Easy blend
Oak + apple
Two parts oak to one part apple gives depth without losing the gentle fruit note. A dependable blend for pork, poultry and beef.
The shortcut to better smoke
Ten smoking woods, six food groups and one simple rule: start gentler than you think. Use the table, then fine-tune your match.
Personal wood matcher
Pick the food and the setup. We’ll suggest the flavour and the right grade of wood.
A flavour-first match
delicate fish that needs clean, gentle smoke
Your best match
light · delicate · subtly sweet
For 500g salmon: start with 2 tbsp · 25–35 minutes of smoke
Alder is the traditional salmon wood: light, clean and subtly sweet, so the fish stays centre stage.
The keep-forever reference
Read down by wood or across by food. “Go light” means use less wood or blend it with something gentle—not that the pairing is off limits.
| Wood & character | Fish & seafood | Poultry | Pork | Beef, lamb & game | Cheese | Vegetables |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlderDelicate · clean · subtly sweet2/5 | Brilliant | Good | Go light | Skip | Good | Good |
| BeechClean · even · traditional2/5 | Brilliant | Good | Good | Good | Brilliant | Good |
| AppleFruity · mellow · forgiving2/5 | Good | Brilliant | Brilliant | Go light | Good | Brilliant |
| CherryFruity · sweet · rosy colour2/5 | Good | Brilliant | Brilliant | Go light | Good | Good |
| MapleGentle · rounded · lightly sweet2/5 | Good | Brilliant | Brilliant | Go light | Brilliant | Brilliant |
| OakRobust · classic · versatile3/5 | Go light | Good | Good | Brilliant | Brilliant | Good |
| ChestnutNutty · rounded · distinctive3/5 | Go light | Good | Brilliant | Good | Good | Brilliant |
| Bourbon oakRich · deep · vanilla note4/5 | Go light | Go light | Good | Brilliant | Brilliant | Go light |
| HickoryStrong · bacon-forward · punchy4/5 | Skip | Good | Brilliant | Brilliant | Go light | Go light |
| MesquiteIntense · earthy · fast5/5 | Skip | Go light | Go light | Brilliant | Skip | Go light |
Easy blend
Two parts oak to one part apple gives depth without losing the gentle fruit note. A dependable blend for pork, poultry and beef.
Cleaner flavour
Dense white smoke can turn food acrid. Let the fire settle and aim for a light, steady stream before adding more wood.
Use the right wood
Use clean wood sold for food smoking. Never burn painted, treated or unknown timber, and avoid resinous softwoods.
Three setups · three fuel grades
Choose your flavour from the table, then buy the grade made for the way you’re smoking.
Read the wood-chip guideHot smoking cooks and flavours together. Keep the smoke thin, then check the centre is safely cooked.
A lidded BBQ becomes a smoker. Add a small handful over the heat and cook the food indirectly.
Cold smoke adds flavour but does not cook. Use a tested cure and method for fish or meat.
Smoke is flavour—not a shortcut on safety
Keep raw and ready-to-eat food separate, follow your equipment instructions and use a clean food thermometer when appropriate.
Keep learning
Beginner’s guideStart home smoking
Flavour guideMeet every smoking wood
60-second finderChoose the right smokerPairings are flavour guidance. Taste varies by food, equipment, airflow and smoke time.
Reviewed 12 September 2026 · Down The Cove, Cornwall
Smoke table FAQs
Pairing is personal, but these are the dependable starting points we return to.
Oak is the most versatile medium-strength choice for red meat, pork, poultry and cheese. For delicate fish or a first attempt, apple is a gentler alternative.
Alder and beech are classic clean, gentle choices. Apple and cherry also work well when you want a light fruit note, especially with salmon.
Apple, cherry and maple flatter pork with mellow sweetness. Hickory gives ribs and pulled pork a much stronger, classic barbecue flavour.
Yes. A dependable starting blend is two parts oak to one part apple. The oak adds depth while apple keeps the finish mild and slightly fruity.
Fine chips suit a hot smoker, coarse chips suit a lidded barbecue or grill, and fine wood dust is made for a cold-smoke generator. Follow the instructions for your equipment.