What wood to use to smoke food

Firstly, the wood must be dry, rigid/dense, without bark and not contain resin or other chemicals such as varnish. Burning the resin and chemicals used to treat wood can generate components that are dangerous to health.

The type of wood will affect the mixture of gases generated by smoke as the composition of wood varies in amounts of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin, which are the sources of many of the gases produced. The varied composition is what contributes to the differences in flavor and color achieved by walnut, eucalyptus, apple, peach, orange and several other wood sources. Thus, the type of wood used and the temperature at which the smoke is generated affect the composition of the smoke and the product properties achieved by the smoking process. Because different types of gases are generated at varying design temperatures, the generating temperature can affect the mixture that is produced, and it has been suggested that a smoke generating temperature in the range of 315.55°C to 343.33° C will provide the most pleasurable mixture.

In general, fruit trees are good for smoking, such as cherry, jabuticaba, apple, peach, orange and guava, but any hard wood free from resin and chemicals can be used to smoke food. Eucalyptus is a wood widely used due to its abundance and low cost, as it grows quickly and is therefore widely used in reforestation. Other good woods that we can mention are that from ipê, cedar, rosewood, oak and walnut. From a toxicological point of view, there is a preference for the use of hard woods, such as oak, birch, mahogany and types of walnut, as soft woods are richer in lignin and more resinous. As a result, the tendency is to form more benzopyrenes, polyaromatic hydrocarbons.

The combustion temperature and oxygen supply directly affect the emission of harmful pollutants: high combustion temperatures always result in high production of PAHs (polyaromatic hydrocarbons), while controlled methods tend to produce smoke practically free of carcinogenic compounds.

The burning of wood used to smoke food generates chemical compounds that affect the color and flavor characteristic of this process (read more at Is barbecue bad for your health?). In addition to the characteristic flavor, it also prevents rancidity and inhibits the development of bacteria, helping to preserve the products.

Each type of wood will generate a specific flavor, from the most sweet to the most complex, pungent and striking. The exposure time and heat used will also be fundamental factors for the final quality of the product. In general, it should be exposed for a short time, as the more smoke is absorbed, the less flavor will remain in the product itself, leaving only the strong tones coming from the smoke.

The wood can be in large pieces, chips or saw dust, it all depends on the type of smoker and smoker you have.

Can I moisten the wood for smoking?

It depends on the type of smoker and the fineness of the wood, if the wood is thin, you can moisten it, otherwise the burning will be very fast, generating a lot of heat and smoke for a very short time. But it also depends on your smoker, as many do not have a constant heat generator and use the burning of the wood itself to keep it lit, in this case the water will make the process unfeasible.

Interested in building a smoker?

There is an EMBRAPA book with models and instructions for building and using smokers. To download for free go to Embrapa Cold Meats, Sausages and Smoked Meats Manual

Where to buy wood chips for smoking?

Buy wood chips for smoking

Do you want to smoke on the barbecue?