Choosing Your Smoking Wood
Wood chips, chunks, dust or pellets can transform barbecued foods into something special. Smoke is used like seasoning — so don’t compromise on quality.
When you choose a wood it’s important to take the following into consideration:
BARK
If the wood you use still has the bark on, it will impart a bitter flavour to your food. The bark is also the tree’s protection and often contains mould, moss or other contaminants.
ORIGIN
Where the wood comes from is of great importance. Be friendly to the environment by buying woods that are harvested from sustainable sources.
People often visit the local woodworking shop to ask for off-cuts or shavings, and while this may be cost effective, make sure the wood has not been treated, doesn’t contain traces of oil used to lubricate saws and hasn’t been swept from the floor.
If you’re harvesting your own wood from a fallen tree, don’t use wood that has been cut with a chainsaw, as most chainsaw blades are lubricated by oil. If you’re going to use the wood for food smoking, use a hand saw, remove the bark and season the wood well in a dry place.
WOOD VARIETY
The type of wood you use will make a big difference. A general rule of thumb is that fruit woods are mild and sweet, hard woods are more robust and savoury, and nut woods produce a strong smokey flavour. Do not use coniferous or oleander woods (pine, cedar, fir, hemlock, cypress and spruce are common examples).
Don’t be afraid to try different varieties. We suggest Hickory for chicken and pork, Apple or Cherry for ribs, and Beech for fish (personal favourites). You can also create new flavours by mixing different woods together.
Here is a short guide on some commonly available woods:
| Wood | Flavour | Comments | Red meat | Pork | Poultry | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alder | Sweet and musky, with a light smoke flavour. | Works especially well with salmon and turkey. | x | x | x | |
| Apple | Slightly sweet and fruity with strong smoke flavour. | Very good with pork and game birds due to the sweetness. | x | |||
| Beech | Mild smokeyness with a slight nutty flavour. | Good all round, especially with game birds and salmon. | xx | x | x | xx |
| Cherry | Sweet, fruity flavour with mild smokeyness. | Adds a pink tinge to meats and darkens poultry skin. | x | x | xx | x |
| Hickory | Sweet and strong with a savoury, bacon-like flavour. | Fantastic with ribs, pulled pork and fish. | x | xx | xx | xx |
| Maple | Mild smoke flavour with subtle sweetness. | Good for game. Fantastic for pork roast. | x | xx | x | |
| Oak | Versatile, mild, and no aftertaste. | Must-have for brisket. | xx | xx | xx | x |
| Whiskey Oak | Strong smoke flavour, similar to oak but with a malty taste. | Fantastic with venison, game and poultry. | xx | x | x | x |