Author Topic: what is your favorite wood or combo of woods for smoking different foods  (Read 9145 times)

stout

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meats cheeses whatever

what wood or woods goes best with what for you?

NDKoze

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  • Gregg - Fargo, ND
Are you looking for additional feedback on top of what is documented in the following thread and included guide?

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2151.0

If so, a quick list from me is as follows:

Pork - Hickory, Cherry, or a Hickory/Cherry Combo
Beef - Hickory, Oak, or Mesquite. Hard to be Hickory for my favorite though.
Poultry - Cherry is pretty much the only wood I use for poultry.
Cheese - Apple, Cherry, or Hickory depending on the type of cheese.
Jerky/Snack Sticks - Hickory/Oak
Gregg - Fargo, ND
Smokin-It #3 (purchased in 2014) that replaced a Masterbuilt XL (ugh) and a 10+ Year-Old Big Chief (still used for fish), and few others over the years, along with variety of Weber Gas/Charcoal Grills, Anova Sous Vide, etc. devices.

Grampy

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Pork - Hickory or Pecan
Beef - Mesquite, Oak, Hickory
Poultry - Pecan or Hickory
Jerky/Snack Sticks - Hickory, Oak, or Pecan

Probably the most versatile and popular wood is Hickory.
Jimmy from Arkadelphia, AR
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stout

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Are you looking for additional feedback on top of what is documented in the following thread and included guide?

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2151.0

If so, a quick list from me is as follows:

Pork - Hickory, Cherry, or a Hickory/Cherry Combo
Beef - Hickory, Oak, or Mesquite. Hard to be Hickory for my favorite though.
Poultry - Cherry is pretty much the only wood I use for poultry.
Cheese - Apple, Cherry, or Hickory depending on the type of cheese.
Jerky/Snack Sticks - Hickory/Oak

thanks for the link

yeah just looking for input and inspiration

EFGM

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Red Oak and Hickory on almost everything. Sometimes pecan.
I don't deviate much.
Doug
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EFGM

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Excellent PDF on the wood selection chart Gregg! I downloaded it.
Doug
Carrollton
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"SMOKIN-IT CARES"

DivotMaker

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That question, to me, is like asking "What's your favorite movie?"  With the SI, we are actually able to taste the nuances of different smoke flavor in the meat, as it's not part of the heat source.  On traditional smokers, I have never really been able to tell the difference between some....but now I can!

So, my favorite woods may be significantly different from yours, or vice-versa!  I treat wood smoke flavor just like any other spice, for the flavor it imparts to the meat.  The only way to find what you like is to experiment!  For example, lots of folks say hickory and mesquite are "too strong," but I don't think they are!  In fact, if there was only wood I could ever smoke with again, I'd choose hickory, hands-down!  That's because I grew up in the south where hickory was the standard, so it "smells like BBQ," to me!  Others have different experiences with different woods.  Another example is apple; love the smell of it, when it's smoking, but really dislike the flavor profile it gives meat!  See what I mean?  You can't turn on the TV with seeing some commercial about "Apple-smoked (fill in the blank)."  Fact is, I don't like it, but many do.

Now that I've given my 2ยข on wood philosophy, I'll join in the fun! ;)

Beef:  Hickory, mesquite, red or white oak (depending on the recipe.  Red oak is a little stronger flavor than white oak).
Poultry:  Hickory, cherry, ash, maple
Pork:  Cherry and hickory, pretty much exclusively!  I've used white oak, and it's also good, but I stick to cherry and/or hickory.
Cheese:  Hickory or cherry.

 
Tony from NW Arkansas
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stout

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DivotMaker thanks for the work you have done on this

and your input

as an aside i wouldn't mind knowing what your favorite movie is  :D
mine is the great escape


thanks everyone for input on this already and any new posts yet to come

DivotMaker

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as an aside i wouldn't mind knowing what your favorite movie is
mine is the great escape

What genre? ;)   
Tony from NW Arkansas
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stout

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as an aside i wouldn't mind knowing what your favorite movie is
mine is the great escape

What genre? ;)


 :D cooks choice


i have lots of wild black persimmon trees near me, thinking of trying some of that wood. they grow in the middle of the woods no chemicals or anything used on them

anyone ever tried this wood with any food? any special prep for fresh cut wood .. aging etc?

es1025

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I use the following:
Apple for poultry and pork
Cherry for poultry, pork, and beef
Hickory for pork and beef

I will mix apple and cherry for poultry and pork and mix hickory and cherry for beef.

I tend to go for the lighter smoke flavor.
Ed from Northern NJ
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drains

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Definitely hickory for me. As Divot posted earlier, hickory is bbq to me too. I was raised that way, being from the south, although all the oak woods are big in other parts of Texas. Around here though hickory is king. I will admit to mixing hickory with cherry or maple on birds and the occasional pork butt. I really dont like pecan because it turns the meat very dark for some reason. Especially chicken.
Dale from East Texas
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DivotMaker

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:D cooks choice

Since you went with war movies, I have to say Saving Private Ryan, in that genre.  Tons of great ones (The Great Escape is fantastic), but the human element, superb acting, cinematography and realism, catapults this one over the top, for me.  Dad was a WWII vet, and ate a lot of that same dirt, so this one touches home more than others.
Tony from NW Arkansas
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stout

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:D cooks choice

Since you went with war movies, I have to say Saving Private Ryan, in that genre.  Tons of great ones (The Great Escape is fantastic), but the human element, superb acting, cinematography and realism, catapults this one over the top, for me.  Dad was a WWII vet, and ate a lot of that same dirt, so this one touches home more than others.

can't knock that movie at all... great film

40 caliber

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Re: what is your favorite wood or combo of woods for smoking different foods
« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2016, 08:13:05 PM »
I'll play
Pork - Hickory. is there anything else?
Poultry - Cherry, Maple - tried apple, it doesn't really work for me but i didn't throw it away!
Beef- Hickory, Mesquite
fish - Hickory, apple, but  looking for others to try!!
Tom From NH
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