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What is the best type of wood chips/chunks to use

Burnt coal
Burnt coal Posts: 8
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
on a Boston Butt. I know its kind up to your individual tatse but I used hickory last weekend and I'm not sure it could have been any better. I wouldn't mind trying another kind in the future or even a mixture. What is good to use on a Butt?
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Comments

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    It really is pretty much a matter of taste. Hickory probably is the standard. I've used maple, but it wasn't quite as good. I may have miss identified the maple, and used one that was more of a soft maple than hard. Softer "hardwoods" seem to burn easier, and make a bit too much smoke. I tried some oak, and that was a little stronger than I liked. A lot of times, I toss in some apple with the hickory for butts, just for a more subtle taste.

    Lighter fruitwoods are most often used with fowl. Pecan is also often used for fowl. It gives a nice golden color to the skin.

    So, experiment, see what you like. Personally, I find mesquite too biting, and allspice too perfumey.
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  • Gator Bait
    Gator Bait Posts: 5,244
     
    Hi Burnt Coal,

    Welcome to the forum.

    Hickory is one of the most popular smoke woods and is good on just about anything. Pecan, maple and oak are also great. Apple is very popular and is often mixed with cherry and other woods. Mesquite has a great flavor but don't get to heavy with it, it can be overpowering. Any of the above will be fine on a butt.

    Have a great day,

    Gator

     
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  • crghc98
    crghc98 Posts: 1,006
    I use 2 parts cherry, 2 parts sugar maple, and 1 part alder on butts right now, because that is what I have on hand....

    I've also used apple, oak, pecan and hickory....

    for butts I just go with what I have...I generally always have cherry but have a steady supply of maple and oak in my back yard.
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  • whtfarmer
    whtfarmer Posts: 67
    My wife dosn't like a heavy smoke, so I use mostly cherry and apple, until someone asked me if I would cut down and remove an old peach tree. I think it is my new favorite wood. Don't be afraid to try new things, just not evergreen types.
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  • ibanda
    ibanda Posts: 553
    This is one of those things where there is more than one right answer, and favorite smoking woods seem to be closely tied to region (I don't hear about hickory, apple and cherry woods much in Texas even though I am sure they are excellent). Mom has a pecan farm in TX so guess what I use? I like pecan on butts. I have been eating chicken smoked over pecan my whole life and I really think there's come magic between pecan smoke and chicken. Dad has mesquite trees on his place and I like to use it for steaks.
    "Bacon tastes gooood, pork chops taste gooood." - Vincent Vega, Pulp Fiction
    Small and Large BGE in Oklahoma City.
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