How to Choose the Right Smoke for the Right BBQ Dish


BBQ smoke is one of the easiest ways to add a nice touch of flavor to a grilled dish. You'll be amazed at how many different flavors there are! Knowing which smoke is the best match for different BBQ flavors can be a challenge though. Here's a handy guide to help.

There are dozens of different types of wood to use over a BBQ. Each has their own flavor, and some are milder while others are pretty strong. Just like wine, there are some guidelines about which type to use with different meats.

Mesquite:
Mesquite is one of the most commonly used wood for BBQ smoking. It has a strong flavor and can be used with all types of meats. One word of warning - make sure to use mesquite that has been well cured. Green mesquite burns sap which tastes awful.

Hickory:
Hickory is another of the classic BBQ flavors and many sauces are advertised with this included. Hickory is a strong flavor and works well with all types of meat, although it does tend to taste better on red meat.

Black Walnut:
This is a less common BBQ flavor. Most fruit and nut woods are mild, but this one also has a strong flavor. It tastes best with grilled beef or pork recipes.

Apple:
Apple is the other fruitwood that has a very strong flavor. It's great when used on the BBQ with anything except seafood.

Pecan and Oak:
These nut trees both produce wood that has a nice mild flavor when used on the BBQ. Their flavor complements all types of recipes, including seafood.

Cherry And Sassafras:
These are both milder flavors. If you plan to BBQ any beef, chicken, or pork, you might consider either one of these flavors. Sassafras tends to be more difficult to find, but is a nice unusual flavor.

Orange and Mulberry:
These two fruitwoods are also mild, but both of these work very well with seafood on the BBQ. You can also use them for chicken or pork, but they are not strong enough to flavor beef.

Sugar Maple:
This wood has a sweet smoke, of course, and a mild flavor. It's a favorite among those who enjoy pork or chicken on the BBQ.

Alder or Cedar:
These two woods have mild flavors and are perfect for seafood. Native Americans from the Pacific Northwest have been using them for centuries to cook their catch, and it's easy to taste why.

Using smoke to flavor a BBQ dish is really easy, but knowing which to use can be a challenge. If you really want to experiment, buy a variety pack and see which you like best.

For more information on how to grill with specialty wood, visit:

==} http://www.BBQRecipeSecrets.com/specialtywood.html

If you love to BBQ, discover Barbeque Bob's recipe secrets and find his useful, practical and helpful BBQ tips at:http://www.bbqrecipesecrets.com/index.html

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Cooking Information:

Related Articles

Barbecue Success With The Rule Of Thirds
Ever been to a barbecue party where the 'chef' placed as much food as he could possibly fit onto the barbecue grill, every so often stabbing the food with a fork and juggling it around so that it cooks evenly? Ever noticed how, within a few minutes, the flames start gently flickering under the food, the chef proudly standing back admiring the char grill effect that he's creating? Ever notice the panic that sets in when the flames suddenly leap up and around the food burning it black on the outside and leaving it raw on the inside?The difference between great char grilled barbecue food and burnt offerings lies in a few small precautions. The chef that we've just described made a few fatal errors that could easily have been avoided.
Do you own an AGA or RAYBURN cooker ?
The Cooker-rail..
Better Baking Technique: Is it Done Yet?
Are my breads, cookies, or cakes baked and ready to come out of the oven yet?The ability to tell when products are baked seems to cause more consternation than almost any other phase of baking. And of course, it is important.
Two for One Dinners: Beef
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked meal can easily become a delicious meal another night.
Secrets of Great Breads
Often we field questions about making great bread. Great bread is a matter of using the right ingredients and the right techniques-there's no single secret that will make perfect bread.
Low-Budget Meals In a Minute
Ever go home and look in the fridge only to find it sadly, echoingly empty? Well, look again my friend..
Unique Cake Decorating With Flowers
Flowers as a Cake Decoration, unique and easy to place on every one of your cake creations.Flowers, both real and artificial are relatively simple to use.
Perfect Picnics - Frugal Food Safety Tips
Summer is finally here and for a lot of us that means heading out to the lake or to the park for a picnic with friends or family.Unfortunately, if we're not careful when we plan, transport and serve that picnic, our outing might not end up happily.
What's the Thick on Roux? Thickening Soups and Sauces
Soups and sauces can be thickened in a variety of ways. A sauce must the thick enough to cling to the food, but not so thick it stands up on its own.
Chinese Cooking Technique: Deep Fry
There are usually 2 ways of deep frying in Chinese cooking:Deep frying the ingredients directly Deep frying the ingredients with batterThe latter is the most commonly used method. Here are some pointer in how to deep fry Chinese food most effectively.
Kitchen Canister Sets - How to Beautify Your Kitchen
Kitchen canister sets are a great way to accent your kitchen and give you more storage space. Canister sets of today come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors.
Caring For Your Wooden Cutting Board
Researchers have found that bacteria have a tougher time surviving on wood cutting boards. However, plastic cutting boards are less porous than wood, making it less likely to harbor bacteria over a long period of time, but only if it is immediately cleaned.
Cut The Take Out
A long hard day at work. You get home and need dinner.
Secret of Light and Fluffy Biscuits and Pancakes
Would you like to lose some weight -- in your baking, that is? This one secret ingredient (that you likely already have in your kitchen) is not only inexpensive and healthy, it'll also add a bit of "cloud" to your biscuits and pancakes!And that ingredient is ..
Food Poisoning--An Overview
What is Food Poisoning?Food poisoning results when you eat food contaminated with bacteria or other pathogens such as parasites or viruses. Your symptoms may range from upset stomach to diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and dehydration.
How to Make Sandwich Rolls with Your Bread Machine
For that next picnic or family outing, consider making sandwich rolls with your bread machine. They are quick and easy and so much better than what you buy from the stores.
Barbeque Grilling has Reached a Whole New Dimension
Grilling on the barbecue has never been more exciting. Not only do barbecues come in a myriad of designs and options, but also with the advent of popular cooking shows, cooking books and magazines', grilling has reached a whole new dimension.
How to Grill Most Any Vegetable You Can Think Of!
Grilling vegetables is easy. The fact that more people don't do it is the strange thing.
Cookware - Whats In It?
Have you ever wanted to buy new cookware but didn't know what kind to buy? There are many types of cookware from which to choose. The following is a summary of the different materials that are used in cookware.
What You Need in a Gourmet Kitchen
The best way to decide what you need in your kitchen is to first decide what it is you are going to be cooking in there. The best suggestion I ever heard on this matter is to find five dishes you really love.