Recommendation for Wood Chips for Smoke

[Jimmy Vee]

Hey All. Have a friendly BBQ competition amongst some friends. Doing ribs. Using a smoker with charcoal. have not used wood chips for smoke in past. Want something distinct. Any recommendation for best type of wood chip to use for flavor? Thanks.

[Reds Fan 5]

I recommend wood chunks rather than chips if you are smoking with charcoal (I'm not a PBC owner but understand the PBC doesn't need wood). Chunks produce longer and more consistent smoke than chips. I use Weber or Western brand wood chunks. I buy them at the local hardware store or on Amazon. Home Depot now carries Kingsford brand chunks. Many people on this forum love chunks from the Fruitawood website.

Apple is great for pork, not so much for beef. Hickory for chicken and pork. Oak for brisket. Use mesquite carefully, it is very strong. Others here like cherry and pecan as well. I think using a good, dry chunk is a more important factor than the flavor (except for mesquite).

[richinlbrg]

I like chunks, too. I get mine from fruitwood.

with ribs, I like apple or cherry best. Next choice is hickory. I leave mesquite for the professionals.

[Nate]

I recommend a combo of a hardwood and a fruit wood. I usually throw a chunk of each in my pbc....

You can use chips if you want... they just burn up faster... no big deal though...

Personally I like Pecan as the hard wood and then I usually use Apple or Cherry as the fruit wood... But if you are looking for something distinct then check out and see what whatever supplier you are going to use has.

http://fruitawood.com/ is a good source of boutique wood if you are wanting to order and pay a little premium. You can also find chunks and chips at your local big box retailer or grill supply store.

DO NOT SOAK the chips...

Have fun and good luck.

[DWCowles]

Welcome Jimmy Vee

[Huskee]

Welcome to The Pit! We'd love to get an intro from you over in the Introduce Yourself channel when you get a minute. https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...troductions-aa

My personal favorite wood for pork ribs is ash. You can't go wrong with any of the above choices though, it's much harder to tell than you might think, unless you use something stronger like hickory or mesquite. The rub and sauce (if any) make way more of an impact than the type of smoke.

[MBMorgan]

If you decide to use chips rather than chunks, I recommend making one or more foil smoke pouches to keep them from burning too quickly and to help with the quality of the smoke they produce.

[Danjohnston949]

Jimmy Vee, Welcome to The Pit! You are Now Enrolled in the BBQ Univ.! Attendance and Participation are Mandatory! I use Apple and Hickory Chunks in small loaf pans covered with Al. Foil with holes poked in it! Occasionally I will use Oak and other Fruitwood! Apple and Hickory are my go to's!
Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[jecucolo]

I love pecan. I use it in the PBC. Not over powering. A couple of chunk will do.

[Jimmy Vee]

Thank you everyone !!

[Craigar]

I like chunks, too. I get mine from fruitwood.

with ribs, I like apple or cherry best. Next choice is hickory. I leave mesquite for the professionals.

What richinlbrg said, but here lately we have been partial to peach chunks for pork.

[richinlbrg]

@ craigar , I need to try peach (I have liked a peach rib using Tyler Florence's recipe) and would like to try them with peach wood. There are several woods I wood (pun intended) like to experiment with!