Best Wood For Smoking Brisket

When you are smoking meat low and slow, and spending hours tending the fire and the cook. You want to make sure that you pick the right wood to really bring out the taste and the flavor of the meat you are smoking.

This is part of series to match the right wood to the right meat.

The best wood for smoking brisket are the following (in Order):

Best Woods

1. Hickory
2. Mesquite
3. Oak
4. Cherry
5. Apple
6. Cherry/Hickory/Maple Blend

Wood To Avoid

1. Alder Hardwood
2. Orange Wood
3. Peach Wood

Best Wood

1. Hickory Wood

Hickory is one of the most common hardwoods to use on brisket. Primarily because hickory is a very strong smoke flavored wood, and since brisket generally takes a much longer period of time to cook, the hickory flavor will get deep into the meet.

Plus Hickory and Mesquite are typical texas flavor from cooking brisket.

2. Mesquite Wood

Mesquite has a very strong flavor and is typically used in Beef or heartier cuts of meat. If you can’t use Hickory, Mesquite is the next best choice. And frankly I think that the two are really tied for first.

Mesquite is similar to hickory in the sense that it has a strong flavor that pairs well with brisket.

3. Oak Wood

Apple wood is a perfect match for pork, because apple wood has a subtle sweet and fruity flavor. This enhances the natural flavors in pork.

I have used Apple wood, on Pork Ribs, Pork Butts, and making pulled pork sandwiches.

4. Apple Wood

Apple wood is a perfect match for brisket, because apple wood has a subtle sweet and fruity flavor. This enhances the natural flavors in brisket.

5. Cherry Wood

Cherry wood is another fruit flavored wood it adds a sweetness to the smokiness. The end result is a subtle fruity flavor that has been added to the meat.

6. Cherry/Hickory/Maple Hardwood Mix

Traeger has a mix bag of Cherry/Hickory/Maple, that also does well with Brisket, because it has the hickory and some maple. So this is a good option in a pinch.

7. Pecan Wood

Pecan wood is a good match with brisket. It is different from Apple wood in the sense that it is a more subtle flavor and adds nutty flavor dimension to the brisket.

8. Maple Wood

Maple wood is another sweet and fruity wood, that brings out the flavors in brisket.

Woods to avoid

1. Alder Wood

Alder wood is a much stronger wood flavored wood, it is better suited for beef. It has the possibility of overwhelming your pork meat.

2. Orange Wood

Orange wood is a good choice, since iit has citrusy notes that bring citrus flavor to your Brisket.

3. Peach Wood

Peach wood adds floral notes to you pork meet. The flavor is much more delicate and light, and works best with the lighter and more delicate versions of pork.