A quick poll about smoke woods.

Regards,
Chris

Question:
What is your #1 favorite smoke wood?

Choices:
Alder
Apple
Cherry
Hickory
Mesquite
Oak
Pecan
Other

Question:
What is your #2 favorite smoke wood?

Choices:
Alder
Apple
Cherry
Hickory
Mesquite
Oak
Pecan
Other

Question:
What is your #3 favorite smoke wood?

Choices:
Alder
Apple
Cherry
Hickory
Mesquite
Oak
Pecan
Other

 

Sugar Maple would have been my 1st choice followed by cherry and apple. I probably use hickory more only because it's so readily available (HD) .. Easily would have been the 4th choice.

Bill

Hickory followed by citrus of one kind or another or mixed, sassafras and grapevine, in no particular order. To me, hickory is the quintessential smokewood. So easy to moderate by simply using less.

Using Pear and I love it. Almost the same as apple.

i picked what i'm using now but i suspect that this is a fluid thing as we experiment with differant combinations.

Every once in a while I use blueberry wood, it is very good. but mostly apple, pecan and hickory.

I voted hickory, apple, cherry, but pork butt over sugar maple is very nice

wheres apricot.... and what the heck is this "other" wood. i've seen no "other" trees for years! hickory is my fav. then all fruit.

How about these?

Missouri White Oak and French Oak Wine barrels that contained Cabernet Sauvignon!








The other Oak!

The guy I got these from almost cried when I told him what I was going to do with them!

Same as Dave G. but I like to substitute pecan for hickory when I can get it--just slightly milder.

Brian, I also use wine barrel staves mostly for chicken, fish and a little pork.

1) Pecan
2) Cherry
3) Apple

1-apple
2-cherry
3-pecan

ON EDIT:
Hey Bryan, I swear I post mine before seeing yours! hahaha, Good choices my man.

It was interesting to see the results of this poll. Most of my "smoking" in the past was a handful of soaked chips while grilling. The last year has been smoking on my 22 1/2 kettle and Brinkman Gourmet. I look forward to further experimentation.

I love hickory and apple for pork, mesquite or hickory for beef, and apple or pecan for seafood. I'm looking forward to making the complete transition to chunks from chips, and trying new woods,all on my WSM. Finally!!!

I voted apple. It would be interesting to see this conducted on a stickburners only group and see if it varied. In a close enviornment like a WSM, apple is very mild and forgiving, while hickory, oak, or mesquite can be harsh. Personally, I like apple if I am burning logs in the big pit because a) we have alot of it in NE Ohio. b)It provides good heat (btu's), and it has great flavor . I would bet my woodshed, that if this poll ran in Tejas only, the results would be a) Oak b)Pecan c)Hickory!

#1-Apple (I like the flavor and have an unlimited supply)
#2-Cherry
#3-Hickory

#4 would have been Sugar Maple.

I would have to say, my first choice would be pear. I just tried it last week, and I LOVE it! It's slightly sweet, and similar to apple, but a little milder and smoother. I tend to like a lighter smoke flavor. Don't like overpowering smokiness.

Tough to answer because I prefer certain woods on each type of meat but I voted pecan as #1 since it works well on about everything.Prefer oak for beef,cherry for chicken,apple for ribs and a combination of cherry and hickory on pork. Or pecan in place of the above choices.

Interesting poll; I’ve often wondered the same thing.

To my taste, the difference in food flavor amongst the different smoke woods is subtle with the exception of sassafras. Sure, I can taste the difference between hickory versus fruit woods, but all-in-all the difference is slight. Now don’t get all riled up. I’m just saying that food cooked over wood or charcoal (charcoal = pre-burnt wood) is just good - no matter what.

For certain, this is admittedly subjective. To my taste the flavor of mesquite is a little stronger (yet tasty) than other woods. But I have little access to mesquite.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that everyone should just experiment – find out what you like best, then lay it in! Who knows what the months and years ahead might bring?
I have chosen to lie in sassafras. This is the best all around wood for flavor that I’ve tried. It’s good with chicken, it’s good with fish, and it tastes great under steaks. Heck, it’s even good on charcoal basket stir-fry!

So my vote is:

1. Sassafras
2. Sassafras
3. Sassafras
4. Wild cherry

I’ve tried a bunch. Oak, peach, apple, plum, wild cherry, sugar maple, silver maple, cedar, pear, hickory, and so on. But the one I always come back too is sassafras. It just sets itself apart.

Mild yet flavorful, sweet yet with bite, that slight root beer taste, smoky but not tasting like it’s been charred. Just darn scrumptious!

Anyone else find that sassafras is as good as my over smoked brain thinks it is?

-Vince

1. Sugar Maple
2. Pecan
3. Cherry

1.Peach(when I can find some that's not rotten). I love it. The smell of that smoke is fantastic stuff.

2.Apple

3.Sugar Maple/Oak/Plum/Cherry...any of those