Mango (Mangifera Indica) is a large plant native to the tropical region and bears delicious hundreds of fruits. It can grow around 10m to 20m tall.
However, after mango branches decay, they fall down to the ground. After that, people try to use mango woods for their cooking purposes as other plants wood, especially for smoking and barbeque (BBQ). But most of them have doubts about can I use mango wood for BBQ? Or is it safe to use mango wood for BBQ?
There are some misleading articles on the internet, and it also confuses people about mango wood usage. So, let’s check the facts relating to mango woods in detail.
The Chemical Substance Contained In Mango Wood
Mango plants have milky sap. This sap contains mango plant tissues, including the trunk, branches, and skin of unripe fruit skins. When it is released from the plant, it looks like a milky. Then after a few seconds, it is converted into a pale yellow resinous.
After this milky sap dried, it became translucent. However, this sap contains Resinous acid, Mangiferen, Mangiferic acid, Resinol, and Mangiferol.
So, if anyone is in direct contact with this sap, it can be toxic to people. This sap may badly influence hypersensitive people who have sensitive skins. The skin irritating, rashes are common health issues of mangoes milky sap.
Mango Wood For BBQ
The BBQ is a famous cooking method, especially in festival seasons. When we barbeque any meat, it is directly exposed to the smoke of wood. That’s why you should highly consider the firewood type.
As an example, cinnamon wood has several volatile compounds. So, when you use them for BBQ, these volatile compounds are evaporated and inserted into the meat tissues.
That is why smoked meat will flavor with cinnamon taste. Any fruitwood such as cherry, apple, pear, and plum wood gives a special flavor for BBQ foods. Here is a kind of BBQ smoking wood chips that I’m using.
When you use any wood for smoking, the volatiles chemicals of these woods evaporate. Then they attached it with the smoked meat. That’s why people do not use some wood for cooking or smoking purposes.
So, if you use mango woods for smoking or BBQ, the volatile acids in mango woods will evaporate and attach with meat or food. As a result that, it will give bad flavors and odor. Because of these reasons, I do not recommend using mango wood as firewood for BBQ.
However, some people burn mango woods for their BBQ. Its smoke is full of potent irritants. Most of them are said that they feel bad flavor from their grilled chicken, pork, and beef.
Plus, mangos trees are susceptible to a number of pest and diseases infestations. It includes the fruit fly, sooty mold, black twig borer, and southern green stink bug.
So, pesticide applications are always used for mango trees. So, these chemical residuals also can remain in mango woods. If you use this kind of wood, it will definitely insert into your meat. So, using mango wood for BBQ is not a good idea.
So, because of that, my recommendation is never to burn mango wood as firewood. Go for an alternative like cinnamon wood.
Mango Wood For Cooking Purposes
But some people have a different attitude about mango wood. They are saying that they use dried mango woods as firewood, which does not change their food’s flavor. How will this happen?
Generally, when people cook their daily foods, they use a pan or pots. Also, they enclose their food with the lid while cooking. In this type of incident, the mango smoke will not directly touch the food.
Hence, the remaining volatile compound will not attach to the food. People use mango wood-burning heat for cooking their meats and foods. It has not to matter. However, if you have any other firewood, do not go for mango wood.
Other than that, the well-dried mango wood does not contain many volatile compounds as live ones. Also, mango wood has irritant smoke. Thus, it is not a good choice for use inside of the home.
There are some kinds of persons hypersensitive to mangoes. They can’t eat mango or any other food that contains mangoes flavors.
These hypersensitive people may be badly affected by mango wood smoke too. It is also caused to refuse usage mangos wood as firewood.
Is Mango Wood Toxic?
Because of milky sap, most people experience skin rashes, burning sensations, itch, and allergies. Also, mango wood dust is not good for inhaling. Because of that, they believe mango wood is toxic and not good for humans.
Generally, every wood contains a different chemical composition. So, they have different effects when burning. However, there is no record or information related to mango wood toxicity.
Mango Wood Is Used With Other Firewood
Some people test different things using mango woods. They add mango wood and charcoal together as fuel for smoking some chips.
There is another record of mango wood usage. A man cooked a couple of chicken wings using some mango woods and coals. As soon as he put mango woods into the BBQ machine, it gave a caramel smell. But he said he never felt any bad flavor from chicken wings.
However, if you want to confirm this, cook skinless chicken breast and thighs with mango wood. Then, you can know the exact answer!
Dried Mango Wood Vs. Green Mango Wood
The live or green mango woods are very sappy. Moreover, when they dry, it contains sap. Rather than that, mango includes in the same botanical family of poison ivy. Hence general public has to fear using this wood.
So, generally, both dried and green mango woods do not use as firewood. Also, when comparing mango wood with other firewood, mango wood releases lots of smoke. This smoke is a bit caustic. As a result of these reasons, I cannot recommend using mango wood as firewood. Go for an alternative!
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