# What woods have you tried and DON'T like



## plume-o-smoke (Jan 2, 2015)

I see a lot of threads about what woods people prefer for various smokes. But I suspect there is a lot of confirmation bias. If you use hickory, you will probably like it, but that's not to say a bunch of other woods wouldn't work as well or better.

So I'm curious, what have you tried and NOT liked? [Let's forgo the usual chatter about what woods you should never use, just what have you used and not liked.]


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## themule69 (Jan 2, 2015)

I have never used a wood that I didn't like. I have used wood that I should have not used on that smoke. Like hickory on fish.

Happy smoken.

David


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## susieqz (Jan 4, 2015)

i can't stand mesquite for anything. i think you have to be born in texas to like this stuff.


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## timberjet (Jan 4, 2015)

I second that suze. No mesquite for this old boy. I have 2 bags of the stuff though. Maybe I will give it another shot sometime. On second thought, nope.


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## themule69 (Jan 4, 2015)

susieqz said:


> i can't stand mesquite for anything. i think you have to be born in texas to like this stuff.


Do you know why Texas is famous for their mesquite BBQ??? The other choice is cactus.

Happy smoken.

David


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## bluewhisper (Jan 4, 2015)

I'm OK with the mesquite, depending on what I'm smoking. I wasn't crazy about oak because it's intense, but I suppose in light doses it would be all right.


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## susieqz (Jan 4, 2015)

i wish i liked mesquite. i'm now in new mexico. it's considered a trash tree. a destroyer of pastures. you could get as much as you want for free.

if you are willing to take out the roots too , ranchers will pay you good money.

i just bought some quality cherry pellets. i'm getting very little smoke taste. is this just cherry, or is my smoker being stupid again?


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## themule69 (Jan 4, 2015)

susieqz said:


> i wish i liked mesquite. i'm now in new mexico. it's considered a trash tree. a destroyer of pastures. you could get as much as you want for free.
> 
> if you are willing to take out the roots too , ranchers will pay you good money.
> 
> i just bought some quality cherry pellets. i'm getting very little smoke taste. is this just cherry, or is my smoker being stupid again?


Cherry is pretty lite and hard to keep going. A lot of people mix cherry and say oak or something.

Happy smoken.

David


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## timberjet (Jan 4, 2015)

I have never used pellets but I have used cherry and found it to be pretty strong. It adds a very nice red color to things. I just don't think those pellet grills give much good smoke. I'm trying to remember if you got an amnps or not. I hear they are what you need to get real smoke in those.


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## susieqz (Jan 4, 2015)

hmm, 2 opposite opinions. thanks, guys.

yeah, this traeger gives little smoke in general. i just got the amns. i'll try it n see what happens.

so far, i do get pretty good smoke taste from mixed hard woods tho, mesquite i tossed in the garbage.

 been smoking for just 6 months, so, lots to learn.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 4, 2015)

Never, ever, use the wood from an outhouse door that came off a shrimp boat!  :biggrin:

Actually, I'm from Texas, been here all my life, and I ONLY use mesquite if I'm grilling a steak. Then, it's only a small chunk for a bit of flavor.  

Hickory, pecan, and oak are my go to woods for beef, pork, and chicken when cooking as whole muscle. 

Depending on the sausages I am smoking, I may use apple, cherry, or alder.


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## timberjet (Jan 4, 2015)

There are different kinds of cherry as well. I don't know what I had though as I get my wood from scavenging quite a bit. Could have been choke cherry for all I know.


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## susieqz (Jan 4, 2015)

thanks, cranky. like i said, you're from texas, therefore strange. 

thanks mostly for listing those you do like. i know there must be dozens of threads here about fav woods, but they are hard to find.

gonna try hickory pecan n oak.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 4, 2015)

timberjet said:


> There are different kinds of cherry as well. I don't know what I had though as I get my wood from scavenging quite a bit. Could have been choke cherry for all I know.



That's a good point!  I buy my cherry wood as chunks from a guy that sells wood here in the DFW area, I've never asked what kind. Pellets are from the hardware store.


