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What Type of Wood Chunks Do You Use and For What Type of Cooking?

I'm a new egghead and would like to build some inventory of different types of wood chunks to use for smoking.  I was wondering what people used the most, and for each type of wood, what do you normally cook with it.  Also has anyone tried using bourbon or wine barrel staves?  Does anyone have a good online retailer for wood chunks that they recommend and that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for shipping (or has free shipping)?  Thanks for the help!
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Comments

  • Apple, pecan and cherry are probably my most widely used woods (mainly use for poultry/pork).  I use hickory for beef as it is a bit stronger.
    Large BGE
    Lexington, SC
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Hickory for pork butt. That's pretty much it.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • calracefan
    calracefan Posts: 606
    Apple or Cherry for Pork , Pecan for Beef.
    Ova B.
    Fulton MO
  • I mainly use apple and hickory for pork. Hickory only for red meat. I would use other wood but its hard to come by sometimes. I can get hickory unlimited on my farm so that's mainly what I use. 
  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
    I do pecan for beef; apple, cherry, or maple on pork/poultry; and I've got some alder chips I've used with fish. I've used maple and cedar planks too, and recently I've seen places with oak/cherry/hickory/olive/beechnut/maple/mesquite/apple planks as well, so I may be trying some others.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Sweet Maple on ham. Oak or pecan on beef. Pecan/cherry mix on chicken or turkey.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • U_tarded
    U_tarded Posts: 2,041
    I like peach wood on pork as a hange from the usual apple/ cherry. Ocak for beef I want a change there I use jack daniels chips. Plum is a good change up for any meat as well.
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,023
    On poultry, I favor the fruit woods, as they produce a lighter smoke. Nut woods are a bit stronger and great on pork and beef.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    The cherry is what gives that neat dark color. This is a turkey spatchcocked. image
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,429
    Instead of mail order, you should be able to get most of these at your local Lowes/Home Depot, Egg dealer (if you have one locally) or even some large grocery stores.  
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • SPRIGS
    SPRIGS Posts: 482
    Mesquite chunk for burgers, steaks.
    Oak for brisket sometimes hickory too.
    Peach or apple for pork. Sometimes combine oak or hickory with the fruitwood.
    XL BGE
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    from around the yard, hickory bark and cherry(pork), rosemary and grape(lamb),  apple(pork), oak(beef), have lilac but havent tried it. mail order has been guava wood(use on anything from chicken fish to pork ribs) from guava gregg that used to post here. lowes i get mesquite and i also use that with pork in small quantities
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168
    @horoegg-welcome aboard.  Enjoy the journey.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,431
    I like chunks over chips and below is my norm.  I have Jack Daniels chips but never know when to use them?  I do NOT care for cedar planks and hate mesquite chips/chunks.   Also, I have never found Oak chunks in ohio, so does someone have a good place to order online?
    Chicken I go with Cherry Pork I go mix of Hickory with a fruit wood (apple or cherry) Seafood i go Alder (often use alder planks instead of chips/chunks)
    Beef i go Pecan (sometimes Hickory)
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
  • bodski
    bodski Posts: 463
    Generally, I use pecan and cherry on poultry; hickory and apple on pork; bourbon/oak chips, hickory or mesquite on steaks. But I mix it up sometimes and don't worry too much about it.

    Cincinnati

    LBGE, Weber Kettle

  • KennyLee
    KennyLee Posts: 806

    hickory and sometimes apple for pork, oak or hickory for brisket, mesquite for steaks and burgers. 

    The Ace Hardware near me has a great selection of wood chunks/chips of just about any kind you can think of.

    LBGE

    Cedar table w/granite top

    Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack

    Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer

  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,424
    NDG said:
    I like chunks over chips and below is my norm.  I have Jack Daniels chips but never know when to use them?  I do NOT care for cedar planks and hate mesquite chips/chunks.   Also, I have never found Oak chunks in ohio, so does someone have a good place to order online?
    Chicken I go with Cherry  Pork I go mix of Hickory with a fruit wood (apple or cherry)  Seafood i go Alder (often use alder planks instead of chips/chunks)
    Beef i go Pecan (sometimes Hickory)

    NDG, that is a little suprising that Home Depot doesn't have oak chunks in OH, but if you're looking for a place online I have liked the products I've used from http://www.mainegrillingwoods.com/

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,429
    Forgot, if you have an Amazon Prime account, they have all kinds of wood chips and chunks, including some "variety" packs.
    I also saw they have white oak chips that came from old Tabasco sauce barrels, I ordered a bag.
     
    How come every time I log into this forum it costs me money?  
    >:P    ;)
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • RAC
    RAC Posts: 1,688

    I found this chart but don't remember where and it might help you out.

     

    Ricky

    Boerne, TX

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    ive also bought chunks that were nothing more than dimensional lumber
    :)) if you want to smoke with oak and try it first, simpley get a small oak board. ive used cherry wood drops, and cedar shingles as well, homedepot has these things
    :D
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • SmyrnaGA
    SmyrnaGA Posts: 438
    I'm new to BGE too (2+ months so far).  My favorite so far is JD wood chips & smoking blocks.  I picked them up at academy sports @ Athens, GA.  I've used it on steak, chicken breast, wings, pork, corn, and eggplants.  Word of warning, a little bit gos a long way.  I placed one 2"x2" block in the center of the hot coal and the smoke was crazy for 30 mins!  The scent of the wood & smoke gets me hitting the liquor cabinet for some whiskey. :)

    My better half's favorite is pecan & peach over chicken.  It's good, but, doesn't give me the urge to hit the bottle as much.  :p

    Found some Olive wood chucks while vacationing in CT that I just couldn't pass up.  I'm thinking something Italian, Greek, or Middle Eastern...  Anyone tried cooking with that?

    Large BGE, Small BGE, KJ Jr, and a Cracked Vision Kub.

    in Smyrna GA.


  • MacKay52
    MacKay52 Posts: 74
    I use apple, oak and maple because I have a lot of it growing here and I cut my own.
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,429
    Be careful about using cedar shingles or fencing for your wood, sometimes that stuff is treated and you have no idea what the smoke contains.  
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • Budgeezer
    Budgeezer Posts: 669
    We scored part of a Knob Creek barrel and have been using it for beef. I have also been using Tabasco wood chips for wings and other apps.
    Edina, MN

  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273

    Mainly hickory - just really like the flavor of it.   Some cherry or apple.

     

    Cookin in Texas
  • bccomstock
    bccomstock Posts: 338
    I typically use hickory or maple for pork.. Lately I've been using oak for beef..
    LBGE
    MS Gulf Coast - Proud member of the Who Dat Nation!
    My Not Frequently Updated Basically Dead Blog: http://datcue.wordpress.com
  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,795

    Cen-Tex said to use oak for brisket.  So I did. 

     

    So let it be written, so let it be done. 

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Oak, pecan or hickory for beef.  Mostly oak. 

    Cedar or alder for fish.

    Cherry, apple, orange, peach for everything else.

    That's what I usually stock, I'll pick up new species when i find them.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    I keep a healthy stock of cherry and apple chips. Have maple for bacon. Use hickory or oak for dark meat.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    mesquite for beef and lamb.
    apple for pork.
    peach or apricot for everything else.

    After experimenting with a number of woods, neither my family nor I I could not tell the difference among several woods, so I've decided to simplify what I buy. 
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.