Mesquite vs Hickory


 
T

tjkoko

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In the near future I plan to smoke some home cured bacon using mesquite wood. Previous experience in smoking jerky has shown that mesquite offers a flavor that's milder than hickory. Any comments invited.

If this topic has already been beat to death, please point me to that url.

Best,
-T
 
I think you have it backwards. It's easy to oversmoke with mesquite, hickory is much more forgiving.
 
My previous experience with low heat & mesquite was a brisket, and I definitely used too much (along with about 3 or 4 other issues on that brisket). I have never over smoked with hickory, but I don't use a lot on smaller things, such as chicken or ribs.
 
I must state that smoking jerky with either mesquite or hickory, the finished product must set at least 4-5 days to mellow in terms of flavor.
 
Originally posted by Clint:
I think you have it backwards. It's easy to oversmoke with mesquite, hickory is much more forgiving.
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I'm with Clint, I find mesquite has a much stronger smoke than hickory. The length of time your smoking the jerky though it's probably easy to over smoke with either.
 
Mesquite milder? Uh-uh. Not if it's actually mesquite. It has four times the lignins as hickory - which affects burns as well as flavor. I like it for grilling, sometimes, for this reason, but not for smoking, where its flavor easily tends toward bitterness. It can work okay for jerky if the marinade is contrast-y enough.
 
I like to have a light but steady smoke on jerky, so I wrap wood chips in foil, and poke a couple of holes to vent.
One packet provides enough smoke, at least for my tastes.
Not a fan of mesquite.
 
I really like mesquite for my brisket and steaks but I'm careful not to use to much. Usually 2 good size chunks for the brisket and a handful of soaked chips directly on the coals for the steaks.
 
Mesquite is best for grilling beef steaks does not get any better than that, mesquite works well for all beef. Great for pork & poultry but can over power the meat if u use to much mesquite. If used rite best wood in the world.
 
Mesquite is best for grilling beef steaks does not get any better than that, mesquite works well for all beef. Great for pork & poultry but can over power the meat if u use to much mesquite. If used rite best wood in the world.
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Respectfully, I disagree 100%.
I despise mesquite soo much I tossed over 20lbs in the fire pit to rid myself and the air i breath of it.
It is a wicked, strong smoke that, I believe, would gag the dead.
For jerky, many in Wisconsin use apple wood for smoke.
The few times I've made jerky, it was either apple or hickory.
 
You say potato and I say patahta.
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It depends on your DNA.
 
I use mesquite with SW recipes but use it in combination with other smoke woods, usually fruit woods. I've also found I like pecan more than hickory with most meats outside of big cuts like butts and briskets. You just have to find your taste levels.
 
Like others I find mesquite to be harsh. I use it for tri-tip and steak, never for poultry or pork. I like hickory for pork and apple for poultry. I smoked the Thanksgiving turkey with some hickory and some apple. Leave it to Kevin to give us the reason--I never even heard of the word "lignin." But now I know it's "an organic polymer found in plant tissue"
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I over smoked ribs back in '04 with hickory. About 2 years ago I tried hickory again. 1 chunk wasn't bad but I could hardly taste it. I smoked some ribs after that and thought I would try 2 chunks. I almost couldn't eat them. I used to love hickory but after you over smoke something with hickory, it ruins the flavor forever. It did for me it seems. Kind of like when you get drunk on tequila and can't stand the smell of it afterwards let alone drink it again.

I spent several years having a smoker turning up my nose to mesquite. I finally tried it a couple of years ago. I actually like it. Although I would only use it on certain cuts mainly large cuts of beef or pork. I have used it on brisket and butts. I usually use 6 chunks on a long cook of brisket or butts. I only use 3 chunks of mesquite and something else like pecan.

I do use mesquite on short cooks on the grill cooking burgers and love the results. I don't soak or put them in foil. I just take a small hand full throw them on the fire and put on the burgers. Gives them a nice tang with the short cooking time. I haven't tried on steaks but I don't do steaks very often.

My neighbor is retired Air Force and spent some time in Texas. He doesn't believe in anything but mesquite. The first Thanksgiving he was my neighbor. I smoked a boneless turkey for myself and another for a friend. So I bought an extra and took it to my neighbor. He said he just took his turkey off the smoker a short time earlier. Wanted me to try it. His wife had taken it out to the garage which I thought was strange. We got to the door and he opened it, It slapped me in the face. His garage smelled like he had a whole mesquite tree/bush whatever smoldering in there. So the turkey was over smoked then he cooked it on time not temperature, so it was dry as jerkey. Definitely not a pleasant experience. Good thing I took that breast over. I think his wife cooked a turkey in the oven also.
 
I've only used mesquite for a little flavor w/ grilling, but I think Ray Lampe, aka Dr. BBQ, said something about mesquite smoke "smelling like it came from the devil's as* crack." Just sayin'...
 
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