What Is The Best Wood For Smoking Ribs?

The first cut of meat I learned how to smoke was pork ribs. And it’s still one of my favorite cuts to smoke to this very day. I’ve also enjoyed smoking beef plate ribs But whether you’re just getting started or trying to perfect your ribs, you’ll want to know what the best wood for smoking ribs is. 

The wood smoke flavor plays just as big a role as the dry rub or the sauce you use. My favorite wood for smoking pork ribs is hickory. It’s got the best combination of traditional wood smoke flavor while reminding me of bacon (and when I’m smoking pork, why not evoke notes of bacon?). 

And when it comes to smoking beef ribs, whether giant dino ribs/”brisket on a stick” or beef back ribs, the best wood is oak. It reminds me of smoking brisket, and that’s a beautiful thing.

What Is The Best Wood For Smoking Pork Ribs?

When I smoke pork ribs, whether it’s baby back or spare ribs, it’s going to take a lot less time than smoking a pork butt or a brisket. Even if I’m doing traditional 3-2-1 smoked ribs, I know I have less time to get good smoke flavor on my ribs versus those bigger cuts of meat. 

So hickory delivers plenty of wood smoke flavor without overwhelming the ribs like mesquite would. Hickory also adds a nuttiness and bacon-like flavor. It’s why it’s commonly used to smoke bacon. And if I’m smoking pork of any kind, why wouldn’t I want some extra bacon flavor?

Alternative Woods For Smoking Pork Ribs

Just because I believe that hickory is the best wood for smoking baby back ribs or spare ribs doesn’t mean other types of woods aren’t worth exploring. So what are some of the other flavors that go well with pork ribs?

• Oak – Now oak is my favorite wood for smoking brisket and other cuts of beef (including beef short ribs). But that doesn’t mean it needs to stay only in the realm of beef. When I first started smoking pork ribs, all I had easily accessible was oak. And the ribs were great. Oak delivers a good, strong traditional wood smoke flavor. It’ll give you some really good smoky pork ribs.
• Applewood – If you like sweeter ribs (like I do!), applewood is a great choice. It gives a mild, sweet flavor to your ribs. And like hickory, a lot of bacon is applewood-smoked so you’ll have a similar experience. If you like a heavier smoke flavor, you can mix applewood with either hickory or oak to get the best of both worlds.
• Cherry – Much like applewood, cherry gives your ribs a mild, sweet flavor. But it also offers another perk. The smoke actually helps add a rich red color to your ribs reminiscent of cherries. So if you’re looking for sweet ribs with a beautiful red color, cherry is a great option. And just like applewood, you can mix cherry in with hickory or oak to get that deeper smoke flavor as well.

Why Oak Is The Best Wood For Smoking Beef Short Ribs

When I’m smoking beef short ribs, I’m embracing the nickname “brisket on a stick”. I want to evoke as much of that traditional brisket flavor as possible. That’s where oak comes in. It delivers plenty of good wood smoke flavor without overpowering beef ribs on their long smoking process. Pair oak wood with a simple salt and pepper rub, and you’ll get a tender rib that tastes like brisket.

Alternative Woods For Smoking Beef Ribs

But just like smoking pork ribs, you can experiment. Beef can take on a lot of smoke flavor which gives you plenty of options to play with.

• Mesquite – If you want to embrace a more West Texas-style beef flavor, you can opt for the strongest hardwood in mesquite. It’s got a very strong flavor profile, so you need to ensure you don’t oversmoke your ribs. But thankfully, beef can hold up to mesquite. This will be a stronger smoke profile than even oak, but if you’re a huge fan of wood smoke, this is a great option.
• Hickory – Just like you can prepare brisket with a different flavor profile, you can do the same with ribs by using our Kansas City-style brisket dry rub. And hickory pairs well with that rub to deliver a strong wood smoke profile with more layers of flavor. You could even add apple or cherry wood to add more sweet flavor.
• Pecan – Pecan is a good, mild wood for adding extra nuttiness and sweetness. That would pair well with that Kansas City dry rub. I would still opt for mixing it with oak or hickory, but it’s a good option for adding layers of flavor to your beef ribs.

What Kind Of Wood Do You Need For Smoking Ribs?

The answer to that question depends entirely on what you are using to smoke your ribs. Wood splits and logs are the right type for an offset smoker while wood pellets are for pellet grills and vertical pellet smokers. Wood chips are perfect for electric and gas smokers. 

As for charcoal and gas grills, I would recommend checking out our article on the differences between wood chips and wood chunks. That will help you determine what’s best for your grill!

Final Thoughts

I think the best wood for smoking baby back ribs or spare ribs is hickory. It’s got a good smoke flavor while also evoking thoughts of bacon. Perfect for ribs or any type of pork I’m smoking.

And when it comes to any type of beef ribs, I think the best wood is oak. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to smoking beef, so I want to echo the same flavor profile of brisket when I smoke a rack of beef short ribs.

But while I feel these are the best woods for smoking ribs, that doesn’t mean they’re your only options. When it comes to smoking anything in your own backyard, experiement to find the flavors that best suit your preferences!