Hello and questions from newbie


 
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Pat DiFelice

New member
Hello all,
I just purchased the 18.5" WSM this week and am looking forward to my first smoke, weather permitting this Sunday. I have a Weber Performer I bought 2 years ago and love the charcoal experience. It's been a learning experience with charcoal. Last Saturday I went to a friends house and not knowing he was smoking some fresh salmon (he brought back 350 lbs of sockeye salmon and halibut from a Alaska fishing trip). It was the tastiest, full flavored fish I ever had, I was amazed. I asked how did he cook it. He brought me to the back yard and showed me, you guessed it, a smoker. I had to have one (his was an inexpensive smoker) but since I appreciate the weber quality I bought a weber. Then I found your site in which I've been on every night since, to get tips before my first smoke. Only one question for now. I have Hickory, and Mesquite chunks from Home depot, but understand apple wood is a great taste. I came across a local person who has some apple trees and trims off the smaller branches and I can buy some off of him. All of the wood is cut to 16" pieces and range in thickness from 1" to 2-1/2" some larger. Most are in the smaller thicknesses. I can get a good price on them, but again most are smaller thicknesses. Is this something that I should jump on or are the pieces to small? If so what are thicknesses that are recommended.
Thanks for your help.
Pat
 
Pat, welcom to the world of Smokin'. Many folks use "fist size" pieces of smoke wood. I use maybe 1/2-1/3 that size. Using smaller pieces is certainly ok and many prefer it to larger pieces. Make sure the wood is seasoned tho. In other words dry and has been drying for a few months at least if not a year. If it is fresh cut wood get it anyway and season it yourself. Hickory and mesquite smoke woods are relatively heavy for fish, chicken, pork but some folks use it all the time. If that is all you have I would be very sparing at first. Apple is my wood of choice for all but beef.

Mark
 
Pat this is the time of year to cut smoking wood for next spring.
For now unless you have a friend who has seasoned wood you're going to have to buy some.
Pickins are slim @ most stores this time year, I went to acadamy sports & they always have bags of apple & pecan chunks & were out.
 
Thanks for the replies, the wood available to me is one year seasoned (last year). My concern was the sizes. He's offering me a 3'x3'x3' bin for $45.00. That's seem like a great price in regards to what I see online that's usually about $1.00 or more a pound. This seems very economical, but if I buy it will the small pieces be of use to me or should I be buying chunks.
Thanks again,
Pat
 
Pat

It can all be used. Chop the bigger pieces down to fist size. For the small stuff you can always use that when you would use wood chips on your performer.
 
"All of the wood is cut to 16" pieces and range in thickness from 1" to 2-1/2" some larger. Most are in the smaller thicknesses."

Sounds like we're talking about limbs, yes?

If there's a lot of bark, you might consider removing some, if it's not too much trouble.

For fish, a single small piece would be more than enough. Maybe even break them in half. Fish is so delicate it's better to err on the under-smoked side than over-smoked. You want to avoid that 'cigarette butt' flavor.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Sounds like we're talking about limbs, yes? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi Travis,
I would say yes they are limbs. I guess it's what he takes off for pruning.
Thanks
 
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