# Rank your favorite wood flavors



## Odysseus (Sep 21, 2019)

I was just thinking that there are so many varieties of wood that can be used for smoking -many of them only regionally available.  How would you rank the types of wood you've tried in order of flavor preference?

In order from favorite to least favorite, mine are:  Black Cherry, Plum, Apple, Oak, Bradford Pear, Pecan, Hickory, and Mesquite.


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## Hawging It (Sep 21, 2019)

Wild Black Cherry, Pecan, Hickory and Oak. All are plentiful on my land.


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## texomakid (Sep 21, 2019)

Hickory, Black Cherry, Pecan, Oak, Mesquite, Apple - I love the smell of Hickory & Black Cherry combined in the pellet cooker. That's an amazing smoke & aroma. I also love the color I get when cooking with Pecan & Cherry on WSM. I recently tried some sweet maple pellet and didn't really find them to be good and the pellets were falling apart - threw away about 15 lbs of pellets.


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## chopsaw (Sep 21, 2019)

Mesquite , hickory , oak and apple . No real order here . All favorites of mine . 
I had some beech pellets that came in a sample pack . Really liked it .


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## Sowsage (Sep 21, 2019)

I like to use mostly cherry for the color and typically use a little hickory for flavor.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Sep 21, 2019)

I really can't say I have favorite.  
Though I've been using a lot of pecan lately because I get it for free.


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## Carvendive (Sep 21, 2019)

Apple, maple and N Wisconsin / UP (Michigan) tag alder.


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## Odysseus (Sep 21, 2019)

Beech and Alder, that sounds interesting.  We don't really have either of those down in the south.   May have to try to find some and give them a try.


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## daveomak (Sep 21, 2019)

Alder, Corn Cob and a touch of mesquite


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## smokerjim (Sep 21, 2019)

hickory, maple, apple


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## noboundaries (Sep 21, 2019)

Hickory and mesquite are our favorites, but a little mesquite goes a long way so I use half as much compared to hickory. 

Oak and any non-citrus fruit wood is a great combo. Pecan is my favorite nut wood.


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## Bearcarver (Sep 21, 2019)

This is Easy for me---My 1st through 10th favorite Wood Smoke flavors:
1--Hickory
2--Hickory
3--Hickory
4--Hickory
5--Hickory
6--Hickory
7--Hickory
8--Hickory
9--Cherry
10-Apple

Bear


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## timmyk (Sep 21, 2019)

Oak, Hickory, Apple, they are plentiful here in Iowa. I like Mulberry also, but it can overwhelm if your not careful.


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## Odysseus (Sep 21, 2019)

What does Mulberry taste like?


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## tallbm (Sep 21, 2019)

Mesquite for beef
Maple for my simple middle of the road wood and my blend wood (where lots use of people use Oak for this)
70% Apple with 30% Hickory for sausage and bacon

Maple, Hickory, and Cherry in even parts for my general blend for anything/everything or when I have a question about what wood to use

Alder for Salmon Lox


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## timmyk (Sep 22, 2019)

Odysseus said:


> What does Mulberry taste like?


It is pretty strong, and you want it as dry as you can get it. Only thing I can think to compare it too would be hard maple. Only stronger I guess.


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## sawhorseray (Sep 22, 2019)

For smoking cured bacon and hams I like Applewood. On the SQ36 it's pretty much Hickory and Oak. Wood is hard to come by and not cheap here in the desert, I always took it for granted before moving here. RAY


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## bbqbrett (Sep 23, 2019)

Hickory, Oak, Peach, Pecan, Cherry, Orange & Apple for a tie, Mesquite.  Hoping to try maple soon.


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## jcam222 (Sep 23, 2019)

Have to break mine out by meats a little. For poultry and pork I like cherry and apple followed by pecan. I love mixing cherry and apple for flavor and the boost in color cherry gives it. For beef hickory, oak , will often add in a little cherry. Not a huge fan of mesquite but will add maybe one small chunk at times.


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## texomakid (Sep 23, 2019)

Orange..... Now that's a wood I've never even thought of. What does that flavor smell & taste like?


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## forktender (Sep 24, 2019)

Alder, Apple, Oak, Plum, Peach, Pecan, Pear, Cherry, Hickory and Nectarine. Not in any certain order, I like them all. 

If I had to pick my top three it would be Apple, Cherry and Oak.


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## gmc2003 (Sep 24, 2019)

Hickory for beef and pork. Apple for fish and cheese. Occasionally I'll slip some maple into the mix.

Chris


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## bbqbrett (Sep 24, 2019)

texomakid said:


> Orange..... Now that's a wood I've never even thought of. What does that flavor smell & taste like?



Sorry I am not the best at describing stuff like that but it is fairly mild and has a bit of a fruity taste.  It went really well with the chicken I cooked and pretty decent on ribs.


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## JC in GB (Sep 24, 2019)

I like mesquite or cherry for beef.

For other cooks, I have no real favorites.  I use what I am in the mood for that day.

I like the following and combinations for them as well.

Hickory
Cherry
Apple
Pecan
Oak Whiskey Barrel
Post Oak
Peach
Have wanted to try sugar maple


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## GaryHibbert (Sep 24, 2019)

In order, starting with my favorite:
Hickory for most anything; orange for birds, pork tenderloin, honey butter; pecan; a 2/3 to 1/3 mix of pecan and mesquite for pork loin; birch (very mild smoke); alder; Jack Daniels pellets for hot chocolate or anything chocolate.  Don't like apple or maple at all.
Gary


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## Motorboat40 (Feb 6, 2020)

Cherry, Apple, hickory. Pecan, and maple are my favorite woods to use it depends on what peice of meat I'm smoking to which type is my favorite, and sometimes I'm just in the mood for something different from my normal smoke combo.


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## whistlepig (Feb 6, 2020)

Cherry first, apple second, and hickory third. These flavors seem to work well on everything.


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