Quick answer

For most Smoking Gun recipes, start with apple-wood for a mild, sweet smoke that pairs with both savory and sweet dishes. Hickory gives a bold, bacon-like flavor, cherry-wood adds fruity notes, and mesquite delivers an intense, earthy punch.

Why wood chip choice matters for cold smoking

Unlike hot smoking, cold smoking with the Smoking Gun uses a low-temperature smoke that infuses flavor without cooking. The type of wood chip you choose directly affects the taste, intensity, and aroma of your finished dish or drink.

Each wood variety has a distinct profile. Hickory is strong and savory, apple-wood is mild and sweet, cherry-wood is fruity and slightly tart, and mesquite is bold and earthy. Matching the chip to your ingredient is key to a balanced result.

Pairing wood chips with food and drinks

Delicate foods like soft cheese, fresh fruit, or light cocktails benefit from milder woods such as apple or cherry. Richer ingredients like red meat, hard cheese, or dark spirits can handle the stronger flavors of hickory or mesquite.

Desserts and sweet cocktails work especially well with fruit woods. Apple-wood and cherry-wood add a subtle sweetness that complements chocolate, berries, and cream-based drinks without overwhelming them.

How to choose the right wood chip

  • Start with apple-wood: Apple-wood is the most versatile chip. It produces a mild, sweet smoke that works well with poultry, pork, vegetables, cheese, fruit, and most cocktails. Use it when you want a subtle smoky note that doesn't overpower the main ingredient. Keep apple-wood on hand as your everyday smoking chip.
  • Use hickory for bold savory dishes: Hickory delivers a strong, bacon-like flavor. It pairs best with red meat, hard aged cheeses, and savory cocktails like a smoked Old Fashioned. Avoid hickory with delicate desserts or light white spirits. Reserve hickory for dishes that can stand up to intense smoke.
  • Try cherry-wood for fruity sweetness: Cherry-wood adds a slightly tart, fruity smoke that enhances poultry, pork, and fruit-based desserts. It also works well with gin or vodka cocktails. Cherry-wood is a good middle ground between apple and hickory. Use cherry-wood when you want a noticeable but not overpowering fruit note.
  • Go with mesquite for earthy intensity: Mesquite is the strongest of the four. It gives an earthy, almost smoky-bitter flavor that suits beef, game, and bold cocktails like a smoked Manhattan. Use it sparingly; a little goes a long way. Start with a short smoking time when using mesquite to avoid bitterness.

Product facts

  • Classic Smokehouse Wood Kit: Classic Smokehouse flavors to us with the Smoking Gun. The kit includes four (4) 4oz jars of wood chips; Hickory, Apple-wood, Cherry-wood and Mesquite. This kit gives you all four classic wood types in one purchase, so you can experiment and find your favorite without buying separate jars.

    Classic Smokehouse Wood Kit

    Classic Smokehouse Wood Kit

Which wood chip is right for you?

Best for

  • Versatile everyday smoking: apple-wood
  • Fruity sweet notes with poultry or desserts: cherry-wood

Not ideal for

  • Delicate desserts or light cocktails: hickory or mesquite