# Favorite smoker wood?



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Since the weather's been nasty, no hunting open, I live on an island and my wife and daughter are in Utah visiting family, I haven't had squat to do but hang out on the internet. While looking for some wood pucks for my smoker, I ran across this website about different woods for different meats. I never thought about pairing up certain woods with certain meats.

http://www.thesavory.com/food/grill-gourmet-pairing-wood-chips-protein.html

I have alder (my favorite), apple (good), hickory (didn't like), Jim Beam (good) and Pacific blend (haven't tried). I'm just getting stocked up for the summer since I don't have any salmon left after I used it up during my octopus smoking debacle. What woods are your favorite with what kinds of meat?? Or do you use the same wood for everything?


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

there is really only one rule that I loosely follow:

I use the mild woods for meats that are not heavily spiced or flavored and the strong woods for meats that are.

Mild woods are: Alder, cherry, peach, apple, maple, grape
Strong woods are: Mesquite, oak, hickory, walnut, pecan

Oak is pretty much my favorite for pork. I think it creates a sweeter tasting smoke. Alder and cherry are typically my favorite for fish. Beef will often get smoked with mesquite or hickory.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I have been smoking a lot of pork shoulders and pork butts lately. I prefer to use apple, cherry or hickory wood. I did try one with mesquite and didn't care for it with pork. The seasonings you use play a factor too, like Muleskinner mentioned. I have been trying some of the McCormick Grill Mates Rubs, and my favorite so far is the Sweet & Smoky W/ cinnamon and chipotle. The Apple Rub is good too, just not as much flavor.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

see:
http://utahwildlife.net/forum/26-recipes/18811-types-wood-smoking.html


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Pork - hickory if you're from north of I40, pecan south of I40 

Beef - hickory, pecan or mesquite; depends on the cut of meat

Fish - alder for salmon and trout, hickory for freshwater fish

Cherry - birds, especially chicken ( I like sour cherry sawdust better than sweet cherry)

Apple - pork, birds and wild game

If I only had one wood for smoking - probably hickory. It is an all-purpose smoke and the cheapest. I buy 40lbs of hickory sawdust at a time. Pecan would be a close second but it's tough to get 100% pecan. It's usually mixed with oak or alder.


We made our own smoking sawdust at home; hickory, cherry. and apple mostly. Just use cooking oil or mineral oil for the chain lube on the chainsaw. 

I experimented with mulberry and orange in 2014. Both are really good.

.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Good info guys. I checked out your link Goob and that's a lot of good info.

I think I need to start keeping records of my smoker results from now on. I keep records of coyote stands, brewing results, weld setting, mill bit speeds, reloading etc,etc.

I just ordered some hickory, cherry, apple and oak. I haven't tried hickory on a pork roast so I'll try Muleskinner and Fowlmouth's suggestions for that.


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## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

Corn cob makes an interesting smoking wood, although strictly speaking I suppose it isn't actually wood.

Just be careful about your source of corn cobs, if you know what I mean.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

massmanute said:


> Corn cob makes an interesting smoking wood, although strictly speaking I suppose it isn't actually wood.
> 
> Just be careful about your source of corn cobs, if you know what I mean.


I've never heard of that. I wonder how that would turn out. They make corncob pellets for pellet stoves? I wonder if those would work.


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## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

longbow said:


> I've never heard of that. I wonder how that would turn out. They make corncob pellets for pellet stoves? I wonder if those would work.


I don't know about the corncob pellets... maybe contact the manufacturer and ask them.

Corncobs are a traditional smoking wood for Vermont hams and bacon. I believe it is also used sometimes in the South.

I have used corncobs for smoke when cooking pork butt and ribs in my Weber Smokey Mountain, and it was good.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Alder for fish.

Hickory for everything else.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Just an update. It seems hickory was a common choice with you guys especially for pork. So I took your advice and sliced a pork loin into jerky slices and smoked it in my Bradley with hickory pucks. I mixed in some High Country jerky mix and let it sit in the fridge overnight.









It turned out awesome! Thanks guys!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

That looks good longbow. I like pork jerky. What flavor did you do?

Funny, 20 years ago you'd die if you ate pork jerky. Now it's fine.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

For me, the wood depends on the meat type, rub, and sometimes which smoker I'm using.

