Some of the best BBQ in my memory was a mesquite smoked brisket from a
place in Alpine Tx way back too many years ago. Before Big Bend was
crowded. It was not overpowered by smoke and of course it probably was
helped by the fact I'd been camping solo in Big Bend for 10 days and
eaten nothing but granola and canned ham

Steve Calvin > wrote in
:

> Dave Bugg wrote:
>> ceed wrote:
>>> On Sun, 23 May 2010 15:28:43 -0500, Steve Calvin
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> IMO, the best use for mesquite is a campfire...
>>> Mesquite is good if you like the flavor. Some do, others don't
>>
>> True enough. My 'beef' with mesquite has never been about the flavor
>> per se. It is more about the ease of crossing the line from flavor to
>> absolute putrid bitterness. I learned early, and nearly ruined an ECB
>> in the process (it wanted to retain the bitterness from the smoke and
>> pass it on during other bbq sessions). Mesquite also burns 'hotter'
>> than most other woods, so it is more difficult to control for bbq
>> cooking. To use mesquite, one should always remain diligent and be
>> very cautious.
>
> Well, the campfire crack was more "tongue in cheek" but also semi-true
> (for us anyhow)
>
> We're definitely in the "others don't" camp for meats. SWMBO does love
> me to do some chicken hinted with mesquite. So I do a bunch of that in
> the wsm periodically and she vac seals it and into the freezer but on
> meat, we're in the "no thank you" camp.... As said earlier, YMMV.
> Some people love the flavor I guess, everyone has their own likes and
> dislikes, which is part of what makes things interesting.
>
> I'd still go with the pecan and maybe apple. ;-)
>