Oak, Mesquite, Pecan or Hickory? Picking the Right Barbecue Wood | BBQ with Franklin | Full Episode
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
- When you’re cooking with fire, you’d better have good wood. Aaron covers the major types of wood used in Texas BBQ, gives some tips on building a fire, and shows a twist on using smoke for more than cooking meat. [Originally premiered in 2015]
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BBQ with Franklin
Pitmaster Aaron Franklin takes a boisterous road trip of BBQ culture -- the people, the places, and of course the food. Ten half-hour episodes celebrate the traditions and storied histories passed down through the generations, as well as those breathing new life into this distinctly American culture. - Jak na to + styl
Two sticks of oak and one stick of mesquite very good flavor profile.
All of these videos with Aaron are the absolute best!
Absolutely loving all these recent videos with Aaron.. Such a great source of knowledge from a humble master.
And to think all these videos they are putting out are from 2015 .. 🤯
@@georgem4033Oh well I've never seen them.. Is the information still pertinent today?
@@baxill23very
Growing up in Hawaii we used Kiawe wood or Mesquite or Guava branches for Hawaiian Smoke meat and huli huli chicken
When I visited Hawaii, I loved all the Kiawe wood girlls/BBQ...im from Poland so we use Beech a lot and it has a really nice mild flavor which works for all meats and fish
I lived in HI for 8 years, 90-98... I dearly miss huli huli chicken from the dude that set up in Pearl City across from the Bike shop!😊
@@jacksondaniels8169 I was there from 99-01 and I know the exact guy you're talking about lol. I used to split between going to him and there was a guy right off of Nimitz Hwy heading towards Waikiki.
@@HalfUnder Sweet! Glad to know someone else knew of the spot. I sent my son there while he was there for a friends wedding a few months back and it was no longer there. If I recall correctly, he also setup on the North Shore on the weekends.
@jacksondaniels8169 Now I'm just craving a plate lunch and some malasadas lol
In KY, our family has always done whole hog with hickory and fruit woods. In Eastern KY, lamb and game meat has a long history and before the chestnut trees were decimated they were used with alder.
I need to take a road trip down to Owensboro to try the mutton. I’m only a few hours north.
@@Ftiger8229oh yeah!! Old Hickory is really good
Hickory is definitely the right wood in KY
No kidding, KY has a to. Of hickory trees 😂😂😂. People use the wood that’s available to them. Duh
Aaron Franklin is such a great teacher, he doesn't hide anything! He wants you to learn and it's very refreshing. Kudos for these videos. and Aaron, thank you!
I think the secret to any master of their art: Is that sharing is successful. You can share the fundamentals. You can share some secrets. But at the end of the day, if you’re so confident in your ability, you should be able to share knowledge.
@@alviltayco3713 I completely agree.
And you skipped right over how Alabama does Q. Here, it's oak and hickory. Well, that's all my granddad knew roasting a whole hog on his open brick pit in the backyard during the late Fall. All night long. The firewood was gathered from the woods on the place. And he'd tent the roasting hog with sheets of tin. We ate good in those days on the farm. To honor my granddad's tradition today, I use an offset smoker, starting with oak to get the fire hot, and then going to hickory to get the roast pig flavor where I want it to remind me of my days growing up during the Fall in the country. And I still gather oak and hickory from trees on our place downed by the wind or lightening. Aaron knows how to do it in a way that honors nature and traditional country ways. Growing up with fig trees in the backyard, who knew they could be used for brew!?
@19:55 OMG Not the Fedora!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣Hipsters.
Im in Fresno, Ca. We have plenty of Almond, peach, and nectarine.
Great flavor!
In central Texas I use oak, mesquite, and pecan sometimes I’ve got some peach or fruit wood and it’s great also
When I lived in Texas : east tx was post oak. Houston primarily pecan with oak. South Tx and Central Tx was pecan. West Texas was mesquite with Abilene a mix as well .
San Saba is the Pecan Capital of The World. No where near east Texas.
Best barbecue pits are made by David Klose of Klose Engineering.
Oak and hickory have to be the most universal. Fruit woods for pork and chicken. Madrone is also good if you're in the West. Mesquite is great for fish, but good in other meats when mixied.
