Hickory, Mesquite or Cherry? The Best Smoker Wood Chips

1. Weber Hickory Wood Chunks, 4 lb – The All-Round Barbecue Wood

Best overall

If you buy one bag of smoking wood, make it hickory. It gives the strong, familiar smoke most people mean when they say “barbecue”, and it works with pork, beef and poultry alike. Weber describes the flavor as rich and subtly sweet and suggests it for poultry, pork and beef; on its own site it pairs hickory with pulled brisket and wild game.

The chunks are the reason this is our top pick rather than the chips. A chunk is a piece of wood roughly the size of a fist or smaller, and on a bed of lit charcoal it smolders for a long time instead of burning up in a few minutes. That steady smoke suits a water smoker, a kamado or a kettle set up for indirect cooking, where you might add two or three chunks at the start of a cook and a few more later.

Weber sells them in a 4-pound, 350-cubic-inch bag. Its listing does not say where the wood comes from or how it is dried, and retailers disagree on the country of origin, so we have left that as not stated. Weber also sells hickory as 2-pound bags of chips if you cook on an electric or gas smoker.

Use a light hand at first. Hickory is strong, and a smoker full of thick white smoke can leave meat tasting bitter. Two chunks at the start of a pork shoulder is a sensible first try.

Why we like it

• Hickory suits pork, beef and poultry, per Weber
• Chunks smolder slowly for long cooks
• 4 lb, 350 cu in bag
• Same wood sold as chips for electric and gas smokers

Why we recommend it

Hickory is the safest first wood to learn on: it suits nearly every meat, and the chunk form gives charcoal smokers steady smoke without constant topping up. It is the bag to keep on the shelf beside the charcoal.

Skip it if you smoke mostly fish or chicken and want a gentle flavor, or if you need to know where the wood was grown. Fruitwoods are milder, and Weber does not state the origin.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

2. Camerons Coarse Mesquite Wood Chips, 2 lb – Bold Southwestern Smoke

Best mesquite

Mesquite is the wood of the borderlands. Honey mesquite grows from California east to Kansas and south into Nuevo León and Baja California, and the U.S. Forest Service notes that it is used chiefly for firewood, is often the only fuelwood available where it grows, and that charcoal is the main product of western honey mesquite in Mexico. Its use in the barbecue industry, as chips, chunks and charcoal, has grown considerably.

That is why mesquite is so closely tied to cooking in Texas and northern Mexico. As a smoking wood it is strong and earthy, and Camerons calls it “an excellent flavor from the Southwest” that pairs well with beef, pork, seafood and game. In a smoker it burns hot and fast, so a little goes a long way: mesquite is at its best on shorter cooks like fajita steak, chicken thighs or a pan of chiles for salsa, rather than twelve hours on a brisket.

Camerons states that the chips are made in the USA from 100% natural raw timber, kiln dried, with no additives, chemicals or fillers. The coarse cut suits charcoal grills, gas grills with smoker boxes and electric and gas smokers, and the maker recommends soaking the chips in water for 20 to 40 minutes before use. The bag holds 260 cubic inches, which Camerons says is roughly 1 to 2 pounds depending on the wood.

Why we like it

• Made in the USA from natural, kiln-dried timber, per Camerons
• No additives, chemicals or fillers, per Camerons
• Coarse cut for smoker boxes, electric and gas smokers
• Clear soaking guidance from the maker

Why we recommend it

For the flavor of Texas and northern Mexico in a smoker box or electric smoker, this is the bag. Camerons is unusually clear about what is in it and how to use it.

Skip it if you plan a long, slow cook. Mesquite’s strong smoke can turn harsh over many hours; oak or pecan is the better base for brisket, with mesquite added sparingly if you like.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

3. Western Pecan BBQ Cooking Wood Chunks – Rich, Nutty and Milder Than Hickory

Best pecan

Pecan is a member of the hickory family and, since 1919, the state tree of Texas, and it smokes like a softer, sweeter hickory. That makes it a forgiving choice for long cooks: strong enough for pork shoulder and beef, gentle enough for chicken and turkey, and less likely to turn bitter if you add a little too much.

