Give Smoked Steak One-Of-A-Kind Flavor By Combining Different Wood Chips

Smoking steak is a traditional culinary art that has been practiced since prehistoric times. This tried-and-true technique involves cooking the steak at low temperatures over a smoldering fire. The smoke from the burning wood infuses the meat with layers of toasty flavor. Smoking is favored by professional chefs and backyard barbecue aficionados alike because it seasons the meat with a rich depth that other methods simply can't achieve. You can opt for a single wood species or mix things up to form a custom recipe. With the right blend of wood chips, you can transform an ordinary steak into a multi-dimensional masterpiece.

Chef Greg Gatlin, James Beard Award finalist, renowned pitmaster, and owner of Gatlin's BBQ and Gatlin's Fins & Feathers in Houston, champions using different wood pairings. "I personally like the combination of oak and hickory if you are looking for a good strong smoke flavor," he told Mashed. "Both are pungent and give a clean smoke flavor to your meats." Gatlin's preference for oak and hickory speaks to their bold characters. Oak is well-known for its robustness, while hickory offers a bacon-like smokiness.

For those who like a more vibrant flavor in their steak, Greg Gatlin explains that fruitwoods such as apple and cherry can be combined to instill a delicate sweetness. Both applewood and cherrywood imbue a mild, fruity finish to the meat. When tossed into the smoker together, they create a light, sweet smoke profile that contrasts beautifully with the steak's savory, charred crust. (If you need help deciding which cut to buy, we ranked 11 cuts of steak to smoke from worst to best.)

There are several tips to follow when smoking almost any type of meat, including setting up your grill correctly, selecting the right cuts, monitoring the temperature, and, of course, filling the smoker box with wood chips that will provide the best-tasting protein. The versatility of smoking with various wood chips opens up a world of possibilities, whether you prefer the intensity of oak and hickory or enjoy the mellow sweetness of apple and cherry.

Regardless of the wood chip medley you choose, smoking steak offers a sensory experience in which flavor, aroma, and texture come together for an extraordinary meal. Just be sure to let the meat rest, even when cooked in the smoker, so all of the juices can soak back into the steak's fibers.