What woodchips are best for smoking

When smoking meat, specific meat/wood pairings are often recommended. For instance, hardwood is suggested for denser meats such as beef and pork, while lighter hardwood is preferred for more delicate meats like chicken and fish. It's advisable to steer clear of softwoods like pine and cedar, as their resinous nature can adversely affect both the meat and your smoker. If you're interested in delving deeper into the topic of smoking wood, here's a guide that covers everything you need to know.

Wood	Taste	Best for
Oak	Oak is the classic choice for smoking meat, making it an ideal starting point for beginners. It imparts a medium to strong flavour that rarely overwhelms.	Beef, lamb and other red meats.
Hickory	Hickory stands out as the most versatile option for smoking, adaptable to various cooking methods. However, be cautious, as an excessive hickory flavour can impart bitterness to your meat. It possesses a sweet, savoury and robust essence, reminiscent of bacon.	Most meats. Best suited to larger cuts such as shoulders and ribs.
Maple	Maple wood is among the subtlest smoking woods, offering a mild smoke flavour. Opt for maple for a gentle, sweet and light smokiness.	Pork and chicken
Mesquite	A robust wood known for its intense flavour, it's best suited for grilling or used sparingly. Renowned for its strong, distinctive character.	Beef, lamb and other red meats.
Pecan	Pecan wood imparts a rich, sweet, nutty flavour to the meat. Due to its sweetness, it's advisable to pair pecan with a harder wood to achieve a balanced flavour profile.	Ribs, briskets and roasts
Apple	Applewood offers a mild and sweet flavour, imparting a gentle taste profile. Expect a longer smoking duration for the apple smoke flavours to thoroughly infuse the meat, requiring several hours of smoking.	Pork and chicken
Alder	It possesses an exceedingly light and sweet flavour profile, contributing a delicate and sweet attribute.	Fish, especially salmon
Cherry	Cherry wood imparts a gentle, fruity flavour, and when combined with another hardwood such as hickory, the two flavours harmonise to produce a remarkable outcome.	Pork, Chicken and Turkey