Cherry vs Apple

[2008RN]

I am fairly new to using different type woods to smoke with. Traditionally I have used mesquite/ hickory with my smokes. During the last year with my new electric fridge smoker and 2 oval AMNTS and an AMNPS I have tried corn cob pellets, Lumber Jack pellets (mesquite, hickory, pecan, maple) and I tried Traeger cherry.

Both the Pecan and maple were pretty bland neither sweet or very smoke flavored. I have liked the cherry although I know it is mostly alder for a sweeter mellow flavor. Here is where I need your help. I hate the thought of buying $20 bags of pellets and then only using them a few times. I am needing to top of my supply of hickory/mesquite and thought about trying a good sweet wood from Lumber Jack.

I have read and talked with a few different people about wood preference. I see a lot of people liking apple or others liking cherry for a sweet mellow flavor. But I have not found anyone that could compare the 2 woods to each other. Any one out there, that can try to give me a description/comparison between the 2 woods.

 

[motolife313]

I mainly just see a difference on how they burn. Apple burns very hot and fast. The cherry does seem to give a nice color to the meat the like everyone says.

Just did a beef tenderloin yesterday and used pretty much all walnut and it tasted no different then any other of my woods. They all taste about the same to me. The walnut doesn’t put out much heat tho and I like that.

 

[noboundaries]

When I first started smoking I could taste the difference between hickory and mesquite; everything else tasted the same to me. Once I gained some experience, and I could taste the differences between rubs, I started experimenting with woods. The flavor differences between medium woods (oak/maple, fruit, and nut) are VERY subtle. Cherry definitely adds color, which is most noticeable on poultry skin.

Hickory, mesquite, oak, and cherry are pretty much all I use these days.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I find the flavors are not all that different, mild and sweet, as opposed to acrid like Mesquite. The Big difference, Cherry adds a distinct Mahogany Red color to the meat that Apple doesn't. Lots of AMNPS and AMNTS guys will mix Cherry with other pellets...JJ

 

[Ooaaronoo]

I use hickory/apple mostly.. now on chicken I was told by the wifey I can only use cherry. Since the wings I made a few weeks back were so good.

 

[chopsaw]

Cherry adds a distinct Mahogany Red color to the meat

Couple of hams I did using cherry pellets from Todd . Just for reference .

A pellet I used the other day that surprised me on the taste was beech .

 

[chef jimmyj]

Beech is the GoTo Wood for Black Forest Ham. I have not tried it...JJ

 

[2008RN]

Thanks for all your input, I think I will try the cherry, seems like a lot of people are using it.