POll: What wood do you use for smoking

[Northman]

I'm sure you will get lots of replies of people's favorite smoking woods. I have not used grape vines nor do I know anyone that has used them. I don't think it would taste very good because it is a soft wood. Hard woods are what's used in smoking because at the lower temperatures we smoke at i.e. 170 deg to 275 deg we get a more complete combustion with the hard woods which means less soot. The soot is what gives the meat a bitter taste. With pork, chicken, and beef it is best to keep your temp above 200 deg to keep from getting soot. With the tender flesh of fish it is best to smoke between 170 to 210 deg to get a good smoke flavor without over cooking the fish. With a wood/charcoal, pellet, or gas smoker it is difficult to smoke this low even with hardwoods without creating soot. For fish, electric smokers are the best option because you have electric heating elements creating the heat not a combustion fire. The wood chips/chunks will smolder without crossing the line over to soot. The big chief smokers we original designed and built by Lure Jensen for smoking fish. I have installed a commercial thermometer in mine and depending on outdoor conditions and if I am using the heat blanket it will hold between 180-225 deg.
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