Smoke Wood? What kind is Best? Well it depends…
The art and science of smoking meat on a grill centers around the smoke. In particular what to use to produce the smoke that imparts that wonderful flavor to meats, fish, and cheese. Not all wood is suitable for smoking and not all types of wood are suitable for all types of meat. There are even ways to produce flavorful smoke without using wood at all.
There are many types of wood that can be used to smoke meat. Everything from Alder to Walnut. Cherry to Mulberry. Lilac to Lemon. But which is the best wood? Different regions swear by different woods. Some say mesquite is the only way to go. Some say hickory. Some say that fruit woods should never be used. The Grillin Fools actually prefer the fruit woods.
The point is there are a million different opinions on the subject. You need to find out which is yours. The good news is the only way to find out is to spend a lot of time grillin, chillin and thrillin while trying different combinations.
First a little about smoke woods. The Grillin Fools recommend wood chunks over wood chips for a couple of reasons.
- Wood chunks will last much longer than wood chips no matter how long the chips have been soaked ahead of time.
- Chunks do not need to be soaked. In fact we don’t recommending soaking chunks at all. Soaking chunks will delay the wood from producing any smoke at all as can be seen here at our rib cook off in Michigan one summer. Dad used soaked chunks in his grill. Tom and I used non soaked chunks in ours and the two community grills. Guess which one of these grills that had smoke wood added at the exact same time had the soaked chunks:
- Chips require soaking. As soaked wood chips get hot, the water is released in the form of steam. That steam condenses at the top of the grill. There is a chance that when enough water has accumulated under the top of the grill that it could drip down onto your meat. Take a look at the underside of the top of your grill and ask yourself if you want to risk some of that dripping down on your meat? One tip. If you are going to use chips, they have to be soaked, so when you do, use hot water. It opens the pores/fibers of the wood more and allows more water to be absorbed thus making the chips last longer once exposed to heat.
- Wood chips generally need to be added to the fire many more times than chunks and with each time the grill is opened it releases all its heat which will extend grilling times.
We understand that chips are much easier to find with many grocery stores even carrying apple and cherry chips, but if you can find chunks of your favorite wood we recommend going with them over chips.
With all that being said, one can make amazing smoked flavor with chips, so don’t give up if chunks aren’t available.
And don’t give up if you only have a gas grill. You can do low and slow on a gas grill and smoke meat for hours as well. We recommend placing a handful of dry chips on a sheet of tin foil:
Form it into a ball and then poke holes in the foil with a thin knife:
The tin foil will act as a heat sink as it dissipates heat rather well thus negating the need for soaking the chips. Place the ball right into the flames from the element. The holes in the foil will allow the smoke to escape and fill the cooking chamber:
You may want to do multiple balls of foil at a time and have extra in reserve. When a ball stops smoking, just pitch it and toss in a fresh ball.
Bark or no bark. Another great debate. Some swear that bark puts off a different smoke than the wood and does not give the meat a good flavor. I’ve smoked with bark and without. I have never noticed any difference.
Now on to the types of smoke woods and other smoke producers:
Acacia
These trees are in the same family as mesquite. When burned in a smoker, acacia wood has a flavor similar to mesquite but not quite as heavy. Acacia burns very hot and should be used sparingly.
Good with most meats, especially beef and most vegetables.
Alder
A sweet, musky smoke that is the traditional wood of the Northwest and pairs particularly well with salmon
Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds.
Almond
A nutty and sweet smoke flavor. Very similar to pecan
Good with all meats.
Apple
Probably the most used fruit smoke wood. The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory. Ornamental apple trees like crab apple can be used as well.
Good with all meats.
Apple on the left, cherry on the right:
Apricot
Great substitute for apple as it is also milder and sweeter than hickory.
Good with all meats.
Ash
Fast burner, light but distinctive smoke flavor.
Good with fish and red meats.
Bay
Medium floral smoke with hints of spice & cinnamon.
Good with most meats and veggies.
Beech
A mild much used wood like oak.
Good with meat and seafood.
Birch
Medium hard wood with a smoke flavor similar to maple.
Good with pork and poultry.
Blackberry
Much like the woods provided from fruit trees, the small diameter, thorny branches of the blackberry bush provide a slightly sweet and delicate flavor.
Good for grilling poultry and other meats, such as small game birds like grouse, pheasant, partridge, and quail.
Be careful with these. Even after they have dried for quite some time those thorns are still needle sharp:
Thanks to James Hebert for submitting these pictures for the site. We really appreciate it James.
Butternut
Strong smoke, like walnut, bitter when too much is used alone.
Good on red meats like beef, pork, venison and other game meats. Can easily overpower poultry.
Cherry
The second most used fruit wood. Slightly sweet fruity smoke that’s great with just about everything. It can blacken the skin of poultry making it look unappetizing, but will still taste great. It’s an excellent candidate to mix with a lighter wood like apple or apricot to reduce the blackening. What blackens the skin of chicken makes a great smoke ring. Ornamental cherry wood like double blossom cherry can be used as a substitute.
