• Red Oak is the king of hardwoods and oaks, especially when it comes to smoking meats. Oak is strong, but it does not tend to overpower the taste and texture of the meat. If you are cooking or smoking beef or lamb, this is the best hardwood to use. Favored by restaurants, this naturally oily wood burns hot and fast.
• Oak; Oak wood is stronger than cherry or apple, yet lighter than hickory or mesquite. It is very versatile as it yields a medium smoky flavor works well with different type of meat making it perfect for a newbie to smoking. It is best to use oak wood when smoking beef, lamb, brisket, or sausages.
• Quercus marilandica, the blackjack oak, is a small oak, one of the red oak group Quercus sect. Lobatae.It is native to the eastern and central United States, from Long Island to Florida, west as far as Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.There are reports of a few isolated populations in southern Michigan, but these appear to represent introductions.
• Splitting difficulty for oak varies from each species but can typically be described as a medium chopping wood. The wonderful fragrance and low smoke emitted from oak makes it a great choice for burning in wood stoves. And with a HPC rating anywhere from 24.6-30.7, oak is simply one of the best types of wood that you can burn.

• White Oak Wood For Smoking
• Blackjack Oak Wood For Smoking Meat
• Blackjack Oaks
• Blackjack Oak Wood For Smoking In Houston

White Oak Wood For Smoking

Several minutes prior to cooking, add 3-5 dry post oak cooking chunks on a standard grill so they have time to smoke. Add your meat to the grill, close the lid, and smoke until you achieve that great post oak smoke flavor. Continue to add wood cooking chunks every 20-30 min. During your cooking process.

Learn which species will imbue your hearth with warmth and beauty while minimizing hazardous creosote buildup.

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Q: My wife and I just bought our first home, complete with wood-burning fireplace. We’re excited—but unsure exactly what kind of wood to stock. What do you recommend?

A: Congratulations on your new home and fireplace. The ambient glow and cozy warmth will make even the coldest nights a pleasure. On a practical level, a wood-burning fireplace may also help you lower your heating bills a bit, and will certainly come in handy in the event of a power loss.

Choose wood that provides maximum burn-time while minimizing the buildup of creosote. If left unchecked, the walls of your chimney will become coated with creosote—the highly flammable, blackish-brown tar residue of wood burn. This lining restricts air-flow and creates a fire hazard; creosote is also toxic and could negatively impact your health. So while you can clean a chimney with creosote remover, it’s wise to use wood that produces less of the noxious substance.

RELATED: 10 Things Never to Burn in the Fireplace

In general, hardwoods like oak, ash, and beech are more difficult to ignite, but they last a long time. Softwoods like fir, pine and cedar make more smoke, and therefore more creosote. That said, these evergreens contain fragrant resins and oils that easily ignite and are perfect for kindling. You can also try a commercial brand like Fatwood Fire-Starter ($44.95 for a 35-pound box at Plow & Hearth).

Always burn wood that is dry to the touch and seasoned (prepared for burning by allowing excess moisture to fully evaporate). Freshly cut green logs produce more smoke, making them hazardous, especially indoors. And only burn logs that fit easily into your fireplace. Logs thicker than five inches in diameter should be split before use. If you cut your own wood, remember it can take six months to two years to fully dry, depending on species. Wood purchased from a supplier should be fully seasoned and ready to use.

Purchase well ahead of the winter rush. There is no fixed cost for firewood; price fluctuates due to market factors, including weather, supply, and demand. A cord is the standard unit of measurement for firewood, and is equal to 128 cubic feet. Some suppliers also sell smaller quantities called “face cords.” A cord can cost a minimum of $225 for softwoods like fir. Mixed woods and hardwoods are approximately $300 to $600 per cord.

While you can purchase firewood online, it is best to find a reputable local supplier. This cuts down on shipping costs and helps prevent environmental damage. For example, buying special varieties from other states or countries can lead to invasive species being imported to your area. Seven states list their local firewood suppliers on Firewood Scout. Prices vary a lot, and local suppliers may not list prices online, so you’ll need to call first.

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Now that you understand the basics, here’s the lowdown on the best wood for the fireplace.

