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smoking Wood Smoking Flavor Chart

not really a chart but you get the idea..

Acacia


these trees are in the same family as mesquite. When
burned in a smoker, acacia has a flavor similar to mesquite
but not quite as heavy.
Good with most meats, especially beef and most vegetables.

Alder


A sweet, musky smoke that is the traditional wood of the
Northwest.


Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds.
Traditionally used in the pacific Northwest to smoke
Salmon.

Almond
A nutty and sweet smoke flavor, light ash.
Good with all meats.

Apple


The flavor is milder and sweeter than Hickory. Serve
chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor
even more.
Good with most meats.

Ash
Fast burner, light but distinctive flavor.
Good with fish and red meats.



Avacado
Unknown
Supposed to be good for all meats.

Bay
medium floral smoke with hints of spice & cinnamon
Good with most meats and veggies.

Beech
A mild much used wood like oak.
Great for whatever you care use it with.
Good with meat and seafood.

Birch
Medium hard wood with a flavor similar to maple.
Good with pork and poultry.

Blackberry
Much like the woods provided from fruit trees, the small
diameter trunks of the Blackberry bush provides a slightly
sweet and delicate flavor.
Good for grilling poultry and other meats, such as small
game birds like grouse, pheasant, partridge, and quail.

Butternut
Strong smoke, like walnut, bitter when used alone
Good on red meats like Beef, Pork, Venison and other game
meats. Can easily overpower poultry.

Carrotwood
Unknown
Supposed to be good for all meats.

Cherry
Slightly sweet fruity smoke that's great with poultry
(turns skin dark brown). This smoke is a mild, sweet and
fruity smoke which gives a rosy tint to light-colored meats.
Good with all meats.



Chestnut
Slightly sweet nutty smoke flavor
Good with most meats.

Corncob
Although not considered to be a true wood.The heart of
the cob that holds the kernels is the fuel section of this
alternative for wood. It is ground into small granular bits
that can be added to a smoking box or it can be combined
with other woods such as woods from fruit trees, to impart
several flavors. The Corncob provides a sweet flavor that
may overpower the food if too much is used to season the
food as it cooks. Begin by trying small amounts until the
desired flavor is achieved.
It is often used as a smoking chip when grilling foods such
as poultry, fish and small game birds.

COTTONWOOD
It is a softer wood than alder and very subtle in flavor. Use
it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods (hickory,
oak, pecan) for more flavor Don't use green cottonwood for
smoking.
Use it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods
(hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor.
Good for all smoking,especially pork and ribs.

CRABAPPLE
Similar to apple. Provides a lot of smoke. Rich and fruity.
Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb.

Fig
Mild & fruity like mulberry- Boston butt & ribs
Good with all meats.

Fruitwood
Medium fruity sweet smoke- all BBQ meats
Good with all meats.

Grapefruit
Produces a nice mild smoky flavor.
Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry.

Grapevines
Tart. Aromatic, similar to fruit wood. The flavor is milder
and sweeter than hickory.
Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken,
turkey, pork and fish.

Guava
Flowery fruity taste similar to apple.
Good for all meats,

Hickory
Sweet to strong, heavy bacon flavor. This great flavor
works well with pork, ribs, hams, poultry, and beef. These
chips should be soaked for 1-2 hours to prevent a bitter
taste.
The most common wood used.
Good for all smoking,especially pork and ribs.

Jack Daniel's
Made from the mellowing charcoal used to make Jack
Daniel's that smooth sipping whiskey. This is a STRONG,
sweet smoke flavor with an aromatic tang.
It's good for cooking Beef, Pork, Poultry and Game meats.

Kiawe
Hawaiian Mesquite of sorts although somewhat milder.
Good on pork, beef and fish.

LEMON


A tangy, citrus smoke. Medium smoke flavor with a hint of
fruitiness. Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness.
Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.

Lilac
Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. Good with seafood and lamb.
Lime Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness.
Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.

Maple
Mildly smoky, somewhat sweet flavor. Maple chips add a
sweet, subtle flavor that enhances the flavor of poultry
and game birds. Smoke a pork roast with them for a
sensational taste experience.
Mates well with poultry, ham, cheese, small game birds, and
vegetables. Wonderful for smoked turkey!

Mesquite
Strong earthy flavor. One of the most popular woods in the
country, mesquite is a scrubby tree that grows wild in the
Southwest. Sweeter and more delicate than hickory, it's a
perfect complement to richly flavored meats such as steak,
duck or lamb.
Good with most meats, especially beef and most vegetables.

