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August 27th, 2014, 6:53 pm
#1
* Abilene ** Abilene *
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  • Joined: August 19th, 2014, 5:21 pm
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I am new to the stick burner world, I still have a few weeks before my Loaded Wichita arrives. I have only used pellet smokers. Does anyone remove the bark on their logs or do you use them with the bark on?

August 27th, 2014, 9:05 pm
#2
* Wichita ** Wichita *
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  • Joined: August 16th, 2014, 10:02 pm
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  • Location: Iowa

I've heard that sometimes the bark causes a bitter flavor in the meat, but I personally have not noticed that, I have tried both ways. You may have to experiment to see what you like.

August 27th, 2014, 9:13 pm
#3
* Durnago ** Durnago *
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  • Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
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  • Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue

No. The only time I take the bark off is if it is falling off, or if it has mold or rot on it. I don't cook with any wood, bark or heartwood if it has mold or rot. But I will chop it off and keep any good wood that remains on that split. Otherwise, I leave the bark on with no issues. I actually like the added smoke flavor it provides, and it's not bitter as some people might suggest. Bitter flavor comes from a smoldering fire that is not burning cleanly. Keep the fire small and hot.

If you have never stick burned before, the most important thing I can tell you is to pre-warm your next split before it goes onto the coals. I start a stickburner with a chimney or two of lit lump charcoal, and then add two wood splits on top of the lit lump to build a good bed of coals and heat the cooker up. I keep the fire on the back side of the firebox as you look at it from the front. Then I close the firebox and put one split on top of the firebox to get warm. Once the first two splits are burned down to coals, the smoke should be thinner now and not white and billowy. I add that warmed log from the top and it will ignite right away and keep the smoke clean. You don't want thick white smoke, but rather a thin, wispy smoke with a slight blueish tint. Then I put one split in the front side of the firebox to warm up, away from the fire, and another on the top of the firebox sometimes if the wood is wet to start the warming process. This was what I did today because my wood was wet from the rain we got.

If you have any other questions, or I'm not making any sense to you, don't be afraid to speak up and ask. If I have time tomorrow I may make a short video showing how I run the fire in a stickburner if you would like.

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August 28th, 2014, 2:00 pm
#4
* Abilene ** Abilene *
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  • Joined: August 19th, 2014, 5:21 pm
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Thanks for the info, it was very helpful. I am really looking forward to getting mine and doing my first smoke. A video would be great if you could make one. I am sure others would appreciate it as well.

August 29th, 2014, 10:52 am
#5
* Durnago ** Durnago *
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  • Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
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  • Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue

FYI, I did do a video yesterday and it is done, just having some issues getting it hosted. I'm trying not to use YouTube, but I will get it posted here soon.

Thanks for your patience.

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August 30th, 2014, 3:19 pm
#6
* Abilene ** Abilene *
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  • Joined: August 19th, 2014, 5:21 pm
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Thank you, looking forward to it

August 30th, 2014, 6:05 pm
#7
* Durnago ** Durnago *
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  • Joined: May 10th, 2014, 12:33 pm
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  • Location: Sitting Near a Yoder Smoker, Smelling Sweet Blue

Here is the link to the video thread.

viewtopic.php?p=609#p609

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September 2nd, 2014, 11:33 am
#8
* Abilene ** Abilene *
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  • Joined: August 15th, 2014, 9:19 am
  • Posts: 17
  • Location: West, TX

I have tried both ways and see no differences. Some people swear by removing it, some swear by leaving it on. I will share the one bbq absolute. There are an infinite number of ways to do it and turn out great food. If anyone tells you the 'best' way to do it, don't listen. To me that just means they haven't cooked enough to know there is no one 'best' way to do this.

Biggest thing is to try it each way. if YOU can taste a difference then then it will matter to you. I can't taste a difference and, like Kirby, I only remove if it's falling off or has other issues.

September 2nd, 2014, 2:42 pm
#9
* Kingman ** Kingman *
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  • Joined: August 25th, 2014, 10:28 am
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It's my understanding that most pellet mfr's leave the bark on the wood too, so (assuming my info is correct) and if you're used to pellets, then leaving the bark on will get you closest to the pellet smoke/taste profile you're used to.

Good luck w/ the new toy!

TJ

September 2nd, 2014, 2:44 pm
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TennesseeJed wrote:It's my understanding that most pellet mfr's leave the bark on the wood too, so (assuming my info is correct) and if you're used to pellets, then leaving the bark on will get you closest to the pellet smoke/taste profile you're used to.

Good luck w/ the new toy!

TJ


Actually, the Yoder preferred brand of pellets, BBQr's Delight, has no bark at all. Their pellets are pure hear wood.

Yoder_Herb
September 2nd, 2014, 3:00 pm
* Kingman ** Kingman *
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  • Joined: August 25th, 2014, 10:28 am
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Good to know Herb, thanks. I just found a few bags this weekend locally and they were a bit lighter in color than the last bags I had from another mfr (but the same wood types) and I wondered if bark was in the mix. I also bet that the more consistent BTU output that Yoder has found from BBQr's Delight has something to do with the fact that there isn't bark in the mix. I cooked some ribs w/ BBQr's Delight yesterday for Labor Day and let's just say that there were no complaints in the house!

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