Wood preferences and why

[toadspit26]

Looking for opinions regarding your favorite wood to smoke with. I just had my seasonal wood supply delivered and it contains a lot of Cherry, White Oak and a significant amount of clean Red Oak. Also looking for insight as to leaving bark on or removing it.

Thanks, Todd

 

[chef jimmyj]

I am a Fruit Wood fan and Cherry is nice. Both of those types of Oak are great. I never saw a need to remove Bark...JJ

 

[pgsmoker64]

Hi Todd,

I have been smoking meat for a long time and have experimented with a lot of different woods for various applications.  What I have discovered is that choice of wood is a purely personal preference!  For example, some people believe that mesquite is too strong to use for pork but others swear by mesquite smoked pork.  There is just no singular list for what to smoke with what wood.

As for bark, I try to use wood without bark because the bark can impart a bitter flavor; however, some bark is so thin that it really doesn't make much of an impression - like apple wood.

Here are my personal preferences:

For pork - Hickory and Cherry - about 50/50

For beef brisket - I like Pecan, but I also like mesquite - occasionally a good clean white or red oak

Bacon - I like hickory, apple, and a mixture

Chicken & turkey - any nut wood is nice but I also go back to a hickory/cherry blend about 25% hickory and 75% cherry, any fruit wood is nice as well.

If you ever purchase a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker - the guy that owns the company has a list of wood and meat blends that he suggests (sorry I don't have access to that right at the moment).

My best advice is to try a few different woods and combinations to find what you like best - never stop experimenting.

Good luck and good smoking,

Bill

 

[raastros2]

I like alder for pork really well also

 

[diesel]

I second what Bill said. 

Also, Keep in mind that the flavor and amount of smoke will differ on different kinds of smokers.  I had a side firebox that I had to use charcoal w/ just small amounts of wood or it would be too smokey.  I have a RF smoker now and I use all wood without  worry of too much smoke. 

Time and experience with you smoker will be your best answer along with your own preference.

Aaron.

 

[woodcutter]

I haven't used white oak but I like cherry and love red oak and red maple. I've been spliting pieces so they fit on my table saw and make small pieces of 1' boards out of them. I keep them in the garage because they never seem dry enough from the wood pile. If I further dry them I get blue smoke.

Before cutting I take the leaf blower to the table saw and clean it good. Then save the sawdust which burns great in the AMNPS.
 

 

[anylizer]

Like others have said, it's really a personal decision. I like hickory for most things, and I like a lot of smoke flavor, but I find Mesquite too strong for my tastes. Different foods respond differently to smoke flavor also.

 

[jarjarchef]

I use oak for everything. It is free. We have a lot of trees we trim and I stack it to use later. I don't remove the bark, but am curious about the flavor if any...

 

[humdinger]

I like alder for pork really well also

Hmm, never thought of that. I'll probably give it a try since I hardly ever do fish, which is what I'm saving the alder for.

As for wood types in general, I've read that red oak is the wood of choice for doing tri-tip steaks, so you'll have to give that a whirl. Bill pretty much summarized anything else I would have said in the thread above. Hickory and apple 50/50 are great on pork too.

 

[jarjarchef]

DeeJay's has a nice chart you can download
(As a noob to this forum it is hoped I have not offended by posting link to outside.  Non-commercial so hope it's ok)
Direct Download
My Mirror

Personally I use a combination of Pecan and Surgarcane for most everything pig, but 'cane is hard to get less you live in Louisiana or Florida


Lache pas la potat
Capt Couillon

 

Nice chart....I have seen something similar before........ I don't see an issue with sharing info, but I am 1 of many here .........