What is the best wood to smoke chicken?

PICK THE BEST SMOKE

When smoking chicken, choose wood chips that will complement the bird. Pecan, mesquite, cherry and apple are all popular wood chip flavors. Hickory is a hard wood that has a sweet to strong taste that is almost bacon-y It burns hot and slow.

Can I use hickory to smoke chicken?

Hickory. Hickory is a popular favorite when it comes to smoking many kinds of meat. It has a strong, robust natural taste that is savory and resembles bacon. While it represents the signature taste of Southern BBQ when smoking red meat, you can get excellent results by pairing hickory with chicken.

Is cherry wood good for smoking chicken?

When it comes to choosing a good smoking wood for chicken, most people tend to lean toward wood from fruit trees (Apple and Cherry are excellent choices). Some other woods that pair well with and complement smoked chicken are: Maple: Contributes a sweeter flavor.

Is apple wood good for chicken?

Kicking off this list is one of the most popular wood chip types for smoking chicken, and it's for good reason. Applewood has a subtly sweet and fruity flavor that's a bit mellower than some other fruit-based smoking woods (e.g. cherry, maple, pecan).

Is maple a good wood to smoke chicken?

Maple. Of the different types of hardwood used for smoking meat, maple is one of the lightest. It's commonly used for delicate foods like vegetables and cheese, however it goes well with chicken and poultry.

10 Best Woods For Smoking Chicken 2019

Is mesquite good for smoking chicken?

Mesquite smoked chicken will turn your bland, boring whole chicken dinner into a tender chicken dinner that's packed with flavor. The secret lies in flavorful dry rub and the mesquite wood chips.

Is pecan good for smoking chicken?

Pecan wood has a sweet, nutty, and rich flavor, similar to hickory, which is great for poultry. Pecan wood is also strong enough to stand up to beef, pork, and game meats as well. The smoke wood comes in both chips and chunks, with the difference being that chips burn faster than chunks.

What is the best smoke flavor for chicken?

Chicken pairs well with sweet or fruity woods such as apple, maple, cherry, pecan, and oak. Stronger woods like hickory and mesquite can overpower the chicken and leave it tasting bitter, so you will want to avoid them. Apple and cherry wood produce sweet smoke that won't overrun the taste of the chicken.

Are hickory pellets good for chicken?

Chicken – Pecan, Apple and Cherry – Chicken is not a very strongly flavored meat so you can go lighter. Veggies – Hickory and Mesquite – Again, it's a short cook time so I like stronger flavored woods here. Steaks – Pecan, Hickory or Mesquite. Salmon – Apple and Cherry — or in a pinch, Pecan.

What meat is best smoked with hickory?

Hickory: The wood of choice for Southern barbecue. It imparts strong, hearty flavors to meats and is used mostly to smoke pork shoulders and ribs.

Is Red oak good for smoking chicken?

Red Oak is the king of hardwoods and oaks, especially when it comes to smoking meats. Oak is strong, but it does not tend to overpower the taste and texture of the meat.

What temperature should I smoke chicken?

Whole Chicken:

Smoker temperature - 250°F. Smoking time - 30 to 45 minutes/pound. Finished temperature - 165°F.

What meat goes well with mesquite?

Mesquite Flavor Bisquettes especially pair well with beef, pork, game, fish, seafood, water fowl, and nuts. Additionally, try mesquite smoke for grilling steaks, vegetables, and other quick-cooking, flavorful foods. Pro tip: Mesquite wood's strong flavor can overpower mild poultry, pork shoulder, ribs, and fish.

How long does it take to smoke chicken?

The size of your bird will dictate how long your chicken takes to cook. Roughly speaking, it takes about 3-5 hours to smoke a whole chicken, or approximately 45 minutes per pound at 250 degrees F.

What is cherry wood good for smoking?

Cherry: Cherry wood delivers a mild to medium smoke that is sweet, slightly fruity and blends well with oak wood. Cherry is an excellent wood for smoking pork, lamb, beef, dark poultry like duck and other gamey meat.

How long do you smoke a whole chicken at 225 degrees?

Differences In Cook Time

Expect a cook time of about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for a 5 lb. chicken at 225 to 250 degrees F. With the whole chicken, the smoke time will be around 5 hours for a 5 lb. chicken at 225 to 250 degrees F.

What pellets are good for chicken?

Alder: This is a mild and usually neutral pellet. You can use this on about anything, beef, chicken, pork, lamb, turkey, fish and vegetables.

Are apple pellets good for chicken?

Apple. Add a lightly fruity smoke to mild flavored meats, baked goods and vegetables. Apple wood pellets combine so beautifully with chicken, you'll never want to cook it any other way again.

Can you use maple pellets for chicken?

OVERVIEW. Mild with sweet undertones, Pit Boss all-natural maple premium barbecue hardwood pellets enriches your pork, poultry, seafood, and baking. Grill up shrimp or chicken, bake your cobbler, or smoke any of your favorite meats.

Should I put oil on chicken before smoking?

Keep seasoning simple

Rub the chicken with your favorite seasoning blend. A little garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil or butter may be all you need. The smoke flavor is the star of the dish here, so no need to over-season. You can put a quartered onion in the cavity along with more garlic.

Can I use wood chips for chicken bedding?

Wood shavings are a really good option for chicken coop bedding. You absolutely need pine wood shavings and not cedar shavings (cedar oils and scents can be toxic to chickens). Go for large flake wood shavings, over fine shavings (too dusty), and don't use sawdust (way too dusty and damp).

What do you smoke with apple wood?

Apple has a very mild with a subtle sweet, fruity flavor. This smoking wood is ideal for poultry, beef, pork (especially ham), game birds, lamb and some seafood.

Can you mix woods when smoking?

Just like spices, you can combine different types of wood chips to enhance your grilled fare. It's easy to do. Soak the wood chips for about two hours. Then put the moist wood chips in a smoker box attachment on gas grills or directly on the coals for charcoal barbecues.

What wood should you not smoke with?

Never, under any circumstances, use EASTERN CEDAR, CYPRESS, ELM, EUCALYPTUS, SASSAFRAS, LIQUID AMBER, PINE, REDWOOD, FIR, SPRUCE, or SYCAMORE for smoking meats or other types of food.