Wood Smoke Flavours
Wood Smoke Products
Wood is the source of the smoked flavour imparted in foods during the smoking process. Wood smoke not only flavours food, but also seals it during the cooking process helping to retain the natural juices. Any aromatic fruitwood or hardwood is suitable for use in a smoker and can be used in pellet, chip, shaving, dust or grain form. You can even use your own wood supplies chopped into chunks but do steer clear of resinous woods such as pine and treated timber.
To prevent the wood from burning and to encourage smouldering it should be firstly soaked in water and then protected by foil or one of the custom designed boxes or pots when placed on white hot charcoal.
A Guide to Wood Smoke Flavours
Selecting a wood smoke flavour is mostly a matter of personal choice, however, in general the fruitwood flavours - apple, plum, cherry and pear - provide a sweet smokey flavour with varying degrees of subtlety. They are ideal for use with poultry or light meats. Hardwoods tend to have more robust flavours and the most popular, oak, is the most universal flavour which works with a wide range of foods from red meat to fish. Alder is the flavour most associated with smoked salmon and is also ideal for any light meats whilst hickory and mesquite provide a spicy smoked flavour more generally associated with smoked foods.
Tasting Notes
Alder
Delicate, sweetish flavour ideal for fish and seafood. Famous in the Pacific Northwest for smoking salmon, this mild wood is the chef's smoke flavour of choice and delivers a delicate smoky flavour with a slight hint of sweetness. Excellent with all fish, seafood, pork, poultry and light-meat game birds. Also great with vegetables.
Apple
Strongest of the fruitwoods, apple is a complex, sweet and fruity yet dense smoke flavour ideal for meats and game and particularly good with poultry and ham. A good all-rounder apple also works well with fish.
Beech
A mild hardwood with a slight nutty flavour. Ideal for white meats and fish.
Black Walnut/Walnut
Intense smoke, slightly bitter, ideal for red meats, game and particularly venison
Bourbon Soaked Oak
Oak, but soaked in whisky! Available in Camerons Grains and not has a similar effect to Jack Daniels pellets or Whisky Oak chips - so a combination of the very versatile oak flavour with a hint of alcohol
Cedar
An aromatic hardwood which has a dense smokey flavour. Suitable for most foods
Cherry
A slightly milder flavour than apple, though still sweet and fruity. Will give a rosy tint to light coloured meats during the smoking process. Ideal for poultry, pork and ham.
Chestnut
A great combination of sweet and intense smoke flavours, much stronger than a fruitwood option but not as strong as other nut hardwoods such as walnut. Ideal for meats and game which will carry the flavour density, and although too strong for light white meats we'd recommend you try it with the Christmas Turkey!
Corn Cobb Formed form the heart of the corn cob and processed into granules, this flavour packs a slightly sweet yet robust punch. You don't need to use much and it's also recommended as a booster for apple grains when smoking chicken or turkey.
Hickory
Strong flavour most commonly used with bacon, but ideal for other meats and game.
Jack Daniel's
Made from the mellowing charcoal used as a filter during the distillation of Jack Daniel's whiskey. Strong, sweet flavour with aromatic tang, great for red meats.
Maple
A mild, smokey flavour with a slight sweetness which works well with poultry, ham, cheese, small game birds and vegetables.
Mesquite
Strong, spicy and distinct flavour of cajun cooking ideal for any meat, poulty or fish
Mulberry
Mild, sweet, tangy, blackberry-like smoker flavour good for pork, ham, poultry & game
Oak
The most versatile of the wood flavours which will work with most foods, oak provides a heavy smoke flavour which is particularly suitable for red meat, heavy game and pork. It is widely used in commercial smoking and is commonly used with salmon and other fish. It's also fantastic with sausages and can be blended with a fruitwood flavour for smoking turkey.
Orange
Mild, tangy citrus smoke, great with fish and seafood
Pear
Slightly more subtle flavour than apple but with similar taste effects.
Pecan
Mild, sweet, nutty smoke flavour, great with fish, meat and game
Plum
A mild, sweet flavour which is particularly good with white or pink meats as well as poultry and fish.
Sugar Maple
Very light, sweet smoke flavour for pork, ham, poultry and cheese
Sassafras
Musky, mild smoke with root beer taste superb with beef, pork and game birds
Savoury Herb
Strong, zesty, robust herb flavour ideal for lamb, pork and poultry
Special Blend
Bradley Smokers own mixture of a range of wood smoke flavours, designed to work with any food and cooking assignment.
If you have any thoughts to add on wood smoke flavours, please let us know at info@hotsmoked.co.uk
