Smoking is another seasoning to add to grilled favourites. Like spices, different woods impart very different flavours – from the intense, spicy notes of mesquite and hickory, to the sweet and fragrant notes of apple and cherry.
| Type | Flavour | Ideal Meats |
|---|---|---|
| Mesquite | Pungent, Smoky, Spicy | Beef, Pork |
| Hickory | Pungent, Smoky | Beef, Lamb, Pork |
| Whiskey | Spicy, Smoky | Pork, Poultry, Beef |
| Maple | Sweet, Smoky | Pork, Poultry |
| Pecan | Rich, Flavourful | Pork, Poultry, Lamb |
| Cherry | Sweet, Smoky | Pork, Poultry |
| Apple | Sweet, Smoky | Pork, Poultry, Seafood, Cheeses |
| Alder | Mild, Smoky | Lamb, Pork |
| Cedar | Bright, Spicy, Smoky | Seafood, Cheeses |
If you’ve never done any smoking before, don’t overdo it – start with a small amount of wood chips (1/2 cup or so), and soak them in liquid for at least 1/2 hour. Drain the wood chips, and then scatter them directly on top of the smoldering coals.