About The Wood

Home - Recipes - Butcher Charts -The Wood - Que Tips - BBQ Lingo
Smokers - Que Gear - Pitmasters - BBQ Nation - Leftovers - About Us

Wood Basics
Once upon a time, all food was cooked over a fire. The smoke from the wood flavored the meat, giving it a sweet and smoky characteristic. Flash forward to today, where we cook most of our food over electric or natural gas stoves. We haven't forgotten about our humble beginnings, though, we still respect barbecue and the powerful flavor that comes from smoking meat.
The smoke is what makes barbecue so iconic. While any type of wood works to infuse smoke flavor into your food, each type adds a unique flavor and aromatic element to your food. Not all smoke is created equal, and some smokes are better suited for certain meats than others. Smoking wood plays a role in the flavor and the color of the meat. In general, mild woods are good for fish, pork and poultry, foods that are mild in flavor and are easily overridden by stronger smoke. Strong woods hold up better against dark red meat flavors.
The wood generally comes as logs, wood chunks, wood chips or pellets. Wood chunks and logs allow a steady, slow release of smoke, while wood chips and pellets are quicker to smoke and to burn..

A Note about Hardwoods and Softwoods
Hardwoods (also known as broad leaf or deciduous trees) include fruit and nut woods, such as apple, peach, cherry, pecan, oak, hickory and several others. Their cell structures are compact, making them ideal for being a smoking companion. Softwoods (evergreen or coniferous trees) include pine, spruce, fir, hemlock, redwood, and cypress. These are airy woods that have more sap, making them pungent and fast burning. They can leave food with a creosote type taste. They're not recommended for cooking.

The chart below is meant to give a general rule of flavor, characteristics and suggestions for the use of various woods. Smoke flavor can be affected by many different factors including moisture content, age of wood and even where the tree was grown. So don't be afraid to try different wood on different meat and see what your taste buds prefer.

Wood Type

Characteristics

Best to use for

Alder

Very delicate with a light sweet flavor.

Fish, Pork, Poultry.

Almond

A nutty and sweet flavor.

Good with all meats.

Apple

Sweet and fruity flavor with a great aroma.

Pork, Poultry, Game Birds, Fish

Cherry

Slightly sweet and fruity flavor. Add good color to meats.

Good with all meats.

Hickory

Considered the king of woods. The most common wood used. Flavor is very strong. Use wisely.

Good for all meats. Especially Beef and Pork.

Maple

Mild smoke with a somewhat sweet flavor.

Pork, Poultry, Vegetables and Game Birds.

Mesquite

Strong earthy flavor. Too much of this can cause food to taste bitter.

Most meats, but go easy on the smoke.

Oak

The second most popular wood used. Heavy smoke flavor.

Red meat, Pork, Fish and Heavy Game.

Peach

Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor.

Good on most meats. Especially Pork.

Pecan

The queen of woods. Mild nutty flavor. One of the most popular woods used.

Good for most all meats. Any time you want a pronounced smoke flavor that is not over powering.

Walnut

Very heavy smoke flavor. Usually mixed with lighter woods light Pecan or Apple.

Red meats and game.

Wood Type	Characteristics	Best to use for
Alder	Very delicate with a light sweet flavor.	Fish, Pork, Poultry.
Almond	A nutty and sweet flavor.	Good with all meats.
Apple	Sweet and fruity flavor with a great aroma.	Pork, Poultry, Game Birds, Fish
Cherry	Slightly sweet and fruity flavor. Add good color to meats.	Good with all meats.
Hickory	Considered the king of woods. The most common wood used. Flavor is very strong. Use wisely.	Good for all meats. Especially Beef and Pork.
Maple	Mild smoke with a somewhat sweet flavor.	Pork, Poultry, Vegetables and Game Birds.
Mesquite	Strong earthy flavor. Too much of this can cause food to taste bitter.	Most meats, but go easy on the smoke.
Oak	The second most popular wood used. Heavy smoke flavor.	Red meat, Pork, Fish and Heavy Game.
Peach	Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor.	Good on most meats. Especially Pork.
Pecan	The queen of woods. Mild nutty flavor. One of the most popular woods used.	Good for most all meats. Any time you want a pronounced smoke flavor that is not over powering.
Walnut	Very heavy smoke flavor. Usually mixed with lighter woods light Pecan or Apple.	Red meats and game.