Acacia |
Has a flavor similar to mesquite but not quite as heavy. |
These trees are in the same family as mesquite. A very hot burning wood. |
Alder |
Light with a hint of sweet flavor. Great mixed with apple wood chips. |
People having more interest in seafood will surely love Alder. Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds. Alder wood chips are popular for cooking fish and poultry. |
Almond |
A sweet smoke flavor with a light ash residue. |
Good with all meats. |
Apple |
Very mild dense wood with a sweet smoky flavor. Tastes great mixed or alone. |
Best for delicate proteins like fish and poultry, but they also contribute sweet and delicious notes to more flavorful meats like game and beef. Use apple wood in your smoker box for some of the best baby back pork ribs ever. It gives a different type of flavor, which is very mellow. Chicken and pork are the best meats for these types of woods for smoking. Good with poultry (turns skin dark brown) and pork. |
Apricot |
Milder and sweeter than hickory. |
Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. |
Ash |
Light but distinctive flavor. Fast Burner |
Good with fish and red meats. |
Bay Laurel |
Source of dried Bay Leaves. |
Good with red meats and wild game. |
Beech |
Light with a hint of sweet flavor. Great mixed with apple wood chips. |
Mild enough to be used on seafood and works well with salmon as well as other fish. You can use it on other foods with mild flavors, including chicken and pork |
Birch |
A flavor similar to maple. |
Good with pork and poultry. CAUTION - The White Bark of a Paper Birch contains a large amount of Turpentine DO NOT USE IT! |
Black Walnut |
Heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like pecan or apple. |
Usually mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and wild game. |
Butternut |
Heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like pecan or apple. |
Also known as White Walnut. Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and wild game. |
Carrotwood |
Bitter if used alone. |
Good with red meats and wild game. |
Cherry |
Mild and fruity smoke flavor. Great mixed with other woods like hickory or mesquite. |
Chicken, turkey, and ham lovers always prefer cherry as the best wood type for smokers. If you use it with hickory, both are going to produce delicious food you will surely love. Wood from chokecherry trees may produce a bitter flavor. Cherry chips are great for beef, pork, or salmon. |
Chestnut |
A slightly sweet nutty aroma. |
Good with most meats |
Cottonwood |
very subtle in flavor. |
It is a softer wood than alder. Use it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor. Don’t use green cottonwood for smoking. |
Crabapple |
Very mild dense wood with a sweet smoky flavor. Tastes great mixed or alone. |
Similar to apple wood. |
English Walnut |
Heavy smoke flavor. |
Usually mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and wild game. |
Fig |
Rich and fruity with hints of sweet berry. |
Just the smell of the smoke will make you hungry. |
Grape Vines |
Tart, rich and fruity. Sweet berry flavor great mixed with apple wood chips. |
Provides a lot of smoke. Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb. Grape wood chips taste great with chicken or other poultry. |
Grapefruit |
A nice mild smoky flavor. |
Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry. |
Guava / Kaiwe |
Adds a subtle and sweet aroma of fruit. |
Great for beef, pork, lamb, poultry, fish and most vegetables. |
Hickory |
Strong hickory is the most popular smoking wood with a bold and robust flavor |
The most popular wood used for smoking pork, beef, ham and game. An American hardwood that produces an intense flavor reminiscent of bacon. Grill masters generally mix apple and hickory wood when smoking pork ribs. You can also use it to add flavor and color to your meats. Excessive amounts tend to impart a bitter taste, so use with caution. Most commonly used wood for smoking. |
Kaiwe / Guava |
Adds a subtle and sweet aroma of fruit. |
Great for beef, pork, lamb, poultry, fish and most vegetables. |
Lemon |
A nice mild smoky flavor. |
Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry. |
Lilac |
Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. |
Good with seafood and lamb. Lilac produces a good supply of mild, sweet smoke. A popular wood for smoked cheese, but also good for poultry and pork. |
Madrone |
A sweet aroma and flavor. |
Distinct, pleasing flavor similar to Mesquite, but not as harsh. |
Manzanita |
Produces a flavor similar to hickory, but without the overbearing characteristics. |
Good for smoking pork, beef, and wild game. |
Maple |
Mild and sweet flavor. Easy to mix with any wood, especially hickory and apple |
A subtle smoke flavor is an outcome if you smoke maple wood, a sweet, light smoke with excellent flavor. You can smoke poultry, or pork with the help of this wood. Smoky, mellow and slightly sweet. Good with pork, poultry, cheese, and small game birds. Great for smoking steak, cheese, vegetables and small game. |
Mesquite |
Intense bold earthy flavor that is a great mixing wood with any other type of wood chip. |
A great choice for pork, beef, and chicken, but also is great for smoking vegetables. Mesquite is very popular for it's spicy and sweet flavor and it will give your food good color, too. We like to smoke with mesquite for poultry when grilling. The intense smoke flavor isn't overpowering since the meats don't sit on the barbecue for very long. If you plan to grill meat, we recommend you Mesquite. People use it because of its strength and a unique type of taste. Red meat is the most smoked meat by Mesquite. Strong earthy flavor. Good with beef, fish, chicken, and game. One of the hottest burning. |
Mulberry |
Sweet and berry finish with a gourmet taste. |
The smell is sweet and reminds one of apple. Mulberry chips are taste great with ham and chicken. |
Nectarine |
Milder and sweeter than hickory. |
Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. |
Olive |
A similar flavor to mesquite, but it’s a lighter flavor. |
Olive smoking wood tastes best with poultry. |
Orange |
A nice mild smoky flavor. |
Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry. |
Peach |
A rare soft wood that has a sweet smoky finish. Can be mixed with any type of wood. |
Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. |
Pear |
A subtle yet sweet flavor that is great paired with apple wood chips. |
A nice subtle smoke flavor. Much like apple. Excellent with chicken and pork. Poultry, game birds and pork. |
Pecan |
Similar flavor profile to Hickory with a mild flavor that can be paired with any wood. |
You might not find a sweeter flavor than the flavor produced by Pecan. You might have to add some other wood to balance the sweet taste created by Pecan. People smoke ribs and roasts using Pecan. Good with poultry, beef, pork and cheese. Pecan is an all-around superior smoking wood Great paired with all types of meats. |
Persimmon |
Strong Pine flavor with a smooth finish that is not too smoky. |
Red Meats. |
Pimento |
An aroma, which is very similar to that of bay leaves. It will infuse food with this bay leaf fragrance along with a rich smoke that has notes of eucalyptus. |
THIS is the wood that gives authentic Jamaican Jerk chicken it's unique flavor. |
Plum |
The flavor is milder and sweeter than apple wood and great for mixing with other wood profiles. |
Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. |
Red Oak |
Heavy smoke flavor. Oak chips can be paired with any type of wood. |
The best meats to smoke with Oak are pork, lamb, beef, sausage, or brisket. When we are smoking big game (like deer) we reach for red oak, The smoke creates great color on your food. Cooking with oak is a great way to get started smoking. Seafood is also a great choice for smoking with oak. Many of our favorite venison recipes take advantage of the woods ability to color and flavor without hiding the great natural flavors we love. |
White Oak |
Heavy smoke flavor. Oak chips can be paired with any type of wood. |
All oak varieties are reported as suitable for smoking. Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game. |
Willow |
Adds a sweet flavor to food that is hard to beat. |
Works great with most oily Seafoods. It is used by many who make their own sausages, hams, etc. |