Western describes these as premium pecan chunks with a rich, nutty smoke flavor, made from 100% natural wood with no added chemicals or fillers. The listing rates them for charcoal, gas and electric grills and smokers, and says the generous chunk size gives a long-lasting burn and steady smoke. Western’s own site says its products are made from real wood and presents the brand as one of Duraflame’s fire fuels.

The listing does not give the bag size, weight or where the wood was grown, so check the details on the listing before ordering if quantity matters to you. In practice, pecan chunks work best on charcoal, a kamado or an offset firebox; if your electric smoker takes only chips, look at the chip options below instead.

Why we like it

• Rich, nutty pecan smoke, per Western
• 100% natural wood, no added chemicals or fillers (listing)
• Large chunks for a long, steady burn
• Rated for charcoal, gas and electric cookers

Why we recommend it

Pecan is the wood to choose if hickory feels too strong but you still want a proper barbecue flavor. It suits a whole Texas spread, from smoked chicken to pork ribs and beef.

Skip it if you want to know exactly how much wood you are buying. The listing does not state the bag size or weight.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

4. Camerons Oak Wood Chunks, 5 lb – A Steady Base for Brisket

Best for brisket

Oak is a classic choice for Texas brisket. It burns evenly, gives a medium smoke that does not overpower beef, and blends well with other woods, which is why many pitmasters build their fire on it and add a little hickory, pecan or mesquite for character. Camerons says the same: oak is a very popular flavor and works well when mixed with other woods such as apple.

These are large-cut chunks in a 420-cubic-inch box, which Camerons puts at about 3 to 5 pounds depending on the wood. The maker states they are made in the USA from 100% natural raw timber, kiln dried, with no additives, chemicals or fillers. Use them in charcoal grills, outdoor smokers, gas grills or fire pits, and note the instruction: no pre-soaking is required. Place them on hot coals or the heat source until they smolder.

For a Mexican kitchen, oak is the wood we would pick for smoked beef cheek or chuck that ends up shredded for tacos, or a brisket chopped for a taco bar. It lets the beef taste like beef, with smoke in the background, which leaves room for the salsa.

Why we like it

• Medium smoke that suits beef and mixes well
• Made in the USA, kiln dried, no additives (Camerons)
• No soaking needed, per the maker
• Large 420 cu in box

Why we recommend it

Choose oak as the main wood for long beef cooks, and as a base to blend with stronger woods. It is the most forgiving of the hardwoods for brisket.

Skip it if you want a distinctive, front-and-center smoke flavor. Oak is deliberately in the background; hickory or mesquite will taste more obviously “smoky”.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

5. Weber Cherry Wood Chips, 2 lb – Gentle Fruitwood for Poultry and Fish

Best fruitwood

Fruitwoods smoke more gently than hickory or mesquite, and cherry is one of the most common. Weber describes a subtle, fruity flavor that goes well with fish, poultry, pork and vegetables, and its own site suggests “a delicate hint of sweet cherry smoke” for pork or poultry.

These are chips, not chunks, sold in a 2-pound, 192-cubic-inch bag. Chips catch quickly and smoke for a shorter time, which is exactly what electric and propane smokers need: their chip trays are small and sit right over the element or burner. They also suit a smoker box on a gas grill, or a handful scattered over coals for a quick hit of smoke on chicken thighs or a whole fish.

Cherry is also a good partner for stronger woods. A mix of cherry and hickory on pork ribs gives a softer smoke than hickory alone. Weber’s listing and site do not state where the wood is from or give soaking instructions, so follow your smoker’s manual on whether to soak.

Why we like it

• Subtle, fruity smoke, per Weber
• Chip size suits electric and propane chip trays
• Works for fish, poultry, pork and vegetables
• Blends well with hickory

Why we recommend it

Choose cherry if you smoke more chicken, turkey, fish or vegetables than beef, or if you cook on an electric or propane smoker and want a mild, reliable wood for the chip tray.

