Which hardwood has the most delicate smoke flavor ( Kiss of Smoke )


 
I would have to do a lot more experimentation to know for sure, but I have a suspicion that it's more about the smokewood and protein combination than just the smokewood. In the older thread Bob linked I noticed Bill Farmer mentioned liking peach wood with pork. Last year I ordered a combo box from Fruita Wood and it included some peach. First time I'd ever tried that. I loved it with pork shoulder. I thought it harmonized with the natural pork flavor in a way I've not noticed with other fruit woods.

I don't know if there are similar combinations with other types of meat that harmonize like that, but I'm going to keep experimenting. And in the mean time, I just got another ten pounds of peach wood. Time for some pulled pork.
 
As you can tell, this is all totally opinion driven. Type and amount do make a difference. I will second Rich's recommendation for Olive. Wife asked me for a very light smoke with her lemon garlic chicken I did on the rotisserie. I used one small hunk of olive. When I pulled it out of the bag, it smelled like it was coated in olive oil. The smoke was easy on the nose and the end product was delicious.
 
BruceS said:
Which hardwood has the most delicate smoke flavor or can provide just a delicate touch or kiss of smoke (Hickory, Oak, Pecan, etc...) that doesn't over power meats and doesn't leave a strong after taste?
Click to expand...

Not sure of your location, but maple is usually pretty mild I think.
 
I most often use cherry, apple or pecan and can't tell the difference between them. I can tell the difference between them and hickory/mesquite which have a much more pronounced smokiness. If I say, use 3 chunks of hickory on my ribs, I'll get a far more powerful taste of smoke than if I used 3 chunks of cherry. That's about as far as my smoke "palette" goes.
 
I think I could tell the difference between something cooked with equal amounts of mesquite versus alder wood.
 
All other things being equal, different woods will impart different flavors. The problem is, all the other things are rarely equal.
 
The question was "Which hardwood has the most delicate smoke flavor ( Kiss of Smoke )".
I disagree that 'wood is wood' as I typically use the same amount of wood each time I cook.
IMHO:
For a light delicate flavor I use Alder.
For a sweet flavor I use Pecan.
Heavier flavor comes from Hickory.
And the heaviest, almost bitter flavor comes from Mesquite.
 
Roger R. said:
The question was "Which hardwood has the most delicate smoke flavor ( Kiss of Smoke )".
I disagree that 'wood is wood' as I typically use the same amount of wood each time I cook.
IMHO:
For a light delicate flavor I use Alder.
For a sweet flavor I use Pecan.
Heavier flavor comes from Hickory.
And the heaviest, almost bitter flavor comes from Mesquite.
Click to expand...

I would generally agree with that. Post Oak is the wood of choice in Central Texas and it's fairly mild, but "deep" in that it seems to permeate the meat (although that may be the function of cook time).

Jeff
 
It's possible a given smoke wood will impart a stronger or lighter flavor according to the soil it's grown in. I've seen some here frown on too much hickory, but here in the Carolinas, folks can't seem to get enough of it. On the other hand, the pecan grown around here just doesn't cut it in my opinion (grown in my own yard).
 
Last edited:
J Hasselberger said:
All other things being equal, different woods will impart different flavors. The problem is, all the other things are rarely equal.
Click to expand...

I hear ya. When I blend woods I always get a different taste but end up with something less pleasing than either wood alone to me. Peach or hickory based on mood. Wife likes peach better. I tried peach, apple, and hickory awhile back and it was ok. But not what I hopped for.
 
Rusty James said:
It's possible a given smoke wood will impart a stronger or lighter flavor according to the soil it's grown in. I've seen some here frown on too much hickory, but here in the Carolinas, folks can't seem to get enough of. On the other hand, the pecan grown around here just doesn't cut it in my opinion (grown in my own yard).
Click to expand...

Rusty, one of my favorite cooks was burgers cooked over whole (unshelled) pecans. That was like perfume! Fabulous flavor.
 
Steve Petrone said:
Rusty, one of my favorite cooks was burgers cooked over whole (unshelled) pecans. That was like perfume! Fabulous flavor.
Click to expand...


Sounds delicious! I've done that with cherry pits, and I plan to try peach pits as soon as the local crop come in.

I'll probably use store-bought pecan shells instead of the stuff in my yard though. One thing I learned about pecan, if the wood has a fungus, it will impart a pee-like smell to the food. My pecan tree must be sick. One time a large limb (6" OD) broke off near the trunk and crashed to the ground.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top