Best wood for pizza ovens, smoking and grilling
Which species to buy for pizza ovens, smokers and grills, how dry it needs to be, and what never to cook over.
Cooking wood needs to be hardwood, dry and clean. Beyond that, the species decides how much smoke flavor you get.
| Wood | Heat | Smoke flavor | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak | High, steady | Medium | Pizza ovens, brisket, all purpose |
| Hickory | High | Strong | Pork, ribs, bacon |
| Pecan | High | Medium, sweeter than hickory | Poultry, pork |
| Mesquite | Very high | Strong, sharp | Quick grilling, beef |
| Apple, cherry | Medium | Mild, fruity | Poultry, fish, pizza |
| Maple, ash | Medium to high | Mild | Pizza ovens, general grilling |
On this site, 118 suppliers list wood for pizza ovens and 235 list wood for smoking or BBQ.
Pizza ovens
A wood fired oven needs to reach 800°F or more. That takes small splits of very dry hardwood, usually 12 to 16 inches long depending on the oven. Kiln dried oak and ash are common. Wet wood won't get the oven hot enough and fills it with smoke.
Smokers and grills
Offset smokers burn splits; kettle grills and pellet smokers use chunks or chips. Match the size to your cooker. Most smokers run on a base of oak and a smaller amount of a stronger wood like hickory for flavor.
Never cook with
- Softwoods like pine, fir and cedar. The resin makes bitter, sooty smoke.
- Treated, painted or stained wood, pallets marked "MB" (methyl bromide), plywood or construction scraps.
- Moldy wood.