Choosing the
Right Woods for Your Barbecue
by Joe Johnson
When I think barbecue, I get
excited. There is nothing better than the smell of the meat slowly wafting
by on a summer day. It elicits an immediate Pavlovian response from me -
hunger. For the pit master, the thrill is watching the ever increasing
levels of excitement from your guests as you cook and get ready to serve.
Probably one of the most
common questions for the new barbecuer is which wood to choose. There are
a number of great woods for smoking meats, many of which are easily
available from your local supplier. But what wood goes with what meats?
This article will hopefully clear up some of the confusion.
Types of wood - grouped by
name and similarity
ACACIA - Very similar in taste
to mesquite wood, but it doesn't have the sharpness that true mesquite
does, or impart a bitterness when used in quantity like mesquite can.
Essentially, acacia is to mesquite, what pecan is to hickory.
ALDER - Slightly sweet, this
wood is extremely popular on the Pacific coast. Most commonly seen used
with seafood, particularly salmon, alder also compliments lighter meats
such as pork and poultry quite well.
ALMOND - This has a nice
nutty, sweet flavor that works extremely well with virtually any meat, but
is especially good with chicken and turkey.
APPLE - This wood has a very
light and subtle fruity flavor.
APRICOT, PLUM, PEACH,
NECTARINE - All have a flavor similar to hickory, but with a milder smoke
and fruit notes, these wood are perfect with most lighter meats, such as
chicken, turkey, pork and fish. The flavor of sweet woods, once cut, will
dissipate and become lost over time, so older supplies may not be as
effective at flavoring your meats. When dealing with plum wood, make sure
that it is of the fruit bearing varieties.
ASH - With a softer smoky
flavor and a nice subtle sweetness, this fast burning wood goes well with
seafood and beef, pork and poultry.
BIRCH - Somewhat like maple,
this wood goes well with lighter meats such as pork and poultry.
CHERRY - This is a popular
wood used among the smoking crowd due to its imparting a smoky sweetness
rather than a simply strong smoke flavor. Use this on virtually any meat,
from lighter meats, such as pork and chicken, to heartier meats such as
beef and game.
COCONUT - Not a commonly used
wood, coconut hulls can be used when dried to provide a nice fruity,
coconut tone to lighter meats such as chicken, pork and seafood.
CORN COBS - The perfect way to
make use of everything in your kitchen, corn cobs provide a nice, slightly
sweet and somewhat fruity smoke. The subtle flavors of the corn are also
imparted to the meat, making it perfect for pork and poultry
COTTONWOOD - A soft wood that
by-itself imparts little flavor and is best used as fuel wood. Because it
offers little in the way of flavor, but does provide good heat, you should
pair it with another wood such as hickory.
CRABAPPLE, MULBERRY, PEAR -
Similar to apple wood in flavor and use. Crabapple imparts a lot of smoke,
so it is advisable to be frugal with how much you use until you become
familiar with it.
GRAPE VINES - Tart and fruity,
grape vines are known to go well with virtually any meat, including red
meats, lamb and game. Start sparingly when first using as grape vines can
overpower meats. Similar, more subtle, flavors can be obtained by soaking
lighter flavored chips in wine prior to smoking.
GUAVA - Obtained from tropical
regions, and fairly difficult to find, this member of the Myrtle family
has a semi-sweet aroma and flavor that goes well with beef, pork, lamb,
poultry, and fish.
HAZELNUT - Imparts a sweet,
hazelnut flavor to your meats, and is particularly good with pork and
chicken.
HERBS - Most herbs, including
oregano, sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, and basil, will provide your
meats with unique tastes and herbal tones. Rosemary and sage work quite
well because of their thicker, more woody stems. Herbs can overpower
lighter meats, so use sparingly at first, until you are familiar with the
strength of the flavor of your particular herb choice.
HICKORY - This is the king of
the barbecue woods, and is the wood most often associated with barbecue.
With a sweet, hearty flavor, hickory works perfectly with with pork,
poultry, beef, and game.
LILAC - This wood produces a
very light smoke with subtle floral overtones that work extremely well
with seafood and lamb.
MAPLE - Slightly sweet, with a
mellow, non-overpowering smoke flavor and subtle maple syrup tones, this
wood works well with pork, poultry, cheese, and game birds.
MESQUITE - Strong earthy
flavor. Good with beef, fish, chicken, and game. One of the hottest
burning woods available, but it can impart a bitter flavor when used in
quantity. For long smokes, it is recommend to mix with lighter woods, such
as fruit, to prevent the bitterness.
OAK - A very popular choice
among smokers, oak wood produces a heavy, assertive, and recognizable
smoke flavor. While any form of oak can be used for smoking, white oak
tends to make a better fuel wood, whereas red oak tends to impart more
flavor, especially on pork and beef products. Oak is perfect with with red
meat, pork, fish and heavy game.
ORANGE, LEMON and GRAPEFRUIT -
Produces a nice mild smoky flavor with mild citrus notes. Excellent with
beef, pork, fish and poultry.
PECAN - A close cousin to
hickory in flavor, pecan is sweet and subtle, yet robust. Good with
poultry, beef, pork and cheese.
WALNUT - Usually used in
smaller amounts and combined with lighter woods, commonly fruit varieties,
due to the heavy smoke flavor it imparts. Similar to mesquite it can
become bitter in quantity. Best used with hearty red meats and game.
When obtaining wood, choose
carefully. Make sure the wood is well seasoned and ready for use, or make
sure that you have appropriate facilities to season and store freshly cut
woods. Bulk loads will often contain woods inappropriate for smoking, so
make sure if you do buy in bulk, that you purchase from a reputable
source.
Be careful not to use the
following woods, as they are soft woods and produce tars and resins when
burnt, which will adhere to and ruin your food and smoker - Pine; Liquid
Amber; Fir; Spruce; Redwood; Cedar; Cypress
Other types of woods will
become toxic when burnt, and in some cases are extremely poisonous - Elm;
Eucalyptus; Sycamore; Oleander; Poison Oak; any wood treated with
varnishes, preservatives, or other chemical; Moldy or fungi covered woods
About the Author
Joe Johnson is a proud
Texan and founding partner and chief pit-master with
Caroline's Rub,
where he is in charge of product promotion and development for their line
of gourmet
dry rubs,
smoked salt, and
Texas chili seasoning.
HOME >
FOOD
|
