Most fires start with charcoal. Lump charcoal lights fast and gets hot quickly, so it’s a natural fit for searing. Charcoal briquettes give steadier, more predictable heat, which makes them a good fit for low-and-slow cooks.
Next, add wood for flavor. Charcoal is your heat. Wood is your flavor. The size of your wood matters as much as the type. Wood chips are best for shorter cooks. Toss them on hot coals, in a smoker box on gas grill grates, or on a griddle. Wood chunks and splits keep the smoke rolling on longer cooks in offset, vertical, and drum smokers. For long, sustained cooks on an offset smoker, Hickory Wood Logs offer a long burn life. Be sure to add Oklahoma Joe's® All-Natural Fire Starters to ignite your flames faster and safer.
Cooking on a pellet grill? See How to Use Hardwood Pellets.
Once you’ve picked a size, match the wood to the meat:
- Hickory: Intense, smoky flavor for pork and beef
- Mesquite: Texas-style flavor for brisket and beef ribs
- Pecan: Kansas City- or Memphis-style flavor for pork ribs
- Apple: Carolina- or Kansas City-style flavor for chicken
- Cherry: Beautiful color and a hint of sweetness for beef, chicken, or pork
- Whiskey: Subtle but punchy aromatics for chicken or beef
Find more pairings in How to Pick the Best Smoking Wood.
