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The wife got me a smoker for Christmas. I've been wanting one for a few years now so, needless to say, I'm pretty pumped. But.... I don't know what wood to go with. I'm planning on doing mainly turkey, chicken, pork, and duck/deer occasionally. From what I've read pecan or cedar wood seem to be a good all around wood. For you veteran smokers, what tips can you give me as far as types of wood to use, and any recipes would be great too. Thanks

The fruit woods like like pecan and apple give a nice kinda sweet smoke flavor that i love.

I normally use oak with a little hickory most of the time. Hickory is very strong flavored.

I don't recommend soaking or wetting the wood. It produces a little more smoke, but it is a cold smoke and does not seem to get into the meat as well.

Just start experimenting. Start with pork butt or shoulder since they are the easiest. Rub it down with a rub you like and start cooking. I keep my temp between 225-250 degrees. Sprinkle with a little apple juice about every 30-45 minutes. I use a maverick remote wireless thermometer to measure my smoker temp as well as the temp of my meat.

Try some bois'd'arc (osage orange or "Bo Dock") wood. I like it too!

southernr wrote: From what I've read pecan or cedar wood seem to be a good all around wood.

Pecan.....yes.

Cedar.....NO

Someone may be able to prove me wrong, as I have never smoked with cedar, but I would never smoke with any sort of evergreen tree. Wood from evergreens will be full of sap/resin that will make your meat taste like it was marinated in kerosene. Stick to wood from fruit or nut trees(apple, pear, pecan, oak, hickory, etc...).

My $0.02.

+1 Pecan

three11 wrote:

southernr wrote: From what I've read pecan or cedar wood seem to be a good all around wood.

Pecan.....yes.

Cedar.....NO

Someone may be able to prove me wrong, as I have never smoked with cedar, but I would never smoke with any sort of evergreen tree. Wood from evergreens will be full of sap/resin that will make your meat taste like it was marinated in kerosene. Stick to wood from fruit or nut trees(apple, pear, pecan, oak, hickory, etc...).

My $0.02.

Cedar is for smoking fish, primarily salmon. Hickory and pecan for pork bbq and mesquite for more of a "western" taste...I only use mesquite when smoking beef.

Any of the fruit woods is great, i really like apple and cherry

I always use pecan. When I have it I will use pecan and white oak together. gives it a different taste.

If you can get it, cherry works well, but it only takes a small amount of it added to oak or another "generic" wood to get the flavor in there.

Another thing to remember, after the first 45 min. to 1hr. , the meat has taken all the smoke it is gona take, after that i use charcoal for a heat source, that way you wont waste that hard to come by fruit wood.

Academy has 50lb bags of smoker size hardwood logs at $10 bag. Last I saw they had hickory, pecan, mesquite, cherry and apple.

when you are prunning your fruit trees.....peach, plum, etc.....that's good smoke wood also...

MrGoodtime wrote:Another thing to remember, after the first 45 min. to 1hr. , the meat has taken all the smoke it is gona take, after that i use charcoal for a heat source, that way you wont waste that hard to come by fruit wood.

+1 also it just depends on what flavor you are looking for

I have learned from several vets (especially with electric smokers), to use Apple Juice instead of water in you pan to add a little more flavor.

MrGoodtime wrote:Another thing to remember, after the first 45 min. to 1hr. , the meat has taken all the smoke it is gona take, after that i use charcoal for a heat source, that way you wont waste that hard to come by fruit wood.

Temp is a better indicator than time. Once it hits 140 the pores close up and the meat won't absorb anymore smoke into the meat. You can still build up the bark on the outside though. I cook with lump charcoal and pecan, with apple juice in the water pan. When my butts or brisket hit 140 I wrap in foil and cook till done.