Local sources for smoking woods?

I know where to find small quantities of specialty woods for smoking meats and, if you're willing to pay the freight, the internet is always an option.

But, do any of you have LOCAL SOURCES for aged wood for smokers?

Our church is planning to smoke several whole pork shoulders for our Homecoming dinner in a few weeks. I hate to have to buy wood on-line for this project.

We're going with hickory for this meal and it occurred to me that someone on the forum might know of a local source.

Also, I'm keenly interested in finding a source for real pecan wood, if such a thing is available locally. The guy who took down the 80-foot water maple that snapped in half in my backyard told me that there are varieties of pecan trees that are able to survive Ohio Valley winters. If that's true, I sure would like to find some pecan wood for smoking andouille sausage.

Thanks.

Lois

Lois,

Finally...after all these weeks of pestering you folks with a barage of questions about Louisville, a subject that I may be able to help someone else with.

First off, I have no idea where you might find a local source of "smoking wood"...The lovely bride and I are still stuck out here in the hinterlands of Oklahoma for a couple of more weeks. That being said I may be able to offer some assistance. If by a "couple of weeks" you mean on or after Labor Day weekend then I'll just throw a couple of 25 pound sacks of pecan wood on the moving truck and get them to you the day we roll into town (August 29th). They sell the stuff by the "potato sack" out here...Pecan, Oak, Hickory, Mesquite the whole shebang. Virtually every grocery store has a truckload of it stacked on the sidewalk out front...Can't recall what I paid for it the last time but it certainly wasn't anything approaching an "arm and a leg".

Now. If you want a better option I would -strongly- suggest using Pecan PELLETS. Becky and I have been using these almost exclusively for a couple of years and as a matter of fact we won the pork rib catagory at the Minnesota State BBQ Championship back in "ought-six" (06) using them. You may have seen little bags of these things at Walmart marketed under the name "BBQ'ers Delight". They look almost exactly like rabbit (food) pellets...about the size of a yellow pencil eraser) but are in fact made up of compacted coarse sawdust. The only problem with buying these critters from Walmart is that they will ding you for about a buck for a one ounce package (SHAME on you Sam)...Instead I suggest you order them from BBQWoods.com (800-379-3663). A quick check of their website indicates they have the following pellets in stock; Alder, Maple, Oak, Cherry, Apple, PECAN, Maple, Mesquite and Hazelnut. The last time I had an order shipped it it ran me $31 (including shipping) for 10 pounds of pellets...and these babies go a lonnnnng way.

The way most folks use these pellets is to make a HEAVY DUTY aluminum foil pouch...about 5 inches by 6 inches...fill it with a good cup and a half of pellets, fold it over three or four times...kind of like rolling a....ehhhhhh...never mind just roll it up, stick a nail hole or three in it and lay it on your fire. Depending on the amount of chips and the heat of your fire it should last around 30 to 45 minutes. You'll probably go through a dozen of so of these pouches over the course of dong business. Another option, and one I use...is to collect 4 or 5 "pork and bean" cans. Clean the cans out real well, soak the label off and fill each one with pellets. The wrap H.D. aluminum foil over the top a few times...poke a couple of holes in the top and away you go. The reason I like doing it this way is that the cans have a much lower rate of burning through due to high heat or contact with glowing embers.

I'm sure you've got your own BBQ guru...so there is no sense taking this any further. If you decide you'd like to go with cut wood, let me know and I'll throw some on the truck at the end of August. Best wishes with your BBQ.

Wow! Thanks, Steve. That's great info. I've used the BBQ'ers Delight pellets for years myself and was more than pleased with the results. In fact, I've got several varieties on hand that I haven't tried yet. BTW, love your idea about the pork & bean cans!

As for my andouille sausage, I was hoping to smoke the next batch with the "real deal" . . . real pecan wood. If the possibility arises of you throwing a bag o' pecan chunks on the truck next month, I'll be happy to reimburse you for your expense and trouble. That would just be too cool. There'd probably be a few links of homemade smoked sausage in it for you as compensation, though I usually wait till cooler weather to attempt any long-term smoking projects.

As for the church's Homecoming Dinner, that's going to be August 3rd. I'm hoping one of the farmers who attends there will have some hickory already cut and aged that we can throw into the smoker. I've got a message posted on our church email group, but was trying to hedge my bets with info on a local retail or commercial source. It's gonna take a fair amount of wood to smoke three or four whole pork shoulders. I've never attempted such a large quantity myself as my smoker's only about 36" long, not including the offset firebox.

BTW, I'm certainly impressed with your qualifications and we look forward to learning more from bonafide champions such as yourselves.

Lois

O.K...now you guys have hit a sore spot with me. I love BBQ and smoked foods but really have no luck with it.

I've got a nice BBQ with the firebox on the side and have tried smoking/BBQing Ribs before but it just doesn't come out right. My main problems have been in trying to keep the temperature in the range (200 to 225 degrees) and, also, keeping the fire going long enough in the firebox. I've tried wood chunks bought at Lowe's or Walmart....and have also tried a combination of charcoal and wood chunks, but just cant keep the fire going long enough. (I was told that you shouldn't add more wood chunks/charcoal while you have food cooking....bad taste ensues.)

I've been trying for over a year and just cannot get anything (Ribs or Boston Butt) to come out tender....

I'd appreciate any help/info you gentlemen can offer.

Thanks!!

Steve

O.K...now you guys have hit a sore spot with me. I love BBQ and smoked foods but really have no luck with it.

I've been trying for over a year and just cannot get anything (Ribs or Boston Butt) to come out tender....

I'd appreciate any help/info you gentlemen can offer.

Thanks!!

Steve

Steve,

There are those on the BBQ circuit who will lean against the rail of their multi-thousand dollar BBQ rigs and proclaim to anyone who will listen that "It's the cook, not the cooker"...While in the background there is usually a group of folks (like me) who, if they thought it would do any good, would take time out from stoking their little hardware store smokers for the umpteenth time to shout "bull****".

While there is no doubt (in my mind anyway) that the "have's" are at a distinct advantage over the "have not's" in competition BBQ, that is NOT to say that a feller can't cook up some -fine- "Que" on something of less imposing stature. Not knowing what kind of Smoker you are using, it is rare to find a model that doesn't need some modification or "tune up" before you can start cooking good BBQ.. Often times it can be nothing more than a piece of or sheet metal braced between the firebox and the cooking chamber, other times you might have to get the power tools out (que Tim Taylor..."Ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhhh") and drill a couple of extra (small) vent holes. From the sounds of things your fire is getting choked out, so the solution may be to (either) open your vents a bit more...in the abscence of said vents you might want to drill a couple of -small- holes in the sides of firebox and/or cooking chamber. Start out with two or three 1/8-1/4 inch holes in the sides and see if things improve...work your way up from there The other thing I'll suggest (assuming you don't have one) is a good BBQ themometer. I use a model from "Tele-Tru" that runs me about 50 bucks but it is accurate to within 5 degrees. You can find other models for around 25 dollars that will do an acceptable job.