Not too much to this post, other than to just say I Love Hickory.
I'm a Texas guy, so of course I'm used to eating BBQ smoked over hickory. When I used to try smoking on my grill, I'd use hickory and mesquite chips because that's what the grocery store sold. When I graduated to the WSM last spring I learned about other smoke woods, and for over a year I experimented with oak, maple, cherry, apple, and alder for various recipes. I wanted to force myself to try a bunch of new things to see what else was out there. (On the same token, I've leaned you can make a dry rub with more than just brown sugar, black pepper, paprika and cayenne
)
After a solid year without one single hickory smoke, I decided to pick up a bag. I imagine the effect was similar to an alcoholic getting out of rehab and immediately popping the top on an ice cold beer. I threw in a little bit with some cherry for a turkey I was smoking, and that aroma just did the trick. For the Fourth I threw in a bit with the oak for my loin back ribs... very nice. I need to go ahead and indulge in a brisket that I absolutely nuke in a hickory mushroom cloud. Maybe it's memories of "helping" my dad cook as a kid, or eating BBQ at summer picnics, but that hickory scent and flavor just puts a twinkle in my eye and a spring in my step.
Anyhow, the point of the story is that I had always used hickory because that's what I was "supposed" to use, but I took the time to learn how to use a whole lot of others... and in the end I can say I still LOVE hickory. (Don't know if it's genetic, an addiction, or what.
)
I'm a Texas guy, so of course I'm used to eating BBQ smoked over hickory. When I used to try smoking on my grill, I'd use hickory and mesquite chips because that's what the grocery store sold. When I graduated to the WSM last spring I learned about other smoke woods, and for over a year I experimented with oak, maple, cherry, apple, and alder for various recipes. I wanted to force myself to try a bunch of new things to see what else was out there. (On the same token, I've leaned you can make a dry rub with more than just brown sugar, black pepper, paprika and cayenne
After a solid year without one single hickory smoke, I decided to pick up a bag. I imagine the effect was similar to an alcoholic getting out of rehab and immediately popping the top on an ice cold beer. I threw in a little bit with some cherry for a turkey I was smoking, and that aroma just did the trick. For the Fourth I threw in a bit with the oak for my loin back ribs... very nice. I need to go ahead and indulge in a brisket that I absolutely nuke in a hickory mushroom cloud. Maybe it's memories of "helping" my dad cook as a kid, or eating BBQ at summer picnics, but that hickory scent and flavor just puts a twinkle in my eye and a spring in my step.
Anyhow, the point of the story is that I had always used hickory because that's what I was "supposed" to use, but I took the time to learn how to use a whole lot of others... and in the end I can say I still LOVE hickory. (Don't know if it's genetic, an addiction, or what.
