Wood Smoking Chart

Alder is mostly used for seafood and fish but it works well with beef and pork too. Overall, it has a light, sweet and natural flavor which is not overpowering. It is less dense than most of the other woods and is very similar to cedar.

Apple has a light, fruity & sweet aroma and is mainly used for pork and poultry. It requires a lot of time to penetrate into food, which is the main reason why it is recommended for longer smoking. You can get good results even if you combine it with other types, such as mesquite, oak or cherry.

Hickory is probably the most popular smoke wood for many. It has a strong, stinging profile that gives the food a sweet and strong bacon flavor at the same time. It can be overwhelming, giving the meat a strong bitter flavor, especially if it is used in large amounts. Most people prefer to mix it with other woods to have better results.

Oak is another very popular type of wood. It is very versatile and can be used for any bbq meat. It generates a medium smoky flavor, a little bit stronger when compared to apple or cherry but lighter than hickory or mesquite. It can be combined well with all these woods or can be used by itself.

One of the most popular choices for poultry and chicken. It gives a slightly red color and subtle, sweet fruity flavor to the meat. It can be combined with alder, pecan, hickory or oak and goes very well with poultry, beef & pork.

Mesquite is quite popular in Texas barbecues. It generates an intense earthy flavor, which can easily become overpowered for your food and give it a negative flavor and scent. Since this type burns down very fast, it is a great option for hot and fast bbq techniques and smoking meat.

Mild flavor type of wood, with a subtle, sweet smoky flavor. It works great with other woods too, such as alder, oak, and apple. It is dense in weight but has a light color.

Pecan has a rich, sweet flavor and kind-of spicy profile, with a nutty flavor weaker than hickory. Don't go overboard as it will result in a bitter and acrid flavor. It is good for combining with other strong-flavor woods, like oak for example.

Walnut wood generates mostly a strong, heavy, bitter flavor, making it good for cooking red meat. It is recommended to mix it with other delicate types to make the aroma a little bit softer, especially during long smoking sessions.

Light, sweet, fruity flavor profile that is great for smoking pork and poultry. Very similar to apple if you compare the flavors.

Peach is another fruitwood that works great with poultry and pork, giving a mild, sweeter flavor, very similar but lighter than Hickory.

Very similar wood to apple. It has a mild, sweet, fruity flavor, making a good option for most meat types.

Citrus is not as popular as the other types on this list. It has a light, sweet, fruity and citrus flavor, working great for most meat types.

You should be careful when using grap vine for smoking. It is a strong fruit wood, with an acrid smoke flavor that will easily overpower the flavor of your meat if you go overboard.

Guava is a fruit wood coming from Hawaii and other tropical regions. It is a member of the Myrtle family has a semi-sweet aroma, which goes well with beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and fish.

Kiawe is another type of wood coming from the Hawaii region. It is related to mesquite and has a strong flavor. It is very dense and gives a dark, smooth, thin bark. Very hard to find in stores.

Another not-so-common type you can give a try when smoking meat. Wine barrel chunks are cut of woods from the wine barrels, once they reach the end of their life. They have the same aroma you experience when visiting the winery cellars.