Next I’m Going to Smoke a Brisket. What Kind(s) of Wood Would be Good Choices?

[Nicolaus]

On Monday, I’ll be smoking my first brisket on the BJIII.

I have the following kinds of wood on hand:

Bourbon Barrel Oak
Mesquite
Hickory
Cherry
Apricot
Peach
Apple

I’m trying to decide which one(s) to use on the brisket. Up until now, I used only cherry with a pork shoulder and with St. Louis Ribs, and both of those came out wonderfully.

I’m leaning toward the following:

-just a small amount of Mesquite
-Mesquite (20%) and Hickory (80%)
-just Bourbon Barrel Oak

As I understand it, Mesquite should be used only sparingly.

As always, and all advice, guidance and suggestions will be most appreciated!

Calling LA Pork Butt and jfmorris!

[STEbbq]

Mesquite will be the strongest, as you note. Cherry will add some color. Beyond that, I think you’d be hard pressed to determine the difference between any of the woods.

Personally, I’d go with the bourbon barrel and some cherry as that sounds the most fun.

[Starsky]

I like using oak from my own trees in the yard but hickory works well also

[Spinaker]

I would use oak or Hickory. Cherry works great as well. It is more about how clean things burn than anything else. All of these would be good choices. As you alluded too, mesquite has to be used sparingly, as it can be quite pungent.

I use oak and cherry pretty much interchangeably for the most part.

[JCBBQ]

Hard. 😂 honestly I can’t tell the difference. I’ve never used mesquite. Apparently that is noticeable.

[Finster]

of those you have listed, I would mix some cherry for color with some hickory for smoke.
Personally, I would throw the mesquite into my fire pit, making sure it gets nowhere near any food... 🤷♂️

[Johnny Booth]

😂. Never seen a reaction like that to a wood flavor.

[texastweeter]

I love mesquite. Mixed with red oak for red meats except pork (pork gets hickory). Also for live fire cooking chicken hot and fast.

[Santamarina]

I’m with you, Finster. I don’t mind the smell of mesquite while it’s being burned, but I’ve never had meat cooked with it that I liked…the flavor easily overpowers anything else.

[Nicolaus]

Personally, I would throw the mesquite into my fire pit, making sure it gets nowhere near any food... 🤷♂️

😂😂😂

It seems as if many people like to use Mesquite with beef. Count me curious!

[Finster]

Indeed. Many people like it. I don't really care for it

[Panhead John]

Post oak is the prevailing choice of wood for brisket in the top BBQ joints in Texas. It seems to be the most palette pleasing wood for the majority of folks…..gives it smoke flavor but not too strong. I’m a hickory fan myself for most of my beef cooks. I like mesquite for shorter cooks such as chicken or pork. I wouldn’t recommend mesquite for brisket myself, either hickory or oak. But you’ve gotten some good suggestions so far!

[captainlee]

For a stick burner I agree that mesquite would be too strong. I can get away with it in the pellet pooper for brisket. After playing with so many woods my 95% go to now is hickory with some cherry mixed in. Starting to keep things more simple anymore and enjoying it.

[hoovarmin]

Any of those woods will be fine, though I would avoid Mesquite. If you were blindfolded and given brisket smoked with each of the others I doubt you would be able to tell the difference. The most important thing is that your smoke be clean. The best way to achieve that in a BJIII is to place your smoking wood chunks in the basket before loading your charcoal. The smoke from the chunks has to pass through the burning coals on its way up, and that burns off the impure smoke, much like a KBQ unit does.

Here's a good video on achieving blue smoke with the Big Joe.

[LA Pork Butt]

If you don’t have a basket bury it below the charcoal.

[hoovarmin]

LA Pork Butt I believe he has the BJIII, and they all come with the basket and the divide and conquer system.

[jfmorris]

I do this as well. I put 3-4 large chunks of smoking wood scattered around the bottom of the kamado before I fill the bowl with lump. I light the lump from the top center with a starter, and be sure the closest wood chunk is a couple inches off center, so that I don't waste smoke before the food is on.

[LA Pork Butt]

Some people say mesquite is too strong, but my preferences would be mesquite, hickory and then post oak in that order. I don’t have a very refined palate, so for me it doesn’t make much difference.

[Smoker_Boy]

...

[jfmorris]

Traditional "Texas" brisket is smoked with post oak, so I would go with bourbon barrel oak chunks. I use post oak for most of my beef smoking. I've also used hickory. I tend to reserve the fruit woods for pork. Not sure why...

That said, if your bourbon barrel oak is just pieces 3/4 inch thick from an oak barrel, and not chunks, they may not last long. If that is the case, I would use any of the other woods that is in chunks somewhere between golf ball and tennis ball sized. Chunks larger than that I split with a hatchet I keep in my shed where the wood and charcoal are stored.

[LA Pork Butt]

My ideal size for wood chunks is fist sized.

[BFlynn]

I know that mesquite and post oak are traditional Texas woods......

But I use pecan for everything and I get no complaints.

I mostly use pecan bc a buddy of mine has a bunch of old growth pecan trees and there's always a couple limbs down

[Finster]

nothing tastes quite as good as meat smoked with free wood 👍😉

[texastweeter]

stanley's famous pit bbq uses nothing but pecan, it's a good all arounder as is oak. I use pecan when smoking chicken.

[JeffJ]

With your arsenal bourbon barrel oak or hickory. I also like pecan but I didn’t see that listed as an option.

[STEbbq]

Personally, I think the quality of wood will make more of a difference than the wood type. I buy from Smokinlicious to ensure that I have well seasoned and appropriate moisture content.

[hoovarmin]

That's a good point. I've bought smoking wood chunks in the past that I ended up throwing in the garbage.

[Nicolaus]

My wood is from Fruita Wood and Barbecue Supply in Colorado.