Level 2 Flashcards
CITRUS
COMMON NAME: CITRUS (ORANGE, GRAPEFRUIT, LEMON, TANGERINE)
LATIN NAME: Citrus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A once common and very popular, clean burning firewood, it is getting increasingly difficult to find.
We occasionally carry Citrus.
We
MAIN USES: A good all-around firewood. Preferred by people with allergies.
EASE OF LIGHTING: Relatively easy to start for a hardwood. Kindling is advised.
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Very clean to handle, usually without bark.
CLEAN TO BURN: One of the cleanest burning woods available.
LENGTH OF BURN: Burns longer than most softwoods and not as long as the better hardwoods.
HEAT OUTPUT: It has a moderate heat output, not one of the hotter hardwoods.
AROMA: When burning properly, the aroma is very, very light.
CRACKLE/POP: Virtually no popping or crackle.
SMOKE: When burning properly there is almost no smoke.
COAL BED: Moderate coal bed, burns to a powdery ash.
EASE TO SPLIT: Not very hard to split by hand.
MIXED HARDWOOD
COMMON NAME: MIXED HARDWOODS (HDMX)
LATIN NAME: ASSORTED
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Any non-descript hardwood such as Ash, Carob, Eucalyptus, Citrus ETC.
MAIN USES: Longer, cleaner burning fires and heating.
EASE OF LIGHTING: Typically needs kindling.
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Usually clean to handle.
CLEAN TO BURN: Like most hardwoods these burn clean if seasoned properly.
LENGTH OF BURN: Burns longer than softwoods.
HEAT OUTPUT: Usually high heat output.
AROMA: Typically not too fragrant.
CRACKLE/POP: Usually no popping or crackle.
SMOKE: Very little if any when lit properly.
COAL BED: Usually a nice bed of coals.
EASE TO SPLIT: typically hard to split by hand.
MESQUITE
COMMON NAME: MESQUITE
LATIN NAME: Prosopis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Highly romanticized southwestern hardwood, used primarily for pit BBQs, Resorts burn Juniper and mistakenly call it Mesquite.
MAIN USES: Great for heating and cooking.
EASE OF LIGHTING: Can be difficult to light by itself, use kindling. Best in fireplace when mixed with Juniper.
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Can be messy, usually dusty, contains insect holes that drop sawdust.
CLEAN TO BURN: When properly lit, it burns extremely clean.
LENGTH OF BURN: Burns relatively fast into a great coal bed.
HEAT OUTPUT: Super high heat output, one of the hottest woods to burn.
AROMA: Distinctive aroma, but not as fragrant as the Junipers or Pinyon. Can be a stinker when wood is green.
CRACKLE/POP: Very little crackle and usually no popping.
SMOKE: Virtually no smoke when burning properly.
COAL BED: Makes the best coal bed of any hardwood.
EASE TO SPLIT: Can be very difficult to split by hand, Mesquite typically grows very twisted and crooked.
PECAN
COMMON NAME: PECAN (PECAN HICKORY, DOMESTICATED HICKORY)
LATIN NAME: Carya illinoensis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Like its wild cousin Hickory, Pecan is a great cooking and heating wood, it is one of the densest “Nut Woods”.
MAIN USES: Used primarily for heating and cooking. Wins more BBQ championships than any other wood type.
EASE OF LIGHTING: Can be difficult to light, needs kindling. Best if burned with a Juniper.
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Very clean bark and very clean to handle.
CLEAN TO BURN: It is one of the cleanest of all wood types to burn.
LENGTH OF BURN: Burns very long.
HEAT OUTPUT: Very high heat output, compare with Mesquite and Oak.
AROMA: Pleasant, not too strong aroma, preferred by people with allergies.
CRACKLE/POP: Virtually no popping or crackle.
SMOKE: If burning properly there is little if any smoke.
COAL BED: Makes a great bed of coals.
EASE TO SPLIT: One of the hardest woods to split, don’t even attempt by hand.
OAK
COMMON NAME: OAK
LATIN NAME: Quercus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A “Nut Wood”. Southwestern Oaks are typically the densest of all Oaks, locally available Oak types include: Arizona White Oak, Live Oak, Blackjack Oak, Gamble Oak and Emory Oak to name a few. (Most Arizona Oaks are of the RED OAK types).
MAIN USES: Used primarily for cooking and heating.
EASE OF LIGHTING: Oak can be one of the hardest woods to get burning properly, it has a tendency to smolder, should be turned occasionally.
CLEAN TO HANDLE: It is a relatively “clean to handle” wood.
CLEAN TO BURN: If lit properly and fire tended to occasionally it can burn very clean, if not, it may smolder, burn with a juniper for best results.
LENGTH OF BURN: One of the longest burning woods.
HEAT OUTPUT: It burns very hot.
AROMA: Smells like a great cookout only not as strong.
CRACKLE/POP: Virtually no popping or crackle.
SMOKE: Very clean when burning properly, smoky when not lit correctly.
COAL BED: Makes a great bed of coals.
EASE TO SPLIT: Can be hard to split by hand.
HICKORY
COMMON NAME: HICKORY, PECAN, PECAN/HICKORY, (WILD HICKORY)
LATIN NAME: Carya
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Very dense hardwood in the same family as Pecan. (Pecan is actually a variety of Hickory, if you read the bottom of many Hickory retail bags, it will be described as “nogal americano” which means Pecan!
