Red Oak Vs. White Oak

[Ted from Bristow]

I have a source that is selling red oak and white oak logs.
Is one appreciably better than the other for smoking meat? My assumption is they would have a similar flavor.
In any case, I'll probably grab some of both.......but thought I'd ask this forum anyway.

TIA

 

[Cliff Bartlett]

Ted, I've only used white oak so I don't really know which one is better. You got me curious though and I found this link. It states white oak burns longer but red oak is sweeter. For what it's worth!

http://pitbossbelt.com/wp/best-wood-for-smoking-meat-oak-hickory-maple-mesquite

 

[timothy]

I've used both and love the red on beef, white mixed with hickory or cherry on pork. There are many species of oaks both white and red and some are milder than others. ( live oak, post oak )
If the wood has the right moisture content than you'll be pleased with both.

Tim

 

[Rich Dahl]

Ted here's a list of woods and there flavor profiles from a place called the woodshed in Orange California. Hope this helps.
http://www.thewoodshedoc.com/Cooking_Wood.html

 

[ChuckO]

I got a bunch of white oak that had been cut about six months prior, tried to cook with it, it billowed smoke with hardly any flame. A member here (Brian Dahl) says it can take two season before white oak is seasoned

 

[timothy]

I got a bunch of white oak that had been cut about six months prior, tried to cook with it, it billowed smoke with hardly any flame. A member here (Brian Dahl) says it can take two season before white oak is seasoned

If in log form it can take awhile. Cut it into disks and split into chunks and put it in the attic and the dry heat will season it in a month or two.

Tim

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

There's a place in town that sell "oak" or mequite. I probably should have asked what the oak was. It looks like live oak to me but I can't tell. I also have no idea how long it's been seasoned. It feels pretty heavy and I'm hoping it good by this summer. Red and White oak are probably both really good. I'm chasing that central texas bbq thing so post oak is what I'm looking for.

 

[Charles H.]

I use oak from the old end of my firewood stack and have good results.
There are several species of oak in the area and once it's cut and split for firewood I cannot tell it apart.
I never really thought about the different oak species producing different flavored smoke, but the different species do look different as trees and the size of the acorns vary quite a bit too so it stands to reason the smoke could be different too.

 

[LarryR]

Big fan of red oak on beef, specifically tri-tip. Not a big fan of white oak.