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Smoking
Smoker reviews, wood pellet guides, and low-and-slow recipes: everything you need to master the art of smoke.
40 articles🥩Grilling
Grill reviews, direct-heat techniques, and recipes for perfect burgers, steaks, and everything in between.
11 articles🔧Tools & Gear
Thermometers, gloves, chimney starters, covers, and more. Reviews and guides for the BBQ gear that makes every cook easier and safer.
12 articles📖Techniques
Reverse sears, rotisserie, temperature control, brining methods, and more. The techniques and skills that separate good BBQ from great.
10 articlesLatest Articles
Best Wood for Smoking Beef Jerky: Hickory, Oak or Fruit Wood, and How to Smoke It
Hickory is the classic wood for beef jerky and post oak the safest; apple and cherry suit sweet marinades. Which wood to use, then how to smoke strips at 160 to 175F to 160F.
Best Wood for Smoking Steak (And What to Avoid) (2026)
The best wood for smoking steak is hickory, full stop. It produces a bold, bacon-like smoke that complements beef's fat and iron notes without turning bitt
Best Wood Chips for Smoking Ribs: Hickory, Apple, Cherry
Best wood chips for smoking ribs: hickory is the classic, apple and cherry are milder. Which for baby backs vs spare ribs and how much to use.
Best Wood for Smoking Tuna: Alder, Cherry or Apple, and How to Smoke It
Alder is the best wood for smoking tuna, with cherry and apple next. Which wood to use, then how to brine, form a pellicle, smoke at 180 to 200F and pull at 145F.
Best Wood for Smoking Sausage: Apple, Cherry or Hickory, Matched to the Sausage
Apple and cherry suit most smoked sausage; hickory is the classic for beef and summer sausage. Which wood for which sausage, chips vs sawdust, and the temperatures to cook to.
5 Best Wood for Smoking Duck in 2026
Duck is fatty, rich, and deeply savory. That means it can handle bolder smoke than chicken, but it's still poultry, so you can absolutely overdo it. My top
Best Wood for Smoking Burgers Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
Hickory is my top pick for smoking burgers. It delivers a bold, bacon-like smoke flavor that stands up to beef without overwhelming it. For a milder profil
4 Best Woods for Smoking Cheese (2026)
Smoking cheese is not like smoking brisket. You need gentle, clean smoke, low temps, and wood that won't bulldoze the dairy flavor you're trying to enhance
How to Choose the Best Wood for Smoking Bacon
Hickory is the classic answer for smoking bacon, and it earns that reputation. But apple and cherry woods produce bacon with a sweeter, more nuanced smoke
Best Wood for Smoking Pork Shoulder and Pulled Pork: Hickory, Fruit Wood or Pecan
Hickory is the classic wood for pork shoulder and pulled pork; apple, cherry and pecan are milder. Which wood, how much, when to stop adding it, and when the pork is done.
Best Wood for Smoking Fish and Seafood: Alder, Fruit Woods and What to Avoid
Alder is the best wood for smoking fish, with cherry and apple next. Which wood for salmon, trout, oily fish and shellfish, how to brine and smoke, and the 145F safe temperature.
Best Wood for Smoking Chicken Thighs (2026)
Apple wood is my top pick for smoking chicken thighs. It burns clean, adds a mild sweetness that complements the fat in dark meat, and won't overpower the
5 Best Woods for Smoking Mac and Cheese
Smoked mac and cheese needs mild smoke. Apple and cherry suit it best; five woods compared by smoke strength and 3,300+ owner reviews. Top pick: Camerons variety set.
Best Wood for Smoking Turkey: Apple, Cherry or a Little Hickory
Apple and cherry are the best woods for smoking turkey; hickory or oak only in a mix. Which wood, how much, smoker temperature for crisp skin, and the 165F safe temperature.
Best Pellet Grill Brisket 2026: CookinPellets Perfect Mix vs. Alternatives (Head-to-Head)
For a long brisket cook on a pellet grill, the CookinPellets Perfect Mix 40 lb single bag is my top pick. At $38.99, it delivers a balanced hickory-forward
4 Best Pellet Smokers for Ribs
Four pellet smokers for ribs compared on low-temperature control, rack space and hopper size, from specs and 10,000+ owner reviews. Top pick: Traeger Pro 22.
Best Wood for Smoking Brisket: Post Oak, Hickory or a Blend
Post oak is the best wood for smoking brisket; hickory, pecan and cherry are for blending. Which wood, chips vs chunks vs splits, and how much wood a packer brisket needs.
Best Wood for Smoking Beef Ribs: Hickory, Oak or a Cherry Blend
Hickory is the best wood for smoking beef ribs, post oak the most forgiving. Which wood for plate vs back ribs, how much to use, and when to stop adding it.
5 Best Woods for Smoking Wings in 2026
Apple wood is my top pick for smoking wings. It gives you a mild, slightly sweet smoke that lets the chicken flavor come through instead of burying it. For
5 Best Woods for Smoking a Ham (2026)
Ham is one of the most forgiving smokes you can do, but the wood choice matters more than most people admit. After smoking 30+ hams on four different rigs,
Best Wood Chips for Smoking Prime Rib 2026: Western 6-Pack vs Western 4-Pack vs All-Natural Hardwood 4-Pack
For prime rib, the Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips 4-Pack is the best starting point for most people. At $27.99, it covers the four flavors that matter most
5 Best Wood Chips for Smoking Tri Tip (2026)
Tri tip is a forgiving cut that rewards the right smoke pairing. My top pick is the Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack (4-Pack) because it gives y
How to Choose an Electric Smoker BBQ
The single most important thing to know about buying an electric smoker: wattage and insulation determine your results more than any other spec. A 1200W sm
How to Choose Smoker Spices
The single most important thing to know about smoker spices: salt and sugar ratios dictate everything. Get those wrong and it doesn't matter how exotic the
5 Best Instant Read Meat Thermometers for Grilling (2026)
My top pick is the ThermoMaven Professional at $29.99. It's the sweet spot of NIST-certified accuracy, 0.5-second reads, and a lift-to-wake display that ac
5 Popular BBQ Gifts They'll Actually Use (2026)
If you're shopping for a BBQ lover and have no idea where to start, get the Alpha Grillers tool set. It's $26.95, rated 4.8 stars across nearly 6,000 revie
How to Choose a Pellet Smoker BBQ
The single most important thing to know about buying a pellet smoker: temperature consistency beats every other spec on the sheet. A grill...
How to Choose a Smoker Brand
The single most important thing to know about smoker brands: the brand name matters far less than the smoker type and fuel source you choose....
5 Best Small Ceramic Grills for Any Setup (2026)
The Char-Griller AKORN Jr. is my top pick for the best small ceramic grill. At $169.99, it delivers genuine kamado performance in a portable...
5 Best Vertical Smokers Under 500 Dollars (2026)
The Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric is my top pick for most people shopping for a vertical smoker under $500. It takes the guesswork...
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