Unless your going to run for awhile on the "smoke" setting. Ive found that you can use anything (on a pellet) and as long as your rub is great so goes your butt. If you were to be on something else that produces a much more pronounced smoke profile, thats when you will be more open to what woods works better for you.
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Here is a site that has the pellet flavors we have mentioned with different brands available.
Your best bet for exotic woods may be Amazon I know they have peach pellets.
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My favorite combo right now is Cherry and Oak.Comment
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I use pecan on just about everything, but some fruit-tree wood is nice on pork too.Comment
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I used to always add apple wood chunks to my butt smokes, but have lately gone over to hickory. I like smoke, and find the hickory gives me more of the smoke flavor I am looking for.Comment
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mountainsmoker not sure I would call it "hammy" as I use hickory with my brisket and chuck roast smokes too, and I don't think either of those comes out ham-like...
. Its certainly a more pronounced flavor than I get from Apple wood or oak in my offset, and the flavor we expect from our bacon and hams we buy at the store probably.
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Wow, what a great community! Thanks for all the advice! I guess I was being naive in thinking there might be consensus on the subject My only follow questions would be 1) if I use a stronger wood (like hickory) in a pellet smoker (which essentially is burning wood the whole time) is it going to be too much? and 2) no one mentioned Maple - just curious why - is it too mild? Someone gave me a bag of Pit Boss Competition Blend that has 60% Maple, and 20/20 hickory and cherry. Thoughts? Was thinking of trying it. Otherwise, based on the response, I need to use HIckory mixed with a fruit wood. Thanks for the input!
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Try em all. Use one type by itself for a cook, then another for the next cook, and so on. Keep a small notebook and write down the details. Everyone thinks they can remember all the details, but really we can't. once you taste the differences, you can then start to mix and match. Just envision it as making your own rub And again, write it down. a pork butt is a cheap piece of meat to experiment on, but even if it turns out to be not as good as you wanted, it will still be pretty damn good.Comment
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Thanks folks. 50 people coming over today. I'll let you know how it goes! Enjoy the weekend!Comment
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Pre comment: There's no real consensus, because of a few factors: personal preference, regional availability, and it doesn't make as much difference as some would have you believe. Good wood over bad wood, but beyond that... Also, pork goes with nearly everything. Avoid any softwoods (like pine), and yer gold.Originally posted by BBQDisaster View PostWow, what a great community! Thanks for all the advice! I guess I was being naive in thinking there might be consensus on the subject My only follow questions would be 1) if I use a stronger wood (like hickory) in a pellet smoker (which essentially is burning wood the whole time) is it going to be too much? and 2) no one mentioned Maple - just curious why - is it too mild? Someone gave me a bag of Pit Boss Competition Blend that has 60% Maple, and 20/20 hickory and cherry. Thoughts? Was thinking of trying it. Otherwise, based on the response, I need to use HIckory mixed with a fruit wood. Thanks for the input!
1- It's a pellet smoker. It won't be too much smoke. Every pellet smoker is known for it's light smoke flavor, which is perfect to some, too light to others... I don't think I've seen anyone say their pellet pooper produces too heavy a smoke.
b- I use a blend of maple, hickory and cherry. It's great. I use it for everything. Lumberjack MHC/Competition. As I said, it's tasty on everything. I mixed a pound of Black Walnut into about 35 lbs of MHC, and have no complaints.
The short is: use what ya got, yer gold.
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This seems to be much more a pellet grill question than a pork question. I have never used pellets, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of the above with your setup.Comment
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My favorite is the one I have available at the time...Comment
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Not sure where the heck the summer went, but thanks for all the help back in June. I've visited the site a few times but haven't logged on since June. Pork Butt came out great. I was going to take a picture but my wife shredded it before I got a chance to take the shot. Both butts disappeared within a few minutes.
That said, I need to keep practicing - if nothing else so I can keep eating the results!Comment
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I use hickory on all things swine.Comment
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I know this is different entirely comparing pellets to logs, but I did a large cook the other day and used ash (logs) on one batch and almond on the other. Folks couldn't get enough, and it was 50/50 in everyone's preferences it seemed, perhaps a leaning toward the ash (my personal favorite on pork). Glad you cook turned out good.Comment
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texastweeter, yes, more medium than mild I'd say. Doesn't have quite the incense-like bouquet that some fruit woods, including almond, can have, smells more like a mild oak I guess, and I think the flavor might be close to it or perhaps a notch stronger. Still mild enough to work with just about anything IMO. -
That's a really interesting combo. I'll have to try it out next time
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I like combinations. Hickory; apple and oak.Comment
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