Smoke'n Dudes BBQ Blog

• Alder has a light flavor that works well with fish and poultry.
• Apple is very mild in flavor and gives food a sweetness. This is good with poultry and pork. Apple will discolor chicken skin.
• Apricot is great for poultry and pork. This wood is similar to hickory but is sweeter and milder in flavor.
• Birch has a similar flavor to maple. This wood is good with pork and poultry.
• Cherry has a sweet, mild flavor that goes great with virtually everything. This is one of the most popular woods for smoking.
• Citrus woods like lemon or orange have a moderate smoke that gives a light fruity flavor that is more mild than apple or cherry.
• Crabapple is very similar to apple wood and can be used interchangeably.
• Hickory adds a strong flavor to meats, so be careful not to use to excessively. It’s good with beef and lamb.
• Maple, like fruit wood gives a sweet flavor that is excellent with poultry and ham.
• Oak is strong but not overpowering and is a very good wood for beef or lamb. Oak is probably the most versatile of the hard woods.
• Pear is similar to apple and produces a sweet, mild flavor.
• Pecan burns cool and provides a delicate flavor. It’s a much subtler version of hickory.
• Plum is great for poultry and pork. This wood is similar to hickory but is sweeter and milder in flavor.
• Walnut has a heavy, smoky flavor and should be mixed with milder flavored woods.

Obviously your safest bet would be to purchase prepackaged wood as these will be time tested flavored woods that should be guaranteed to please, but this is not a necessity.

Whatever wood you use be sure to know the source so that if you like it you can find it again.

Stove top smokers like the one pictured have been gaining popularity due to their use on shows like Iron Chef America. They are very effective and easy to use, but you don’t necessarily have to spend money on a device with only one function.

Here’s how to make one yourself with items you probably already own:

1. Select a pan.
   Stove-top smokers can be made from nearly any type of kitchen pan and don’t require an expensive or high-quality purchase. But keep in mind that the pan you choose may become charred during the smoking process, so you’ll probably want to line it with tin foil. Dutch Ovens, Broiler pans, deep metal baking pans and roasting pans work best, but you can choose nearly any pan that fits your needs. Tight-fitting, metal lids are preferable, but not necessary.
2. Insert a food rack.
   The smoking process requires that the food be suspended above the heat source and wood chips, which will necessitate the addition of a food rack. If your broiler or roasting pan came with a rack, this is an easy solution. If not, a metal baking or cooling rack can be used as well. Select one that fits easily inside your pan and will raise the food an inch or two above the bottom of the pan. If you’re using an aluminum pan, metal skewers can be pushed through the sides to create a rack for your food. A second aluminum pan with holes in the bottom also can be placed inside the first pan for the same effect.
3. Cover the smoker.
   If your pan came with a lid, it can be used as a top for your smoker. Your smoker pan also can be covered with tin foil, which can be thrown away when you’re finished. Other possible choices are aluminum pizza pans or a metal cookie sheet.
4. Set up the smoker.
   To use the smoker, place a few ounces of well-soaked wood chips or sawdust in the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and place it over a stove-top burner set to low heat. Allow 10-15 minutes for the pan to get good and smokey. Place the metal rack in the pan and lay your food evenly on the rack. Avoid removing the lid during the cooking process because this will cause the loss of smoke and heat.

Tips

• Don’t be alarmed if your smoke detectors go off; run your exhaust fan to curtail this.
• Don’t forget to wet the wood so that it smokes instead of just burning up.
• Smoking in small batches like this allows for an inexpensive way to experiment with different wood flavors.