Houston, Texas is well-known for its humid weather. In winter, the temperature can drop to very low levels, making it difficult to stay warm. That’s where firewood comes in! Firewood is a natural way to heat your home or restaurant and create a cozy atmosphere. In this article, we will discuss the best firewood for Houston restaurants and homes and why you should use them.
What is firewood?
Firewood is any solid fuel that is burned to produce heat. It can be made from different types of wood, such as hardwood or softwood. Hardwood is denser and burns longer, while softwood is lighter and burns more quickly.
There are many benefits and reasons to use firewood. For example, it is a renewable resource and it is carbon-neutral. This means that it does not release any harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Additionally, firewood is very efficient and can be used to heat your home or restaurant quickly and easily. Firewood is also cost-effective and produces less pollution than other heating methods.
What are some types of firewood?
There are many different types of firewood available in Houston. The most popular type of firewood includes hickory, oak, juniper, piñon, and mesquite.
Oak Firewood
Many people choose oak wood for firewood because it splits easily. All oak trees have a straight grain, making them simple to divide into pieces small enough to fit in a fireplace.
Though not as strong or sweet-smelling, oak is a gentler hardwood that still provides a good bit of heat. Many people prefer it to hickory and will alternate between the two.
Oak is a hardwood that burns slowly, evenly, and hot, making it ideal for winter nights. It’s dense and burns hot, but it’s also important to season oak for at least a year before using it. Oak is known for its long, slow burns – meaning the fire from well-seasoned Oak in your wood stove can’t be beaten!
Hickory Firewood
Hickory wood is one of the best options for burning in a fireplace. It produces more heat than oak, maple, and other popular hardwoods. Hickory trees are dense and hard to split, but the wood holds little moisture and burns very well. Hickory is also very popular for cooking fires.
Hickory is one of the best woods to burn but has one of the most prolonged seasoning processes. Sealing hickory typically takes a minimum of 12 months. Additionally, if you were to burn green Hickory, it would be very difficult to ignite and create excessive smoke. When unseasoned, or green, Hickory contains moisture levels up to 80%.
If you’re looking to add a natural element to your home or hearth, hickory is a perfect choice. Not only does it burn cleanly, but it also doesn’t give off any harmful emissions.
Piñon Firewood
Piñon firewood comes from the piñon pine tree and is classified as hardwood. It has many benefits: it burns slowly and evenly, puts out a considerable amount of heat, and produces little smoke. This firewood is perfect for any season! You can use it indoors in your fireplace or outdoors in a pit. It makes hot, aromatic fires that are great for entertaining. And if you need some help getting your fire started, this wood also makes excellent kindling.
Piñon pine is popular among those who use chimineas or fireplaces because of its lovely smell, which also acts as a mosquito repellent. If you live in the Southwest, you’re likely familiar with piñon wood- it’s often used in fireplaces and stoves since it builds up an active flame quickly and produces lots of heat. Plus, it lasts much longer than other softwoods!
You shouldn’t use pine wood for cooking since it’s a conifer and, therefore, sticky and resinous. Its resin contains terpenes that can ruin the taste of food or make you ill.
Juniper Firewood
Juniper is a quick-burning wood. This makes it easy to light, but you’ll need more wood to keep your fire burning for the same amount of time as a hardwood fire. Juniper firewood doesn’t make the best coal. If you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself with an empty fireplace and a cold house.
Mesquite Firewood
Smoked meats, like Texas-style brisket or wild game, taste best when cooked with mesquite wood. The strong flavor of the mesquite pairs well with dark meats. For a more intense flavor, try using mesquite coals to grill steaks and vegetables.
Though it burns for a long time and produces consistent heat, many people find mesquite wood creates too much smoke to use indoors in places like fireplaces. However, it is appropriate for outdoor campfires or wood stoves as long as you don’t mind the smell of smoke!
Although mesquite wood may seem dry, wait at least 6 months before using it. The longer the wood seasons, the better firewood will be. Seasoning your mesquite wood correctly is important.
Pecan Firewood
All nut and fruit-bearing trees will make good firewood, but pecan is one of the best. Pecan burns hot and smells amazing. This wood burns similarly to hickory, with long-lasting heat and minimal ash. It’s perfect for use in a wood stove.
Pecan wood that has been dried for 12 to 18 months will provide a more mellow flavor ideal for cooking or barbecuing. Smoking pecan wood imparts a lightly sweet and fruity flavor that goes perfectly with pork, poultry, and small game birds. Pecan is stronger than most fruit woods but milder than hickory and mesquite; it’s ideal when grilling poultry but works great with any cut of meat.
The wood from the pecan tree is known for its delicious smoked flavor, perfect for cooking.
Which firewood is the best for the fireplace?
The best woods for burning are hardwoods like maple, oak, ash, birch, and most fruit trees. These woods produce less pitch and sap and leave behind less of a mess.
Although hardwoods burn hotter than softwoods, not every type of hardwood provides the same amount of heat. For example, oak, ash, birch, and hickory generate more heat than walnut and elm. However, all of those woods create more warmth than pine and cedar softwoods.
What firewood is best for cooking?
Dense hardwoods from fruit- or nut-bearing trees–such as hickory, oak, cherry, mesquite, cherry, apple, or pecan–are some of the best options for cooking because they burn hotter and longer. If you’re looking to boost your grilling, consider using fruitwood. It’s great for poultry, pork, fish, and vegetables.
Use mesquite, hickory, or oak wood for a smoky flavor on your steak. Each of these woods would taste great with steak. For a more delicate smoked flavor and brighter color, use cherry wood to grill your steak.
Which is the best firewood for Houston restaurants and homes?
There is no single best type of firewood for all Houston restaurants and homes. The best firewood to choose will depend on what you need if whether it is for cooking delicious food or burning in your furnace. If you are looking for the best wood to cook with, then hardwoods like oak and hickory are a good choice because they have a high heat value and produce less smoke than other woods. Softwoods like pine are not ideal for cooking because they have a low heat value and tend to create more smoke. If you need firewood to heat your home, then any type of wood will work as long as it is dry.