Grilling with wood is one of the most traditional cooking methods, rooted in the earliest forms of wood-fire cooking. It naturally imparts the bold, smoky flavor we’ve all come to know and love from a grilled dish —— something charcoal eagerly tries to mimic but can never fully replicate. While charcoal grilling may be a more popular and modern option, wood-fire grill techniques are coming back as a treasure among BBQ lovers. Whether you’re a grillmaster or grill-novice, grilling with wood will elevate your dish in a whole new way. Let’s fire up the grill because this guide will break down all the key tips and signature tricks of mastering this timeless cooking method.
Benefits of Grilling with Wood
As opposed to other heat sources like gas and charcoal, wood has many unique benefits, including:
- Richer and more natural smoky flavor
- Chemical-free fuel source
- Burns cleaner than some charcoals
- Enhanced aroma and color of the finished product
Choosing the Right Wood for Grilling
Not all wood is created equal. When you choose a wood for grilling, it is important to analyze how it can impact the flavor, aroma, and overall quality of your final dish. Some woods are better for grilling than others.
These hardwoods are ideal because they burn hot, produce clean smoke, and add a distinct flavor to your food:
- Oak: This wood is a universal, balanced option. Grilling with oak wood is ideal for beef, pork, and lamb, making it a versatile choice when you buy firewood. Oak is considered to be the ideal option for beginners because it offers a slow and even burn.
- Hickory: If you’re looking for a deep, bold smoke to enhance the flavor of your dish, hickory is perfect. It’s intense and hearty, making it a great option for red meat.
- Mesquite: If you’re looking for a quick-burning wood to use for short periods of time, mesquite burns with a bold and intense smoke. However, this hardwood infuses more of an earthy flavor to a dish.
- Apple: One of the most popular fruit woods, apple wood creates a sweet, mild flavor with just enough smoke to influence the dish. Grilling with apple wood is best for poultry, pork, or even fish.
- Cherry: Just like the fruit itself, cherry wood imparts a deep red hue and bright, sweet flavor to any dish it’s smoked with. This type of wood is most commonly used for turkey, pork, and duck.
- Maple: This wood offers a light and sweet smoke that is most commonly paired with vegetables, chicken, and even cheeses.
- Pecan: Richer than fruitwoods yet milder than intense options like hickory. Grilling with pecan wood is considered a neutral middle ground for dishes like poultry, roasts, or even desserts on the grill.
It’s crucial to avoid certain types of wood for grilling food, as they can release toxic chemicals or other harmful elements into the food while it cooks:
- Softwood: These will have a high level of sap and resin, which will produce harsher smoke and more soot. Not only will it negatively impact the flavor quality, but it can also be dangerous, as the smoke can release toxic chemicals into the food.
- Treated or painted wood: Lumbar, plywood, and chemically treated woods will release toxic fumes that can get into your food.
- Green or unseasoned wood: Wood must be seasoned (dried) before use. Freshly cut wood has too much moisture, causing the wood to smolder instead of burn.
Preparing Wood for Grilling
Before you go grab some unclaimed wood from outside or chop down your least favorite tree, it’s important to know that not all wood is safe and ready to use for the grill. The way wood is prepared will make a huge difference in burn, flavor quality, and smoke output.
Prepared wood for the grill is hardwood that has been seasoned or dried out. Premature, fresh wood (or green wood) can cause excess soot, uneven heat distribution, and a bitter taste in the food. Seasoned wood is air dried for 6-12 months, leaving the final moisture content around 20%. Another option is kiln-dried wood, which is oven-dried until the moisture content drops to 10-15%.
Tips for preparing wood
- Store wood in a dry, well-ventilated place to keep it seasoned
- Split full logs into smaller chunks for burn control
- Inspect for moldy or bug-infested pieces. Avoid!
Techniques for Grilling with Wood
Grilling with wood can be more technical than gas grilling and involves manually managing heat and smoke for quality:
- Direct grilling: Cooks food directly over hot embers, creating a sear. Best for quick-cooking food like steaks and burgers.