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## smokin' burt (Jan 5, 2015)

I've used Hickory, Cherry, Apple, Pear, Hard Maple, Mesquite, Pecan, and Black Walnut. I've yet to try Oak but may at some point. While I'm not big on Mesquite by itself, I've used it mixed with other hardwoods and that's OK. I was brought into the wonderful world of smoking fish and game by a good friend many years ago and the rule of thumb he taught me was "Nutwoods and hardwoods for red meat or pork, fruitwoods for fish and fowl". While I don't strictly adhere to that, I use it as a baseline. The one wood I've mentioned that I absolutely did not like was Black Walnut. American Black Walnut is very prevalent where I live and I have a number of these trees on my property. Having cut up a wind damaged tree for firewood one year, I decided to save some and let it season out to try for smoking wood...BIG MISTAKE! Made for some of the most bitter tasting meat I ever had. I initially thought because they're in the nutwood group that it would be good, but found out otherwise the hard way. Might be alright to mix small amounts in with other hard or nutwoods, just too darn strong by itself. My Sister in Law has a place in southern Alabama and she has Pecan trees on her property. She had a tree taken down a few years ago and brought me several boxes of chunked up limbs for smoke wood. She also brought me a huge bag of the shells as she collects plenty of the nuts each year. I mix some shells in with Hickory chips on occasion and it makes for good smoke.

Here's a list of woods some of you may find helpful....

http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Downloads_files/SmokingFlavorChart.pdf

I have personally never tried it but when my son lived in Maine, a State Biologist he was working on a project with told me that he used Lilac wood for smoking fish quite often as it was one of his favorites.

SMB


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## bluewhisper (Jan 5, 2015)

Has anyone used bush honeysuckle? It's a major invasive species here, growing to about 15 feet and choking out everything else. I organize removal events in parks, where volunteers remove tons of it - literally, one truckload of chips is 4 tons.


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## susieqz (Jan 5, 2015)

thanks. burt. great reference. i saved it.


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## daveomak (Jan 5, 2015)

susieqz said:


> i can't stand mesquite for anything. i think you have to be born in texas to like this stuff.






timberjet said:


> I second that suze. No mesquite for this old boy. I have 2 bags of the stuff though. Maybe I will give it another shot sometime. On second thought, nope.




On steak and shrimp....   Mesquite is very good as long as you only smoke the food for 10 minutes...    

Elm sucks....  has a nasty flavor....


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## smokin' burt (Jan 5, 2015)

DaveOmak said:


> On steak and shrimp.... Mesquite is very good as long as you only smoke the food for 10 minutes...
> 
> Elm sucks.... has a nasty flavor....


Oh God... Hope you didn't try smoking with Elm, that's nasty wood! I burned some in an open campfire one time and thought it smelled like PEE!!

SMB


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## daveomak (Jan 5, 2015)

SMOKIN' BURT said:


> Oh God... Hope you didn't try smoking with Elm, that's nasty wood! I burned some in an open campfire one time and thought it smelled like PEE!!
> 
> SMB




Yep...   cut down a BIG elm.... save the wood and smoked a turkey on my big spit.....    That was a terrible tasting turkey.....  I think we threw it out.....


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## kc5tpy (Jan 5, 2015)

Hello.  Being from Texas I'd eat cardboard smoked with mesquite.  When I lived in Texas ( 3 years ) I used ONLY mesquite for heat and smoke.  I am very conscience that some folks think it is too strong ( luckily my English wife loves it ).  If doing a party I will stay away from mesquite or use very little in a wood mix.  I think oak and hickory can also be strong but I have no problem with either.  My "go to" mix is pecan, cherry and either a bit of mesquite or oak.  Use it on most things.  NOW, I think this is also a very personal thing.  I agree with the above statement that nut wood for beef and pork and fruit wood for fish and fowl; USUALLY.  Some folks REALLY love the smoked taste.  I am of the opinion that some foods can have too much smoke.  I also don't want everything on my plate to be smoked.  In my opinion if it's all smoke the only difference is maybe texture.  I didn't know about elm, great tip.  I think a lot comes down to trial and error and your tastes.  If smoking a 12 lb. butt some folks may add smoke for the whole cooking time and others may be happy with just 1-2 hours of smoke.  That time may also change depending on the wood used.  Never tried honeysuckle but have heard about using cuttings from rose bushes.  What I usually do if trying a new wood:  FIRST do as much research as you can to make sure it isn't toxic.  Second is just try a small a small burger patty, small breakfast sausage patty or maybe a chicken wing and see what you think.  In my sights is trying citrus wood on chicken  Anyone with experience??

This is also a great place to ask a question:  I have read in some places so looking for experience.  I have read using nut wood can be harmful to folks with nut allergies.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   Never gave it a thought until I stumbled across something on the net.  I assume it has something to do with the oil in the nuts and sounds logical that that oil may also be transferred in the smoke??  Any knowledge out there that can confirm or debunk this statement?

