Am I the only one who used to think wood choice didn't matter for smoking?

I always just bought whatever wood was cheapest at the hardware store near my house in Austin. Then last weekend I overheard this guy at a competition talking about how using pecan instead of hickory on pork butt gives it this nutty sweetness that cuts through the fat. I tried it on my Weber Smokey Mountain at 225 for 8 hours and I swear the flavor was way better. Has anyone else had a wood switch totally change their cook?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela4325d ago

Wait, you’re telling me wood actually makes a real difference? I always just grabbed whatever bag was on sale at Home Depot and called it a day. But after I tried apple wood on chicken thighs instead of mesquite last month, the meat was way sweeter and not so harsh. Now I’m second guessing all my old smokes.

jenniferb5325d ago

oh man, i used to be the same way lol. just grab whatever bag was cheapest and toss it in. then i tried pecan on some ribs and suddenly my whole world flipped around. but honestly, do we really think the average person at a backyard cookout can tell the difference between apple and cherry wood? half the time people just want to eat and they're not analyzing smoke profiles. i mean, it's cool for us nerds who care, but i swear half the "wow this is so much better" is just placebo from spending the extra cash lol.