The full guide
Read straight through, or dip into the sections that matter for your next smoking session.
Beech is one of the great traditional smoking woods of northern Europe, widely used in German and other northern European smokehouses for fish, ham and sausages. It gives a mild, clean smoke that is easy to get right, which makes it a very good choice for fish.
Smoking kit to help at home
Home smoking essentials that make the advice easier to put into practice.
What does beech smoke taste like?
Beech is usually described as mild, clean and slightly nutty, with less sweetness than the fruit woods and less punch than oak. It colours food a pale gold.
What to smoke with beech
Fish: beech is a classic choice for mackerel, herring, trout, salmon and eel. Pork: ham, bacon and sausages. Cheese: a light beech smoke suits most cheeses.
Which grade for your smoker?
We sell beech as fine chips, the grade for stovetop smoking ovens and small smoker boxes. Beech is also included in the 12-flavour sampler and the 10-flavour gift pack. For cold smoking, choose a wood from our dust range.
Beech vs oak
Both are traditional fish woods. Oak is a little stronger and more savoury, the classic British choice; beech is milder and cleaner, the classic northern European one. For delicate fish, beech is the gentler start.
Getting the best from beech 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 beech good for smoking fish?
Yes. Its mild, clean smoke is one of the traditional choices for fish across northern Europe.
Is beech wood safe for smoking food?
Beech is a traditional food-smoking hardwood. Only use wood sold for food smoking, never treated, painted or unknown timber.
Can I use beech in a barbecue smoker box?
Our beech is a fine grade, which catches quickly and suits small smoker boxes and stovetop ovens. For a longer barbecue smoke, a coarse grade such as coarse oak holds its smoke for longer.
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.
