Smoking Woods

Types of Wood	Unique smoke characteristics of the wood and flavor produced.	Types of Meat
Alder	Very delicate with a hint of sweetness. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more.	Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds. Traditionally used in the pacific Northwest to smoke Salmon.
Apple	Slightly sweet but denser, fruity smoke flavor. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more.	Beef, poultry, game birds, pork (particularly ham).
Apricot	The flavor is milder and sweeter than Hickory Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more.	Good with most meats.
Blackberry	Much like the woods provided from fruit trees, the small diameter trunks of the Blackberry bush provides a slightly sweet and delicate flavor for grilling.	Poultry and other meats, such as small game birds like grouse, pheasant, partridge, and quail.
Beech	Generally readily available, this hardwood provides a flavor similar to oak and several other hardwoods. The wood of the Beechnut produces a mild, somewhat delicate smoked flavor. Since it is a hardwood, it remains longer for smoking before it turns to ash.	Good with most meats.
Birch	A softer wood, Birch is best used when grilling or smoking cuts of pork and poultry, providing a flavor similar to some varieties of maple.	Beef, poultry, game birds and pork.
Cedar	A very common wood used to grill fish, poultry and various meats such as pork and beef. White or Red Cedar are the species most often available, which provide a distinctive natural and aromatic flavoring for a variety of foods.	Salmon and other types of fish are often grilled or smoked using Cedar.
Cherry	Slightly sweet, fruity smoke flavor. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more.	Good with all meats.
Corn Cob	Although not considered to be a true wood, it is often used as a smoking chip when grilling foods such as poultry, fish and small game birds. The heart of the cob that holds the kernels is the fuel section of this alternative for wood. It is ground into small granular bits that can be added to a smoking box or it can be combined with other woods such as woods from fruit trees, to impart several flavors. The Corncob provides a sweet flavor that may overpower the food if too much is used to season the food as it cooks. Begin by trying small amounts until the desired flavor is achieved	Good with most meats.
Grape Vines	Small in size, the chips from matured grape vines provides a flavor that is much like other species of trees bearing fruit. Somewhat sweet and fruity, the grape vine is most often used for cooking poultry, small game birds, pork, and sausage. It is a common wood in areas such as France, Italy, eastern U.S., and western U.S. where grapes are grown and harvested	Good with most meats.
Hickory	Hickory is more common in the South, but is popular in many regions. It is used just as often if not more often than oak. Hickory provides a strong smoky bacon flavor and can be used for all types of meat, but is especially good for cuts of pork, wild game, chicken, and ribs	Good for smoking all meats, especially pork.
Lemon	Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more.	Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.
Maple	Mildly smoky, somewhat sweet flavor. Maple chips add a sweet, subtle flavor that enhances the flavor of poultry and game birds. Smoke a pork roast with them for a sensational taste experience.	Good with pork, poultry, cheese, vegetables and small game birds.
Mesquite	Strong earthy flavor. One of the most popular woods in the country, mesquite is a scrubby tree that grows wild in the Southwest. Sweeter and more delicate than hickory, it's a perfect complement to richly flavored meats such as steak.	Good with most meats, especially beef and most vegetables.
Nectarine	The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more.	Good on most meats.
Oak (White)	One of the most popular wood's, heavy smoke flavor.	Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game.
Olive	The smoke favor is similar to mesquite, but distinctly lighter.	Delicious with poultry.
Orange	Medium smoke flavor with a hint of fruitiness.	Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.
Peach	Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor.	Good with most meats.
Pear	Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor.	Poultry, game birds and pork.
Pecan	Similar to hickory, but not as strong. Try smoking with the shells as well. Pecan is the best for that beautiful golden-brown turkey. Try it with other poultry products, game birds and pork - for that delicate pecan flavor!!	Good for most needs.
Pimento	A tropical wood taken from the Pimenta dioica plant that is also referred to as Allspice, Jamaican Pepper, Myrtle Pepper, or Newspice. In some regions where this is available, the Pimento wood is used for grilling poultry and fish. This wood adds a natural and somewhat peppery flavor that may also include flavors of several spices combined, such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, similar to the flavors provided when allspice is used as a seasoning to enhance the flavor of various foods.	It is a common wood often used in grilling Jamaican foods such as jerk chicken.
Plum	The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.	Good with most meats.
Seaweed	Although not often thought of as a type of wood, seaweed is commonly used for smoking shellfish such as clams, crab, lobster, mussels, and shrimp. The seaweed is washed to remove the salt and air or sun-dried before use. It provides a somewhat spicy and natural flavor to the foods being smoked or grilled	Clams, crab, lobster, mussels, and shrimp.
Walnut (English)	Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like pecan or apple. Can be bitter if used alone.	Good with red meats and game.
Wine or Whiskey Barrels	woods that have been seasoned with aged beverages such as wine or whiskey take on the flavors of these beverages. Most often made from oak, the wood provides a light oaky taste that goes well with beef, poultry, and cheeses that are being grilled or smoked.	Good with most meats.

CAUTION: NEVER EVER USE PINE, SPRUCE, OR OTHER EVERGREEN WOOD. THEY ARE UNACCEPTABLE FOR GRILLING OR SMOKING DUE TO HARMFUL EFFECTS FROM TAR AND RESINS. ONLY USE HARDWOODS FOR SMOKING AND GRILLING.

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