I bought half a rick of black cherry few years ago and quickly discovered it was WAY over-rated compared to oak, hickory, and pecan, which is actually just another species of hickory. Maybe apple and peach impart more flavor than cherry? I don’t know but it took me a long time to use up that cherry since I learned quickly to only mix with hickory for ribs or chicken or after wrapping in foil. I used a bunch of it in my fire pit 😂
Great video! I always learn something with your videos, awesome!
I couldnt imagine having to work at a high end bbq place. Its my favorite and since I'm from the Houston area and BBQ myself, I'd hate to get tired of it. Sometimes when im dont with a Brisket i dont even want any just from the long process.
I totally get that. I did a brisket for Easter, I cooked it over night so it would be ready on time...man I was beat!
Great video! I always learn something new watching this.
Awesome video; Extremely informative. thank you!!!
In the 70s in San Antonio BBQ always meant brisket, sausage and Fajitas. If you were more country you'd have tripas. Guacamole and Pico de Gallo was as common as German potato salad... and don't forget boracho beans
that man loading up the wood will live many years!
Always mixed hickory and oak. I have lots of scrub, turkey, oak available.
I’m from Georgia and your fairly wrong about what woods we use. It really depends on what orchards are near you. Every year you can fill several truck beds with limbs trimmed from the trees. Fruit woods are more to certain regions like North east Georgia for apple wood and Macon area for peach wood. Everywhere else your more likely to find Pecan. Considering we produce a whole lot more pecans than the other 2 your most likely to find those. I grew up and learned on pecan wood on a regular offset. In addition we tend to do our best to suffocate. For most areas of Georgia there is no such thing as too much smoke. Never forget the first time I saw and tried Traeger smoked bbq. It was pretty good, but I missed my smoke. That and using a Traeger feels kind of soulless as well. I live outside of the US now and when my fellow expats that come over for BBQ are amazed at how much smoke i have coming out of my smoker
You missed Central Coast California. Santa Maria grilling over red oak.
I grew up in middle TN. Pecan was always the wood I remember but that might be because we were just surrounded by them. Pulled pork and dry ribs. Though Nashville had a great white sauce place.
The Salt Lick, with locations in Driftwood & Round Rock, TX, cooks on open pits using direct heat. It was the favorite of both Presidents Bush. They even had them cater at The White House.
We use a lot of oak in east Texas too there is a lot of white,red and post oak too use
I’m in Houston area and it’s mostly Post Oak and Pecan. Yes you can find other woods but for the most part it’s Post Oak and sometimes Pecan.
I’m in North DFW, I use hickory & alternate pecan every other log. I do brisket, I’m not into chopped beef
Great video and information 👍🏼
For beef and pork, I use hickory or oak. For fish, chicken and cheese, I use apple or red alder. And maple is great with just about anything.
I havent seen this show in years! ❤
You have the best CZcams channel of anybody that I've ever watched.😊
In all of my years smoking every kind of meat they sell in Texas, I have found folks really enjoy my serving them the meat off of my smoker that was cooked with Red Oak….believe that or not….if you have ever cooked with red oak you know what I mean
I'm east of DFW where there is post oak, pecan, and mesquite, that grow naturally. I have been experimenting with different woods for years. To me, hickory is king. But I have to go into eastern OK, Arkansas, and Missouri to find a lot of it. Pecan would be my next favorite.
Pecan is actually in the hickory family of trees. So is pignut hickory, mockernut hickory, and a few others. Mockernut is the most abundant hickory in OK, TX, AR, MO. Hickory produces a sweet and peppery fragrance. It is hard to beat, but you have to age it correctly and not use it wet or after a rain. Pecan can likewise be very finicky and you have to limit how much bark goes into the mix and make sure it is good and dry.
Post oak is my favorite all-purpose wood for the smoker. I start all fires in my smoker with post oak. It is a very friendly wood, easy to burn, not finicky, and rarely causes any trouble. The smell is a nice and gentle, neutral oak smell. It is very nice, but it simply doesn't hold a match to hickory or pecan in terms of that sweet, beautiful smoke. All of this is my opinion, obviously.
Apple wood would be near the top of my list, but it only grows way up north and west for the most part. But it smells amazing and I wish we could grow it here in Texas.
Go east Georgia, Florida, SC def have apple trees
In Cali, we often use hickory and red oak.
The scene with the hammock had me cracking up..
Don't negate fruit woods. Apple, Peach, and Cherry are very big in the regions where they each grow. Pork marries well with all three.
