Smoking
Woods
Hickory
Characteristics: Pungent, smoky, bacon-like flavor
Pair with: Pork, chicken, beef, wild game & cheese
Pecan
Characteristics: Rich & subtle, ideal for low-heat cooking
Pair with: Pork, chicken, lamb, fish & cheese
Mesquite
Characteristics: Sweet w/a delicate flavor, burns hot
Pair with: Most meats (esp. beef) & vegetables
Alder
Characteristics: Delicate flavor, enhances lighter meats
Pair with: Fish, seafood, chicken, pork & vegetables
Oak
Characteristics: Forthright but pleasant flavor, blends well
Pair with: Beef (esp. brisket), poultry & pork
Maple
Characteristics: Mildly smoky & sweet
Pair with: Poultry, cheese, vegetables & ham
Cherry
Characteristics: Slightly sweet & fruity smoke flavor
Pair with: Poultry, game birds, pork & vegetables
Apple
Characteristics: Slightly sweet (but dense), fruity smoke
Pair with: Beef, poultry, game birds & pork
Peach
or Pear
Characteristics: Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor
Pair with: Poultry, game birds & pork
Grape
Vines
Characteristics: Aromatic, similar to fruit woods
Pair with: Turkey, chicken & beef
Cedar
Characteristics: Slightly sweet, very aromatic
Pair with: Seafood, esp. Salmon, meat & vegetables
Herbs
& Spices
Characteristics: Higher oil content, stronger flavor, burns
quickly. Try bay leaves, rosemary, garlic, citrus peel, whole
nutmeg or cinnamon.
Pair with: Vegetables, cheese, variety of small pieces of
meat (lighter, thin-cut meats);
fish steaks or fillets; kabobs
From
Weber’s Big Book of Grilling
|
