Best Wood for Smoking Meat and BBQ

Which wood is best for smoking?

Flavours and pairings from Weber and Kamado Joe, with beech from UK smoking specialist Hot Smoked.

We sell kiln-dried oak and beech. For smoking, use those rather than a mixed hardwood bag, so you know exactly what's in the smoke.

Which wood should I never smoke with?

• Pine and other conifers. Weber says softwoods can create bitter smoke that may be toxic. Kansas State University says hardwoods are used for their low resin content.
• Treated or unknown wood. The ProQ smoker manual says not to use wood treated with chemicals or from unknown sources.
• Poisonous plants. The RHS lists yew and laburnum as harmful if eaten, so never cook over them, and says smoke from burning oleander is harmful.
• Green or wet wood. Kamado Joe says it produces excess steam instead of smoke.

Chips, chunks or logs?

• Chips for short cooks, says Weber. Big Green Egg says they give a quick, sharp burst of smoke.
• Chunks for long, low-and-slow cooks. Kamado Joe suggests starting with 2 to 4 chunks.
• Logs for offset smokers. Oklahoma Joe's suggests logs about 6 to 8 inches long.

Our logs can be split into chunks for a kettle barbecue or kamado, or cut down to length for an offset smoker's firebox.

Should I soak smoking wood?

Makers disagree. Kamado Joe says not to soak chunks, as it can hinder combustion. Weber's Australian guide says to soak chips but not chunks, while Weber's European guide and Big Green Egg suggest soaking. Either way, start with properly dry wood: soaking dry chips is not the same as burning wet, unseasoned logs.

How do I get clean smoke?

• Wait for thin, wispy blue smoke before the food goes on, and avoid thick white smoke, which Kamado Joe says can create an overpowering flavour.
• Don't overdo it: Weber says too much wood smoke over long periods can make food taste bitter.
• Big Green Egg suggests 225 to 250°F, about 107 to 121°C, for smoking.
• Use lump charcoal with no lighter fluid, as Big Green Egg advises.

Clean smoke matters for more than flavour. Citing international food standards, the Food Standards Agency says poor smoking practice is the most common cause of PAH contamination in food, and some PAHs are known to cause cancer.

How do I know the meat is cooked?

The Food Standards Agency's BBQ guidance says meat should be steaming hot throughout, with no pink in the thickest part and juices running clear. Chicken, pork and minced meat should never be served pink. Charred on the outside doesn't always mean cooked inside, so it suggests cooking chicken and pork in the oven first and finishing them on the barbecue. For businesses, the FSA gives a core temperature of 70°C for 2 minutes.