Skip it if you want strong smoke on beef. Cherry is gentle by design, and chips burn out faster than chunks on a long charcoal cook.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

6. Weber Apple Wood Chunks, 4 lb – The Mildest Smoke on the List

Mildest chunks

Apple is the gentlest of the common smoking woods, with a light, sweet smoke. Weber describes it as subtle and sweet, and the listing suggests it for beef, lamb, poultry, pork and fish. It is a good wood for anyone who has found barbecue too smoky in the past, and for foods that take on smoke quickly, like chicken wings, pork chops and fish.

This is the chunk version, in a 4-pound, 350-cubic-inch bag, so it suits charcoal smokers and kamados where you want slow, steady smoke rather than a quick burst. Because apple is mild, you can use more of it, or mix it with oak or hickory for pork shoulder and ribs.

As with Weber’s other woods, the listing does not state the origin or how the wood is dried.

Why we like it

• Subtle, sweet smoke, per Weber
• Chunks for long, steady smoke on charcoal
• 4 lb, 350 cu in bag
• Hard to overdo

Why we recommend it

Choose apple for poultry and pork on a charcoal smoker, or as a softening partner for stronger woods. It is the hardest wood here to overdo.

Skip it if you want smoke you can taste clearly on beef. Apple is subtle, and on a big brisket it can disappear.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

7. Mr. Bar-B-Q Hickory Wood Smoking Chips – Hickory for Gas Grills and Smoker Boxes

Best for gas grills

Not everyone who wants smoke owns a smoker. A bag of hickory chips and a smoker box on a gas grill will put real wood flavor on chicken, pork chops or a pan of jalapeños, and these Mr. Bar-B-Q chips are sold for exactly that: the listing names charcoal grills, gas grills, electric grills and smokers.

The listing describes the chips as 100% natural hickory with no additives, cut thick for a slower, more consistent burn than ordinary chips. It is also a little inconsistent: the title gives a 1.8-pound bag, while the description says 1.6 pounds, so expect somewhere in that range.

The listing does not say where the wood is from or whether to soak it, so follow your grill or smoker box instructions.

Why we like it

• 100% natural hickory, no additives (listing)
• Thick chips for a slower burn, per the maker
• Sold for gas, electric and charcoal grills and smokers

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you smoke on a gas grill with a smoker box, or want hickory in chip form for an electric smoker. It is a simple, no-additive hickory chip from a grilling-accessories brand.

Skip it if consistent bag weight matters to you; the listing gives two different figures. Weber also sells hickory chips in a 2-pound bag.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

8. Old Potters Kiln Dried Hickory Cooking Logs – Small Splits for Offset Fireboxes

Best for offsets

Offset smokers burn wood as fuel, not just for flavor, and chunks disappear quickly in a big firebox. These small hickory logs sit between chunks and full-size firewood: the listing describes 16 to 18 logs, each about 8 inches long and 2 to 3 inches thick, in a 1,100-cubic-inch box.

Old Potters says the wood is kiln dried to remove excess moisture, so it lights easily and burns hot, and that it produces less smoke and ash than traditional firewood. The listing also states the wood has been USDA certified, inspected to meet standards for safety and sanitation. The 8-inch length fits most offset fireboxes, kamados and larger charcoal grills, and Old Potters also sells the same logs in oak and cherry.

Use them the way a pitmaster feeds a stick burner: start with a bed of charcoal, add one or two splits, and add another when the fire drops. Small, dry splits burn cleaner than large damp logs, which is what keeps the smoke thin and blue rather than thick and white.

Why we like it

• Kiln dried for easy lighting and a hot burn, per the maker
• 8-inch logs fit most offset fireboxes
• USDA certified, according to the listing
• Also sold in oak and cherry

Why we recommend it

Choose these if you cook on an offset smoker and want dry, cooking-size hickory without splitting your own. They also work as fuel and flavor in a large kamado or a kettle set up for a live-fire cook.

Skip it if you use an electric, propane or small charcoal smoker. Logs are far too big for chip trays and smoker boxes; chips or chunks are what you need.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon