Unusual woods for smoking

[Guest]

I am still waiting for my WSM to arrive, but I thought I would ask if anyone had any experience with a couple of different types of smoking wood that I have access to. Specifically, Norway maple, pear wood, and grape vines. The maple tree was cut down a few years ago, and is well seasoned. The pear tree partially fell down in a storm a few years ago, and is also well seasoned. The vines are out of a working vinyard, and are quite thick - about 2 feet long, various varietals. Has anyone ever had any experience with these woods, or any tips for using them?

(Edited to remove typo)

 

[Jim Minion]

All of those should be OK, the maple is the one I know the least about. Pear should be nice and sweet, the grape is good flavor and also makes great coals for grilling.
Jim

 

[Dennis Fraley]

Well I've smoked a lot with pear wood. My dad has a pear tree that always seems to need trimming. So I use it a lot. It's comparible to apple wood, only IMO not quit as sweet. But still good. Apple and Pear is what I use the most. I'm going to trim a bunch of maple and plum hopefully this weekend from my dads. I'm looking forward to trying the plum. I use the wood green with fine results. I've read there are a very few they don't recommend using green but most don't seem to be that big of a deal. I could see if your cooking over an all wood fire having to have seasoned wood for that. But if your cooking over coals green wood I don't think is all that different from soaking wood chips in water.