Hi all. Alexander Shkudun is with you. Last time I shared with you the recipe for the right barbecue marinade, and in this article I want to talk about what kind of firewood is better to use for cooking barbecue. And why.

Surely, you have repeatedly heard that frying meat on a fire, smoking food, cooking on a grill is on firewood of certain types of trees. What right choice firewood can add flavor to the meat and make it even tastier.

It really is. True, I will not say that the right firewood is a decisive factor in cooking delicious barbecue. More like an ancillary. The role of firewood is not as important as some would like to show.

Remember, first of all, the taste of the barbecue will depend on the quality of the meat itself. From what kind of meat you have chosen. How fresh is it, and so on. I have already told you how to choose the right meat in the market or in the store.

After, this is followed by:

1. Properly selected marinade (herbs, spices).

2. The time during which the meat will marinate.

3. The correct temperature of the coals.

4. The time during which the meat will be fried. As well as the method of frying (how often to turn the skewers or grate, etc.).

By the way, I already talked about how to properly fry a barbecue in this article.

And only then, at the very end, follows the species of trees that serve as fuel for frying.

So do not overestimate the role of firewood or charcoal when preparing a barbecue. Better take care to choose really fresh, juicy and proper meat.

Firewood for barbecue: what to choose ?!

When cooking veal barbecue - birch, linden, firewood from fruit trees.

Well, lamb and pork barbecue necessarily requires the intervention of cherries, birches or lindens ...

I can even imagine you running around the city in search of firewood from an apple tree to fry a couple of chicken hams. Go to the store or gas station to the saleswoman, and such:

Mademoiselle, tell me, what kind of firewood is this? Only cherries are good for my goose. Otherwise, he will be offended and will not be tasty after frying. Or even run away. He'll say, "What? Will you roast me on oak wood?! Wow, what a mess!" And he will give a shooter. Only they saw him.

Okay, jokes, jokes, but I strongly disagree that each dish requires its own special wood.

This is nonsense!

As I said, firewood is just an auxiliary element in frying meat, which can add flavor to the kebab. And no more. Firewood or charcoal will not make the meat juicier. They won't cook it for you.

My favorites among such firewood are: firewood from linden, apple, pear or oak.

Firstly, some of them can always be found in supermarkets and gas stations. And secondly, they do not burn out quickly and retain heat very well (give a good heat). And a good heat for a barbecue is quite important and, by priority, is higher grade tree.

Should I use vine firewood?

If you can get them (and this is not so easy) and you are not embarrassed by the cost, then definitely yes. Of course, firewood from the vine burns out very quickly and does not hold heat so well, but they give the kebab a special flavor.

Should I mix firewood from different tree species?

I do not recommend. The fact is that oak firewood, for example, burns out much later than birch firewood. As a result, if you throw both firewood into the brazier, you will get a situation in which some firewood will burn out earlier and turn into coals while others will still burn. Thus, the frying process will take place at different temperature coals.

Can raw firewood be used?

Yes, you certainly may. Do not listen to anyone who will assure you that it is better not to use raw firewood at all. Like, smoke will rise, which will ruin everything, etc.

Firstly, when the smoke rises, you will not fry the kebabs yet. Unless, of course, you are some kind of smoky meat gourmet. And secondly, look first.

The only difficulty with raw firewood is to ignite them. And, of course, they will burn through much longer than dry ones.

What kind of firewood should absolutely not be used for frying barbecue

Firstly, these are parquet boards used in construction (opened with varnish, painted, etc.).

Secondly, it is firewood from acacia, poplar, aspen, fir, spruce, cedar - those tree species that contain resins.

The fact is that such firewood emits heavy smoke with a taste of tar. I don't think you want your kebab to soak it all up.

Is it possible to use charcoal and coal briquettes for cooking barbecue?!

Now a few words about charcoal and briquettes.

I will say this, if you have firewood and time, I do not recommend using charcoal.

You can never be sure what it's made of. A natural tree is a natural tree.

Well, if time is running out - charcoal and wood briquettes are really a very convenient and practical way. fast food barbecue. Despite the fact that they have a specific smell, which I personally do not like.