Absolutly love the dutch oak and beech
I love to smoke cheese! I do it in the dead of winter, on a very cold day/night. That make's is even easier, as you never have to worry about melting your cheese.
You still do in New Orleans...even in winter....haha.
Here in Central Texas we have different soil types that post oak grows in. Sand, Red clay, Black Clay, and Caliche. It effects the wood, and the flavor you get when smoking. Also have some different sub species of mesquite that I only use for grilling with.
Affects
Yes!
East Texas here. Have done a lot of smoking with Pecan and White Oak as we have tons of it here.
I have had the privlidge of trying many different woods, having a contact in the tree trimming business.
IMO, mesquite compliments chicken the best, oak and pecan for beef, and I lean towards pecan for pork. I don’t see a lot of hickory here (hour north of Houston) but would like to give that a try.
Mixing in fruitwoods with the oak and pecan are 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
It’s hard to come by but Black Walnut is pretty darn good with beef too
I use cherry apple and misquite blend. Never used oak but want to try it
Whether I use an offset or direct grill I always use a blend of mesquite and oak. A western hill country blend. I also use pecan when I can find a few fallen branches. But then again it is a blend.
pecan and oak mix is my favorite
I just like the flavor of mesquite.
Feelin the hops😂
How do woods from fruit trees like apple & cherry compare to the 4 types mentioned here in regards of flavor, heat, length of time to let it dry before usage & how long it tends to burn?
My experience confirms common sense that denser nut woods will produce more BTU’s than fruit woods and Daddy told me that oak coals lasted the longest. I’ve heard folks rave about fruit wood smoke, at least for chicken and pork, and I’ve used apple and peach wood chunks in charcoal smokers with good results. Maybe they’re also great in an offset smoker but the only fruitwood I’ve used much in mine is black cherry. I bought half a rick of it not too long ago and wasn’t pleased one bit. Before it seasoned enough it didn’t burn worth a hoot and then once it did it just didn’t have much flavor. Thankfully it was a heck of a buy and I used a lot of it in our fire pit. I suspect that it’s literally the most overrated smoke wood there is lol. Here in Wilson county TN east of Nashville shagbark hickory is by far what we have more than anything and it works just fine.
Hickory and pecan - my favorite woods to smoke with.
No mesquite for me as I do not like the flavor it imparts, but any of the others are good, with hickory being first choice.
Wish we had access to wood here on Alberta Canada. Thanks
This must be a little older than 3 months! I about lost it when Ron showed up. Worked with Ron on a fun dinner at my coffee bar a few years back up in Washington. He started an excellent brewery in Washington called Garden Path. They're truly excellent, and Ron knows his stuff. But he's been in Washington since at least 2019, and this video was published in 2023, so the timelines are a little spoopy here.
lol, just saw that it was 2015.
Yehawwwww!!! Gotta visit some time!!
My Dad always said, the best smoke comes from the bark .Have you ever heard that. My Dad cooked ribs and Boston butts on an open cider block pit using green hardwood fresh from the sawmill.
Shout out to California -- Lots of almond out here. It works really well in pizza ovens. Not sure about offsets but my guess is is fine for that too.
Pecan use it in a side small smoker/ grill. Only use pecan after a year or so one took about 18 months that smoker / grill will start to smell like syrup sweet amd sugary pecan only for over a year. After that if you live in Texas or similar place just the hot sun hitting the smoker will smell like syrup and sweet awesome bbq.
Great video, keepem comin
Great video,buy that guy on the saw some safety gear😮
The best breakfast scramble egg with brisket
NC Barbecue is the best. Anything cooked since the year 1800 is hipster 'cue.
Pecan wood from my trees here in Missouri
the next best thing to post oak in my experience has been ash. burns similar. tastes similar. smells similar. very good alternative if you can't find good oak.
I have an Old Country BBQ off set smoker. I have found that using 6-8 inch chunks works better than whole logs. Of course, when I'm cooking behind the house, there is seldom a breeze, do you think adding a fan or something would help with the air flow? The cooker has to stay in that spot. Thanks
a fan would definitely help! Just make sure it's placed far enough away that the flames don't start dancing up.
