Home of Smokey Bear’s Gourmet Cooking Wood Long before the advent of charcoal briquettes and propane people were cooking their meals over wood fueled fires. From the days of cave-men to less than one hundred years ago wood was the fuel of choice when it came to cooking. In this modern age we are constantly looking for a faster, cleaner and easier way to do everything, including preparing our meals. This has led to the development of bigger accessory laden gas fueled grills lining the isles of home improvement stores and showing up in our backyards. But for the barbeque purists out there nothing tastes quite the same as preparing their favorite barbeque dish over a wood fired grill. Why is this? What could possibly work better then the latest and greatest in barbecue technology? Depending on the type of wood used the "Grill-Master" (that guy who hovers over the grill creating barbecue master pieces) can create flavors in the meat, poultry or fish that just cannot be had over a more modern gas fueled grill. This flavor can further be adjusted just by the amount of wood used, how hot the fire is, and how much smoke the meat is allowed to marinate in and the

About our cooking wood. Our gourmet cooking wood is harvested from forest trees. This product is not from orchard-based woods that have been or have the potential to be sprayed or growth enhanced with chemicals, which can be transferred to the food that is being cooked. Our wood is fresh and never kiln dried. 20% moisture is the ideal moisture level for most types of smoking cooking wood. It is important to remember, that when shopping for smoking wood chips and chunks, products that are packaged in plastic bags generally must have an average moisture level of less than 8% to remain stable enough to prevent mold growth and spoilage. Unfortunately, this means this type of product would compromise the ability of it to re-hydrate, as once the molecules of the wood are deprived of air circulation and moisture, they permanently die. Our bagged cooking chunks are packaged in air flow bags to allow for natural drying. You’ll never see our gourmet woods sealed in plastic! Smokey Bear’s Gourmet Cooking Wood is used by top BBQ and gourmet restaurants as well as champion BBQ competitors (see articles and reviews in our “news” section). Whether you are a professional chef searching for a new taste from your BBQ wood, or a novice looking to learn how to smoke foods, we are your source for quality wood products! Try our wood chunks, wood chips or logs the next time you want to impress your friends or take first prize at your next BBQ competition.

We carry Hickory, Pecan, Cherry, Oak, Apple and Mesquite. Click here to visit our online store.

This flavor can further be adjusted just by the amount of wood used, how hot the fire is, and how much smoke the meat is allowed to marinate in and the quality of the wood used.

CHARACTERISTICS OF "SMOKING WOODS' Types of Wood Unique smoke characteristics of the wood and flavor produced. Types of Meat Oak This is an excellent wood for smoking large pieces of meat for great lengths of time. You will find it assertive but always pleasant. Oak is probably the most versatile of all hardwoods. The smoke flavoring goes exceptionally with a brisket. It will generally produce a medium to heavy (but seldom overpowering) flavor. Briskets Roasts Chops Steaks Pecan Located in abundance in the Southwest, this wood produces a medium fruity taste and is the choice of many professional chefs. Pecan will burn cool and offer a richness of character. You will not be disappointed. It can be likened to a smoother version of hickory. It may be used for longer lengths of time for smoking larger pieces of meat, such as briskets and pork roasts. Briskets Roasts Chops Steaks Fish Poultry Hickory It has been said that hickory is the King of woods and is prevalent in the Southern regions of the country. Care should be used when cooking with this wood. It will produce a sweet to strong, hearty taste. Hickory is perfect for ribs and pork shoulders. It also enhances any red meat or poultry. It is milder than mesquite, however. Red Meats All Ribs Poultry Apple This tree indigenous to the Northwest United States produces a mild and fruity type of taste. Others say it makes meat taste slightly sweet and fruity. It is mild enough for chicken and turkey. It may also be used for flavoring a ham. Chicken Turkey Fish Ham Alder This tree originates on the West Coast of the United States and generally produces a light, delicate to sweet-mild taste. It is the traditional wood used for smoking salmon, particularly in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Alder works on most any fish. Salmon Other Fish Poultry Cherry Cherry produces a similar taste to apple. produces a very mild and fruity flavor. You will probably find the meat tasting somewhat sweet as well. If you can find cherry, it will be mild enough for chicken, turkey and fish. Use it with flavoring a ham. Salmon Other Fish Poultry Maple Maple is generally located in the Northeast United States. It is mildly smoky and mates well with poultry, ham and vegetables. When used, it will produce a sweet and light taste. Poultry Ham Vegetables Mesquite Extra care needs to also be used with this mystical wood. Over the past decade, it has gained particular favor in the area of fajitas.The flavor can become strong very quickly. It is best used for grilling where the smoke does not actually penetrate the meat. Small portions may be used when smoking if other wood is utilized as the primary heat source. Chicken Beef Fish Over time, we have received inquires from our many visitors as to whether or not it is ok to use this type of wood or that type. The answer lies mostly in the fact whether or not the wood is a hardwood instead of a softwood. Some of the many different, exotic if you will, types of wood are as follows: Guava, Almond, Walnut, Peach, Cherry, Apricot