Different firewoods, comparable to birch and pine, are additionally famend for his or her candy and nice aromas, however hickory’s depth surpasses that of most of them. Hickory’s taste is so robust that it is best used on bigger, harder cuts of meat comparable to brisket, pork, and numerous sport meats. Tender proteins comparable to seafood aren’t really helpful with hickory wooden as its deep depth can overpower them. Additionally, resulting from its robust taste, you will not have to make use of as a lot hickory as you’ll, say, fruitwood like apple wooden, so that you’re assured probably the most bang on your buck with flavored meat when smoking with hickory.

And do not forget concerning the smoky essence that comes with hickory. Because the wooden burns, it produces plenty of smoke, leaving your brisket with a daring, earthy aroma along with the imparted bacon perfume. This potential to rework meat for the higher in numerous methods explains hickory’s favor amongst pitmasters as considered one of the very best wooden varieties for grilling and smoking, and our recommending it for a principally lean reduce like brisket. That stated, hickory’s intense smoke can flip meat bitter. Just like what occurs in case you over-smoke beef ribs, your brisket can find yourself barely edible, so attempt to keep away from a bitter consequence in any respect prices.