What is your favorite wood to smoke with?

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bekellog81

Meat Mopper
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 9, 2006
171
11
Meadville, MO
I was siting here pondering what wood to smoke with and wondered what everyone else has a preference for. I use lots of oak, maple and hickory--occasially some apple and pecan. What are some of your favoites?
 
Apple and cherry are my top two favorites for almost anything. Hickory and maple follw at close second.

Cheers,
Brian
 
Hickory is my "go-to" wood for smoke. But recently I've been trying some apple, cherry and maple. I orders some Oak but it was on back-order so I'll have to wait on that one.
 
My 3 favorite woods are cherry, cherry and cherry. I like to combine them with a litlle hickory some apple and occasionally more cherry.

For chicken I like apple only.

Maple is a really good wood, but is quite mild and if used with anything but apple is easily lost under stronger woods.
 
From a total neophyte:

I used maple this weekend and was quite happy with the flavor. I used it on pork ribs. The flavor is lighter and my wife seemed to like this a lot.

The best way I can describe it is; If hickory is lager, maple is pilsner. Both good but different.

[you]
 
I cook everything with Oak and Cherry at ratio of about 60/40. I will use a little Hickory if I can con someone into busting it for me. I can handle the Oak and Cherry myself but even that is getting a little tiring.
Keep on smokin.
Gene in Ga.
 
My first choice is always Pecan. Goes great with anything and is not over powering. Second would be Oak. Why? That is what I like and that's what I get for free!!!! I''ve been known to throw some mesquite into the fire during the cook too... Esp. when cooking beef!

James.
 
Mulberry is a dandy smokin' wood. As smokebuzz sez it's very mild, and smells wicked sweet when you burn it, like cotton candy.
 
I consider hickory and pecan the same wood, so either of those for heat, and apple or cherry for flavor! I do like the mellow flavor of white oak, but just not as much as the hickory/pecan.
 
making beer can chicken , actually wine in the can today. pure oak hardwood briquettes and cherry wood for smoke,ought to be pretty good.
 
I really don't have a favorite, I just reach in the wood bin and grab what ever is closest, so longs I can get a good smoke comming around the food, I'm happy.
 
My bag of White Oak arrived the other day. Going to do some KC spares and some fatties this weekend-going to give the oak a try.
 
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