Finally Scored Some Olive Wood

[DDave]

After reading all the awesome reviews from folks who have used olive wood and seeing as how I am surrounded by the stuff, I figured it was time to give it a try. My coworker owns an orchard (heck, who doesn't in Corning, except maybe me ) so I asked him to hook me up.

He brought these to work today.



They're still pretty heavy so I'll need to let them dry a bit I think. He said they had been cut about 6 months ago. I'll have to cut them into chunks so they can dry a bit.

Maybe I'll try one on a tri tip this weekend. Or maybe just cut a hunk off and fire up the Afterburner so I can smell the smoke.

Dave

[Slanted88]

Ya done good with that Cat hookin ya up with that! Heard it's good!

[Richtee]

It IS good.... and HEAVY even dried apparently. UH sent me some... well aged, but dang dense stuff...

[Bassman]

Nice score! Did we ever determine if Russian Olive was a good smoking wood? If so, I've got a bunch of that.

[doctor phreak]

only way i can get olive wood is by a very small package at the local outdoor store.....i think a .5 lb box is about 8-9 dollars....would like to try some

[Richtee]

Nice score! Did we ever determine if Russian Olive was a good smoking wood? If so, I've got a bunch of that.

I think we were waiting on you to try it...

[DDave]

It IS good.... and HEAVY even dried apparently. UH sent me some... well aged, but dang dense stuff...

Hmm . . . well if it was cut in June, given the low humidity we have in the summers and how quickly stuff air dries out in this area (former lumber dry kiln operator here ) maybe it IS already dry enough to smoke with.

I'll have to saw off a chunk and see.

Dave

[Uncle-Honky]

Oh yeah that's the stuff there. Looks very much like the wood I have Dave! Nice score bud!! That wood is dense as all get out, no doubt. I have used this with some moisture in the wood, but not much. With absolutely great results. I have a limited hook up to this olive wood. It was fruit bearing olive wood brought from Hemet ,Ca. to be transplanted. Many of these did not have irrigation and went south...to me aprox. 2 miles I also get the root balls.Gotta another 4 - 21 foot flatbed loads I can get These root balls have all the same characteristics as the trunk/limb wood, except for being nice and straight. Take a nice whack with a splitting maul at the root ball. You get a kick ass , coal bed makin' chunk of goodness! And who woulda thunk? Burns clean, smells good, with a very light ash. I would personally do a burn test in a fire pit with the Russian olive. Check the aromatics, and see how it burns. What kinda ash ya are left with... I hope y'all enjoy as much as we do!
Happy smokes!

[Fishawn]

Great stuff, might be my favorite. Intoxicating smell too (Or maybe the beer just get's to me)

[Bassman]

I'll wait until this snow melts and find some of the Russian that I dozed into a pile last fall. Might be awhile, but I'll post the results.

[Bbqgoddess]

Dave
You are gonna love it! It is my favorite wood. The smell is intoxicating, and right after its cut it smells like a fine whiskey!
When I smoke, which is a lot, with people over, I will say hey smell that? that's cherry smell the difference? or hickory, or pecan.. the just look at me dimfounded.. I walk away mumbling something about them all being idiots.. but when you toss some olive in there.. My neighbor at the end of the block will text me and say hey are you smoking something today?... I can't wait to hear your review!!

[SMOKE FREAK]

Nice score. I wish it would grow around here...

[lcruzen]

Got the Russian olive trees(and I use the term loosely) everywhere around me. I've always considered them to be a weed tree. But they wood sure does look similar to what you showed here.

[SmokinLee]

I wonder, I have autumn olive but it grows like brush, if I were to start trimming/pruning into a more tree like I could increase the diameter. If I ever get my wood shop set up, I want to get a log and turn on the lathe a salt box. I seen one on the wood working forum with a pivoting magnetic hindge on the lid. the grain is beautiful when finished.

Nice score! Did we ever determine if Russian Olive was a good smoking wood? If so, I've got a bunch of that.

[Zeeker]

Great score DDave. Never tried it but I one day I'd like to...