They are also great for cooking. various dishes in a barbecue grill (if, of course, you have one).

That's all, friends!

Choose the right firewood for grilling. May you have a wonderful and delicious weekend!

» we considered the intricacies of choosing firewood, which guarantees fragrant, tasty and beautiful smoked product. Now we will talk about wood for cooking popular dish present at almost every picnic - barbecue.

What firewood for barbecue is considered the best

There is an opinion that the best firewood for barbecue is obtained from exotic for middle lane Russian tree - saxaul. This is a very dense wood, which is often not even cut, but smashed against a solid base. Not everyone can get such firewood, so consider a more affordable fuel:

To improve the taste of barbecue, dried lemongrass, sage, tarragon, mint are added to the fire.

If you want to buy firewood for barbecue, you can opt for packaged charcoal. It burns quickly, and within a few minutes after its ignition, everything is ready for frying the barbecue. Charcoal saves cooking time.

What qualities of wood are important when frying barbecue

The main requirements for barbecue logs are that wood should not emit a lot of smoke, effectively retain heat, and serve as a source of pleasant aroma.

Birch, oak and firewood from fruit trees have a dense structure, due to which, during combustion, coals are formed, providing a strong heat. However, such heat can be excessive, so the kebab chars and dries out. In order to avoid a decrease in the quality of meat for dense firewood, high barbecues should be used.

Advice! If you use a low grill, the heat can be reduced. For this purpose, the coals are sprinkled with water or marinade, or salt is poured onto the coals with a layer of 2 cm thick. The easiest option is to move the coals apart and add them or remove them from the frying zone as needed.

When frying barbecue, you should follow a few recommendations:

• Firewood before use is recommended to be cleaned of bark, which can give the meat an unpleasant taste and smell.
• Dry wood not only burns faster, turning into coals, but also emits less smoke, which can spoil the taste of meat.
• The burning of firewood for barbecue is sometimes tried to be accelerated with the help of flammable liquids. However, they can leave an unpleasant odor and spoil the taste. Only paper can be used to kindle firewood.

Advice! To give a pleasant aroma to firewood made of dense wood - oak or linden - cherry logs are added. For this purpose, you can use fir cones, which, in addition to a spicy smell, provide the barbecue with a special taste.

What kind of wood should not be used for barbecue

When starting to fry kebabs, you should avoid certain types of wood:

• Conifers should not be used, since such logs emit resins that spoil the taste of meat.
• Firewood from rotten rotten wood is not suitable. They cannot give suitable coals and keep the heat.
• When harvesting firewood, poisonous species should be avoided.
• Raw firewood is unsuitable for these purposes, therefore, before use, they are dried in the sun or near a fire.

The owners of summer cottages are in an advantageous position, who can harvest firewood for barbecue during spring pruning. fruit trees.

Summer is the season for picnics and outdoor recreation. You can fry kebabs on coals, fish or grilled vegetables. Vacationers carefully choose meat and marinade, but do not think at all about the fuel on which all this will be cooked. There are few options, of course. But that doesn't mean they are all equally good. It's like with barbecue recipes - there are many options, the taste is different. For example, a universal recipe is wonderfully described on www.shampurok.ru, but even it can be spoiled by bad firewood. So what do you use to make a fire in nature, coals or firewood? And most importantly, what?

How to choose the right firewood

Firewood can be called the most versatile fuel. They need to be selected according to two criteria: the amount of heat and aroma. For example, firewood from hardwoods (oak, beech, birch, linden) gives a lot of heat and emits a minimum bad smell. This is a good choice for a picnic. Firewood from fruit species (cherry, apple and others) also gives a good heat and at the same time emits a rather noticeable aroma. It's a matter of taste: if you like meat with the aroma of fruits, then this raw material is just for you.

Firewood from coniferous trees should not be used at all for cooking meat and fish dishes. Pine, for example, contains a lot of resin, so when burned, it produces an unpleasant smoke and smell. The meat will have an unnatural aftertaste and be covered with a layer of soot. Already after the first piece eaten, an unpleasant sensation will appear, as if the barbecue was cooked not on wood, but on car tires.