Pork: Apple, cherry, pecan and hickory
Beef: Hickory or Mesquite
Poultry: Cherry or apple
Fish: Alder or cherry

My favorite all around woods are apple and cherry.

@longbow I have a Bradley too. Unfortunately it is falling apart, but I love the flavor it has on poultry and fish so I keep it around (had to make several mods and repairs to it). I mostly just use the Weber Smokey Mountain now.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

wyogoob said:


> That looks good longbow. I like pork jerky. What flavor did you do?
> 
> Funny, 20 years ago you'd die if you ate pork jerky. Now it's fine.


I used Mountain Man Smokey Blend. It's one of my favorites for beef and venison so I tried it with pork and it turned out great.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

brisket said:


> For me, the wood depends on the meat type, rub, and sometimes which smoker I'm using.
> 
> Pork: Apple, cherry, pecan and hickory
> Beef: Hickory or Mesquite
> ...


I love this Bradley. I didn't know anything about them but a friend was moving and couldn't take it with him so I bought it.

Isn't the Weber a charcoal smoker?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

brisket said:


> For me, the wood depends on the meat type, rub, and sometimes which smoker I'm using.
> 
> Pork: Apple, cherry, pecan and hickory
> Beef: Hickory or Mesquite
> ...


Welcome to the forum Brisket!!

My brother and a neighbor had Bradleys that fell apart.

.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

One real nice thing about smoking forums is that everybody seems to be in agreement that it is both necessary and there is no right or wrong.

Now then..........where is that selenium rub I had mixed up?


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Mr Muleskinner said:


> One real nice thing about smoking forums is that everybody seems to be in agreement that it is both necessary and there is no right or wrong.
> 
> Now then..........where is that selenium rub I had mixed up?


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

longbow said:


> Isn't the Weber a charcoal smoker?


Yes, it's a bullet style charcoal smoker. My kids call it the R2D2 smoker, because it is shaped like him. It's my favorite favorite smoker now, although it is a little bit more work to build and maintain the fire. But once you get used to it, it does a great job at maintaining a good temperature, for long smoke sessions.

It is also a lot cheaper to run than the Bradley (those pucks are expensive), and you can get better bark on the meat, and a smoke ring.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

wyogoob said:


> Welcome to the forum Brisket!!
> 
> My brother and a neighbor had Bradleys that fell apart.
> 
> .


Thank wyogoob, I'm happy to be here. I've been browsing the forums for a while, thought it was time to start contributing.

Trying to think of all the parts I've replaced on my Bradley:

1) The black plastic panel with the temperature control slider (replaced this twice and the third one is broken now)
2) Main heating element
3) The top door hinge (macgyvered it with a hinge I bought from Lowes)
4) Added two new bottom feet (to keep pressure off the black plastic panel, so it lasts longer)
5) It needs a new magnetic seal around the door (I now just tie a bungee cord around to keep the door shut tight).

It is really in sad shape, they just weren't built to last.

The worst situation I had was Thanksgiving Eve. I was set to smoke the Thanksgiving bird, and when I went to put it in, the temperature control slider was broken (again). Fortunately, I was able to take it apart, rewire the smoker to bypass the switch. Thanksgiving was saved.


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## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

brisket said:


> Yes, it's a bullet style charcoal smoker. My kids call it the R2D2 smoker, because it is shaped like him. It's my favorite favorite smoker now, although it is a little bit more work to build and maintain the fire. But once you get used to it, it does a great job at maintaining a good temperature, for long smoke sessions.
> 
> It is also a lot cheaper to run than the Bradley (those pucks are expensive), and you can get better bark on the meat, and a smoke ring.


You can make some mighty fine 'Q in a Weber Smokey Mountain. Some guys use them to win BBQ competitions. I have the feeling that they are made to work better at low altitude than high altitude, but don't quote that as gospel, and anyway, you can use them at high altitude as well.

Go to virtualweberbullet.com and read the forum posts. There is a wealth of information there, and an even greater wealth of opinion.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Peach wood is really nice if you like a light sweet smoke.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

johnnycake said:


> Peach wood is really nice if you like a light sweet smoke.


I'm intrigued. That is one I haven't tried yet, I'll have to pick some up.


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