Maybe try adding an extension to the stack? The warm air naturally rises and results in a better draw through the firebox. Your local Lowe's should have something you can try. Check the HVAC or wood stove aisle. I also found out that using smaller splits helps in my smoker along with the stack extension. Using well seasoned wood and preheating the wood on the top of the firebox helps too.,....
Happy smoking!!!
Here in deep south texas we do alot of carne asada so we burn mesquite to coals and grill, as per smoking people use Mesquite and Live Oak or Pecan.
Ur lying
@@Steve-cu1ye what im i lying about
@@Steve-cu1yewhy would he lie? It's the truth and mesquite carbon is king in South TX.
Yup. Mesquite is almost all they have in S. Texas and love me some chicken cooked with mesquite
I know Texas has great bbq but I am proud to say the best pitmasters are in desoto county ms
Great videos!
Sensible chuckles
He's a natural for the camera.
What kind of grill is he using?
My wife finds it very weird as to why I like to sit by my smoker just looking at the thermometer.
just cut down a mulberry tree the other day. going to try it out on some pork sonce its all over Indiana and people are always trying to get rid of them.
Eastern Kansas use cherry to set the meat hedge for heat
Maple baby, my favorite as of now. Simply because i haven't been smoking very long. Maple.. what doesn't go good with maple smoke?
22:58- Brewery hide and seek champion 🏆 🍺
What no California red oak come on man no mentions Santa Maria tri-tip
PNW is apple and cherry. Of course we have oak, maple, alder and beech as well. Much more subtle than mesquite and hickory.
I would like to find the names of the songs used in the series? Are they available?
Mesquite is king here in AZ
he said "Barbecue is huge right now" . when hasn't it been
When brisket was a 1.99 - a pound....
Ten years ago and previous
Much as i love Mesquite wood and it taste, I think Oak wood is the best. Its a heavy smoker Not a hot fire like Pecan, and a Bitter Taste like Hickory. Some things Hickory is good on, and some NOT
I don’t think Owensboro is east enough to get smoked lamb. You have to get in the mountains of South Eastern Kentucky. I wish I could remember the place, but they do whole hog and whole lamb, but we had to order the lamb the day before, because it was so popular in that area.
so I know it's a small complaint, but I wish the graphic at 5:09 included Santa Maria style bbq!
Hickory and Oak
Have used fruit tree wood such as apple and peach.
I like all the wood choices but what I’m interested in is what NOT to use.
I’m guessing
Conifer woods
Walnut
Eucalyptus
Camphor
Anything else?
haha thats awesome
At :30 seconds in might show you why he prefers oak
Manzanita wood will smoke hickory hands down ❤ Pioneer Ca Manzanita that is ❤best in the West😊
Pecan is best!!!!!
Post oak is king, white oak is the kings brother, pecan is queen, and fruit woods are the kids.
Mesquite wood is the grandparents 🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱
Aaron…Whatchu mean leaving Abilene out?!? Lol. We use Mesquite and whatever else we can find! Pecan, I even “import” some post oak from time to time 🤣
I love that he's using an Old Country to smoke the cheese, instead of a Franklin pit...
Video is pretty old the "Franklin pit" didn't exist back then. This series was on PBS probably 8 years or so ago.
@@kdr082475 Ah, my mistake. I saw it was published recently, but now that I'm seeing the description that it was from 2015.
Senior VP of Post Oak Operations….P.O.O….? Please tell me that was on purpose. 😂
😂😂😂
Is that an Old Country Pecos?
Hickory and apple is king in Tennessee
Mulberry
If anyone who like anything smoky then I suggest you try some Mexican Mezcal in my opinion I choose Mezcal over tequila any day off the week and twice on Sunday
Is this sell in the U.S.?
Not really I never new mezcal up until 3 or 4 years ago but the one I drink is called (Mezcal Sacrificio Tobala) it’s pretty good every one who I offered have preferred it over tequila but that’s just my family and a couple of friends I suggest you give it a try you won’t be disappointed, get back to me if you do try it. Oh one other thing I keep it cold in my freezer so I drink it cold 👍
Madrone is the best and so rare, you only get it off your property as it’s not retailed.!
Pecan is good. Hickory is good but can be overdone.
But, Post Oak is the best….. in my opinion
Mesquite and red pecan. Cause I’m from Texas y’all
sorry Americans but i prefer my aussie timbers. iron bark, red gum, blue gum, paper bark are delicious flavours and very stong
That person running that chainsaw,should never do so again!