# Smoking with Apple wood versus Crab Apple



## 48rob (Apr 2, 2011)

Do those of you who smoke meat/food ever use Crab Apple?

I have several that need to come down and would hate to waste it if it is good stuff!

Rob


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## smokinj (Apr 2, 2011)

MMAUL And I got one last year his trialer wound up with that load....He should know for sure. I am thinking like you though should work nice! First run Hot Dogs or Bologna!


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## Thistle (Apr 2, 2011)

I've used them both over the years,cant tell any difference between them.Both are great. Crab is usually smaller sizes.Got a few sticks left from trimming neighbor's tree last spring,bought 10lbs of chicken breasts for the freezer last night.Sounds like a good match to me in a couple weeks  :coolsmile:


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## smokinj (Apr 2, 2011)

Thistle said:
			
		

> I've used them both over the years,cant tell any difference between them.Both are great. Crab is usually smaller sizes.Got a few sticks left from trimming neighbor's tree last spring,bought 10lbs of chicken breasts for the freezer last night.Sounds like a good match to me in a couple weeks  :coolsmile:



I figured it would work, but MMAUL Got the crab and I got the apple.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 2, 2011)

Just do not try to use thorn apple. You may not appreciate the odor.


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## 48rob (Apr 2, 2011)

Thanks all!

It is definitely not Hawthorne.

Would you guys be willing to share your secrets of how to prepare and store these chips?
From standing tree to bagged?
Bark on/off.
How to dry to keep them from molding?

I'm not much into smoking things, but have a lot of residents and customers who might appreciate a bag of chips as a gift, assuming I can process the chips without going broke...

I have Crab Apple, Wild Cherry, Shagbark Hickory, and the occassional fruit tree (Apple, Pear, Peach, Plum...)

My tree guy can chip these things for me in his massive chipping machine in like 3 seconds.
I've watched them run 14" logs through it!

(I understand the kind of volume I can be getting into, we stockpile, and use 20+ dump loads of winter chips a year for landscaping on our properties).
If we end up with too much, it just goes on the compost pile...

Rob


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## smokinj (Apr 2, 2011)

Paper Sack! Shake weekly...Chunks one bag chips in another.


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## midwestcoast (Apr 3, 2011)

48rob said:
			
		

> Would you guys be willing to share your secrets of how to prepare and store these chips?
> From standing tree to bagged?
> Bark on/off.
> How to dry to keep them from molding?Rob



I'd love to hear those answers as well. I've never smoked anything (well, not since college anyway...).  I've got plenty of Mulberry on-hand, but so far only 1 milk crate of chips drying. The rest is in chunks.
Mostly wondering how to easily turn chunks into smoker sized chips & do I need to de-bark it?

Jay, you mean like a leaf bag? That'd work for me.

btw, I saw apple for sale at a nursery today for $1 per chunk!, about 2"x2"x4". The wood would cost more than the meat!


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## Mmaul (Apr 4, 2011)

I cant tell a real differance between apple and crab apple. Same trip yielded some pear so I will be using some of that mixed in with the apple. Only tree I have ever split that smell like the fruit it bears.


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## 48rob (Apr 4, 2011)

Thanks all for the replies!

Do you guys prefer chips, or chunks for smoking?
A general search shows most seem to like chunks as they last longer.

Rob


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## Mmaul (Apr 4, 2011)

Depends on what I am using to smoke with, I believe the best thing is what you feel most comfortable with. Experement.


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## 48rob (Apr 4, 2011)

MM,

 Thank you,

Here is why I'm asking;



> Iâ€™m not much into smoking things, but have a lot of residents and customers who might appreciate a bag of chips as a gift, assuming I can process the chips without going brokeâ€¦
> 
> I have Crab Apple, Wild Cherry, Shagbark Hickory, and the occassional fruit tree (Apple, Pear, Peach, Plumâ€¦)
> 
> My tree guy can chip these things for me in his massive chipping machine in like 3 seconds.



I don't think I can afford to do a couple hundred bags of chips if it must all be done by hand.
If I can run the different trees through the chipper though, it becomes realistic...

Rob


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## Mmaul (Apr 4, 2011)

If you can get them in chips, get them that way and adjust how you smoke. Go for it if its that easy, I like to soak small chips in water overnight to get a nice long burn out of them.


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## Deere10 (Apr 4, 2011)

Any fruit bearing tree and the wood can be used for smoking. I mix in some Hickory and Cherry also when smoking Ribs,Pork,and Beef.  It all comes with practice. A small smoker chips will work better, The larger the smoker the larger the chunks.  Good luck. I have been cooking/smoking for 4 yrs now.


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## Bigg_Redd (Apr 5, 2011)

48rob said:
			
		

> Do those of you who smoke meat/food ever use Crab Apple?
> 
> I have several that need to come down and would hate to waste it if it is good stuff!
> 
> Rob



I'm no horticulturalist, nor am I an orchardist, but, I think apples and crab apples grow on the same trees and it's simply a matter of grafting.  I'm voting it's as good as anything use in a smoker.


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## midwestcoast (Apr 5, 2011)

What about the bark? Will it affect the flavor much?  I have a lot of small branches so lots of bark on there; toss them or keep'em?


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## Stubborn Dutchman (Apr 5, 2011)

midwestcoast said:
			
		

> What about the bark? Will it affect the flavor much?  I have a lot of small branches so lots of bark on there; toss them or keep'em?



I just started smoking last year. A friend of mine has been smoking for years and does several benefits every year. I asked him about using chunks of all the small limbs I trimmed off my apple trees. He said he uses all the wood he gets, bark and all. Just lets it season well so it isn't bitter!

BTW: check out THE Smoke Ring and other sites devoted to smoking. Lots of great reading there!


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## Thistle (Apr 5, 2011)

Stubborn Dutchman said:
			
		

> BTW: check out THE Smoke Ring and other sites devoted to smoking. Lots of great reading there!



My other favorite home. Discovered them last year,havent been there in a few weeks now.All kinds of great info for sure.


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## midwestcoast (Apr 5, 2011)

Thanks. Will check it out.


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## jackofalltrades (Apr 6, 2011)

Many apple trees are grafted on to crabapple stock so there would be no difference in the wood its self.


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## Creature (Apr 6, 2011)

midwestcoast said:
			
		

> What about the bark? Will it affect the flavor much?  I have a lot of small branches so lots of bark on there; toss them or keep'em?



I just scored some cherry, which will be my first foray into non-bagged smoke wood (now that I have a stove .... and new smoker too!).  I read somewhere to remove the bark because it imparts a bitter flavour (flavor for US readers), but I was specifically looking for information on cherry wood.  I think you should remove it if you have any doubt, you don't want to ruin a cook because you left the bark on.


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