[Sca-cooks] speaking of smokers...wood?

[Fergus Stout]

Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 04:29:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: Alexa <mysticgypsy1008 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] speaking of smokers...wood?
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Message-ID: <20060807112928.18515.qmail at web52911.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I cut down a crepe myrtle tree.  Went looking all over the internet to see if I can throw said wood into my smoker.  Somewhere on the food network channel the guy said he used green wood (usually from his apple trees) to smoke food with.  
  No where did I find a straight answer.  Didnt find anything saying no, didnt find anything saying yes -To "can I use the myrtle wood to smoke meat with?".  
  Anyone know? 

  Alexa
 
 
Alexa,
 
I have found no indication that there is anything unpleasant, i.e. tar etc, or harmful (toxicity) with using crepe myrtle to smoke foods.  I am not sure how pleasant the results would be to the palate however.  I suspect that the smoke would be floral in nature.  I have seen some indications that it is a low smoke wood so you may not get sufficient smoke produced for a cold smoke.  Please try it and let us know the results!
 
Fergus