question about oak

[Cory Musser]

I was wondering about the different species of oak and their use in BBQ. I know white oak and red oak are very popular and common. I was wondering about some of the other species. I have some branches that I picked out of a city park and a city brush pile. I believe one of them may be pin oak. It has a good smell to it. Just curious if anyone has used different species and how much different if any they are from the two common ones. Thanks

 

[Phil R.]

We have lots of oak trees where I live...Red, Valley, white, Scrub, you name it! I've tried red and valley oak, and couldn't tell a bit of difference between the two.

 

[Tim S]

There is probably little to no difference in the species of oak that you use as long as it is pretty dry. Green wood just gives funky bad flavors in my opinion.

 

[Vernon N]

Down east (Goldsboro, Wayne County, NC area) they use blackjack oak for their whole pig BBQ. Have not tried it, but I do have a major supply of pin oak in the yard.

 

[Cory Musser]

Do you use the pin oak?

 

[Bryan S]

Originally posted by Cory Musser:
Do you use the pin oak?

Pin Oak is perfectly fine to use as smoke wood. No worries. I haven't died yet.

 

[Cory Musser]

Cool, cause I think I have some of that. Just picked up the branches w/out leaves...kinda hard to tell. Thanks

 

[Mike Rockwood]

The only oak I wouldn't use, would be poison oak.

 

[Alan Rockwood]

Hi Mike Rockwood... a bit off topic, but we might be distant relatives. My great grandfather was born and raised in Massachussetts.He was born in 1805 (yes, two hundred years ago). He came to Utah with the first group of Mormon pioneers, and is progenetor of a branch of the Rockwood family centered in the Intermountain West.

 

[bblake]

Here is a page that has different types of oak for anyone wondering...i thought there were a few more, but maybe i was wrong...

http://www.treehelp.com/trees/oak/species-oak-types.asp

 

[Darwin Hoel]

In Texas, (what I have read at least) Live Oak and Post Oak are considered tops. Red Oak and Blackjack Oak are very good though considered very strong smoke woods. There are a host of others scattered around but they seem to be solitary trees and not found in stands, so therefore they not often sold in large quantities such as Burr oak, Pin Oak, Scrub Oak, Chinquapin oak, Etc.. All good but I don't think they are found in the average BBQers wood pile so they don't have a great following. Use it all and keep a journal.

D

 

[Darwin Hoel]

Hey Brian you are right there are alot more. Most sites only mention a few. Look at this list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Quercus_species

D