Mulberry
A mild smoke with a sweet, tangy, blackberry-like flavor
Good with Beef, poultry, game birds, pork (particularly
ham).

Nectarine
The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.
Good on most meats, great on most white or pink meats,
including chicken, turkey, pork and fish.

Oak
(White and Black Jack)
Most versatile of the hardwoods blending well with most
meats. A mild smoke with no aftertaste. Oak gives food a
beautiful smoked color.
Good with red meat, pork, fish and big game. RED OAK is
good on ribs. Especially good with beef brisket.

Olive
The smoke favor is similar to mesquite, but distinctly
lighter.
Delicious with poultry.

Orange
A tangy, citrus smoke. Medium smoke flavor with a hint of
fruitiness. Orange gives food a golden color. Produces a
nice mild smoky flavor.
Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.

Peach
Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor, milder and sweeter than
hickory.
Good on all meats, great on most white or pink meats,
including chicken, turkey, pork and fish.

Pear
A nice subtle smoke flavor much like apple. Slightly sweet,
woodsy flavor.
Good on Poultry, game birds and pork.



Pecan
Sweet and mild with a flavor similar to hickory but not as
strong. Tasty with a subtle character an all-around superior
smoking wood.


Try smoking with the shells as well. Good for most things
including poultry, beef, pork and cheese. Pecan is the best
for that beautiful golden-brown turkey.

Persimmon
Medium smoke- great for boston butt & ribs
Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.

Pimento
Also referred to as Allspice, Jamaican Pepper, Myrtle
Pepper, or Newspice. This wood adds a natural and
somewhat peppery flavor that may also include flavors of
several spices combined, such as cinnamon, cloves and
nutmeg, similar to the flavors provided when allspice is
used as a seasoning to enhance the flavor of various foods.
It is a common wood often used in grilling Jamaican foods
such as jerk chicken. Often used for grilling poultry and
fish.

Pistachio Nut
Shells
If you like the taste of pistachio nuts why not? Allegedly not so hot with fish.

Plum/Prune
The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.
Good with most meats, great on most white or pink meats,
including chicken, turkey, pork and fish.

Sassafras
A mild, musky, sweet smoke with a root beer aftertaste.
Especially good on beef, pork and poultry.

Seaweed
The seaweed is washed to remove the salt and air or sundried
before use. It provides a somewhat spicy and natural
flavor to the foods being smoked or grilled.
Commonly used for smoking shellfish such as clams, crab,
lobster, mussles, and shrimp.

Walnut (Black)
While pecan is hickory's milder cousin, black walnut is the
strong one. Often mixed with lighter woods like almond,
pear or apple, can be bitter if used alone. An intense smoke
that is slightly bitter like walnuts. Can easily overpower
poultry.
Good on red meats like Beef, Pork, Venison and other game
meats. Can easily overpower poultry.

Walnut
(English)



Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods
like almond, apple, pear or pecan.
Can be bitter if used alone. Good on red meats like beef,
pork, venison and other game meats.

Whiskey Barrels
Made from whiskey soaked oak barrels. Nice.



Italian Herbs
A strong smoke flavor that is completely unique! This blend
of oregano, rosemary, thyme with oak wood gives zesty and
robust flavors like these herbs.
Especially good for lamb, pork and poultry. Good for pizza
too, when you cook it on the grill.

Oriental Herbs
A strong smoke flavor with oak that's truly amazing ! A
blend of Sesame seeds and Ginger Root with oak wood or
Mesquite gives a nice oriental BBQ flavor.
Especially good for beef, pork and poultry.

Dried Herbs
Throw a spoonful of your favorite dried herbs into your
water pot - as it moistens your meat it also adds aroma and
flavor!
Good with any meats

Other Woods



Avocado, Bay, Carrotwood, Kiawe, Madrone, Manzanita, Guava, Olive, Beech, Butternut, Fig, Gum, Chestnut, Hackberry, Pimiento, Persimmon,
and willow. The ornamental varieties of fruit trees (i.e. pear, cherry, apple, etc.) are also suitable for smoking.

The ornamental varieties of fruit trees (i.e. pear, cherry, apple, etc.) are also suitable for smoking.

Wood that is poisonous when used for grilling.



DO NOT USE any wood from conifer trees, such as PINE, FIR, SPRUCE, REDWOOD, CEDAR, CYPRESS, or SWEET GUM TREES they will
make you sick!

