The full guide
Read straight through, or dip into the sections that matter for your next smoking session.
Apple is the most forgiving smoking wood for beginners. It gives a mild, sweet and fruity smoke that builds slowly, so it is hard to overdo, and it flatters food rather than masking it. If you are unsure where to start, especially with fish, chicken or cheese, start with apple.
Smoking kit to help at home
Home smoking essentials that make the advice easier to put into practice.
What does apple wood smoke taste like?
Apple is usually described as light, sweet and gently fruity, with a soft smoke that takes a while to build. It adds a warm golden colour rather than a deep mahogany one.
What to smoke with apple wood
Fish: trout, mackerel and salmon all suit apple, and it is one of the woods we suggest for delicate fish. Poultry and pork: chicken, turkey, pork chops and sausages take its sweetness well. Cheese and vegetables: apple dust is a popular first choice for cold-smoking cheese, and apple chips work with peppers, onions and garlic.
Which grade for your smoker?
We sell apple as coarse chips for a smoker box on the barbecue, fine chips for stovetop smoking ovens and small smoker boxes, and wood dust for cold smoke generators.
Apple vs cherry
Both are fruit woods. Apple is the lighter and sweeter of the two; cherry is slightly richer and gives food a deeper reddish colour. For pale fish and cheese, apple; for poultry and pork where you want colour, cherry.
Blending apple
Apple is a good base for blends. A little hickory through apple gives pork a fuller smoke without the harshness of hickory alone, and apple with oak is a dependable blend for oily fish.
Getting the best from apple chips
Use the chips dry and start with a small handful; you can always add more, but over-smoked food tastes bitter. Match the grade to your equipment and follow its instructions for fuel, ventilation and where to use it. Change one thing at a time, such as the wood or the amount, so you can tell what made the difference.
Smoke adds flavour; it is not a doneness test. Hot-smoked fish and meat must be cooked through: check the centre of the food with a probe thermometer rather than relying on time or colour. Our fish smoking temperatures guide explains the checks.
Common questions
Is apple wood good for smoking fish?
Yes. It is one of the mildest woods, so it suits trout, salmon and mackerel without hiding their flavour.
Is apple wood too mild for pork?
Not at all; apple and pork is a classic pairing. If you want more smoke, blend in a little hickory or oak.
Can I use apple wood dust for cold smoking cheese?
Yes, apple dust is a popular choice. Use it in a cold smoke generator and see our guide to smoking cheese.
A note on flavour: these descriptions are the ones smokers commonly use, not the results of a Down The Cove tasting trial. Smoke is personal, so treat them as a starting point and let your own notes decide.
Compare the other woods: apple, oak, cherry, hickory, beech, maple, alder and mesquite, or see the best wood for smoking fish. For grades, read which wood chips do I need? and smoking dust vs wood chips.
