Wood Flavour Bisquettes Tips & Tricks and much more

So you’ve gotten the hang of food smoking. When you have friends over for dinner, you’ve stopped prefacing every meal with “I only just bought this food smoker a couple months ago” or “this is my first time with this recipe so I don’t know if it works…”

Then, you proudly present your smoked food art (yes, it’s art) to family, friends, neighbours, co-workers and everybody else who is within a nose’s sniff of your smoked creations.

Create Your Own Recipes or Modify Existing Ones

Now you’re ready to start creating your own recipes, or modifying existing ones. When venturing out on your own, one of the most important decisions to make is what bisquettes to use in your smoker.

Bradley makes it simple for us with their easy to use bisquettes, offered in a wide variety of wood flavours. But which Bradley Bisquette wood flavour to use?

Here is an easy-to-use wood flavour guide, tailored specifically to Bradley Smoker bisquettes and food smoking fans!

Bisquette	Flavour	Foods that work…	Perfect Pairs Tried, tested & true
Alder	Mild, musky & slightly sweet	Fish, seafood, pork & poultry	Salmon
Apple	Mild, slightly sweet & fruity	Pork & poultry	Ham
Cherry	Mild-medium, sweet & fruity	Beef, lamb, poultry & cheese	Game poultry such as pheasant
Hickory	Strong & rich	Pork, beef & game	Bacon or Pepperoni
Jim Beam	Strong, rich & flavoured with bourbon	Pork, beef & game	Ribs
Maple	Mild, sweet & earthy	Seafood, fish, pork, poultry, cheese & vegetables	Chicken or Ham
Mesquite	Strong, slightly sweet & hearty	Beef & game	Ribs Use for smaller cuts as mesquite can easily be overpowering
Oak	Medium-strong & rich	Beef, pork, turkey & game	Brisket Oak is great for the long smoke, use on larger cuts
Pacific Blend	Mild & clean	Seafood, fish, poultry, cheese & vegetables	White fish or Seafood
Pecan	Strong, sweet & buttery	Pork, poultry, beef & game	Pork roast or Chops
Special Blend	Very mild	Seafood, fish, poultry, pork, cheese & vegetables	Any dish you want a hint of smoke in and nothing more
Whiskey Oak	Medium-strong, full & rich	Beef, pork, turkey & game	Wild boar

But remember, these are just guidelines and are very flexible. Experiment away!

Consider the Dish as a Whole, Not Just the Protein

There are some things to keep in mind though. You have to consider the dish as a whole, not just the protein or vegetable you are using. For example, if you are planning on making a spicy & saucy chicken dish, you may want to bump up your smoking to a stronger wood than would otherwise be suggested.

Consequently, the smoky flavour will show through the spices. Otherwise, if you want to smoke a large cut of game meat without more seasoning apart for the old faithful salt & pepper combination, then use a milder wood, As a result, the natural flavours of the meat will take centre stage.

Personal Preferences Matter

As well keep your personal preferences in mind. If you find woods such as mesquite or hickory overpowering or bitter, then consider only using them for well seasoned and flavourful cuts of meat, such as game or beef.

Alternatively, consider changing woods halfway through the smoking process for something milder. Or you can cut the smoking time by finishing it in the oven. Otherwise, if you’re on the other end of the spectrum, and you like a heavy smoke flavour, then woods such as Alder just won’t cut it for any pork dish for you. Just go for something stronger.

Happy smoking!