# Pecan, Hickory, or Oak



## skeeter1 (Aug 14, 2010)

What is ya'lls choice of wood for BBQing for pork ribs, chicken, brisket, and pork shoulder? Thanks in advance.


----------



## K Man (Jun 21, 2012)

seasoned live oak & pecan. Hickory when I want a different flavor.


----------



## FREON (Jun 14, 2005)

I like hickory for pork and 1/2 mesquite/1/2 pecan for chicken....I have tried all types of wood for briskets, but haven't cooked any in a few years


----------



## old 37 (Nov 30, 2014)

I don't like Pecan, too bitter for me. For Pork, I use apple.


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I like all 3 plus mesquite,but my all time favorite is pear.I watch all pear trees I see to get the ones that die.I'm out now.


----------



## trout250 (Aug 24, 2005)

we have always used pecan, only time any bitterness was when it was to green. almost all nut or fruit trees make good smoking wood


----------



## stdreb27 (Aug 15, 2011)

trout250 said:


> we have always used pecan, only time any bitterness was when it was to green. almost all nut or fruit trees make good smoking wood


Ever try fig?

I use mesquite or live oak. But that's simply because I live in south Texas and that's what is here.


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I bet fig would be outstanding.Now you got me on a mission.


----------



## Zerofold (Aug 13, 2014)

100% pecan on everything. I would probably like to mix that with live oak (if anything) but I have too much land with pecan trees. Cant argue with free.


----------



## peelin' drag (Oct 21, 2005)

Hickory when I can find it. Throw in a few fist sized chunks of cherry after meat is on.


----------



## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

Pork and chicken I have been using cheery.....with good results

Turkey - mesquite ...but would use hickory

Pecan on anything


----------



## Court (Jul 16, 2011)

mesquite


----------



## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Pecan for beef, apple for poultry, a mix of the two for pork.


----------



## seacer (Dec 9, 2012)

*Advise for getting wood to smoke more !*

Guy's

I seem to have a problem with my wood catching fire rather then smoking! I soak the wood chunks in water for 2 hours or longer but after a while the wood catches fire and then not a lot of smoke. My smoker is a master forge and I'm using the oak wood chunks in the internal box.

Any advise on how to create more smoke?

searacer


----------



## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

My favorite is post oak and I use it on everything. I also like pecan and mesquite and always have some of all 3 on hand. Just don't like hickory that much. For a hot steak fire, I normally use mesquite.


----------



## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

I think most stick burners preference is what is naturally available to them and easy to get. We use a lot of red and post oak because we are in East Tx, also pecan. Central TX is mostly post oak and South Tx is mesquite. 
I have never found pecan to be bitter, however, I never cook with wood that isn't seasoned well, generally a year after it is cut down and most of the time after it has been split. I actually have a place in a barn that is segregated into types of wood and seasoned from not. We do cook-offs and use two big stick burners so we go through a lot of wood so I have to sorta manage it or we will accidentally use green wood, which would be disastrous.


----------



## stdreb27 (Aug 15, 2011)

seacer said:


> Guy's
> 
> I seem to have a problem with my wood catching fire rather then smoking! I soak the wood chunks in water for 2 hours or longer but after a while the wood catches fire and then not a lot of smoke. My smoker is a master forge and I'm using the oak wood chunks in the internal box.
> 
> ...


So go google bbq by Franklin. He has a tv show and his short segments are available on youtube. Also go read amazingribs.com. While I don't agree with his fire conclusions. His train of thought is sound.

In short. Make a big fire. Let it coal down. Then add smaller pieces in the fire. Too much smoke turns the meat. Don't soak the wood.


----------



## greenhornet (Apr 21, 2010)

I like Hickory for most slow cooking and mesquite for quick stuff like steaks and seafood.