It turns out that hard rocks are the best option, and let gourmets use fruit ones.

When choosing firewood, you need to pay attention to their size. Thin sticks are suitable exclusively for lighting, and thick logs give a lot of heat, and you can cook on them. more dishes. Experienced amateurs out-of-town recreation is advised to give preference to firewood, the diameter of which ranges from 10-15 cm. In their opinion, this is the optimal value.

It is better to take logs without bark, as it can spoil the dish. The bark burns quickly and forms a lot of ash, which is carried by the wind and ends up on what you are cooking.

Another important factor is the quality of the wood. Rotten and rotten logs are not suitable for making a fire: there will be a lot of smoke, but little heat. In addition, the firewood must be absolutely dry. How to define it? A dry log on the cut has cracks, indicating that the moisture has evaporated and the wood has dried out. Such fuel burns well and gives a lot of heat.

Conclusion: high-quality firewood big size, firm, without bark and well dried.

Which coal is better

A good alternative to firewood is charcoal. It is produced as follows: firewood is crushed to the desired size, placed in a special oven and heated there without air access. As a result, the cellulose that makes up wood is split and a porous substance, coal, remains. What is the advantage of this fuel? Charcoal is the ready-made heat needed to cook barbecue. With it, you don’t have to wait until the fire burns out, you can immediately pour it, set it on fire and cook!

When choosing coals, you also need to pay attention to the size of the raw materials. Ideally, they should be the size of a fist. Small coals burn quickly, which means you can’t cook a lot of meat on them. By the way, high-quality coals should be from hardwoods, without unnecessary aromas and soot.

The most expensive coal is briquetted pressed. It is made like this: ordinary coal is ground into crumbs, binders (starch and others) are added, pressed and small briquettes of the same shape are obtained. There are many advantages to compressed coal. It is very dense, compact, burns slowly and gives a lot of heat, which is distributed evenly. This option costs an order of magnitude more expensive, but the purchase will justify itself, because it will be enough for more than one picnic.

What to choose for barbecue - firewood or coal?

Tip: if you love the smell of a campfire and have a lot of time to barbecue, choose firewood, and if the company demands “meat and circuses” as soon as you get out of the car, then coals will help out.

Have a delicious barbecue and enjoy your holiday!

Before the start of the heating season, private traders are engaged in the purchase of firewood, paying attention only to the price and appearance combustible material. For cooking in nature, everything that burns is used, because of which the meat often acquires an unpleasant taste. In this article we will tell you why you should pay attention to the properties of a particular wood, what is the difference between hard and soft woods.

Types of firewood and their properties

Consider the main types of firewood, as well as their features. Let's talk about the difference between soft rocks and hard ones.

Hard rocks

Hardwoods are characterized by the absence of large chambers with air between the wood fibers. Thus, such wood is distinguished by its density, resistance to the external environment, as well as weight. Even a small branch will be very weighty. Such a tree gives maximum amount heat.

Hard rocks are problematic to chop and saw. This wood burns slowly, gradually, gives a lot of coals. At the same time, it is not used for ignition, since a high temperature is required for ignition.

Important! Hardwood can burn even when damp, as the density of the fibers prevents it from absorbing too much water. Wet hardwood logs burn much longer than dry ones.

These breeds include:

Breeds of medium hardness

To this species refers to wood, which has medium parameters. This group includes both coniferous and deciduous trees. Wood during combustion emits an average amount of heat, burns even when wet, but not waterlogged (wet or freshly cut).

Gives a sufficient amount of coal, but burns out faster than the above options. Chopping and sawing such trees is also not easy. They have dense enough fibers to complicate this process, so harvesting firewood takes a considerable amount of time.

The rocks of medium hardness include:

From this list, birch is most often used. Its price is extremely low, and the heat transfer indicators are at high level. In addition, birch is the easiest to chop.

soft rocks

This is the wood that is used for ignition. It quickly ignites, quickly burns out, leaving no coals behind. Soft breeds have a significant volume of air chambers between the fibers, so the weight of the wood is small, as is the heat transfer. Such rocks are not used for heating, since the consumption is extremely high.