Good with all meats.
Check out the great smoke ring that you get with cherry wood on these baby backs:
Chestnut
Slightly sweet, nutty smoke flavor.
Good with most meats.
Corncob
Although not considered to be a true wood, the heart of the cob that holds the kernels is the fuel section of this alternative for wood. It is ground into small granular bits that can be added to a smoking box or it can be combined with other woods such as woods from fruit trees, to impart several flavors. The corncob provides a sweet flavor that may overpower the food if too much is used to season the food as it cooks. Begin by trying small amounts until the desired flavor is achieved.
It is often used as a smoking chip when grilling foods such as poultry, fish and small game birds.
Cottonwood
It is a softer wood than alder and very subtle in flavor. Use it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor as it is extremely mild. Don’t use green cottonwood for smoking.
Good for all smoking, especially pork and ribs.
Crabapple
Is essentially interchangeable with apple.
Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb.
Fig
Mild & fruity like mulberry.
Good with all meats.
Grapefruit
Produces a nice mild smoky flavor.
Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry.
Grapevines
Tart, aromatic, but can be a heavy flavor so don’t overdo it.
Use sparingly on poultry or lamb but otherwise if used in moderation is good with red meats, pork and game.
Here’s a French cut pork rib rack smoked with grapevines.
Guava
Flowery fruity taste.
Good for all meats,
Hickory
The most common hardwood used, even more so than apple and cherry. Sweet to strong, heavy bacon flavor.
Good for all smoking, particularly pork and ribs.
I use hickory when I reverse sear pork steaks as they are sauced at the end and thus I need a stronger smoke flavor to stand up to the powerful flavors in the sauce as opposed to my usually preferred lighter fruit woods like pear, peach and apple.
Kiawe
Kiawe (pronounced key-ah-vey) is a wood that is only found in Hawaii. Very hard to come by. The wood is dense with a dark thin bark. It is similar to mesquite with a sweet strong flavor
Good for beef, fish and poultry
Lemon
Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness.
Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.
Lilac
Very subtle with a hint of floral.
Excellent for smoking cheese. Good with, pork and poultry.
Maple
Mildly smoky, somewhat sweet flavor. Maple adds a sweet, subtle flavor that enhances the flavor of poultry and game birds, and outstanding for planking for those that don’t like cedar plank salmon.
Mates well with poultry, ham, cheese, small game birds, and vegetables. Wonderful for smoked turkey!
Mesquite
Strong earthy flavor. One of the most popular woods in the country, mesquite is a scrubby tree that grows wild in the Southwest. Sweeter and more delicate than hickory, it’s a perfect complement to richly flavored meats such as steak, duck or lamb. Burns hot and fast and it probably the strongest flavored wood.
Good with most meats, especially beef and most vegetables, but be careful as it can overpower.
Mulberry
A mild smoke with a sweet, tangy, blackberry-like flavor. Similar to apple
Good with Beef, poultry, game birds, pork (particularly ham).
Nectarine
The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.
Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish.
Oak
Most versatile of the hardwoods blending well with most meats. A mild smoke with no aftertaste. Oak gives food a beautiful smoked color. Red oak is believed to the best of the oak varieties.
Good with red meat, pork, fish and big game.
Red Oak:
Click here to see red oak used to flavor grilled carne asada.
Olive
The smoke favor is similar to mesquite, but distinctly lighter.
Delicious with poultry.
Orange
A tangy, citrus smoke. Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness. Orange gives food a golden color. Produces a nice mild smoky flavor.
Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.
Peach
Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor, milder and sweeter than hickory. Peach is a bit redder than apple and produces a better smoke ring and is a little more flavorful.
Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish.
To see peach wood in action click here for Peach Smoked Jerk Ribs and here for Peachy Sweet Spare Ribs.
Pear
A nice subtle smoke flavor much like apple. Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor. The smell is absolutely amazing. And just like ornamental apple and cherry, ornamental pear tree wood can be used like Bradford and Cleveland pears.
Good on Poultry, game birds and pork.
Pecan
Sweet and mild with a flavor similar to hickory but not as strong. Tasty with a subtle character. An all-around superior smoking wood. Try smoking with the nut shells as well.
Good for most things including poultry, beef, pork and cheese. Pecan is the best for that beautiful golden-brown turkey and we absolutely love it on brisket.
Click here to see pecan smoked brisket.
Persimmon
A strong, sweet, and dry smoke that is popular in restaurants as it is said the dryness of the smoke increases drink orders of patrons.
Excellent with beef and pork.
Pimento
Also referred to as Allspice, Jamaican Pepper, Myrtle Pepper, or Newspice. This wood adds a natural and somewhat peppery flavor that may also include flavors of several spices combined, such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, similar to the flavors provided when allspice is used as a seasoning to enhance the flavor of various foods.
It is a common wood used in grilling Jamaican foods such as jerk chicken. Often used for grilling poultry and fish.
Plum
The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.
Good with most meats, great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish.
Sassafras
A mild, musky, sweet smoke with a root beer aftertaste. Some say this is not a good candidate for smoking. Others love it.
