Types of wood for smoking
This little primer covers a topic that strikes a chord in the hearts of all BBQ enthusiasts and is one of my greatest pleasures of experimentation: choosing wood for smokers.
If you're a fan of smoked cooking, or you just spent 20 hours in a week on Google shopping for a smoker, you probably know by now that wood is one of the key elements to achieving incredible flavor and texture.
But with so many types of wood available, it can be hard to know which one to choose.
In this guide, I'll walk you through the different types of smoker wood and their characteristics, so you can choose the one that best suits your cooking style.
Photo by Stacey Gabrielle Koenitz Rozells on Unsplash
Before diving into the different types of smoker wood, it's important to understand how wood species affect the flavor and texture of your meat.
As wood burns, it releases aromatic compounds that permeate the meat and give it a unique flavor. The type of wood you use to smoke your meat will therefore have a great influence on the final taste.
Each type of wood for smoking has its own characteristics in terms of flavor, aroma and density. Let's take a look at the different types of wood for smoking and their characteristics.
Different types of wood for smoking and their characteristics
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Smoking with hickory wood
Hickory wood is one of the most popular types of wood for smoking meat. It has a strong and distinct aroma, with hints of nuts. It is perfect for fatty meats like pork and beef. Hickory wood can be a bit intense, so it is recommended to use it in moderation.
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Smoking with cherry wood
Cherry wood is a fruity, sweet wood with subtle cherry notes. It is perfect for light meats like chicken and fish. Cherry wood can also be mixed with other types of wood to give a more complex flavor.
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Smoking with apple wood
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Applewood is a fruity, light wood with sweet apple notes. It is perfect for light meats like chicken and pork. It is also ideal for vegetables and seafood.
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Smoking with oak wood
Oak wood is a strong, dense wood with a sweet, smoky aroma. It is perfect for heavy meats like beef and lamb. It is also ideal for grilled foods.
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Smoking with mesquite wood
Mesquite wood is a robust and intense wood with a strong and distinct aroma. It is perfect for fatty meats like pork and beef. Mesquite wood can be a bit intense, so it is recommended to use it in moderation as its flavor can quickly overpower the meat.
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Smoking with walnut wood
Walnut wood is a strong, dense wood with a sweet, smoky aroma. It is perfect for heavy meats like beef and lamb. It's also a great choice for smoked cheeses, as it adds a subtle flavor that complements the flavors of most types of cheeses.
That's all well and good, but what is the best wood for smoking?
Obviously there won't be one answer that will fit everyone without someone taking offense and me sending threats on social media, so I opted for a strategic answer to this question by distinguishing "the best for what then".
The best wood for smoking chicken and turkey
In my humble opinion, the perfect wood for smoking poultry is fruit wood, specifically cherry and apple. These woods offer a sweet, fruity flavor that pairs perfectly with the tender, juicy meat of chicken or turkey. Fruitwood also burns slowly, allowing the bird to gently soak up the smoke and absorb the flavor without being overpowering. Ultimately, the choice of wood depends on personal taste, but fruitwood is a safe choice for deliciously smoky and juicy meat.
The best wood for smoking brisket
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The best wood for smoking brisket is hardwood, such as hickory and oak. These woods offer a robust and pronounced flavor that can stand up to the density of beef. Hardwood also burns longer and hotter, which is necessary to slow cook the brisket to perfection. The intense flavor of hardwood blends well with the fat and muscle of the brisket, giving the meat a deep, rich flavor. Of course, the choice of wood depends on personal taste, but if you are looking for a perfectly smoked brisket, hardwood is a safe choice.
The best wood for smoking ribs
The perfect wood for smoking ribs is also hardwood, but with a milder flavor than hickory or oak. Fruit woods, such as apple and cherry, are perfect for this tender, delicate meat. Fruitwood offers a sweet, fruity flavor that pairs well with the moist meat of ribs. These woods also burn slowly, allowing the smoke to gently permeate the meat without being overpowering. Ultimately, the choice of wood depends on personal taste, but fruitwood is a safe choice for perfectly smoked ribs with delicious flavor.
The best wood for cold smoking salmon
The best wood for cold smoking salmon is fruitwood, especially cherry and apple. These woods offer a sweet, fruity flavor that pairs well with the delicate flesh of salmon. Fruitwoods are also slow burning, allowing the salmon to be cold smoked for several hours without cooking. The mild, subtle flavor of the fruitwood smoke does not overwhelm the natural taste of the salmon and results in a delicious, slightly sweet flavor. Ultimately, the choice of wood depends on personal taste, but fruitwood is a safe choice for perfectly smoked and flavorful cold-cured salmon.
The best wood for smoking hot salmon
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Not really diverging from its frillier counterpart, the perfect wood for smoking hot salmon is sweet fruit wood, such as apple, cherry and walnut. These woods offer a light, mild flavor that doesn't mask the delicate taste of the salmon. Fruitwood also burns slowly and evenly, which helps maintain a consistent temperature during cooking. The smoke produced by the fruitwood gives the salmon a slightly sweet and fruity flavor that complements the fish. Ultimately, the choice of wood depends on personal taste, but fruitwood is a safe choice for perfectly smoked hot salmon with a delicate and delicious flavor.
The cheapest smoking wood in Quebec
The best smoker wood financially is fruit wood, such as apple and cherry. These woods are generally less expensive than denser woods such as hickory and mesquite, but still offer a delicious flavor to the meat. Also, fruit woods burn more slowly than denser woods, which means you'll need less wood to smoke a given amount of meat, which can save you money in the long run (like if spending 16 hours picketing a BBQ is cheap, you have time to mow some damn grass in 16 hours Roger!)
Smoking wood for the best texture
The best smoking wood for the texture of the meat depends largely on the type of meat you are smoking. In general, denser woods like hickory and oak are best suited for tougher meats like beef and pork, as they can withstand the strong smoke flavor. On the other hand, softer meats like chicken and fish work well with softer woods like cherry and apple, as they absorb subtle flavors better. Ultimately, the choice of wood depends on personal taste, but it is important to keep in mind that the texture of the meat can be affected by the type of wood used.
To learn more about bbq, check out these other smoker primer guides:
- BBQ Cooking Techniques in Quebec
- Cold Smoking Techniques in Quebec
- Hot Smoking Techniques in Quebec
- DryRub Technique and DryRub Recipes
- Brine Technique and Brine Recipes
- Styles of bbq sauce
- Types of Smokehouses
- Best Vegetables in the Smokehouse
- Most Popular Smokehouses
- How to start your smoker
- How to clean your smoker
