What Wood Should I Use?

Wood is just as much of an ingredient as the rub you put on your meat. There are a huge variety of woods that are used for smoking meat, but today I’m going to talk about the most popular ones we see and what meats we believe they compliment the best.

BY: BREANNA STARK

One of the biggest mistakes I see beginners make is to either choose low-quality wood or choose the wrong type of wood for the wrong type of meat. Wood is more than just a source of heat and fire. The smoke that different woods produce directly affects the flavor of your meat. Today, I want to talk about the most popular types of wood used for smoking meat and what meats they each compliment the best.

OAK

Oak is a versatile wood and there are many varieties, but the ones you will see the most often in barbeque are Post Oak, White Oak, and Red Oak. Oak provides a medium smoky flavor that compliments meat without overpowering it. Oak is extremely versatile and can be used for Pork, Chicken, or Beef but it really shines in the beef category, making it a staple for Texas Pitmasters.

PECAN

Pecan wood is a mild wood that provides a sweet flavor with a nutty finish. Many Pitmasters like to mix pecan with stronger flavored woods to reduce the sweetness, but where pecan really shines is in the world of Pork. Pork is a meat that is begging for sweetness, so when you fire up your smoker with pecan you will add a nutty sweetness that will really kick your meat up a notch.

MESQUITE

Mesquite wood is the choice for the “hot and fast” style of barbeque that has gotten more and more popular in recent years. Mesquite burns hot and is arguably the strongest flavored wood on this list making it a poor choice when you are smoking poultry or seafood, but a definite contender when you’re smoking beef or pork. A good trick for toning down the strength of mesquite wood is to mix it with a softer, more mild wood such as apple or pear.

APPLE

Apple wood is extremely mild in flavor, but imparts a distinct sweetness upon the meat it’s smoking. You will achieve a fruity flavor when you smoke with apple and it’s commonly mixed with heartier woods such as oak or mesquite. The meats that pair the best with apple wood are going to be your poultry, fish, and lamb.

CHERRY

Cherry wood is similar to apple in the sense that it produces a sweet and fruity flavor, but cherry is a bit stronger and produces a more smoky flavor. Cherry is one of the most popular woods for smoking because it pairs well with most meats and mixes nicely with stronger woods like hickory or mesquite.

HICKORY

Hickory is one of the strongest and most smoky woods that a Pitmaster can use and it adds a powerful flavor to meats. The caveat is that sometimes hickory can be overpowering, so it’s not a good choice for your poultry or pork. It is most commonly paired with beef or lamb and is frequently mixed with more mild, sweet woods such as cherry or apple.

Do you have more questions about wood or charcoal? Feel free to drop me an email!