BBQ Smoking Wood Chart: Elaborate Guide to the Best Smoking Woods

When you’re looking for wood for smoking, you might feel confused about which one to use! After all, there are so many varieties, each with its own unique flavor and smoke point. Some even impart lovely colors to the food item. 

However, pairing the right kind of wood with the right kind of food can give you a smoked BBQ meal that you’ll never forget! 

For example, fruitwood like apple, peach, and cherry are well-suited for mild meats, like poultry and seafood. On the other hand, hickory, oak, and mesquite are best for tough pieces of pork and beef. 

In this guide, I’ve discussed the best woods along with an elaborate BBQ smoking wood chart.  

BBQ Smoking Wood Chart – Flavors and Compatibility 

The table below lists the different smoking woods, along with their flavor description and compatibility with various foods. 

Wood Type	Flavor	Poultry	Pork	Beef	Lamb	Seafood	Cheese	Vegetables
Apple	Mild and sweet	Yes	Yes	–	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cherry	Mild and sweet	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–	–
Maple	Sweet	Yes	Yes	–	–	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pecan	Sweet and nutty	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–	–	–
Peach	Sweet and slightly earthy	Yes	Yes	–	–	–	–	–
Plum	Sweet	Yes	Yes	–	–	Yes	–	–
Orange	Citrusy	Yes	Yes	–	–	–	–	–
Mulberry	Tangy and sweet	Yes	Yes	–	Yes	Yes	–	–
Walnut	Intense and bitter	–	Yes	Yes	–	–	–	–
Oak	Medium smoky and slightly earthy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–
Hickory	Strong and earthy	Yes	Yes	Yes	–	–	Yes	–
Mesquite	Strong and earthy	–	Yes	Yes	–	–	–	–
Alder	Mild and sweet	Yes	Yes	–	–	Yes	–	Yes

Best Woods for Smoking 

Let’s elaborate a little more on the smoking wood table that I’ve mentioned above. Given below is a list of the most common and the best woods for smoking. 

1. Apple 

If there’s one wood that I’ve seen almost everybody uses, it’s applewood! 

Applewood is known for its mildly sweet and fruity taste, which goes well with almost everything. Its mildness is best for poultry items, like chicken or turkey, as they have subtle flavors. 

Unlike other fruitwood, applewood doesn’t burn quickly, so you can use it for hard meats which require slow cooking. 

You can also use applewood with other strong woods, like hickory and oak, for added smokiness! This is also one of my favorite combinations, as I get both earthy and fruity flavors together. 

Best for: Poultry, Seafood

2. Cherry 

There are only a few fruitwoods that give a unique color to the meat, and cherry is one of them! 

Just like apple, cherry also gives a fruity and sweet smoke flavor. The only difference in their tastes is that cherry is stronger and more pronounced. It’s also known for imparting a slightly mahogany to pale pink color to the meat. 

I don’t recommend using cherry for foods that require more smoking time, as the wood burns fast. 

Best for: Pork, Poultry 

3. Pecan 

I absolutely love using pecan wood for smoking meals when I want a slightly spicy and nutty smoke flavor to them. 

Pecan may seem like other fruitwood as it also has a mildly fruity and sweet flavor. However, what makes it stand out is its unique nuttiness or spiciness. Sometimes, it also imparts a yellowish-golden color while smoking. 

Keep in mind that pecan burns quite fast and releases a lot of smoke. Because of this reason, you should avoid using it with meats, like pork shoulder, that require slow cooking. 

Best for: Poultry, seafood, pork ribs

4. Peach

Peachwood is a fruitwood popular for its mild and sweet flavors. Along with these, it also has a tanginess to it, slightly less than orange wood. Hence, it’s used for smoking chicken and fish!

The major drawback to peach is that it’s not available easily. You’ll have to purchase it online at a relatively higher price. 

Best for: Poultry, seafood, beef

5. Plum 

Similar to peach, plum wood chunks are also hard to source. Yet, what makes it worth the struggle is its magnificent reddish hue. 

Plum has a distinctive flavor, as it tastes both sweet and earthy. It has a slightly less earthy flavor than strong-flavored woods, like hickory. 

I consider plum pretty versatile as you can get the goodness of both fruity and non-fruity woods!

Best for: Poultry, pork, seafood 

6. Orange 

Are you tired of the same old wood smoke flavors? Well, I highly recommend trying out different wood like orange wood! It’s a bit of an odd choice, but if you’re into fresh and citrusy smoke flavors, you’ll love it. 

You can also prepare a tangy marinade if you’re planning to use orange wood. Trust me, the fresh citrusy aroma wafting across your backyard will leave you wanting more. 

Additionally, the smoke from the orange wood may also give a yellow-golden color to your meat. 

Best for: Poultry, pork (mild cuts only), fish

7. Mulberry 

If you find mulberry wood chunks around you, feel free to smoke with them! This wood has a similar sweet flavor profile to other fruitwood. However, you need to take care of one thing here. 

