Is all wood suitable for smoking?
Good smoking wood is hard to find, can't I just use left over wood from my carpenter? Aren't all woods OK to use?
Simply put, NO. Not all wood is suitable for smoking, and here's why:
The following attributes are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for good smoking wood:
- It's properly seasoned (read about seasoning here)
- Proper humidity levels for smoking
- Free from nails, chemicals, and pests.
- The correct species of tree for smoking
Read below for a more detailed explanation that will no doubt convince you of the importance of good wood!
Seasoning:
Proper seasoning involves leaving the logs to "cure" in the sun for an extended period of time, this gives it a unique flavor, ensures it's at an appropriate humidity for easy storage and lighting, and that the tree sap and oils have crystalized and dried. All these benefits ensure your smoke is aromatic and flavorful, and not disgusting and harsh.
Humidity:
Proper humidity ensures the wood doesn't rot when stored in-doors, or kept inside the bag it arrives in. Not only that, it also ensures that the wood will remain easy to light and will carry on burning and producing clean smoke for the duration of it's burn. Clean smoke is no accident, it's the right mixture of proper airflow, proper dryness, as well as maintaining the correct temperatures when burning. Wet wood will produce black smoke, a foul smelling, intense smoke which will ruin any camping, cook, or otherwise.
Free from nails, chemicals, and pests:
Woods that are repurposed such as those found at your local carpenter are usually treated with varnish, petroleum based products, paints, etc. These chemicals are toxic when burnt and will no doubt impact the flavor of your cook severely. Additionally, nails can be hazardous and even dangerous to you if they're present in the wood. For reference, a cut from a rusty nail can cause Tetanus, a dangerous illness which can be fatal if not treated properly. Finally, wood that is not stored properly can encourage pests and small animals to burrow in it, no one wants that!
The right species for smoking:
When it comes to smoking woods, we always recommend our customers use woods that complement their foods. For example, you can view our smoking chart here. Using fruit wood ensures a unique flavor because the sugars in the tree are sent to the fruits via the branches. Those sugars crystallize in the wood and make an aromatic, delicious smoke that smells like dessert, reminiscent of burnt caramel. Those are the flavors we want to smoke our foods with and in our opinion, you can't have that level of flavor with non-fruit bearing woods. Additionally, some woods are dangerous to use. A common example of a toxic tree which is commonly burnt in Egypt is the camphor tree "شجر كافور" an excerpt from this article by the National Library of Medicine says "Camphor can also cause skin and eye irritation on contact. Inhalation and skin exposure may result in acute poisoning depending on the dose with symptoms described above". As such, it's important to do your research when procuring your own woods from a friend's farm, a garden nearby, or from local traders of firewood.
Luckily for you, The Smokebox is committed to excellence, we accept nothing less than perfect quality. Our woods are exceptionally prepared to give you the ideal experience every time. Not only are the woods seasoned to perfection, they're completely natural tree logs. We take the guesswork, hassle, and worry away from the smoking experience. We store our woods in humidity controlled environments, treat them with all natural ingredients to ensure clean, dependable firewood which you can safely bring into your home, restaurant, or take with you on a camping trip.