Also ELM and EUCALYPTUS wood is unsuitable for smoking, as is the wood from SYCAMORE and LIQUID AMBER trees.

More woods that you should not to use for smoking:


Never use lumber scraps, either new or used. First, you cannot know for sure what kind of wood it is; second, the wood may have been
chemically treated; third, you have no idea where the wood may have been or how it was used.



Never use any wood that has been painted or stained. Do not use wood scraps from a furniture manufacturer as this wood is often
chemically treated.



Never use wood from old pallets. Many pallets are treated with chemicals that can be hazardous to your health and the pallet may have
been used to carry chemicals or poison.

Avoid old wood that is covered with mold and fungus that can impart a bad taste to your meat.



Very cool and helpful
 
I know this is an old thread but it's so great that it's unnessesary to start a new one.

Here in sweden we have a long tradition of smoking meat & fish.

I strongly recommend smoking with fresh junipertwigs(a conifer).
it gives a sweet aromatic amazing flavor to meat.
Pork loves Junipersmoke.
The "berries" is the most used flavor in gin but is commonly used as a spice here in sweden.
It works very well with pork/wild bore and moose(even other games).

Alder is allso commonly used for smoking here in sweden.
I think it's the wood that is commonly used when smoking fish like herring.


Mesquite & Hickory is awsome woods.
They are great on theirown but allso work well mixed.

I just bought a bag of cherrychips that i'm going to use this weekend when we selebrate last April. It's a long tradition here in Sweden to welcome the warm period in the year.
I'm going to buy a new bbq grill tomorrow. It is going to get porked for sure(feel free for imaginations hehe).
 
I know this is an old thread but it's so great that it's unnessesary to start a new one.

Here in sweden we have a long tradition of smoking meat & fish.

I strongly recommend smoking with fresh junipertwigs(a conifer).
it gives a sweet aromatic amazing flavor to meat.
Pork loves Junipersmoke.
The "berries" is the most used flavor in gin but is commonly used as a spice here in sweden.
It works very well with pork/wild bore and moose(even other games).

Alder is allso commonly used for smoking here in sweden.
I think it's the wood that is commonly used when smoking fish like herring.


Mesquite & Hickory is awsome woods.
They are great on theirown but allso work well mixed.

I just bought a bag of cherrychips that i'm going to use this weekend when we selebrate last April. It's a long tradition here in Sweden to welcome the warm period in the year.
I'm going to buy a new bbq grill tomorrow. It is going to get porked for sure(feel free for imaginations hehe).
Yes I agree this is a great list.
I discovered it a few months ago, and have shared it with friends who have access to some different woods than I do.
I have learned a lot reading information posted by by BamsBBQ.
Occasionally I can get alder chips at the market,it has a nice mellow flavor with chicken and fish.
I've never used any juniper twigs(or berries),fresh or otherwise. I thought the juniper bushes we have around here are a conifer variety and as a result the smoke could be toxic.
Enjoy your Last April celebration...home the weather cooperates.
 
Well the juniper is not toxic when used as a smoker or the berries(used ripe/black) in spices and marinades.
Juniperberries and rosemary is a killer combo in rubs along with a bit of rosepepper & green peppercorns. The berries can be a bit hart to mortle but it's easier to grind them with some salt.
The berrie is also nice in stewes & stuff.

You can axtually make tea using fresh spruceneedles.
They are high in vitamin c.
You can also eat fresh spruceshoots early in the year when they ar light green.
I think the most common spruce here in Sweden is red spruce(don't know the latin name for it).
You can also flavor honey with spruceneedles.
You can also make a kind of chewinggum with the spruceresin.
I also think that you can make an ointment by melting some resin, beeswax & vegetableoil together to smear on small wounds. I'm not totally shure but i think i have read it somewhere.
 
Thanks for the list (I've been looking for such an extensive list for a long time, another hobby is low&slow barbecue.. especially pork). However I really need to comment on the following;
 
 
 
DO NOT USE any wood from conifer trees, such as PINE, FIR, SPRUCE, REDWOOD, CEDAR, CYPRESS, or SWEET GUM TREES they will
make you sick!
 
The saw dust and brush of fir, spruce and pine are used to smoke Schwarzwalderschinken for centuries now, if that stuff will make me sick that's very bad news for me (I consumed my fair share).
 
