OAK WINE BARREL SMOKING WOOD

Our adventure to Greenleaf BBQ resulted in a purchase of a bag of oak wine barrel smoking wood. This is Greenleaf’s signature smoking wood. It is recycled wine barrels that have been cut up into small chunks for bbq smoking use. Purple wine residue is present on these vinegar and wine smelling wood chunks. Hard woods like oak are ideal for use in the barbeque. Different varieties of wood will impart unique and subtle flavor profiles when used for smoking. The question is; what flavor will the Oak wine barrel wood create? Let’s start a fire.

Ribs and chicken will be cooked on a Weber kettle to sample this product. The chicken will only be seasoned with salt and pepper. I did not want to use a rub that might mask the flavor of the smoking wood. The ribs were rubbed with my favorite rub. A chimney full of charcoal briquets was put to the fire. The vents of the kettle were open half way. The fire was spread evenly over the floor of the kettle. Four pieces of the wood were spread evenly over the coals. The meat was put on the grill and the lid was locked in place. The chicken was turned several times for 45 minutes and 70 minutes for the ribs to create cooking perfection.

The chicken was a gorgeous golden brown. The ribs were falling off the bone. You could smell smoke but it was not overpowering. The chicken absorbed the most smoke. We did taste a sweet smoke flavor. I am not sure if wine could be identified. The ribs had a smoke flavor but the rub taste was more prevalent. The Weber kettle, with a small direct heat, may not have not brought out the full flavor of this smoking wood. We were very pleased with our meal. It was finger lickin fantabulous. Next time we will use a designated smoker to impart more of the wood flavor. We will put our conclusion on hold until the next barbeque.

Happy Thanksgiving!