Hickory trees

[Trouthunter]

anyone have access to a hickory tree? Looking for some wood to run my smoker with this year - and I thought I'd see if anyone out there knew of a farmer or forest that has hickory that needs to be cut down, cut up or ???

[Jameson]

Is their a value in these trees? A friends family does have a sweet woods mixed with Hickory. They have thought about logging it, but they don't think they can make any money doing it.

There is one Hickory in my front yard. Never thought about using any part of it for smoking food. If it ever sheds a branch maybe I'll give it a try.

Have found bags of Hickory and Mesquite at the big box hardware stores.

[Trouthunter]

I used to use the bags of hickory found at certain orange colored hardware stores, but last go-round I'm pretty sure I had some pieces of non-hickory wood mixed in. So that's leading me to search for the real deal. I see hickory trees in several parks and along the river, but i'm pretty sure i'd get in some trouble if I took one of those trees.

[polarsusd81]

Next time I head south, I am planning to bring a big box of chunks home. My uncle has 1000's of Hickory trees on his property in Arkansas and a sawmill to boot. Natural stuff you get yourself makes the smoking process much more rewarding.

[WaveWacker]

Polarsusd81...be advised that it's a hot topic on transporting wood around. Much less within the state itself but especially from state to state. This is one of the ways that disease's get tranferred (Ash Borer, Oak wilt, Dutch Elm, etc.) Not certain of any disease issues with Hickory but you just never know.

[Archerysniper]

I have lots of black walnut trees on my land and have been useing it in the smoker and have been very pleased with the results.

[icehousebob]

There's a natural oil in Black Walnut wood that can be toxic. And as for the best smoking wood, I'd have to go with apple. I run a small tree service and any apple wood I cut goes home with me. I like to run some apple wood through my chipper and dry the chips and store them in mesh onion bags. When I need it, I soak the wood in water(or apple juice) for a few hours and then put the chips on a pan above the heat. Works good.

[leech~~]

Huum, I seemed to be able to find all types in bags and boxes at the Big chain stores?

[Trouthunter]

Well, I know you can go buy it - but you can also purchase walleye filets and morels in the store too...

I agree apple wood is good, I have a source for that, but apple doesnt go well with all meats, not the right choice for beef...

[fish flop 20]

Trouthunter,

I know there is some hickory in the Prior Lake area and if you ever get down to the Rushford area to hunt trout, there is lots of hickory down there. I should have read this last week and could have brought some back for you. I saw many shagbark hickory down there.

Have you ever tried alder wood or even corn cobs to smoke meat. Both are good.