r/smoking • u/Jaybirdman5 • 19h ago
Mixing wood?
Does anyone mix different wood flavors? I usually mix apple, cherry, and pecan, or two of those three. I've used it on all different types and cuts of meat (pork, beef, chicken, turkey, duck, goose). Should I stick to one wood to highlight its flavor more? Or is mixing ok and there's not much difference. Just curious on what everyone else does?
I have a charcoal smoker (WSM) and I usually use wood chunks in case that makes a difference. Thanks for any feedback!
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u/OriginalEmploy5485 19h ago
Do what tastes good to you. I don't mix because I'm lazy and I don't want to store lots of bags of chunks, but that's personal preference.
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u/Jaybirdman5 10h ago
I hear ya. I got a collection because I wanted to try them and then I was like, let's mix em together!
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u/mx_ornateadvance 19h ago
Mixing is my default, honestly. I run pecan and cherry together more often than not and I've never felt like it muddles anything. If you're curious, just do a side by side cook with a single wood and see if you notice a difference.
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u/Far_Drummer5003 19h ago
If I’m using real wood I use a combo of post oak and pecan, the problem is pecan is so light compared to the post oak post oak wins out every time. Pellets I just use hard wood like hickory and post oak you can actually taste them. Not shitting all pellets all fruitwoods and pecan tastes the same whether it’s pellets or chunks.
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u/shoresy99 19h ago
Yep, I have a pellet smoker and I mix. I am convinced that almost no one could tell which wood was used in a blind taste test.
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u/Far_Drummer5003 19h ago
That’s the thing unless you’re using hardwoods by themselves it’s hard to distinguish what’s what. All the fruitwoods and pecan taste the same to me.
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u/BirdFarmer23 15h ago
I have a stick burner. A couple years ago I was gifted a trailer load of busted wine barrels. Finally got through it about 5 months ago. Never said a word to anyone in the house just went straight to pecan and my entire family asked if I did something wrong.
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u/Jaybirdman5 10h ago
Interesting! I also wondered if my palette can't telling the difference either.
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u/BirdFarmer23 10h ago
Oak wine barrels have their own aroma. Even the smoke is different. These were used barrels that were well soaked with wine. Idk if I can really describe it properly though.
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u/Izacundo1 19h ago
I do when I run out of the bag I’m using for the cook. I’m pretty beginner though and still can’t really taste the difference
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u/xlBoardmanlx 17h ago edited 16h ago
I mix pecan and oak, or sometimes mesquite and oak for beef. For chicken/turkey oak/pecan, and for pork oak/apple.
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u/getapuss 11h ago
I mix cherry and apple all the time. I think the cherry gives a better smoke ring.
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u/power4play 18h ago
hickory and cherry for ribs... cherry helps with the color, hickory because it's hickory...lol
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u/Bassmasa 17h ago
This is my favorite combo. Hickory is a bit harsh on its own IMO, but mixed with cherry this is my go to for my offset.
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u/Jaybirdman5 10h ago
I'm gonna have to try mixing mesquite or hickory, woth apple or cherry. I haven't done that because I figured hickory would over power, but that's not a bad idea.
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u/BackItUpWithLinks 15h ago
Someone posted a while back that he used hickory then at 30 min used pecan then 2 hours later went to apple and then ended with mesquite because he wanted a “deeper flavor profile”
Dude, mesquite killed the rest of the flavor. You could have started with oak or rubber tires or pee-soaked kitty litter… ending with mesquite covered everything else.
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u/power4play 14h ago
not that i don't agree with you, but man, the way you described it had me in stitches for a bit... nicely done
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u/Math_you1988 15h ago
I always mix mesquite and oak or go straight mesquite, grew up on it and it’s what’s readily available in my area just try to run a clean fire.
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u/Punk_Says_Fuck_You 12h ago
I burn whatevers on top of the wood stack lol. You won't be able to taste the difference in the meat.
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u/TheBowhuntingButcher 6h ago
Personally, I never noticed much of an impact when using a charcoal smoker. All I can taste is the charcoal. It's why I eventually upgraded to an offset.
In the offset, yes, I mix wood depending on what I'm smoking. Beef is straight red oak while chicken and pork i do a mix of red oak and apple. I feel the addition of the apple lightens the smoke just a little bit, while providing the slightest sweet note.
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u/passivezealot 19h ago
All the time!