- Indirect grilling: Food cooks next to the fire for slow, even heat.
- Two-zone setup: One direct and indirect zone offers flexibility when grilling, especially if you have multiple components for your dish.
- Heat maintenance: Get familiar with your grill vents. Add more wood and control oxygen exposure to maintain the fire.
Grilling with Wood Chips, Chunks, and Planks
Each form of wood has its own unique purpose on the grill:
- Wood chips: Ideal for short bursts of smoke. Soak for 20-30 minutes to prevent burning, then place directly on the wood fire to add a burst of smoky flavor to the dish.
- Wood chunks: These are larger, burn longer, and do not require any soaking. Wood chunks add a steady, robust smoke to larger cuts like roasts or ribs.
- Wood planks: Best for indirect cooking with delicate foods like fish, vegetables, or fruit. Soak for 1-2 hours, then place on the grill to cook.
Combining Wood and Charcoal for Grilling
Grilling with charcoal and wood is not uncommon. This is how you get the best of both worlds: consistent heat from charcoal and a deep, smoky flavor from the wood. For optimal results, start with a base of charcoal and sprinkle wood chips on top to enhance the aroma and impart a natural smoky flavor into the food.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Grilling with Wood
Some of the most frequent errors made when wood grilling include:
- Using green or softwood, which produces bitter smoke and uneven heat
- Overloading the grill, causing flare-ups and excessive smoke
- Skipping pre-burning, leading to overactive flames for cooking
- Ignoring vent control, resulting in poor heat management
- Not cleaning the grill, which will impact flavor and create a hazard for a grease fire
Safety Tips for Wood Grilling
Stay safe around open flames. Keep this list of essential precautions in mind when grilling:
- Always grill in a well-ventilated outdoor space
- Use long, heat-resistant tools and gloves to manage the fire
- Never leave the grill unattended
- Let wood burn to embers before cooking
- Store excess wood away from fire
- Keep a fire extinguisher on hand
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a new and adventurous way to grill that can give you a glimpse into the traditional cooking methods of our ancestors, try grilling with wood. There are major distinctions between cooking with gas, charcoal, and wood, but the best choice depends on your personal preferences and flavor palette. If you crave a deep, smoky flavor that wraps around the food and brings out its natural richness, get some (seasoned!) wood for the next time you fire up the grill.
FAQ
For grilling, the best types of wood are hardwoods like oak, hickory, mesquite, apple, cherry, and maple. Hardwood burns hotter and longer, each adding a unique smoky flavor to your dish. Fruitwoods offer a sweeter and milder smoke, which is optimal for meats like pork. Mesquite and hickory are stronger woods that enhance the flavor of tougher meats like beef and game.
Soaking wood chips can be an excellent technique under certain circumstances. The purpose of soaking wood chips is to help prevent them from burning up too quickly on a charcoal or gas grill, especially if you have them wrapped in foil or in a smoker box. This tip is great when you have small wood chips, whereas soaking larger chunks (or full logs) can actually hinder combustion and damage the wood.
Definitely! Using charcoal, wood, or a combination of the two is a grill master’s choice. Just be sure you are using seasoned (dry) hardwood and wait until the fire has burned down a bit so you don’t overcook the food. When you cook with wood alone, it gives the dish a deeper smoky flavor.
You can control the heat by adjusting both the fuel and oxygen levels. The grill vents are designed to regulate airflow, allowing you to control how much oxygen reaches the fire. If the temperature starts to drop, simply add more wood chips to increase the heat.
Yes. Wood creates more smoke buildup, so ensure that you are only grilling in a well-ventilated outdoor area when grilling with wood chips. Never use treated, painted, or soft woods like pine to grill because they can release toxic fumes. Create a checklist of all the equipment you need, including safety tools like a fire extinguisher, and review it before cooking.