----------



## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

HydraSports said:


> I think most stick burners preference is what is naturally available to them and easy to get. We use a lot of red and post oak because we are in East Tx, also pecan. Central TX is mostly post oak and South Tx is mesquite.
> I have never found pecan to be bitter, however, I never cook with wood that isn't seasoned well, generally a year after it is cut down and most of the time after it has been split. I actually have a place in a barn that is segregated into types of wood and seasoned from not. We do cook-offs and use two big stick burners so we go through a lot of wood so I have to sorta manage it or we will accidentally use green wood, which would be disastrous.


very wise words spoken here. properly aged wood makes all the difference in the world.


----------



## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

I have a good friend who is a tree trimmer and remover. He gave me some maple last month. I tried a big chunk on a bed of commercial charcoal to smoke and finish cook some port and chicken. A very mild smoke flavor. Very tasty. 
This was a tree planted 40 years ago as landscaping in a subdivision. I asked for more since it is probably the only one in western OK.


----------



## Leo (May 21, 2004)

So how much difference between the different oaks..red, live, post oaks, any you wouldn't use? I use hickory or pecan mostly. Once properly seasoned is there a preference?


----------



## roundman (May 21, 2004)

manintheboat said:


> My favorite is post oak and I use it on everything. I also like pecan and mesquite and always have some of all 3 on hand. Just don't like hickory that much. For a hot steak fire, I normally use mesquite.


thread revive,lol
i smoked a brisket last week with post oak and really liked it, got some red oak im going to try next


----------



## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

Post oak


----------



## w_r_ranch (Jan 14, 2005)

Post oak as I have an endless supply. I've also been known to add hickory, apple or mesquite depending on what I smoking on any given day... You can't do wrong with post oak, IMO.


----------



## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

Pork and beef does not seem to taste right to me if not cooked on oak. Thats the smoke flavor I like. 

Chicken, I use a variety of woods.


----------



## CaptJack (Jun 13, 2004)

pecan and hickory are from the same family
i bet none of us could taste the difference

my family were pecan farmers in Lometa for 4 generations
i prefer pecan


----------



## Old sailor (Mar 30, 2014)

For fish I like alder wood.


----------



## deano77511 (Feb 2, 2005)

I sale firewood mostly live oak and pecan , it's crazy the deference in people . I have some that love pecan and some that will not touch it . 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

CaptJack said:


> pecan and hickory are from the same family
> i bet none of us could taste the difference
> 
> my family were pecan farmers in Lometa for 4 generations
> i prefer pecan


Uh, no. Smell and taste is vastly different.


----------



## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

Leo said:


> So how much difference between the different oaks..red, live, post oaks, any you wouldn't use? I use hickory or pecan mostly. Once properly seasoned is there a preference?


I was wondering the same thing as I have a lot of live oak and water oak. Seems if properly seasoned they should all work fine. Some say live oak smokes too much and I know it is very dense and hard to split.


----------



## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Here are a couple links to info about BBQ wood:
http://pitbossbelt.com/wp/best-wood-for-smoking-meat-oak-hickory-maple-mesquite
http://www.texasbbqrub.com/wood.htm
http://www.bbqdan.com/grilling/wood_for_grilling.html


----------



## CmackR56 (May 30, 2009)

I have used oak, hickory, mesquite and pretty much everything I could get my paws on over the years. After making a few trips to the joints in central Texas, I got hooked on Post Oak. I like the smoke and the way it burns. I won't use anything else, especially for beef.


----------



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Pretty much what I can harvest. Right now I have pecan, hickory, & post oak. I'm good for now. LOL!


----------



## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Yep, it's mostly about what I find in our area. Red Oak, White Oak, Sugar Maple, and occasionally Apple.

Oaks for: beef and some pork cuts.

Maple and Apple for: fish, chicken, and the rest of the pork cuts.

I started out using oak almost exclusively, but over the years I find that I'm using more Sugar Maple. 

However, well seasoned wood is more important than the variety. If you want to get real picky, debarked is better still. I debark some Maple but not the oak. The debarked Maple is a mild smoke that is good cold smoked on cheese and some fish.


----------

