Let me tell you a little secret… the type of wood you use really doesn’t matter too much. Oak is what is traditionally used in central Texas for brisket. But if you use something else the chances are that the people eating the brisket can’t tell the difference. Some people say they can definitely tell the differences in woods but I doubt most of them could pick out apple wood from pecan wood after everything is all seasoned and smoked.
But that isn’t the answer you want is it? Of course you really want to know what kind of wood to use. I am the same way. Even though I probably couldn’t tell the difference I like to think I can.
Like I mentioned oak is pretty traditional. Since beef has such a strong flavor already you want a strong wood to accent that. Most hardware stores sell bags of oak chunks (you can also find them on Amazon) and that is what I use on my charcoal grill to smoke my briskets.
I smoke on my Weber kettle grill with charcoal briquettes and prefer wood chunks vs. chips. You will get more clean smoke from chunks than you will with chips. And by no means do you need to soak your chunks or chips before you use them. That just creates steam and gives you a bad smoke.
If all you have is apple or pecan or something else go ahead and use it. I won’t tell. I have never really been a fan of cherry or mesquite so I avoid those.
The type of smoker you have will also affect the smoke flavor of the brisket. Pellet smokers and electric smokers generally won’t give you as strong a smoke flavor that you would get from a stick burner. The type of wood you use for those will matter less than it would for a stick burner. If you are using a charcoal grill use some good charcoal with it along with the wood chunks. Weber charcoal briquettes are probably the best I have used but the standard Kingsford Blue Bag charcoal works great too. For a Kamado that uses lump charcoal I really have liked the Fogo charcoal. The chunks are big and there isn’t a lot of dust or small pieces.
12 Commonly Asked Questions About Brisket
- What is a brisket?
- Where can I buy a brisket?
- What should I look for when buying a brisket?
- How big of a brisket should I buy?
- How should I trim a brisket?
- How should I season my brisket?
- What type of wood should I use when smoking brisket?
- What temperature should I cook my brisket at?
- How long should I cook a brisket?
- Should I wrap my brisket?
- How long should I rest my brisket?
- How should I slice my brisket?