Hello David my friend.  Prickly Pear cactus is an acquired taste but works in a breakfast taco but that stuff doesn't work worth a darn to add smoke to meat.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   We do have live oak and pecan trees depending on what part of Texas you are living in.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


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## timberjet (Jan 5, 2015)

SMOKIN' BURT said:


> I've used Hickory, Cherry, Apple, Pear, Hard Maple, Mesquite, Pecan, and Black Walnut. I've yet to try Oak but may at some point. While I'm not big on Mesquite by itself, I've used it mixed with other hardwoods and that's OK. I was brought into the wonderful world of smoking fish and game by a good friend many years ago and the rule of thumb he taught me was "Nutwoods and hardwoods for red meat or pork, fruitwoods for fish and fowl". While I don't strictly adhere to that, I use it as a baseline. The one wood I've mentioned that I absolutely did not like was Black Walnut. American Black Walnut is very prevalent where I live and I have a number of these trees on my property. Having cut up a wind damaged tree for firewood one year, I decided to save some and let it season out to try for smoking wood...BIG MISTAKE! Made for some of the most bitter tasting meat I ever had. I initially thought because they're in the nutwood group that it would be good, but found out otherwise the hard way. Might be alright to mix small amounts in with other hard or nutwoods, just too darn strong by itself. My Sister in Law has a place in southern Alabama and she has Pecan trees on her property. She had a tree taken down a few years ago and brought me several boxes of chunked up limbs for smoke wood. She also brought me a huge bag of the shells as she collects plenty of the nuts each year. I mix some shells in with Hickory chips on occasion and it makes for good smoke.
> 
> Here's a list of woods some of you may find helpful....
> 
> ...


I love lilac. I keep an eye open during spring for people that have trimmed it back and left a pile next to the road. We have a town cleanup in late spring so there is a lot of free wood to choose from around. It is a little perfumey if that is a word. Very good complex flavor for fish and poultry.


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## smokin' burt (Jan 5, 2015)

> Originally Posted by *KC5TPY*





> Hello.  Being from Texas I'd eat cardboard smoked with mesquite.  When I lived in Texas ( 3 years ) I used ONLY mesquite for heat and smoke.  I am very conscience that some folks think it is too strong ( luckily my English wife loves it ).  If doing a party I will stay away from mesquite or use very little in a wood mix.  I think oak and hickory can also be strong but I have no problem with either.  My "go to" mix is pecan, cherry and either a bit of mesquite or oak.  Use it on most things.  NOW, I think this is also a very personal thing.  I agree with the above statement that nut wood for beef and pork and fruit wood for fish and fowl; USUALLY.  Some folks REALLY love the smoked taste.  I am of the opinion that some foods can have too much smoke.  I also don't want everything on my plate to be smoked.  In my opinion if it's all smoke the only difference is maybe texture.  I didn't know about elm, great tip.  I think a lot comes down to trial and error and your tastes.  If smoking a 12 lb. butt some folks may add smoke for the whole cooking time and others may be happy with just 1-2 hours of smoke.  That time may also change depending on the wood used.  Never tried honeysuckle but have heard about using cuttings from rose bushes.  What I usually do if trying a new wood:  FIRST do as much research as you can to make sure it isn't toxic.  Second is just try a small a small burger patty, small breakfast sausage patty or maybe a chicken wing and see what you think. *  In my sights is trying citrus wood on chicken  Anyone with experience??*
> 
> This is also a great place to ask a question:  I have read in some places so looking for experience.  *I have read using nut wood can be harmful to folks with nut allergies.  *
> 
> ...


KC5...

The link I posted mentions Lemon, Lime, and Orange woods as being excellent woods to use for Beef, Pork, and Poultry. I cannot speak from experience, there are no lemon, lime or orange trees in Pennsylvania that I know of...LOL! Good catch on the allergen mention concerning nutwoods...I never thought of that, although I don't personally know anyone with allergens to nuts, there's always a possibility that someone allergic to nuts could try your smoked meats and have a reaction if you used a nutwood.

SMB


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## smokin' burt (Jan 5, 2015)

timberjet said:


> I love lilac. I keep an eye open during spring for people that have trimmed it back and left a pile next to the road. We have a town cleanup in late spring so there is a lot of free wood to choose from around. It is a little perfumey if that is a word. Very good complex flavor for fish and poultry.


timberjet,

That's nice to know. Always good to have a second (positive) opinion. I live in the bottom of a valley and we get frosts here as early as late August in some years and as late as early June in the spring. I used to have a couple of big Lilac bushes on one corner of my yard but I took them out about 10 years ago because the buds would get frosted every year and they wouldn't make flowers. No sense mowing around something that isn't worth looking at otherwise! I wish I'd have known Lilac is a good smoke wood at the time...those bushes were HUGE and I could have saved enough to probably still be using it!

On a side note....

My great Uncle was up there in years when I started smoking meats. He told me one time that his Dad had a smokehouse on the farm where he grew up. He said that after he burned down the chunk wood that was in the floor pit, he would just add enough small hickory chunks or limbs to keep a smoke going as he smoked hams for days (or weeks) and that he also saved corn cobs from the corn they shelled and would add some of the cobs each time he tossed on more chunks. He told me that his Dad's smoked hams were darn good so it makes me think I might try a few cob chunks now and then mixed with some other woods for a smoke session on some pork loin or ribs. The link I posted earlier also mentions corncob as a smoking agent and although it's not wood, it's apparently been used to flavor meats for a long time.

SMB


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## smokin' burt (Jan 5, 2015)

BlueWhisper said:


> Has anyone used bush honeysuckle? It's a major invasive species here, growing to about 15 feet and choking out everything else. I organize removal events in parks, where volunteers remove tons of it - literally, one truckload of chips is 4 tons.


BlueWhisper,

Interesting that you mention that... it's definitely an invasive. I believe you're talking about the Amurasian or Tartarian Honeysuckle and it's literally EVERYWHERE here where I live. It will take over a piece of ground in a few years if not kept in check. It's good cover for game animals and the flowers have a sweet, almost cinnamon smell to them when they're in bloom, but they load up with big juicy red berries that even the birds won't eat so my guess is that it's toxic. Just as KC5 mentioned in his earlier post about allergens to nuts being transferred through the oils and possibly being transmitted to someone through the smoke... I have also read that being subjugated to the smoke of poison ivy can cause nearly the same reaction as contact with the plant if you're affected by it so don't ever be in proximity of it if you burn it. Do some very intense research on this before you consider using it as a smoke wood.

SMB


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## benson56 (Jan 5, 2015)

Well, I just smoked some beef with mesquite.....only cause I was out of hickory. Wish I would have had hickory.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Elm??  Up here we've always called it "piss elm".  For a good reason.

My Dad talks about smoking with corn cobs back in the day..


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## bbq1950 (Jan 5, 2015)

Although I'm pretty new to smoking, so far I've used apple and cherry. Have some pecan that I plan on using next on some wings. Might have to investigate mesquite. Lot's of great comments.


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## inkjunkie (Jan 5, 2015)

New to smoking....having been  using a BGE for years for burgers & steaks though. Used Mesquite years ago and hated it....now it is the only thing in the firebox of the Egg. Sad thing for me is my sinus's are pretty messed up..ever since getting as bad as they are my sense of taste has dropped off a lot...something has to be be pretty off for me to taste it....


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## culpepersmoke (Jan 8, 2015)

I'm not a fan of walnut. It's ok to add a piece but to much of it makes almost everything bitter. That's been my experience, your mileage may vary.


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## smokin-q (Jan 8, 2015)

BBQ1950 said:


> Although I'm pretty new to smoking, so far I've used apple and cherry. Have some pecan that I plan on using next on some wings. Might have to investigate mesquite. Lot's of great comments.


Dave, try some hickory I think you'll like it. I mix it with a bit of apple wood on ribs and butts, excellent tasting results.


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## stickyfingers (Jan 8, 2015)

No mesquite, don't care for it either!


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## gary s (Jan 8, 2015)

Mainly I use Pecan, Hickory & Oak I like all the fruit woods I have tried, Really like peach and cherry, Used Black Walnut wasn't to crazy about it, Use Mesquite sometimes mixed with oak. Probably If I had to choose the one I like best I would have to go with Pecan

Gary


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## gavin16 (Jan 8, 2015)

I just received an offset smoker for Christmas and am new to using chunks of wood for smoking, but I've tried several bags of chipped wood with my MES before I got my AMNPS for it.  My favorite combo is pecan and cherry, the smell alone is so GOOD, but I use hickory a lot to.  

Now I have to collect big chunks for my offset.  I have some walnut around but heard that can be somewhat bitter, so I'll be avoiding that.  On the topic of using wood that's been through the sawmill - it is usable if you know where it came from.  We have a sawmill right across the road from us and so we'll usually get some scrap oak lumber from them to build stalls in our barn and build up walls in the barn (so horses don't kick through the barn wall).  We have had a pile of oak sitting behind the house for a few years, and it is seasoned non treated boards.  I've been cutting them up and using them, and so far everything has turned out good.  At first I just used the white oak because I was unsure if red was different.. but after reading on here it looks like they will both produce the same results.


