Good Wood for Rib Roast

[btircuit]

I'm smoking a rib for dinner tonight and I'm not sure which wood to use for smoke... hickory, pecan or mesquite. I'd like to try mesquite but not sure if it will over power the taste of the beef.
What do you guys think?

 

[the dude abides]

In my opinion Hickory is stronger. Never tried Pecan. Maybe just try and use the wood for the first quarter of your smoke, then get heat from lump til cooked through.

That's one option.

 

[blacklab]

Pecan is a great wood I use it 50% of the time on spares mild and suttle like a fruit wood. The other 50% is hickory and apple just for different tastes.

 

[drlouis]

Personally I like all 3, but to my taste buds mesquite gets bitter if you use too much, I'd flip a coin between hickory and pecan.

 

[erain]

cherry, maple, or cherry

 

[coachin&smokin]

Oak is also a good smoking wood for beef. A lot of steak houses that cook on wood coals use oak. It has a mellow flavor that really enhances the beef. I'm going to smoke a chuck this weekend with oak using DDAves Tri-level rub.

 

[tasunkawitko]

cherry is always a good choice for beef - i haven't tried oak, but would like to.

 

[rons]

If you can find it, Alder wood is sooooooooooooooooooooooo good with every meat I've tried it on.

 

[nomorecoop]

With what you have, I'd mix the hickory and pecan. 50/50.

Apple and cherry is probably my favorite mix.

 

[grouper sandwich]

Of those 3 I'd go with the pecan. If on hand my preferrence would be oak, but pecan is a close 2nd. Mesquite and Hickory are too strong for a rib roast, IMO.

 

[rons]

Anyone else ever tried alder wood?

 

[azrocker]

I have been using Apple Cherry and peach a lot. I will only give it a kiss of mesquite. I do know of cookers who use only mesquite and it is powerful. For some reason I like to taste the food too

 

[voldaddy]

I used hickory on the one I smoked for Easter dinner and it turned out great.