The full guide
Read straight through, or dip into the sections that matter for your next smoking session.
Hickory is the classic American barbecue wood: strong, savoury and often described as bacon-like. It is brilliant on pork and beef, but it is a heavy hand, so use less than you would of a fruit wood and keep it away from delicate fish.
Smoking kit to help at home
Home smoking essentials that make the advice easier to put into practice.
What does hickory smoke taste like?
Hickory is usually described as bold, savoury and slightly sweet, with the bacon-like note people associate with American barbecue. Too much can taste bitter, so start small.
What to smoke with hickory
Pork: ribs, shoulder, chops and sausages are the classic match. Beef: brisket, burgers and steak take hickory well. Cheese: a light hickory smoke suits strong hard cheeses. Fish: generally too strong for delicate fillets; if you want a hint on oily fish, blend a little into apple or oak.
Which grade for your smoker?
Hickory comes as coarse chips for a barbecue smoker box, fine chips for stovetop ovens and small smoker boxes, and wood dust for cold smoke generators. It is also one of the six woods in the BBQ wood chip variety pack.
Hickory vs mesquite
Both are strong. Mesquite is even more intense and earthy, and is usually kept for beef. Hickory is the more versatile of the two and the better choice for pork.
Blending hickory
Hickory blends well with fruit woods. Hickory with apple or cherry softens its edge for pork and poultry; hickory with oak gives a fuller smoke for beef.
Getting the best from hickory 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 hickory too strong for chicken?
It can be. Use a small amount or blend it with apple or cherry, which suit poultry well.
Why does my hickory-smoked food taste bitter?
Usually too much wood or too much smoke for too long. Use less, make sure the chips are smoking cleanly rather than smouldering heavily, and follow your equipment's instructions.
Can I smoke fish with hickory?
It is usually too strong for delicate fish. See the best wood for smoking fish for milder choices.
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.