Soft breeds include:

What firewood is better

For different types activities should use different types of firewood. Why conifers are not used for stoves and fireplaces, and for cooking barbecue it is better to take fruit trees, we will consider further.

To warm up the bath

To heat the bath, hardwood logs are used, as they burn out for a long time, give a lot of heat, and also do not spark. In this case, it is worth giving preference to ash, beech or oak. This wood burns evenly, gives high temperature, and its consumption is extremely small.

It is not worth melting the bath with needles, otherwise you will have problems with the chimney, and if combustion products start to enter the room, then smoke may occur. Also, these rocks spark strongly, so there is a risk of fire.

Video: how to choose firewood for a bath As for birch, it can be used for heating, but only with a sufficient amount of oxygen. If the air does not flow well, then the firewood will begin to smoke. Birch will burn even with high humidity.

For heating the house with a stove, boiler and fireplace

Absolutely any wood, even soft woods, can be used to ignite a boiler or stove, however, only hard and medium-hard woods are used as the basis. The best option is alder and aspen.

This wood burns without the formation of soot, moreover, during combustion, the chimney is self-cleaning of already accumulated soot, so you do not have to waste time. In terms of heat release, hornbeam, beech and ash are best suited.

Important!One storage meter is equal to 200 liters of liquid fuel.

They have a maximum calorific value, so they not only allow you to maintain a stable temperature in the house, but also reduce the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe storage for firewood. For comparison, 1 hornbeam storage meter gives 2.1 megawatts per hour, and spruce - 1.4 megawatts. Almost half the heat, and the area occupied by firewood is the same.
The worst are logs from poplar, pine, spruce, elm, apple. They should be abandoned for two reasons: the allocation large volume tar or smoke that clogs the chimney, as well as the appearance of sparks during the burning process, which can cause a fire.

Separately, it is worth talking about birch. In principle, this is a good option, but only with a sufficient amount of oxygen. If it is not there, then birch tar will begin to be deposited on the walls of the chimney in large volumes. As a result, the effect will be like from a firebox with pine or spruce logs.

Firewood that sparks strongly is not suitable for a fireplace, so we immediately discard soft rocks, as well as spruce and pine. Such firewood will not only ruin the sight glass of the fireplace, but will also cause the room to smoke even with good draft. In the absence of protective glass, a fire may occur due to flying sparks.

Video: what kind of wood to use for the stove and fireplace The best option is the same alder and aspen, which burn without emitting soot. To get a beautiful intricate fire, you can use small stumps or roots of hard rocks. Cedar wood smolders for a long time, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful picture of hot coals.

If the smell of burning wood is taken into account, then it is better to take an apple tree or a pear. They will fill the room with a wonderful fruity aroma. A classic for a fireplace is beech, which gives a lot of heat, does not spark, burns out for a long time, and also does not emit a lot of smoke. Beech firewood has a good smell, so they are often used for smoking.

For barbecue

The taste and aroma of barbecue depends not only on the meat and marinade, but also on the firewood on which it is cooked. For this reason, you should take care to light the fire with the right wood.
Fruit trees are always used to prepare barbecue, as they give the necessary aroma, burn without soot, and also have good heat transfer rates.

In this case, there are some favorites, namely:

• cherry;
• Apple tree;
• grapes (thick vine).

You can also use firewood from,. What should be abandoned is needles and spruce.

Such wood will cover your meat with a thick layer of unpleasant-tasting plaque that will not only spoil the look, but also the taste. Such a barbecue will have to be pre-cleaned from burning.

• (a lot of soot);
• and (bad taste of meat).

Video: how to choose firewood for barbecue

Important! It is forbidden to use the wood of poisonous trees, otherwise you will get poisoned.

As for the previously mentioned rocks that are used for space heating, they are not suitable for two reasons:

• it is difficult to ignite them, and you will have to wait more than one hour for burning out;
• they give absolutely no flavor to the meat, unlike fruit trees.

