BBQ Smoking Woods

Pecan wood is a very popular wood and is very similar to oak, but not as strong. Pecan burns hot and has a sweet nutty flavor with medium smoke. It mixes well with oak or hickory. It is especially flavorful if mixed with wild black cherry. Pecan is great with all meats - poultry, beef, pork, wild game, cheese and ribs. It adds a golden brown color to turkey, chicken or any poultry.

Hickory is best for larger cuts of beef and pork. It is a very hard, dense wood. Hickory has a pungent, smoky, flavor and makes great smoke rings in larger cuts of meat. It works well on all kinds of meat. Hickory is great with game and poultry, but use sparingly. It burns hot and long and makes great coals. Hickory blends well with other nutty or fruity woods.

Mesquite is good for grilling, but since it burns hot and fast, it's not recommended for long barbecues. Mesquite is probably the strongest flavored wood, and is popular with restaurants.

A mixture of various oak woods. Oak is a strong wood that is not overpowering, and is a great choice when cooking beef.

Post oak is in the white oak family. It has the same density as white oak. It is strong but not overpowering and is a very good wood for beef, or lamb. Oak is probably the most versatile of the hard woods.

Red Oak is the one of the best of the hardwoods and oaks, especially when it comes to smoking meats. It is strong, but does not tend to overpower the taste and texture of the meat. If you are cooking or smoking beef or lamb, oak is the best hardwood to use.

Oak is strong but not overpowering and is a very good wood for beef, or lamb. White oak makes good coals. Oak is probably the most versatile of the hard woods.

Oak is strong but not overpowering and is a very good wood for beef, or lamb. Oak is probably the most versatile of the hard woods.

A popular wood for smoked cheese, but also good for poultry and pork. Maple, like fruit wood, gives a sweet flavor that is excellent with poultry and ham.

Cherry has a sweet, mild flavor that goes great with a virtually everything. This is one of the most popular woods

Pear is similar to apple and produces a sweet, mild flavor

Grapevines make a lot of tart smoke and gives a fruity but sometimes heavy flavor. Use it sparingly with poultry or lamb.