How to Smoke With Alder Wood
Alder wood is great for making cabinets, dressers and other types of furniture, but it is also one of the best types of wood to use for smoking. It is more sweet than other common smoking woods, such as cedar or maple, which is the main reason why smoker users love it so much. Almost any type of meat benefits from the sweet, smoky flavor that alder wood provides, but salmon and pork are the best meats to pair with it. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Soak the alder wood chips in apple cider for at least two hours. You need just enough wood chips to fill the smoker box halfway.
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2
Remove the wood chips from the cider and place them on a towel for 15 minutes. The chips should be moist, but not dripping.
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3
Start the grill and let it warm up to the desired temperature. If using a charcoal grill, start it up immediately after removing the wood chips from the cider.
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4
Place the soaked wood chips in the smoker box and close the lid of the grill.
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5
Open the vent on the grill and wait for the wood chips to heat up. You can tell they are ready when you see steam coming from the grill's vent.
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6
Put the food on the grill and cook it. The steam from the wood chips will add a smoky flavor.
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Tips & Warnings
If apple cider is not available, you can use natural apple juice.
If you are starting from a large chunk of alder wood, cut it into 1-inch chips no thicker than a half-inch. Saws and hatchets are the best tools to use for this.
Wood chips can be placed on hot coal embers of a charcoal grill if a smoke box is not available.