Basic rules and requirements

Consider the rules for storing and warehousing firewood, which will help preserve the material, as well as properly use the area.

warehouse for further storage only completely dried chopped firewood should be used. As a warehouse, a canopy or closed room is used, which protects the material from the sun and precipitation. The presence of a draft does not play a big role, however, the ventilation of the room should be carried out if it is completely closed.
Firewood is laid out on bricks or another base that does not allow them to come into contact with the soil. This is necessary so that the wood does not begin to absorb moisture like a sponge. To provide good support, iron or wooden beams are placed on the sides of the woodpile.

Storage

During storage, firewood should not be exposed to rain, snow, or sunlight. The room in which wood is stored must not be heated. Even if the logs are located at a great distance from the floor, the water will increase the humidity of the air, respectively, the firewood may become damp.

Remember that wood only begins to rot when the humidity is over 30%, so it is important to prevent large volumes of firewood from getting wet. It is better to remove wet logs if it is not possible to dry them quickly.

It is also necessary to leave a small gap between the stacks of firewood so that air can circulate. If this is not done, then the firewood will begin to deteriorate.

Did you know? In the tropical part of Brazil, a tree has been discovered that produces a lot of resin. This resin can be used as a diesel fuel without further processing. At the same time, one tree per year is capable of producing up to 500 liters of "free" fuel.

We looked at what types of wood should be used for various purposes and why conifers are not suitable for lighting. Hardwood always costs a lot more, but it justifies its costs.

If you like to gather in a sincere company in the country or somewhere in nature, then in most cases your gatherings are not complete without barbecue. It's pretty fun to cook. Firewood crackles in the fire, and the flame has a relaxing effect on a person. However, if you choose the wrong wood for this process, your holiday may be ruined. What kind of firewood is best for barbecue? Let's start with marriage.

List of prohibited firewood for barbecue

Cooking barbecue is an entertaining business that has its own subtleties and complexities. It must be approached very responsibly. Erroneous actions will spoil the rest and mood of the whole company.

• Boards used for construction purposes. As a rule, they are covered with paints or varnishes, treated with resins. Their burning can spoil the taste of the dish and pose a threat to human health.
• Various old things: furniture items, toys, etc. The reason is the same as in paragraph 1.
• All breeds that have resin in their composition. More often on pine trees, also mountain ash, poplar, acacia and elm - all this is not good. When burning, heavy smoke comes from the pine tree. And the kebab is saturated with a resinous flavor. After eating such a dish, the coniferous flavor will remain in the mouth for a very long time. And solemn meal will become painful, and the festive atmosphere will be broken. In addition, dangerous elements get into the food when burning such firewood. There is a risk of serious poisoning.
• Raw firewood. When they burn, a lot of soot and smoke is formed, and the efficiency is zero. And the cooked dish will be thoroughly saturated with smoke and become dry.

For the upcoming culinary process, do not use flammable substances: gasoline, diesel fuel, acetone, etc. Your firewood can burn perfectly, and the taste of these substances will remain in the barbecue

List of woods that improve the taste of barbecue

To kindle a fire for the intended purpose, it is better to use paper, dry grass, brushwood. Even the variant with a store-bought composition for kindling a flame is acceptable.

The taste and appearance of a good kebab are determined by many factors. For example:

• The quality of the meat used.
• The quality of his cutting.
• Properly selected spices for the marinade.
• Marinating time.
• Literacy in cooking barbecue: it must turn on the fire in time and be removed from the coals.
• Correctly selected firewood for barbecue.

Note! If they cook a chic barbecue with excellent exquisite taste, then use firewood that gives it an original pleasant aroma and giving the fire a quality heat.

Experts in the culinary field of the most optimal breed for cooking fried meat called the vine. it great option for all types of meat. When choosing it, it should be borne in mind that the thicker the branches, the better and more stable the heat will be. This criterion is especially relevant for solid circulations of shish kebabs. From the branches of the vine evaporates grape juice. It saturates the entire kebab with a refined and luxurious aroma. And this dish gets incredible taste. By taste characteristics it is far ahead of analogues created on other tree varieties. If you've never made barbecue on the vine, then you're not familiar with this wonderful taste.