Not all mulberry trees bear fruit, so only the ones that do can infuse the fruity flavor into your meat. If you source mulberry wood locally, consider researching a bit about this. We don’t want to end up with flavorless meat!

Unlike some fruitwood types, you can use mulberry for cooking tough meats as it offers stable heat. 

Best for: Poultry, pork, seafood

8. Alder

Alder wood offers both earthy and sweet flavors. It’s not as sweet as other fruitwood or as overpowering as oak. The mild flavors work perfectly with meats having an equally subtle taste. 

Best for: Poultry, fish, pork

9. Oak

We’ve covered mostly mild woods in the list, so let’s move toward the ones with a stronger flavor profile now.

Oak is the perfect balance between mild and strong, as its earthy flavor doesn’t overpower dishes with mild flavors. It doesn’t burn too fast, and hence, is useful for slow-cooking any cut of meat. 

When I’m feeling confused about which wood to use, I simply go for oak! It goes with both mild and strong pieces of meat. 

Oakwood also gives off a deep red color to the meat. 

Best for: Poultry, pork, beef

10. Walnut 

If you’re looking for a truly strong-flavored wood, walnut is the type of wood for you!

Walnut wood has an intensely bitter flavor, which I love to use with tough meats. But, I don’t recommend it for everyone, as it may get a little overwhelming. 

Instead, you can use walnut wood with mild woods like apple wood to reduce its overall effect. 

You should also avoid using walnut wood with light-flavored meats like chicken, turkey, and seafood. 

Best for: Pork, beef

11. Hickory

Hickory is a treat for those who love smoky and spicy flavors when smoking meat! It’s stronger than oak and milder than mesquite wood chunks. 

The best part about hickory for me is that it gives a bacon-like taste to any meat. It’s one of the woods having a more pronounced red color. 

You’ve to be careful while dealing with hickory, as it can get bitter if you smoke it excessively 

Best for: Pork, beef

12. Mesquite 

The last on the list and the smokiest of all the above woods is Mesquite. 

This wood isn’t for beginners as it has a sharp and intense flavor. But, if you want an authentic Texas-style BBQ, smoking with Mesquite is a must!

Mesquite is also hard to cook with, as it smokes excessively, and may even emit sparks! It can easily overpower the dish, so use it with meaty pieces. You can also use it with other smoky woods like hickory or oak to neutralize the flavor a little. 

Mesquite also imparts a slightly red color to the meat, but it isn’t as noticeable as hickory or oak. 

Best for: Pork, beef

How to Pick the Right Wood for Smoking?

Now that you’re well aware of the best woods for smoking, the question is how can you decide which one is suitable for you? As per my experience, you can consider a few things before you pick any. 

1. Flavor 

The biggest benefit of using wood over charcoal is that each wood imparts its own unique flavor to the meat. 

For instance, you’ll find fruitwood like apple, pear, and cherry, which give a fruity and sweet taste to your dish. On the other hand, wood varieties like oak, mesquite, and hickory are known for their earthy and aromatic flavors. 

Apart from the wood’s flavor, I consider the meat’s flavor too. Since chicken and seafood have mild flavors, I like using mild wood like apple and cherry. For items with a strong meaty flavor, you can use woods like mesquite, oak, and hickory. 

2. Color 

If you’ve been smoking dishes for long, you’ll know that certain woods also give off color. 

The first time I used cherry wood, I remember being intrigued after seeing that my chicken meat had a beautiful mahogany color. Similarly, hickory and oak are popular for giving a natural red color to the meat. 

Therefore, you should specifically go for these woods if you want the meat to have a lovely color. However, if you don’t like any color in your BBQ meal, it’s best to skip these, and look for alternatives!

3. Availability 

You might not find all wood types everywhere. For instance, I’ve found that peachwood isn’t as easily-available as other woods. It’s also slightly costlier on retail sites, like Amazon. 

Peachwood chunks cost around $20 for just 1.5 pounds, whereas you can get 5 pounds of applewood or cherrywood for the same amount!

4. Smoking Method 

The wood you choose can also determine your smoking method. Certain wood varieties burn fast, and hence, they’re not suitable for meats that require slow cooking. 

Classic examples include fruit woods like peach and cherry. They burn fast and aren’t best for big pieces of meat like brisket. On the contrary, hickory and oak burn slowly and are perfect for slow cooking!

So, pick a wood depending on the smoking approach that you’re planning to use. 

Final Thoughts

With so many wood options available, confusion is bound to happen! I hope with this article, you can shortlist the options as per your dish and requirements. 

Related Questions 

What are the benefits of smoking with wood?

The main benefit of smoking with wood over charcoal is that wood imparts a special flavor, aroma, and even color to the meat. It’s also safe as there are not many additives.  

What wood is not good for smoking?

You should avoid coniferous woods like fir, spruce, pine, redwood, cypress, or even cedar. They contain high levels of terpenes and sap, which can make your food taste weird.