1. Oak is one of the densest and highest-energy woods, making it a gold standard for wood fires.

The available heat content in firewood is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). Depending on the subspecies, a cord of oak can contain 24 to 39 million BTUs. Oak logs burn with a low flame and create a steady, hot fire. Freshly cut oak can take a year or two to dry, so make sure you are buying fully seasoned logs. Check for clues to dryness including radial cracks, dullness of color and smell, and loose bark.

Like all hardwoods, oak trees take much longer to grow than softer woods like pine or birch. Many old-growth forests are endangered, so you will want to make sure that your hardwoods are sourced sustainably. Look for the Forest Stewardship Council’s certification, which provides forest management standards internationally and in the U.S. Keep in mind that oak trees reproduce very slowly: Only about one acorn in 10,000 will become an oak tree! The best practice is to vary your firewood sources, using hardwoods like oak in winter, and softer woods for fall and spring.

2. Ash is one of the best overall choices, favored for its user-friendly nature.

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It has an easy-to-split grain, low smoke levels, and long-lasting burn rate. Ash is harder to source than oak, so contact a local supplier and ask whether they include ash in their mixed-wood cords—and how much it costs. Complement ash with other hardwoods, like ironwood, elm, hickory, oak, maple, walnut, and beech.

Ash’s low moisture content means it doesn’t require a long drying time, but seasoned ash is still the safest and longest-lasting choice for an indoor fire. Seasoned logs smoke less and form less creosote. When buying logs, look for gray, dusty bark and lighter, whitish wood.

3. Douglas Fir is among the most popular softwoods for home fires and is plentiful throughout North America.

Because of their fast growth rate, Douglas firs are a favorite choice for reforestation efforts—making it easier to find sustainably sourced firewood. Douglas fir is also a high-energy softwood. A cord of fir contains about 26 BTUs. Fir splits easily and creates moderate, steady heat. It is an excellent choice year-round, and during the holidays, nothing beats its mild, evergreen scent. Contact a local supplier for availability and price.

4. Fruitwoods like apple, cherry, and pear wood produce hot, fragrant fires.

These hardwoods have low flames and generate high temperatures. Their energy content ranges from 20 to 26 million BTUs per cord. Fruitwoods are excellent for home fireplaces, as well as outdoor pits and grills (chefs enjoy the tangy, smoky flavor apple and cherry impart to meats and vegetables). Applewood fires in the home are especially noteworthy for their sweet, welcoming scent.

Apple, cherry, and pear are considered specialty woods—used primarily for special occasions like a dinner party or holiday. Commercial orchards are the primary source of fruitwoods, since fruit trees rarely grow in abundance in the wild, so their main downside is price: J.C.’s Smoking Wood Sticks, for instance, are available on Amazon for $37.99 for an 11-pound box. Consider contacting a local orchard or firewood supplier, especially if you want to use fruitwood for heat, not only grilling.

5. For milder fall and spring weather, select a lower heat, quicker burning softwood like birch.

That said, birch is a northern species, and is used by many people to keep warm in winter too. As a softwood, birch has a high energy content—about 20 million BTUs per cord, comparable with hardwood species like walnut and cherry. Birch fires contain beautiful blue flames, and the logs themselves are decorative, with silvery bark that can complement your home décor.

Depending on whether you use black, yellow, or white birch, burn times and heat levels will vary. The most important consideration is the dryness of the logs. Firewood should contain no more than 15 to 20 percent moisture content. For softwoods like birch, this means a curing process of at least three to six months.

Be mindful of your state’s laws and guidelines for purchasing firewood.

This Firewood Map will tell you exactly what you to look for in your locale, including pest information. You can also check the USDA’s Plants Database to make sure you are not accidentally buying an endangered species. Oleander and poisoned varieties of oak, ivy, and sumac should never be burned, because they release toxic substances.

Cooking food is mostly done over a fire. But, using wood to smoke a food particularly brisket will surely give a smoky, yet sweet flavor. The flavor produced by the smoke is so iconic, but each type of wood adds aromatic element and unique flavor to the food.

That’s why it’s important to choose the right type of wood appropriate to the food you need to smoke such as brisket. See to it that the wood complements the meat better.