This breed has only one drawback - it is difficult to get. This is especially difficult for city dwellers. It is difficult to find the necessary volumes of vines in the city. Its purchase will seriously affect your budget, because the store price tags for it are very impressive. Therefore, often people choose other versions of firewood for barbecue.

Trio: oak, linden and birch

The best firewood of these species is often chosen when it is necessary to provide food for a large company. Any member of this trio gives excellent heat, keeps it for a long time. This allows you to create serious batches of barbecue. Moreover, meat can be made with a large volume, most often on birch.

Category of fruit breeds

All fruit and stone fruits (for example, apple, cherry, apricot, sweet cherry, etc.) can surprisingly saturate the taste of kebab. And the taste is luxurious. Reason: when frying, the meat is saturated with the aroma of a particular fruit breed.

Grapevine also belongs to this list, but it has very serious prices. Therefore, other representatives from this category are often chosen.

Plus fruit firewood is already indicated - meat gets unsurpassed taste and aroma. And the minus is associated with a weak heat resulting from combustion.

Alder

Many experts refer alder to the list of prohibited breeds for creating barbecue. However, its use is actually completely safe. And when it burns, it forms such a smoke, due to which it forms on the meat golden crust. Most often, alder is used for smoking operations. Although its use for barbecue occurs quite often.

Choice of firewood based on type of meat

Once upon a time, only specific types of meat were used to cook barbecue. To date meat assortment has evolved significantly since various recipes marinade. And thanks to the marinade, the dishes are characterized by softness and excellent taste. The type of meat is a very important criterion. On the basis of it are selected:

• certain group of condiments. They are in perfect harmony with the main dish and saturate it with wonderful notes.
• The wood itself. After all, in the process of burning, an original aroma is formed from them. And it can conflict with the taste of a certain type of meat.

On this basis, a dilemma may arise, for example, what kind of firewood is optimal for pork, which for lamb, for beef, poultry, fish, etc.

If the barbecue is created on the basis of pork or lamb meat, such firewood of the following species should be used: birch, linden, or cherry.

When it is planned to make beef skewers, it is recommended to use the following breeds: stone fruit, birch and linden.

If your barbecue is based on poultry meat (chicken, goose, duck, etc.), any representative of the fruit breed category is the best option.

If you plan to fry fish on the grill, then the most suitable options coals of fruit and linden wood are considered.

When you intend to use offal to create a barbecue, use linden wood and any fruit tree. When the task is to cook barbecue from hunting prey, then any fruit tree, linden or birch should be used.

With the regular use of different types of fruit species, you can experimentally achieve a new original taste for barbecue.

However, never use different breeds at the same time. They all have their own burning characteristics. And at different intervals, coals form and burn through. As a result, a sharp change in temperature is obtained. And this process is extremely difficult to regulate. In addition, the dish is saturated with a strange mixed aroma and taste.

When you use firewood for barbecue that is optimally suited for a particular meat, do not forget to dry it well beforehand. Raw versions of firewood take a very long time to burn and give off a nasty, acrid smell and smoke. And in the process of burning in the coals there will be an insignificant percentage of heat. And the quality of cooking the intended dish will be low.

What kind of wood is best for grilling barbecue?

• Coals from oak, linden and birch wood concentrate a very powerful heat. There is a risk of overdrying the meat. To prevent such an incident, use only high barbecues for cooking kebabs.
• If it is not possible to kindle firewood in any way, modern liquid can be used. Usually it is sold in specialized outlets. Its use is justified in wet weather. But this is very dangerous, because the products can be saturated with its chemical smell. And thus their taste will be spoiled, and you risk poisoning. Therefore, either refuse to use such a tool at all, or use a very small amount of it.
• To date, the use of walnut charcoal has gained immense popularity. it good alternative in the absence of firewood. Store-bought coal has several versions: coals in briquette format, options in bags. They are very convenient to use. With their help, fire is quickly ignited. But in culinary process to create a barbecue, the list of their advantages ends. In fact, they can seriously spoil the taste of barbecue. At the very least, they do not improve its taste in any way.

Do not be stingy and do not be too lazy to get natural, suitable firewood. Only they contribute to the preparation of barbecue with great taste.