Especially good on beef, pork and poultry.
Seaweed
The seaweed is washed to remove the salt and air or sun dried before use. It provides a somewhat spicy and natural flavor to the foods being smoked or grilled.
Commonly used for smoking shellfish such as clams, crab, lobster, mussels, and shrimp.
Walnut
While pecan is hickory’s milder cousin, walnut is the strong one. Often mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Intense and can become bitter if overused.
Good on red meats like Beef, Pork, Venison and other game meats. Can easily overpower poultry.
Italian Herbs
Not smoke wood, but great to smoke with. A strong smoke flavor that is completely unique! Do not sprinkle the herbs from a jar, use whole sprigs. You can use fresh oregano, rosemary, thyme or any combination of them with oak wood to give zesty and robust flavors. Soak whole sprigs in water to extend the smoke of the herbs.
Especially good for lamb, pork and poultry. Good for pizza too, when you cook it on the grill.
Oriental Herbs
A strong smoke flavor with oak that’s truly amazing! A blend of sesame seeds and ginger root with oak wood or mesquite gives a nice oriental BBQ flavor.
Especially good for beef, pork and poultry.
Onion and Garlic
Soak garlic chunks and/or garlic cloves in water for 60 minutes. Plop the onion and/or garlic right over the coals. Add more when smoke stops. Does not produce a lot of smoke like typical woods, but it doesn’t need to in order to add an incredible flavor to any meat. Be careful the first time you do this. Our first time we wanted more smoke and used so much onion and garlic that it overpowered the meat. Very little smoke is needed to impart a powerful flavor. We call it the White Castle or Krystal effect, depending on your part of the country.
Great with all meats, seafood and game.
Other Woods
Avocado, Carrotwood, Madrone, Manzanita, Hackberry, and willow. The ornamental varieties of fruit trees such as Bradford and Cleveland pear, double blossom cherry, crabapple, etc., are also suitable for smoking, and very much akin to their non ornamental flavors of apple, cherry or pear woods.
Wood that should not be used for smoking
DO NOT USE any wood from pine, fir, spruce, is not a good redwood, cedar, elm, eucalyptus, sycamore, liquid amber, cypress, elderberry, or sweet gum trees. Cooking salmon on a cedar plank is not the same as using chunks of cedar to smoke meat as the plank doesn’t inundate the fish with smoke for long periods of time.
Never use lumber scraps, either new or used. First, you cannot know for sure what kind of wood it is; second, the wood may have been chemically treated; third, you have no idea where the wood may have been or how it was used.
Never use any wood that has been painted or stained. Do not use wood scraps from a furniture manufacturer as this wood is often chemically treated.
Never use wood from old pallets. Many pallets are treated with chemicals that can be hazardous to your health and the pallet may have been used to carry chemicals or poison.
Avoid old wood that is covered with any mold or fungus.
So, what kind of smoke wood is the best? Well, like I said, it depends…
If you have any questions about the smoke woods and such please feel free to comment below or shoot me an email.
Also, you can follow the Grillin Fools on Facebook and post your own grilling pictures, share grilling recipes, and join the general grilling conversation or get updates from us on our twitter page @Grillinfool.
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i’m going to print this as a reference! i love smoking meats…my signature dish is a mesquite smoked salmon…so i’m going to add this to my tool box. have you ever tried soaking chips in anything other than water…like wine?!
I can’t say that I have ever soaked in anything other than water. Have you tried this? What effect does wine have on the smoke flavor? Are there better wines, white or red, sweet or dry? How long should they be soaked for?
I occasionaly soak my chips in draft cider (apple beer), Im not sure if it affects the flavor dramaticly, but it sure smells great as the steam is rising from the grill!
Soaked apple wood in whiskey, soy, with herbs. Smoked pork.
The herbs clung to the wood as I tossed the wood onto the coal.
The pork was out of this world.
Have no idea whether it altered the flavor – but it’s fun to experiment. :^)
Love the site…
A question…do you keep adding wood to keep smoke going throughout your full cooking time? Or, is there an optimal time for smoke, then just go low and slow for the remainder of the cooking time?
Thanks!
Smokin’ in NJ,
I ascribe to the rule that meat doesn’t really take on any more smoke flavor after an hour and a half to two hours. Maybe something like a pork butt/shoulder for pulled pork can take on more smoke flavor but for something like ribs, adding smoke wood after a couple of hours is a waste of smoke wood. But, yes, you do need to add smoke wood as what you have burns out. But after a couple of hours save the expensive smoke wood and maintain your desired temps without it…
…….Scott
Yes try soaking your chips in beer in the hot sun for a while. The steam smells like fresh baked pretzels and makes the meat taste great I also use beer when the fire gets a little too hot while low and slowing.
Is it ok if the wood is fresh (meaning cut alive directly off of the tree), or must it be dead or aged wood?
Jmoney,
I have used wood cut that morning and it is fine. Myron Mixon uses fresh peach and I think he knows what he’s doing around a BBQ pit…
…….Scott