For the rest I mainly use fruit (apple, pear, cherry, plum) and hardwood (oak, beech) for smoking. I do have Mesquite and hickory, but think it's a to dominant flavor.
 
 
I apologize for bringing back the dead (topic of 2011)
 
I'm into the tamer woods.
 
Oak is fantastic for pretty much everything, and then I add supplemental woods per protein, like apple, pecan, cherry, etc. Pecan is great for a bright nutty smoke. Like smoking pepper pods for powder. Also great for ribs. For other porks, apple. For beef, also pecan. Cherry is great for all.
 
You are right it's general, but specifically... cedar planking is on western red cedar boards. eastern cedar makes you sick. The pine I'm sure has similar qualifications.
 
Of the native conifers we only don't use the Douglas as far as I'm aware off. The native species almost all belong the genus  "Picae" and "Abies". I think it might indeed be due to the geographic differences to were our BBQs are standing. To bad that we don't have that many nut Woods (only haselnut, chestnut, walnut.. that's about it). I'd love to get my hands on some Pecan and such, however I refuse to pay €11 for a pound of chips of it in the store.
 
Pecan is great! It's kinda crazy how the sweetness of fruit woods and the nuttiness of nut woods comes out of the wood.
 
Yep that's what I keep hearing :( unfortunately the BBQ community here isn't that large so you'll have to go to specialized webshops. We have a few Thousand bbq fanatics here, but that's nothing compared to the states. There's not much choice in what smoke wood you can get of the shelf, so I tend to get my own fresh wood. I especially like cherry and apple. A friend of mine has an apple orchard where they grow different kinds, and there's actually a lot of difference between the apple varieties. The sour kinds tend to give a more apple like aroma, where the sweet apples tend to give more general fruitiness.
 
The smoke wood in webshops tends to be priced reasonably as they import from the states in larger quantities, but with postage you'd pay quite a lot for a bit of wood.
 
I'm about to pull some babybacks outta my oke joe. Started with white oak, middle cook was cherry, finished with pecan on a simple dry rub. 
 
Anyway, I'm looking into getting some Manzanita next week, And reporting back here. If I remember correctly (its been a very long time since) NOTHING and I mean NOTHING beats Manzanita in the Q.  
                                                                                       :high:
 
Note on bay/laurel wood:  (for the west coasters)
 
To my knowledge the California Bay/Laurel is well known as NOT a good wood for Q'ing/smoking. Its extremely harsh tasting and not a very hard wood.
 
Although, I have read of a tradition of smoking mullet and other fish in Florida with Bay, I am fairly certain it is a different species altogether.
 
Still waiting on the wood lot to get that Manzanita, dammit.
 
Scored! Got a extra fat 1/4 cord mix Manzanita and Cherry. :dance: Whilst loading the manzanita, I says whats that pile over there? He says cherry but its only 3/4 cured I'm gonna start selling it in Jan. I says Cherry? (very rare in cord wood in these parts) 3/4 cure??? PERFECT!! I want it. He says ok, I'll give ya a lil' extra since its not full cure. I may have to go back and get 1/4 cord of just the cherry. Prices aren't cheap $90 1/4 cord but the quality is excellent. Should have some notes on the Manzanita this weekend. 
 
VIVA LA STICK BURNER, DAMMIT!!   :P
 
Manzanita test in progress:
Two racks of baby backs on nuthin but manzanita, I'm about 45 minutes in. It takes a little getting used to, it burns at much higher btu than most stuff. A little goes a long way. It has a different sound when you drop it on cement, almost sounds ceramic. I put two bay leaves in the water pan, which in hindsight I shouldn't have done.
 
Edit: Just rotated ribs and stoked fire with two sticks. Rollin' around 230F-240F.
 
:high: Approaching hour two. One 24oz SN harvest IPA killed. Stoked one stick when nahone wud lookin. POPPIN a NUDDer HarvEst Bou a hou r ta go.
 
This thread Is highly udderrated! I can"T beLIeave noeone wants ta talk about they WOOD!! DaMMit
 
Thru a can bushes bean in a pie tin couple shakes uh DRu's stardust on it. Its in dare too.
 
 
Manzanita smoke smellin rich! Almost like Mesqueet, Hope dis ribbage aren't overpowered wit da smoke.
 
Dis da gooD smoKin Music. Smokin' n' Smokin da Kine Bruh!   :high:  :high:
 
https://youtu.be/grNM1-XE9v4
 
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