What is the best BBQ wood chips? This is a common question in all forms of American cooking. The answer is not a simple one. With so many manufacturers are flooding the market with so many different BBQ wood chips, the quality can vary greatly, and even the same manufacturer can have totally different products. For this reason, we’ve put together this buying guide to help you decide what’s best for your money.
First of all, keep in mind that the term “hardwood” is strictly used to describe hardwoods – such as oak, maple, cherry, pecan, and ash – and refers to the particle that makes up the wood’s core. So, when you talk about BBQ wood pellets, you’re really talking about sawdust. (By the way, “hardwood” doesn’t mean cheap! Many hardwoods are very expensive.) You can get almost any type of wood pellets, from white cedar to mesquite.
But which ones are best? The short answer: any! There are several things to consider when selecting which pellets to use for your next BBQ grill. Pellets come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and ingredients, from the cheapest to the most expensive, so it’s important to think carefully about what you need. Below are some of the best options.
Most people prefer a consistent burn with their wood grill. Because hardwood pellets tend to be less consistent than softwood pellets, if you want a consistent burn you’ll want to go with hardwood pellets that have a little bit of black coal in them. A little ash is all you need to produce a clean burn. And you’ll find that hardwood pellets of a higher percentage of black coal have a more even burn with good chew, meaning that the food will go out without too much fuss. If you want a quick smoky flavor, though, you can always opt for the hot gas, which is a cheaper alternative to charcoal but a little less consistent.
Cherry Wood Pellets These types of wood pellets come from trees with very large seeds. These seeds give cherry wood its dark, smoky flavor. Cherry wood pellets are usually only a couple of pounds per batch, but they produce a nice smokey flavor with a medium burn. While they are generally stable burn, they are not very consistent, and their delicate flavor requires you to continually monitor the fire. This type of wood pellets is best suited for outdoor grilling.
Apple Wood Pellets One of the least used types of wood pellet apple pellets are actually made from apples, which are very durable and very weather resistant. They are slightly more expensive than cherry or mesquite pellets, but they give off a nice apple flavor with a medium burn and consistent smoke. This makes them ideal for campfires and slow cooking. They are, however, a little more expensive than other types of wood pellets.