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## noboundaries (Jan 8, 2015)

Hickory, mesquite, and white oak are my go-to smoking woods, with a cherry chaser.  I will mix in cherry for poultry and pork.  My wife and I both love mesquite for fish, especially salmon and shrimp.  Apple and pear are a bit too light a wood for my tastes.  Pecan is fine.  I use the lighter woods or oak in my grill with the charcoal when throwing burgers or steaks on the fire.   Will also use them when I fire up the Weber Kettle Pizza oven I got for Christmas, put together, installed, but have yet to use.


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## foamheart (Jan 8, 2015)

I don't much care for citrus, and as for Mesquite. I would recommend that you might try it again. Instead of filling your smoker like you would with lighter woods, cut the amount of mesquite used to 1/2 to 1/4 what you would normally burn. Mesquite is very harsh if you over load the meat with the smoke. Seriously, if you use 2 splits or 1/2 cup of chips normally, drop it way back. Hickory can also be very harsh if not applied with a light hand.

Oh yeah, I still have not figured out charcoal.... LOL I was lucky enough to try corn cob and was amazed by end product, the color was amazing, and the smoke was actually sweet.

It really boils down to where you were brought up mostly. Eastern seaboard, hickory. South its Pecan, west its mesquite, North west Cherry and Apple. Midwest is corncob and alot of nuts. I am not saying these area only use these woods but they have been making Q using the local wood for far longer than importing something else and/or mixing a lot of woods. Andouille just wouldn't taste right if smoked with mewquite or cherry (I tried), but pecan makes it all right with the world.

I enjoy trying different woods but as I age, I find it harder amd harder to reconize the smokes. I know, sad huh?


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## welshrarebit (Jan 8, 2015)

I've found it's important to use appropriate woods with what's being smoked!

We have different smoke woods here but I've smoked a rib eye roast with guava wood and it had very little smoke flavor at all. I've smoked chicken with ohia and it was really strong smoke flavor ( I liked it but my wife didn't).

Kiawe is my go to wood! It's great with everything... Kiawe is related to mesquite but sweeter and lighter smoke flavor.


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## susieqz (Jan 8, 2015)

i've been needing a thread like this forever. thanks for starting this, plume. thanks everyone for chiming in.

i buy pellets 20 or 40 pounds a crack. mistakes are expensive,  i spread 18 pounds of mesquite pellets on my garden.

that's an expensive way to improve tilth.


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## tomsmccann (Jan 8, 2015)

Mesquite is definitely an acquired taste or you have to be from Texas! I filled my hopper with it for the first smoke on my new traeger Texas and none of us really liked the flavor of any of the meats we did that day. I ended up scooping all of the mesquite pellets out, and threw them away before the next smoke. I let the smoker run for at least 20 minutes to make sure all of it burnt before anymore meat on it. 

Hickory, apple, alder and pecan are my favorites so far. I bought some maple and cherry pellets that I still need to try out. :grilling_smilie:


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## inkjunkie (Jan 9, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> I enjoy trying different woods but as I age, I find it harder amd harder to reconize the smokes. I know, sad huh?


Same here. Only thing I can actually taste is the fast that things are smoked, not the actual flavor. Things have to be pretty strong for me to taste it. Heat still gets to me, whenever the wife makes something spicey I will literally drip, but even then I don't really taste the heat. Suppose it makes smoking things a bit easier...as long as it has that smokey taste it is pretty much good in my book...


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## welshrarebit (Jan 9, 2015)

inkjunkie said:


> Same here. Only thing I can actually taste is the fast that things are smoked, not the actual flavor. Things have to be pretty strong for me to taste it. Heat still gets to me, whenever the wife makes something spicey I will literally drip, but even then I don't really taste the heat. Suppose it makes smoking things a bit easier...as long as it has that smokey taste it is pretty much good in my book...



I think that the degree of smokiness is the difference in the wood choices!  For me ohia is a karang your  ala's (kick in the crotch) type of smoke! Nothing subtle here!!! 

Kiawe? this is a well balanced smoke type of wood...

Guava is a I think I taste some smoke here type of smoke...

I almost always mix my woods to get the right balance...


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## gary s (Jan 9, 2015)

Well I am quite sure that is enough information and opinions to confuse anybody.

Gary


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## susieqz (Jan 9, 2015)

did a quick scan of this thread.

most no votes for elm n mesquite

most yum votes for pecan, hickory n fruit woods.

oak n most nuts seem good, with caution.

not an analysis, just a quick scan.


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