By
James
Updated on
Getting the best flavor from your pork shoulder depends on more than one factor. Getting the best results depends on several factors, including your meat quality, type of smoker, temperature, rubs, sauces, etc. But the wood you choose is undoubtedly one of the most critical factors.
Even if you use an electric smoker or gas smoker, you still want the right wood in the chamber. It’s the wood that gives the real smoke. The smoke, in turn, determines the kind of flavor you get from the pork shoulder.
Pork shoulder: Know your meat
To start with, you need to know which wood chips go well with the pork shoulder. Pork shoulders come from the upper section of the animal’s forelegs. Technically, it does look like the pig’s ‘shoulder.’ But this prized cut of meat has been around for some time now. You may also hear people calling it ‘Pork butts.’ This name goes back to the colonial days when the vocabulary was different.
Since it comes from a fleshy portion that grows around the bone, it has much natural marbling. And since it’s a part of the animal that gets a lot of work, the flesh is also tough.
So, you need the proper wood chips that can provide adequate heat. Wood chunks will also be ideal because they can burn for more extended periods. But there’s no reason why wood chips won’t work, especially if you have easy access to chips.
The only downside here is that you might use more wood chips than usual. Wood chips and pellets tend to burn faster than wood chunks. So, if you’re going for a pork shoulder, you’ll need to use more smoke-fuel than everyday needs.
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Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
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Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
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The main advantage of wood chips is that they give quick heat for your smoking. They may not last as long as larger chunks, but they provide great benefits as long as you know how to use them. The choice comes down to the kind of wood you use.
Cherry wood chips
Very easy and convenient to use
Adds great mild flavor
Small package
Cherry wood chips give an outstanding balance of both smoke and flavor. Fruitwoods like cherry are slightly on the milder side. This means you don’t have to worry about the wood messing with the taste of the meat.
Pork shoulders can take some time and heat to cook. And sometimes, you want a wood type that doesn’t overpower your dish with its flavor. For these instances, cherry wood is an excellent choice. You can also combine them with other wood varieties if you want to experiment with smoke flavors.
Hickory wood chips
Good all around chip
Smoke smelled like burning sawdust
Smoking pork shoulder with hickory chips or pellets can also be a great choice. Pellets are more consistent in size and shape and will give you greater control over the heating process and level of smoke.
Since hickory comes with a strong flavor, you’ll want to take care not to overdo it. It can overpower other flavors you would prefer in the meat, so go with maple instead.
Get some hickory pellets or chips that come in mixtures if you don’t know which wood to combine. That way, you don’t waste time buying other wood chips, and smoking still gets its balance and variety.
Applewood chips
Tasty
Smoke very well
Overpriced
Apple chips can be a great addition to your favorite pork shoulder recipes. They’re not as strong as other hardwood flavors. But this doesn’t mean they’re too mild either. You get the ideal balance of sweetness and aroma that compliments the pork shoulder’s rich taste. For safety, you can go for chips that come treated for pests and mold. This way, you know you’re not infusing any harmful smoke into the meat.
For best results, keep a good stock of applewood chips ready for refilling. You want to supply a consistent balance of smoke for the meat. This will ensure that you don’t create gaps in the flow of smoke from the apple chips.
Oakwood chips
Great Flavor
Perfect Size
Pricey
Oakwood chips aren’t traditionally associated with pork shoulders. But you’ll be glad to know they go great together. One great thing about oak chips is that they’ll work well in any smoker design. Whether you have a gas, electric, or charcoal smoker, oak chips will still deliver quality smoke.
The Jack Daniels BBQ wood chips are one of the premium options available today. These barrel-aged chips combine both aroma and smoke to create distinct flavors. They’re also great for ribs, loins, chicken wings, briskets, fish, etc.
Variety wood chips
Easy to use wood chips
Tasty.
POOR packaging
Narrowing down on a particular wood type can be a tough choice sometimes. When you’re smoking a pork shoulder, there are other factors to consider too. You have to attend to consistent temperatures, smoking duration, airflow, etc. So, sometimes the wood choice can be the last thing on your mind. If that’s the case with you, go for a variety of sets of wood chips.
These sets come with an assortment of different wood chips that have mild or intense flavors. You can combine them in different styles to see what effect they have on the meat. This set gives you a collection of maple, pecan, bourbon, mesquite, and all the others already listed here. It’s an excellent blanket approach on wood chips if you want a little bit of everything.
Final Note
Wood chips are incredibly convenient ways of smoking any meat. With a pork shoulder, they’ll provide the quick heat you’ll need to get the meat going.
Of course, it helps if you have a few chunks too to sustain the smoke for more extended periods. But with the correct supply of chips, you can bring out the best taste and flavors from a pork shoulder.
About The Author
Reviewed by
James
James is a writer who is a self-confessed kitchenware and coffee nerd and a strong advocate of Sundays, good butter, and warm sourdough.
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