wood for pork butt?


 
E

Erik G

TVWBB Pro
I'll be smoking a couple bone-in butts on Friday and would like to use some wood other than apple and cherry (ok, maybe one chunk of apple). I have some oak, maple and alder (i have yet to use these types of wood). Any advice on the combination of wood I should use would be much appreciated, thank you.

Erik
 
I've used Oak many times. It's a bit stonger than the fruitwoods, but very good.

Alder has never entered my wsm, so I have no opinion on that, and I've used some maple but didn't care for it's taste.

I'd mix the oak with the apple. It's a great combo IMO.
 
I'd stick with the apple. If you have some hickory, you might want to try that, but oak is more of a beef wood imho. I've never had alder and maple like craig, I just don't care for.
 
Definitely save the alder for smoked salmon - it's absolutely wonderful with fish, and that's what I save mine for.

Fruits are good on pork - peach is my favorite when I have it. Our regular combination, and what we'll be using on the Fat 50 Thursday night with a case of butts and half a dozen packers, will be a combination of pecan, oak, and apple.
 
I think pork just cries out for hickory.

That being said I usually use a combination of hickory and apple or pecan and apple. I've used sugar maple many times and IMHO I think it's great very sweet smelling aroma.
 
Hickory is good and so are the fruit woods on butt. Since you want to use something diff use the maple. It works really well on the butt.
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I'm with Jerry. Oak is a beef wood to me. On butts it's hickory, and/or pecan, and/or apple. I just split a bunch of maple, and haven't tried the new stuff yet. Some other maple I had made for an odd smell that I didn't care for. But it may have been the bark that stunk.
 
I have to disagree with the oak on pork. I use oak on everything including butts. It probobly be optimal to use something stronger but I over done some ribs a few years back using hickory. Now I can't stand to use hickory on anything. I do like pecan but it isn't easy to get so I use a lot of oak. I have an seemingly endless supply so that is what I use. It is all a matter of taste. You won't know if you will like it unless you try it at least once.
 
I've used Hickory, Hickory/Apple, Oak and Sugar Maple. To me, Sugar Maple is the best in both aroma and taste on pork butts by far.
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That was pretty funny Jack. I decided to use 3 chunks of apple, 2 chunks of maple and 2 chunks of oak. I just put them in the smoker about 15 minutes ago for an early dinner tomorrow.
 
Down here in south GA, plentiful smoke wood includes both hickory and pecan. So much pecan that I get it for free and I'll let you know how butt smoke with it tastes. My new WSM arrives tomorrow.
 
Originally posted by Bryan S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Hays:
To me, Sugar Maple is the best in both aroma and taste on pork butts by far.
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Click to expand...
Ahh! Yes SmokeStock was the first for me. You NO?
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes sir !! That was a great time! We should do it again soon
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Where you been??? email me when you get a min..
 
Originally posted by Bill Hays:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill Hays:
To me, Sugar Maple is the best in both aroma and taste on pork butts by far.
wsmsmile8gm.gif
Click to expand...
Ahh! Yes SmokeStock was the first for me. You NO?
wsmsmile8gm.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes sir !! That was a great time! We should do it again soon
icon_cool.gif
Where you been??? email me when you get a min.. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes i know off topic here, but hey i'm sorry. I've been a slave to Corporate America. It's not all it's cracked up to be. Bill i have some Vaca comming up. I'll be in touch soon.
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Too many beers and too little sleep. Goodnight all.
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Hickory is good, but I have always preferred apple with butt. Hickory can be pretty harsh if using to much on some meats but with butt it works well.

Kevin
 
Originally posted by Erik G:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Fry:
If you can find it, give beechwood a shot.
Click to expand...

What exactly is beechwood and where can I find it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
It's wood you find at the beech. You know; drift wood
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Beech Wood
 
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