If you love smoking with flavored woods but haven’t tried peach yet, you’re in for a treat.
The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree, and it belongs to the genus Prunus which includes cherry and plum. Peaches and nectarines are the same species, as is their wood, even though they are regarded commercially as different fruits.
Everyone knows that hickory wood pairs well with dark meats, and fruit woods like apple are ideal for poultry.
But, not many people use peachwood when smoking.
You’re probably wondering, is peachwood good for smoking?
Seasoned peachwood is excellent for smoking. The peachwood’s flavor is similar to pear as it has a lightly fruity and mildly sweet taste. It is subtle enough to smoke light meats, but people will taste that sweetness on their palate as it leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
The truth is not many people are familiar with peachwood chips, because it’s not as common in stores.
This is unfortunate because peach has a subtle, delightfully fruity flavor, which pairs well with chicken, turkey, cornish hens, and even pork.
So the answer is yes, absolutely!
In general, fruitwoods have a mild smoking flavor, so they complement lighter foods best.
Some smokers claim that peachwood beats out apple when it comes to flavor!
In this post we'll cover:
How to Use Peachwood for Smoking
The secret to using peachwood is to use it in moderation and in small quantities.
If you are using it to smoke lamb, pork, or foods like ribs, you can use a larger amount because those meats require more flavor.
But, you don’t need too much smoke when cooking poultry, or you risk overpowering the meat’s tasty flavors.
Use seasoned peachwood that’s been out drying for at least 6 months, but not longer than a year, or it may be too dry.
In that case, it will combust and burn way too fast. Keep in mind that you should never use green peachwood to smoke meat.
Just like other woods, you can soak the peachwood chips in water for 30 minutes, but you don’t really need to do this step.
Peachwood has some unique flavors, and to get the most out of it, try using an offset stick burner when smoking instead of smoldering the wood.
Still looking for a good smoker? Read: What to look for when buying a smoker | tips, types & 3 reviewed.
The Smoking Wood Matters
True grill masters know that the wood you smoke with makes a huge difference when it comes to the flavor of the meat.
There are some general guidelines which help you choose which wood complements which type of meat best.
For example, a fruity wood such as peach or pear works well with chicken.
The wood flavor determines how overpowering the smoke is. Smoking woods range in flavor from mild to strong.
Lighter and more subtle woods like fruit woods are ‘mild’ whereas woods like hickory are ‘medium’ and hardwoods like mesquite are ‘strong.’
For beginner smokers, using peachwood is easier than strong hardwoods. The peach has a lighter flavor, so it’s harder to get it wrong.
Where to Buy Peachwood for Smoking
Peachwood chips are hard to come by because they’re less popular than other fruit woods, such as apple or cherry.
However, if you fancy giving peachwood a try, you can buy a variety pack, like the WESTERN BBQ Smoking Chips 4 pack.
It comes with four wood flavors: Maple, Apple, Cherry, and of course, Peach. It’s ideal for use with your electric or gas grill.
Best Foods to Smoke with Peachwood
As I’ve previously mentioned, the best foods to smoke with peachwood are light meats like poultry.
But, you can also smoke pork, or even lamb if you don’t mind the subtle flavor!
Here is a list of foods to smoke with peachwood:
- Chicken
- Small game birds
- Pork butt
- Wings
- Lamb chops
- Turkey
- Brisket (let the meat smoke for longer so you can taste the peach flavor)
My recommendation is that you mix the peach with another wood like hickory if you want to smoke pork meat.
If you don’t, the flavor might not be strong enough, so people may say that the pork is not smoked long enough.
Therefore, you can use 75% peach and 25% hickory just to give it that extra bit of wood smoke flavor.
Also read: Is cured sweet gum wood good for smoking meat? No! Here’s why
Is it Safe to Smoke with Peachwood? Is it Toxic?
Don’t worry, peachwood is safe to use for smoking food.
There is a myth floating around that peachwood is toxic, but that’s simply not true. The only toxic part of peaches is the pit.
In fact, peach and apricot pits are dangerous but only if eaten.
The pits contain cyanogenic glycoside, which is very poisonous if ingested. But, when you smoke, you are not using pits.
Thus, when the wood is burned and turned to coals, there is no toxicity.
In conclusion, peachwood is entirely safe to use for smoking.
The Peachwood Bottom Line
I recommend peachwood for smoking poultry because it has a subtle flavor that doesn’t overpower light meats.
Thus, if you’ve used fruit wood for smoking before, you’ll realize that peachwood is no different from cherry or apple.
So, it’s going to make your meat taste sweet, fruity, and tasty!
Looking for more ‘exotic’ woods for smoking? Find out if Hackberry Is Good for Smoking Meat.
