Last winter there was a horrific ice storm here in Oklahoma . The aftermath left neighborhoods looking like a tornado had ripped through touching only the trees. Broken and ripped tree limbs were everywhere.
The ice didn’t care whether the tree it was encapsulating was a maple, oak or a huge pecan tree. Limbs fell right and left.
People starting removing the loose limbs from their yards and setting them by the street for the cleanup crews. Some people had to completely cut down some trees that were damaged beyond saving.
This abundance of wood was gathered by the cities, and FEMA too in some cases, and taken either to a landfill or were chopped into wood chips for compost.
Some of us, knowing that winter would eventually pass, hoarded hickory limbs. We salvaged cherry wood and pecan all because we knew that summer would inevitably arrive.
Summer is in full swing here. It’s hot, and it’s much too hot to cook inside. The barbecue grills are being lit all over. And what better to use to cook with than these salvaged tasty woods?
Nothing says bbq better than the smell of hickory. Whether you cook with charcoal then top off with a little wood for flavor or you burn down some larger pieces effectively creating your own coals from hunks of hickory, you too know the great taste that comes from these flavorful woods.
- Apple: Apple wood creates a sweet fruity taste to your grilled foods. Absolutely lovely with chicken.
- Cherry: Cherry wood imbibes a taste similar to apple, sweet and fruity. Try some ham cooked over cherry.
- Hickory: Aw, hickory. Hickory ’s excellent smoky flavor is absorbed readily into your favorite cut of beef.
- Maple: Maple wood imparts a sweet smoky taste to your fare. Great with chicken.
- Mesquite: Mesquite wood has intense flavor. Use this wood for small quickly cooked meats.
- Oak: Oak is abundant here in Oklahoma . It’s used at many bbq restaurants for that true outdoorsy smoky flavor.
- Pecan: Pecan wood is a great all purpose wood for flavoring, when you can find it.
We love chicken smoked over hickory. Here’s our secret marinade recipe!
Melt a stick of butter in two cups of cider vinegar. Add a teaspoon of seasoned salt. Brush onto the chicken frequently while cooking.
Make sure you cook plenty because this recipe will keep them coming back for more of that smoky flavorful tender juicy barbecued chicken.