Different Types of Wood For Smoking Brisket

If you’re planning to smoke a brisket, you should consider meat-wood combinations in order to achieve the best results.

Hardwood works best for heavier meats like pork and beef. On the contrary, lighter hardwoods are recommended for delicate meats like fish and chicken.

To help you know more about smoking wood, check this out.

• Oak

Oak wood is stronger than cherry or apple, yet lighter than hickory or mesquite. It is very versatile as it yields a medium smoky flavor works well with different type of meat making it perfect for a newbie to smoking. It is best to use oak wood when smoking beef, lamb, brisket, or sausages.

Blackjack Oak Wood For Smoking Meat

• Hickory

This type of wood can be used to smoke in varied ways. But, you should be careful in using too much hickory wood for smoking brisket because it can lead to a bitter flavor of your brisket. Nevertheless, using it correctly can produce a savory, sweet, and a bit bacony flavor to your smoked meat.

It is ideal for smoking pork shoulders, larger cuts of ribs, poultry, and all red meat.

Recommended 5 Best Wood Chips For Smoking

• Mesquite

This wood has earthy and strong flavor on your brisket. If used improperly it can lead to the bitter and harsh flavor. It burns fast and strong because mesquite is an oily wood. It’s a perfect choice for grilling dark meats.

• Maple

If you’re planning to smoke poultry or game foul, the best choice of wood is the maple. It is subtle that’s why you can expect for a light, sweet, and mild smokiness.

• Apple

Apple wood yields a sweet and mild flavor. But, its smoke takes time to infuse into the meat. Thus, you should expect to smoke your food several hours. It is best to use apple wood when you smoke pork, wild foul, and chicken.

• Pecan

Pecan wood provides a sweet, rich, and nutty flavor. You can also combine another harder wood to balance the flavor. You can use this type of wood if you will smoke ribs, roasts, and briskets.

• Cherry

Another fruitwood that works for all types of meat is the cherry. It offers fruity and mild flavor making it perfect for pork and beef. Combining it with hickory complements each other flavor, thus achieve amazing results. You can also use cherry wood to smoke ham, turkey, or chicken.

There are other types of wood that are not recommended to use when smoking meat such as pine, fir, Cyprus, or any wood that is considered “evergreen”. It’s because these types of wood have sap and they don’t add flavor to the meat.

Extra Tips For Smoking Brisket

Here are some tips on how to obtain the best possible results when smoking:

1. Soak the wood – If you will use wood chips when smoking the meat, you should soak them in water at least 12 to 24 hours and drain them afterward. This way, the wood chips won’t create flames when placed on hot coal. Instead, it will increase the volume of smoke and steam inside the smoker. On the contrary, if you’ll use fresh hardwood logs, it’s not necessary to soak them because it contains moisture enough to generate steam and smoke.
2. Avoid excessive smoking – The smoke plays a big role in the taste of the brisket, but you should avoid excessive smoking. Otherwise, leaving the brisket inside the smoker for an extended time will create bitter taste.
3. Combine different woods – Each type of wood has its own scent and flavor. It follows that pairing different types of woods can enhance the aroma of the smoke and at the same time enhance the taste of the brisket.

If you want to make the most of smoking a brisket, you need to consider some factors such as the thickness of the meat, the rubs, smoking techniques and others. Additionally, selecting the right type of wood also impacts the success of smoking a brisket.

Blackjack Oaks

Read How To Use Electric Smoker Wood Chips

Choosing the right size of wood

If you will smoke a brisket, you should consider the size of wood. It usually comes in three sizes such as:

Blackjack Oak Wood For Smoking In Houston

1. Chips – Wood chips are also known as wood scraps or shavings. They are available in a small size that’s why they easily burn. If you’ll smoke larger cuts of brisket, using wood chips is not recommended. You can buy chips in stores.
2. Chunks – If you will smoke larger cuts of brisket, using wood chunks is perfect. It does not burn easily, but once ignited it will last for hours. This means that wood chunks work best if you need to smoke the meat in a long time.
3. Logs and sticks – If you’re using offset smoker you can consider using sticks and logs. It is difficult to keep them burning, but they produce the volume of smoke.