Not all wood is treated equally.
Below are some flavors and type to consider.

Close-up of a large, textured tree trunk in a green forest with leafy branches and moss-covered rocks.

Alder Wood
A very delicate wood with a subtle sweet flavor. It’s commonly used when smoking salmon, but it goes well with most fish, pork, poultry and light-meat game birds.

Apple orchard with fallen apples covering the ground and a large tree in the center.

Apple
A very mild with a subtle sweet, fruity flavor. This smoking wood is ideal for poultry, beef, pork (especially ham), game birds, lamb and some seafood.

A solitary tree with white blossoms against a clear blue sky.
Twisted grapevine with dense green leaves supported by wooden posts in a sunny outdoor setting.

Cherry
Cherry wood has a sweet mild, fruity flavor that is a good match for all meats.

Grape Vine
This type has a tart, fruity flavor that works well with poultry, small game birds, lamb, pork and sausage, but use it sparingly or the tart flavor may be overwhelming.

Tall tree viewed from below with green leaves and a partly cloudy sky.
Tree with vibrant yellow and orange autumn leaves in a park
Two large trees on a grassy field with cloudy sky overhead.
Sunlit grove of large, gnarled trees with green leaves and lush grass covering the ground.

Hickory Wood
This wood creates a sweet, yet strong bacon-flavor; the smoke can be pungent, but it adds a nice, strong flavor to just about all meat cuts, but it’s especially popular with pork and ribs.

Maple Wood
Maple has a mild and slightly sweet flavor. Use maple wood with poultry and small game birds. Vegetables and cheeses are often grilled with maple.

Mesquite
Mesquite wood has a strong and earthy flavor that is ideal for most red and dark meats. It’s one of the hottest burning woods.

Mulberry Wood
Mulberry smoking wood has a flavor similar to apple that is ideal when grilling poultry, fish and pork.

Looking up at a tall, thick tree with green leaves and a textured bark against a blue sky with some white clouds.
A grove of olive trees in a misty, sunlit landscape.
Peach tree branches with ripening peaches among green leaves.
Several green apples with pink blush hanging from a tree branch against a blue sky.

Oak Smoked Wood
Oak has a medium smoky flavor that is stronger than apple and cherry, but lighter than hickory and mesquite. It’s great by itself, but works well blended with apple, cherry or hickory woods. Oak works well just about any meat.

Olive Wood
Olive wood has a similar flavor to mesquite, but it’s a lighter flavor. Olive smoking wood tastes best with poultry.

Peach Wood
This one type infuses a sweet, fruity flavor that’s similar to other fruit wood. Peach wood is great when grilling pork, poultry and small game birds.

Pear Smoke
Pear is similar to peach wood. It smokes a light sweet and fruity flavor that works great with pork, poultry and small game birds.

A large green tree standing in an open grassy area with a clear sky background.

Pecan Wood
Pecan wood is stronger than most fruit wood, but milder than hickory and mesquite. Pecan is ideal when grilling poultry but infuses a nice flavor to any cut of meat.

***When smoking with cedar wood, only smoke with Western Red Cedar that has not been treated with any chemicals***

Seafood is one of the more common foods grilled on natural Western red cedar planks, but poultry and vegetables are an option for cedar planks. Check your local grocery store.

HOT TIP: Avoid smoking with Eastern cedar, cypress, elm, eucalyptus, liquid amber, pine, redwood, fir, spruce, and sycamore. These trees are high in resin and oils that cause a thick smoke when lit.