6 month period.

I wonder if apple does not have much of an aroma by nature and I should smell his hickory.
 
BFletcher said:
I had an interesting day; first, a friend informed me of a good meat farm in one of the towns that I pass through fairly regularly during my work days. Time to keep a cooler in my trunk. Then, even closer to home, I stumbled on a "wood for sale" sign. This guy is a tree trimmer and sells fresh cherry, hickory, and apple wood for $60 per 1/4 cord. But given some of your feedback on a 6 month shelf life I don't know that I can benefit from this.

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Looks like some EXCELLENT wood! I'd buy that!
 
Since he's selling it as fire wood, could be he's already "seasoned" it beyond the point you'd want it for use as smoke wood.

As to the price of Fruita wood, I rationalized it as being as significant to the final product as the meat itself. If that's a slight overstatement, certainly it's as important as the over flavorings. Many of us go to great lengths to season well in advance and allow the meat to sit for days. I often order spices from a specialty shop so I know they're at the peak of flavor. Why cut corners on the smoke wood? I was happy enough with the results from my first purchase that it's pretty much a no-brainer at this point.
 
I agree with you Jay! It’s as important as any other facet of the process, I have not been able to bring myself to order it but, I DO see it in the near future.
Your points are on the button, we spend for the best proteins, best seasoning, best heat source, best knives to slice, best methods for serving and use box store wood for the prime reason we smoke! It makes no sense. I’m sold!
 
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