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First butt tomorrow - best wood choice?

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kthacher
kthacher Posts: 155
in EggHead Forum
I am going with Gibson's peach pork butt recipe, and will turbo it due to time constraints. Here are the wood choices I have.  I realize that some of them likely make no sense for pork, but I have listed them anyway.  Please chime in with your recommendation.

Hickory, Oak, Cherry, Apple, Sugar Maple, and Alder.  
Winnipeg, Canada
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    kthacher said:
      Please chime in with your recommendation.
    Hickory, Oak, Cherry, Apple, Sugar Maple, and Alder.  
    To each their own, but of the ones mentioned above, I like oak, apple and cherry in that order for pork. I would save the alder for fish. The sugar maple I would use to compliment one of the stronger mentioned woods. Some folks love Hickory. I myself do not. It comes down to your own personal tastes. It's hard to go wrong with oak on anything when it's burning clean.  

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    I have cooked cornbread and biscuits over straight clean burning oak on the big units with outstanding results. Oak is a near perfect all around good wood. The key is just be sure that it's burning clean. But this is true of all woods. Oak is my very favorite. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • Chubby
    Chubby Posts: 2,955
    edited July 2015
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    Hickory/peach  Hickory/apple
    Peach...or Pecan

    Really comes down to what you have and what you like!
    I spent most of my money on good bourbon, and bad women...the rest, I just wasted!!
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    Chubby said:
    Hickory/peach  Hickory/apple
    Peach...or Pecan
    He didn't mention having any pecan above. With that said, Pecan is one of my very favorites. More often than not, I use a 50/50 split of oak and pecan on everything.  

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,971
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    Oak is a safe bet. That said, I'm running with hickory today as I'm serving guests and want a really pronounced smoke flavor. I don't know what the peach part of the recipe is, but it may not stand up to a strong smoke flavor like hickory. I think hickory can get bitter sometimes too. 
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • kthacher
    kthacher Posts: 155
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    The peach part is an injection, where the peach syrup from canned peaches is combined with other ingredients and injected.  
    Winnipeg, Canada
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  • biggreenrob
    biggreenrob Posts: 194
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    +1 on everything that @SGH mentioned above.  Since Peach is not in the mix of choices, then my vote goes to Oak/Apple.  Good luck.
    LBGE | DigiQ | SW Cap | KAB | iGrill2 | CI PS | PSWoo2 | HQ Grid | Extender
    Mini Max | PartyQ | KAB | CGW 2-Tier (Mod) | Woo w/Stone | SW Cap (mod) | CI13 
    Location: NoVA
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  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
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    I normally use apple with pork.  It's not as strong as some woods so I'll add a little more to ensure lots of smoke.
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    Hickory and apple for me and my peeps. 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    For butts, I use hickory, oak or a combination of both. Only recently have I been using white oak and have about decided I prefer hickory. The oak is pretty mild, hickory has more of a kick!

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • SteelCitySmoke814
    SteelCitySmoke814 Posts: 112
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    For Pork I typically use all fruit wood.  For me, that's usually Cherry, but have used Apple when I've not paid close enough attention to my Cherry supply...
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  • bboulier
    bboulier Posts: 558
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    Hickory/apple or hickory/peach or maybe hickory/pecan.  My first exposure to pulled pork was in NC, so hickory was the standard wood.   I am still partial to hickory.   On an Egg, you want to go 1 part hickory and 1 part  apple, peach or pecan.  Do not add too much wood.  Alternatively, you could go 1 part hickory with two parts of the other woods.
    Weber Kettle, Weber Genesis Silver B, Medium Egg, KJ Classic (Black)
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  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932
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    SGH said:
    I have cooked cornbread and biscuits over straight clean burning oak on the big units with outstanding results. Oak is a near perfect all around good wood. The key is just be sure that it's burning clean. But this is true of all woods. Oak is my very favorite. 
    Can we get a zoomed out pic of your rig?
    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    johnnyp said:
    Can we get a zoomed out pic of your rig?
    Absolutely my friend. Here is Unit #6. 


    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    johnnyp said:
    Can we get a zoomed out pic of your rig?
    I have a bigger and nicer one that I'm going to start posting pics of soon. However you will have to view them on the BBQ Brethern. I have been informed that cooks posted on non approved smokers will be killed quickly. The title on the Brethern will be "Unit #8". I use the same SGH moniker on the Brethern as well. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • hoofaloos
    hoofaloos Posts: 242
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    SGH said:
    johnnyp said:
    Can we get a zoomed out pic of your rig?
    I have a bigger and nicer one that I'm going to start posting pics of soon. However you will have to view them on the BBQ Brethern. I have been informed that cooks posted on non approved smokers will be killed quickly. The title on the Brethern will be "Unit #8". I use the same SGH moniker on the Brethern as well. 
    Awesome!
    XLBGE- Napa, CA by way of ATX


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