Best smoking wood for offset

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So I found a wood source I believe I can trust. They supply wood to most of the big restraunts in my area like weber BBQ l, famous Dave’s, etc. However their prices are a little higher than farmer Joe down the street ($60 I pick up vs $90 they deliver per rick 3 ricks minimum)However I feel like I would sleep better at night knowing exactly what I’m getting. They offer all types of hardwood from white oak to pecan to hickory and cherry. They also sort them from cut yesterday to seasoned for over a year so I’m pretty set on this company.

I am pretty familiar with how to run a good fire in an offset as I’ve done it before but have limited experience with how different wood species and seasoning effects flavor on a wood only smoker.

I’m fixing to order from these guys so any insight that would help me with my decision on wood species and seasoning duration would help.
 
My experience thus far... Hickory and hickory and almost forgot hickory.
 
I use at a min of 6 months seasoned. Some woods, like cherry or maple that are well seasoned (about a yr), give me little to no smoke flavor, so I would toss a split of lightly seasoned into the fire once in a while.

Different species of wood dry quicker than others, and will need more time to get the TBS needed.
 
Yeah I’ve heard the rule of 1 year for hickory and I’ve heard some people use fresh cut fruit wood before. I do know that I love the smell of hickory though. Which wood is most versatile on an offset smoker for different types of meat?
 
In order, for me and season time, again for me:

Cherry 3-6 months
Hickory 1-1.5 years
Oak 2 years
Sugar Maple experimenting now
Apple 3-6 months

I like all my wood between 12-15% moisture.
 
Beentown said:
In order, for me and season time, again for me:

Cherry 3-6 months
Hickory 1-1.5 years
Oak 2 years
Sugar Maple experimenting now
Apple 3-6 months

I like all my wood between 12-15% moisture.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Any reason Apple isn’t higher on the list? Does it taste different on an offset vs charcoal smoker?
 
How does oak taste 6 months to 1 year seasoned? Bitter? I’m basically looking for a wood that can taste good on a variety of meats. I was thinking oak initially but that’s a long seasoning time.
 
I was going to say "free"

sadly, my pickiness often takes a back seat to my brokenness
 
I’m thinking hickory or a fruit wood now since oak takes so long to season. My only thing with hickory is it might not work well with chicken and fruit woods which I love will lose a lot of their smoke flavor if seasoned for a year.
 
Honestly I can't tell much flavor difference between different wood species when the wood is fully seasoned. It all tastes like smoke to me.

I can definitely tell the difference with hickory if it is not well-seasoned (too strong).

Cherry smells wonderful when it is burning and gives the meat a beautiful dark mahogany color, but I can't tell any difference in flavor.

The biggest difference between wood species is the amount of heat they produce and how long the coals will last. In general, fruit woods produce less heat than nut woods, and the coals don't last very long. Hickory produces the most heat and longest-lasting coals. Oak is pretty hot too (especially oaks in the white oak group), but not as hot as hickory.

I know from other threads that Beentown and I have had different experiences with wood seasoning times. I can generally get oak seasoned out pretty well in a year or less, about the same time as hickory and sugar maple. Fruitwoods, ash, birch, and red maple season faster, but usually still take at least 6 months to season fully.

Both Beentown and I have had a lot of experience burning wood, so I'm not going to say that one of us is right and the other is wrong. But obviously something about our respective settings is different enough that we're seeing substantial differences in the time it takes for our wood to season. I guess my point is don't automatically assume it is going to take two years for your oak to season. There are many factors that affect how fast wood seasons, so there may be things you can do to speed it up.
 
Monkey Uncle said:
Honestly I can't tell much flavor difference between different wood species when the wood is fully seasoned. It all tastes like smoke to me.

I can definitely tell the difference with hickory if it is not well-seasoned (too strong).

Cherry smells wonderful when it is burning and gives the meat a beautiful dark mahogany color, but I can't tell any difference in flavor.

The biggest difference between wood species is the amount of heat they produce and how long the coals will last. In general, fruit woods produce less heat than nut woods, and the coals don't last very long. Hickory produces the most heat and longest-lasting coals. Oak is pretty hot too (especially oaks in the white oak group), but not as hot as hickory.

I know from other threads that Beentown and I have had different experiences with wood seasoning times. I can generally get oak seasoned out pretty well in a year or less, about the same time as hickory and sugar maple. Fruitwoods, ash, birch, and red maple season faster, but usually still take at least 6 months to season fully.

Both Beentown and I have had a lot of experience burning wood, so I'm not going to say that one of us is right and the other is wrong. But obviously something about our respective settings is different enough that we're seeing substantial differences in the time it takes for our wood to season. I guess my point is don't automatically assume it is going to take two years for your oak to season. There are many factors that affect how fast wood seasons, so there may be things you can do to speed it up.
Click to expand...

If there truly isn’t a big difference in smoke flavor I might go with hickory then as I love the smell of hickory coming out of the stack and it is the most efficient burner it seems. Plus It will still produce a good smoke flavor if stacked for longer than a year where Apple or cherry maybe not?. Should I ask for 6 month seasoned hickory?
 
I prefer Oak for its mild smoke flavor, then Hickory and next Pecan. Pecan burns hotter with one of the strogest smoke taste. They all work good with all meats. When doing poultry and ribs I like to add some Cherry or Apple in with my other wood.

And $270 a cord is a good price delivered IMO.
 
Last edited:
Westx said:
I prefer Oak for its mild smoke flavor, then Hickory and next Pecan. Pecan burns hotter with one of the strogest smoke taste. They all work good with all meats. When doing poultry and ribs I like to add some Cherry or Apple in with my other wood.
Click to expand...

Any reason for adding the cherry or Apple other than for the color?
I guess my problem going into this was assuming there would be a big difference in flavor profiles of wood in a stick burner. On my charcoal smoker there is no flavor difference between woods and only difference in flavor depends on how how hot my fire was and whether I got good airflow or not.
 
I think I remember Myron Mixon saying once to just use whatever wood is available to you that it doesn’t matter as long as it is seasoned appropriately.
 
This is one of those topics people love to debate. Theres no answer. Its like asking "How fast does a truck go?"

Buy some wood from whoever. Some of it will be seasoned, some of it wont. Some will be better than others. They will all tell you "its seasoned". You will figure it out.
 
All of it. Smoke with all of it. I get oak and hickory plentifully around here sold as firewood. Sometimes I get cherry mixed in and that's my favorite. I know a few sources that will deliver that around the same price so when I refill next time I'll be specific to look for it.

However last fall I scored some free oak, mulberry, and hard maple from people cutting down trees and giving it away on Craigslist. I also have some from a pin oak in my yard they trimmed last spring.

I've used pecan, mesquite, apple and peach. Never threw away something I've smoked with any of them.

Here's my bible for flavor.

http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Downloads_files/SmokingFlavorChart.pdf

Edit: get a $15 moisture meter from Amazon. You'll find out what you like. I prefer 18-20%
 
Thanks guys for the help! I got the wood ordered and it will be here next week!
 
I would be happy with those prices and I would be happy with any of those choices. Here in Az. the choices are limited and expensive.
 
Yeah I was very happy with the prices as well! Wood is cheap in the south and sometimes free! Now that I got seasoned wood I will be able to get free wood in my area if I please and allow it to season while I use my already seasoned I purchased.
 
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