Oak tree in full autumn canopy.
AS HARD AS OAK HARDWOOD!
With over 60 species of oak hardwood in the USA, this hardwood can be split into two categories: Red Oak and White Oak. It is one of the most popular hardwoods to use in cooking likely because of its ready availability. But as we’ve mentioned before, just because something is available in your area, doesn’t make it a success for all cooking techniques and foods.
Oak is a heavy, strong, and ring-porous hardwood resulting in a coarse texture and prominent grain. Oak hardwood is part of the Fagaceae family of wood. The scientific names for the varieties we manufacture are Quercus coccinea Muenchh., Quercus falcata Michx. Var. Falcata, Quercus muehlenbergii Engelm., Quercus prinus L., and Quercus velutina Lam. The common names for the varieties found in the Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania regions include Red Oak, Spanish Oak, Yellow Chestnut Oak, Rock Oak, Smoothbark Oak.
Oak is considered the strongest in flavor for hardwoods. It is known for providing deep coloring to the outer skin of foods meaning a very dark often black outer skin and it can be overpowering to those who aren’t used to smoked foods. It also is a hardwood that can mold easily especially when exposed to significant variations in temperature and humidity. Additionally, it does not like to make contact with metal which can be a challenge when cutting with metal/steel tools! Oak will show its distaste by producing black streaks on the wood or even coating its entire outside with a black “dye”-like substance.
Oak Hardwood Cooking & Smoking Profile:
Heat Level: High – 21.7 (red) 26.5 (white) MBTU
Fuel Efficiency: Excellent
Ease of Lighting: Fair
Ideal Uses: Grilling/Braising/Pit Roasting/Hot Smoking/Cold Smoking (white)
So, if you are keen on bold flavors and definitely like smokiness to your foods, then oak is a clear winner. However, I do recommend using less of this wood when cooking poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables and herbs/spices especially if you have a gas assist unit or are using lump hardwood charcoal or hardwood Charwood for fuel.
SmokinLicious® products:
Wood Blocks
Smoker Logs
Wood Chunks: Double and Single Filet
Wood Chips: Grande Sapore®, Minuto®, & Piccolo®
More Related reading on “What Wood for Smoking” and other great smoking and grilling tips and techniques
Related reading:
-THE BOLDNESS OF OAK!
-IS THE FOOD INDUSTRY CULPABLE FOR THE SPREAD OF OAK TREE MORTALITY?
-COOKING WITH WOOD YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT YOUR SAFETY
-WHAT WOOD TO USE FOR SMOKING: A PRIMER
Dr. Smoke uses Oak Hardwood for long ember fired cooking and grilling!