MAIN USES: In Arizona it is used primarily in Smokers.
EASE OF LIGHTING: Very hard to light.
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Very clean to handle.
CLEAN TO BURN: Very clean to burn.
LENGTH OF BURN: Very long burning, see Pecan.
HEAT OUTPUT: Very high heat output, compare with Pecan, Mesquite and Oak.
AROMA: Very good for smoking meats.
CRACKLE/POP: No crackle and popping.
SMOKE: Very light smoke.
COAL BED: Very good coal bed.
EASE TO SPLIT: Very hard to split by hand.
APPLE
WOOD TYPE, COMMON NAME: APPLE
LATIN NAME: Malus domestica, in the rose family (Rosaceae)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A fruit wood
MAIN USES: Smoking, Cooking, Heating
EASE OF LIGHTING: Compared to other hardwoods it is much easier
CLEAN TO HANDLE: A very clean to handle wood
CLEAN TO BURN: One of the cleanest burning wood types
LENGTH OF BURN: A faster burning hardwood
HEAT OUTPUT: Very high BTU’s in a short period of time
AROMA: Subtle, great for smoking meat!
CRACKLE/POP: No noticeable
SMOKE: Properly combusting, virtually no smoke
COAL BED: Nice hardwood coal bed
EASE TO SPLIT: Can be split by hand
ALMOND
COMMON NAME: ALMOND
LATIN NAME: Prunus dulcis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A Northern California nutwood,
very good for cooking and smoking, compare to Hickory, Oak and Pecan, rarely available
MAIN USES: Smokers, grills, pizza ovens
EASE OF LIGHTING: Hard to light
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Very clean to handle
CLEAN TO BURN: One of the cleanest burning wood types
LENGTH OF BURN: A longer burning hardwood, compare to Oak
HEAT OUTPUT: Very high BTU’s
AROMA: Subtle, great in smokers
CRACKLE/POP: None
SMOKE: Very light smoke.
COAL BED: Makes a great bed of coals
EASE TO SPLIT: Don’t try this at home
GRAPE
COMMON NAME: GRAPE, GRAPE VINE
LATIN NAME: Vitis vinifera
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Rare in usable sizes,
a super coal producing cooking wood, compare with the best Mesquite varieties
MAIN USES: Cooking, charcoal, heating
EASE OF LIGHTING: Start it like charcoal, hard to light
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Clean
CLEAN TO BURN: Very clean burning
LENGTH OF BURN: Super long burning
HEAT OUTPUT: Very high BTU
AROMA: Subtle
CRACKLE/POP: None
SMOKE: Slight
COAL BED: The best we’ve tested!!!
EASE TO SPLIT: Don’t try this at home
ALDER
COMMON NAME: ALDER
LATIN NAME: Alnus glutinosa
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A faster burning hardwood
MAIN USES: Primarily used for smoking seafood
EASE OF LIGHTING: Easy
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Very clean
CLEAN TO BURN: Super clean burning
LENGTH OF BURN: Fast burning hardwood, one of the fastest, Junipers burn longer
HEAT OUTPUT: High heat, short time period
AROMA: Nice, for cooking not too strong
CRACKLE/POP: Virtually none
SMOKE: Slight
COAL BED: Poor
EASE TO SPLIT: Very easy
CHERRY
COMMON NAME: CHERRY, WILD CHERRY, BLACK CHERRY…ETC.
LATIN NAME: Prunus Avium
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Hard to find in Arizona, occasionally wild variety from Apache Indian reservation
MAIN USES: Smokers
EASE OF LIGHTING: Medium
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Very clean
CLEAN TO BURN: Super clean burning
LENGTH OF BURN: Medium long not as long as the nutwoods
HEAT OUTPUT: High heat
AROMA: Subtle
CRACKLE/POP: None
SMOKE: Very slight
COAL BED: Medium, typically not used as coal wood
EASE TO SPLIT: Fair
OLIVE
COMMON NAME: OLIVE, OLIVO
LATIN NAME: Olea europaea
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A slow growing, dense hardwood, compare to the best nutwoods!
MAIN USES: Cooking, charcoal, heating, Pizza ovens
EASE OF LIGHTING: Hard to light
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Very clean
CLEAN TO BURN: Very clean
LENGTH OF BURN: Very long, compare to Oak
HEAT OUTPUT: High BTU’s compare with better nutwoods
AROMA: Subtle
CRACKLE/POP: None
SMOKE: Slight
COAL BED: One of the best, better than Mesquite
EASE TO SPLIT: Hard to split
WALNUT
COMMON NAME: WALNUT, BLACK WALNUT, WHITE WALNUT
LATIN NAME: Juglans nigra
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: White Walnut from Northern California
is the best for cooking, compared to the Black Walnut from back East
MAIN USES: Cooking, heating
EASE OF LIGHTING: Medium
CLEAN TO HANDLE: Very clean
CLEAN TO BURN: Very clean
LENGTH OF BURN: Medium long a faster burning hardwood
HEAT OUTPUT: High BTU
AROMA: Subtle
CRACKLE/POP: None
SMOKE: Slight to heavy
COAL BED: Fair
EASE TO SPLIT: Not one of the hardest
