Choosing the type of wood you want to cook with can be a puzzle if you do not know what wood is available, and how each type of wood will effect the meat you are cooking in terms of flavor.

Apple: Produces a sweet, fruity taste.Good mild wood which works well on poultry and ham. Purchase Here

Alder: What can I say about this barbecue wood… it is the wood that is greatly preferred for most any fish especially salmon.

Cherry: Similar to apple… sweet and usually very fruity depending on the age of the wood. Tends to be mild making it a good choice for poultry, fish, and ham. Purchase Here

Hickory: Probably the most well known woods and while lots of folk may disagree, it tends to be a bit to pungent for my own taste therefore great care must be taken so that it is not overused. Most feel it is excellent on ribs and most red meats. Can also be used very sparingly on cuts of poultry. Purchase Here

Maple: Gives a light and sweet taste which best compliments poultry and ham. Get it here

Mesquite: Great care must be taken or it can become overpowering. Best not used for larger cuts which require longer smoking times but it has been known to be quite successful at it by using it in tandem with another type of wood.

Oak: Good choice for larger cuts which require longer smoking times. Produces a strong smoke flavor but usually not overpowering. Good wood for Brisket.

Pecan: Gives somewhat of a fruity flavor and burns cooler than most other barbecue woods. It is similar to Hickory and is best used on large cuts like brisket and pork roast but can also be used to compliment chops, fish and poultry. Purchase Here

Peach: Peach is excellent.. did I mention it was excellent!? It is not a real strong flavored wood.. you might want to apply the smoke a little longer than you would say hickory, mequite, oak, etc. Get it here

Bottom line… you must experiment to find out what works for you and what does not. The woods that I like will most likely not be the ones you find most tasty and vice versa.