I use my Traeger pellet grill on a regular basis and one fine day, my Traeger wood pellets stock finished.
When I ran out of Traeger pellets, then I started researching for the best alternative hardwood options available in the market.
During my research, I came across peach wood pellets.
I wondered if peach wood is okay to use for meat smoking purpose.
After few hours of research, I found out that peach wood pellets are actually some of the best wood choices for meat smoking.
Seasoned wood usually does the best job that has been dried for over 6 months.
Peach wood has a very light and subtly sweet flavor.
It will not change the flavor of the meat.
Instead, it will make the chicken, pork, turkey, or any other game bird taste more delicious.
The taste of the meat highly depends on the type of wood used, so I usually prefer to use light woods rather than strong woods like mesquite.
Small quantities of peach wood will just do the right job.
However, you can increase the quantity while smoking pork or lamb.
Other sweet woods that can be used for smoking include pear, apple, maple, apricot, and plum.
You can also combine peach wood with other woods for improved flavors during meat smoking.
Read this article till the end to understand more detail information about the proper use of peach wood for smoking purpose.
FAQ Related to the Use of Peach Wood for Meat Smoking
Is Peach wood toxic?
Peach wood is not completely toxic when used for meat smoking purpose.
However, the spines and fibers of the wood can pose a threat to your physical health.
Except for the peach fruit, the flower, leaves, stems, and all other parts of the peach tree contain a chemical compound known as cyanide.
If the wood of the peach tree is consumed, it can be highly toxic for any person.
But if you are burning the wood for smoking just like coal is burnt for barbecue, then peach wood is not usually harmful for your health.
Peach wood is not hardwood and has a sweet flavor.
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Is Peach Wood Good for Pork Cooking?
Yes, peach wood is good for pork cooking for sure.
It will add a mildly sweet flavor to your pork meat.
Many people don’t know the benefits of the peach wood for smoking.
Peach wood chunks are treated for dehydration from the chunks and the preservation of sugar for the sweet smoky flavor in the meat.
Peach wood chunks may be a little expensive as they are harder to find.
The other best woods for smoking pork include hickory, white oak, and pecan.
What Wood is not Good for Smoking Meat?
Following are the types of woods that are not usually not good for smoking meat purpose.
1. Sycamore
2. Spruce
3. Sassafras
4. Redwood
5. Pine
6. Liquidamber
7. Fir
8. Eucalyptus
9. Elm
10. Eastern cedar
11. Cypress
These woods produce oils and resins that are potentially harmful to your health.
Also try to avoid the chemically treated, stained, molded, and painted woods.
Following are the harmful effects of some toxic woods when you use them for meat smoking.
1. Primavera is an irritant and sensitizer.
2. Poplar can cause blisters, asthma, and coughing.
3. Purpleheart is an irritant and can cause nausea.
4. Poison walnut has a toxic sap and can cause asthma, nausea, and dizziness.
Can You Use Peach Wood to Smoke a Turkey?
Yes, you can certainly use peach wood for smoking turkey meat.
It ranks among the top 5 kinds of wood for smoking turkey along with pecan, maple, apple, and cherry.
Wood chips are the best for smoking turkey on a grill.
If you use strong wood, the flavor and aroma of the wood will overpower the taste of Turkey.
So, choose a subtle flavored wood.
The peach wood undergoes a heat treatment to prevent the rotting of the wood.
If you are using wood chips, they will burn quickly and continue burning for a good time in the smoker.
The sweet taste of peach will mix up with the turkey and enhance the flavor.
However, if you are using a strong wood like hickory, the meat will absorb the flavor and taste bitter.
Is Peach Wood Good for Smoking Briskets?
Peach wood is one of the best woods that you can use for smoking briskets.
Especially, if you like the peach fruit; you will love the sweet and peachy flavor in your briskets.
Peach wood is not much famous among the masses for smoking and is not commonly used.
But, once you try it, I bet you are going to love it.
Some other woods that can be used for smoking briskets include apple, maple, and cherry.
There are different sizes of woods available for smoking like logs, chunks, and chips.
For briskets, wood logs are the best for smoking.
While slow cooking the briskets, they will maintain the temperature within a suitable range.
Click Here to Get All Natural Peach Wood Pellets for Your Smoker.
Final Thoughts
Peach wood is not commonly available.
And many barbecue lovers don’t even know about it.
But peach wood can certainly be used for smoking all types of meat such as chicken, pork, turkey, etc.
It has a light flavor and aroma which will add sweet notes to your smoked meat.
So, next time I do recommend to try meat smoking with the peach wood.
References:
https://thegrillingdad.com/fuels-firestarters/wood-smoking/best-wood-smoking-turkey/
https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/blog/avoid-these-woods-for-smoking-meats/
https://www.totallysmokin.com/best-wood-to-smoke-brisket/
https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-prepare-freshly-cut-peach-tree-wood-to-smoke-meat
