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Switched from hickory to pecan wood on my last brisket and had to eat my words
I've always been a hickory guy (you know, the "real" BBQ smoke) but tried pecan on a whim since my usual supplier was out. The flavor was way milder and sweeter than I expected, actually let the beef taste come through instead of just smoke. Has anyone else found a wood that surprised them compared to what they usually use?
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kim69315d ago
Three years ago I swore by mesquite for everything including brisket. Then I tried cherry wood on pork butts and realized I was missing out on a whole range of flavors. Pecan is actually my go to for beef now, it gives that nice sweet note without covering up the meat. It took me way too long to give it a shot because I was stuck in my old ways. You really can't judge a wood until you cook with it a few times.
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the_hayden15d ago
Three years back I did the exact same thing but with hickory. Took me a whole summer of dry brisket to realize hickory just overpowered everything. Now I keep a bag of pecan and a bag of apple around at all times. Mixing them 60/40 on a pork shoulder gives you a real clean smoke ring and the meat stays juicy without that bitter edge. I also learned to toss about 4 chunks of wood at a time instead of piling on 8 like I used to.
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gavinlopez15d ago
Wait, so you're telling me I've been hickory-pilled my whole life and pecan is the real deal? I guess I need to have a sit-down with my smoker and apologize for all those years of bullying its flavor profile.
I swear, I'm the last person to try new woods because I'm stubborn as a mule. I built my whole BBQ personality around hickory, like I was gonna get a medal for being the smokiest guy at the cookout. Then I tried some apple wood on a chicken and realized I'd been missing the point this whole time. Now I just rotate through whatever's cheapest at the hardware store and pretend I'm a culinary genius.
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