Alder-Very
delicate with a hint of sweetness. Good with fish, pork,
poultry, and light-meat game birds.
Apple- Very mild, with a subtle fruity flavor,
slightly sweet. Use on poultry turns skin dark brown and
pork.
Cherry- Mild and fruity. Similar to apple, but
slightly bitter because most Cherry wood comes from chokecherry
trees. Good with pork, beef, and especially good to use
on poultry because it turns the skin dark brown.
Hickory- The most highly used wood, both commercially
and for home use. Has a strong, heavy, bacon flavor. Use
on pork, ham, and beef.
Maple- Smoky, mellow and slightly sweet. Good with
pork, poultry, cheese, and small game birds.
Mesquite- One of the hottest burning woods. Predominately
honey, earthy flavor with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Use on beef, fish, poultry, and game.
Pecan- A cool burner, nutty, mild, and sweet with
a flavor similar to hickory, tasty with a lot of subtle
caricature. Use on steaks & ribs. Also good with poultry,
pork, and cheese.
Red Oak- Red oak is quite similar to mesquite.
All oak varieties reported as suitable for smoking. Especially
good on ribs and beef.
White Oak- A lighter version of mesquite but milder.
White Oak makes the best coals for longer burning. All
oak varieties reported as suitable for smoking. Good with
red meat, pork, fish, and heavy game.
