When property owners are forced to take down a tree in the yard due to storm damage or because it is dead, they often look for an alternative to simply disposing of it in the nearby landfill. One popular notion is to cut it down and use it in the smoker. It must first be cut down with a chainsaw, then dried and seasoned enough to burn. Using cut up wood adds unique flavor to food when cooking outdoors, especially different types of meats.

Apple

Apple is among the choicest types of trees for smoking and cooking. Its fruity sweetness permeates the smoke and gives great flavor to anything cooked in it. Smoked apple wood pork bacon, for example, is very popular and is a growing trend in American cuisine. Apple trees may pose a slight challenge to anyone taking it down with a chainsaw, due to its wealth of spidery branches at the top of the tree. The trunk is often gnarled and requires some skill with a chainsaw, but is well worth the effort to the person who gets to cook with the dried out apple wood.

Hickory

If apple is not the most popular type of wood for smoking, then it must be hickory. Hickory produces a hearty smoky flavor that marries well with beef, pork and poultry. Long after it has been cut down with a chainsaw and seasoned for a while, the hickory tree can continue to be appreciated, if no longer for its shade, then for its fine flavor.

Mesquite

Popular for grilling and smoking, mesquite trees are best used as a companion to charcoal or other types of wood. It does not burn well on its own and takes a long time to dry out and season. It is a very smoky timber which adds a lot of flavor to game, fish and vegetables.

Pecan

Known more for its nuts than for smoking, pecan trees are similar in aroma and flavor to hickory. Known to grow in the wild for years, they will only produce nuts when a male and female pecan tree are within 20 feet of each other. When taking the tree down with a chainsaw cannot be avoided, using dried pecan chips and logs in the smoker is a rewarding alternative. Pecan wood adds tremendous flavor to beef and pork. It can be used with any meats or vegetables that smoke well.

What Not To Use

Oftentimes, seasoned wood from trees in the back yard can help consumers save money on charcoal and store-bought smoking wood. There are some tree varieties, however, that are best left to be cut by chainsaws into firewood for the chiminea or the indoor fireplace. When cooking food, steer clear of evergreens, such as pine and juniper. Elm, poplar and beech pose problems with acrid taste or poor burning features. Fruit and nut trees, on the other hand, almost always have excellent flavor for cooking and can be used successfully when available.