Alder Wood

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Alder Wood Chips

Alder Wood Chips
© Denzil Green

Alder is a deciduous tree that grows in the Northern hemisphere. There are 15 species in North America, and 15 in Eurasia.

After being cut, the wood turns light brown with yellow or reddish tinges.

In the Pacific Northwest, it is used for smoking salmon, particularly the species of Alder called "Red alder A. rubra."

Alder Wood Chips for smoking food come in chunk sizes from 2 x 2 inches (5 x 5 cm) to 3 x 3 inches ( 7.5 x 7.5 cm.) Some are kiln dried, some are forced-air dried. Two pounds (1 kg) of Alder Wood Chips will do 16 to 20 cooking sessions.

The wood also makes good charcoal.

Cooking Tips for Alder Wood

Soak chips in water for a minimum of 1 hour before use, then toss them on top of your coals. Or, if using in a propane-type grill, put the soaked chips into a smoker box, and place the smoker box on top of your briquettes or rocks. Light the grill. When smoke begins to appear, start cooking.

Literature & Lore about Alder Wood

There's a folk belief that burning Alder Wood attracts the supernatural, which in some places has morphed into a belief that it is hard to burn.

Acknowlegements

Also called:
Alnus rubra (Scientific Name)
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