Which Type of Wood Should You Use for Smoking Meat?

All wood is not created equal when it comes to smoking meat. That being said, don't overthink it.

The true grill master knows that using wood correctly is a key part of the smoking food. It's just a matter of knowing the fundamentals.

Know Your Woods

The first thing to consider is what kinds of wood to use, based on how overpowering the smoke they put out is.

Think of smoking woods as existing on a spectrum from mild to strong. On the mild side are fruit woods, like apple, peach, cherry, and pear, which might impart that sweetness your friends swear by, but are subtle enough to use with lighter foods like poultry or fish, and sometimes pork. Birch is a smidge heavier, and an appropriate choice for more strongly flavored fish*—*salmon smoked in birch is a classic combination.

In the middle part of the spectrum are woods like hickory, maple, pecan, and oak. They're great with pork, and strong enough to stand up to beef and game meats. Purviance's personal favorites to smoke with are hickory and oak.

Finally, there's the strongest wood of all, and it's in a category all its own: mesquite. It can be a invaluable wood to smoke with*—*if you do it in moderation.

Though smokiness can lend a diabolic richness to food that can transform a decent hunk of flesh into a transcendent repast, too many grillers have forgotten that when it comes down to it, their guests want to eat meat, not smoke.

"In general, you shouldn't smoke for more than half of the cooking time," 

If you're willing to experiment, try simultaneously using different woods of various strengths. Popular combinations include hickory with apple or hickory with cherry, which ups the game of the mild fruitwoods while imparting that deep, golden-brown finish to the meat.

When you ready the wood, you should ready the BBQ smoking tube, the tube is the necessary tools during the barbecue.

There are round, square, Hexagonal, Triangular bbq smoking tube and 6/12 inches, please click here to choose.