WESTERN: Hickory Smoking Wood Chips | 100% Real Hickory Wood | 700g

The bacon-and-beer wood, sorted

Hickory is the wood most people picture when they hear the word "smoked." Strong, unmistakable, slightly sweet under the bark — 100% real hickory, kiln-dried, the same wood behind classic American bacon and smokehouse pork. Not subtle, and not trying to be.

The flavour

Big, confident smoke on the front palate — bacon-adjacent, a little earthy. Through the middle it holds strong without turning acrid, and there's a genuine undercurrent of sweetness that keeps it from tasting one-dimensional. The finish lingers, which is exactly the point on a low-and-slow pork shoulder. Blend with apple or cherry if you want the hickory backbone with a softer edge.

How to cook with it

• Two to three handfuls in a smoker tray or foil pouch over the hottest burner — twenty to thirty minutes to get it billowing.
• The benchmark wood for pork shoulder, bacon-style cooks and low-and-slow ribs — this is where hickory earns its reputation.
• Chicken thighs and drumsticks take hickory smoke well when you want something bolder than the usual fruit woods.
• Beef holds up to hickory too — try it under a chuck roast or a batch of burnt ends.
• Blend a handful with apple or cherry if the full-strength hit is more than the cook (or the guests) can handle.

In the bag

Kiln-dried hickory wood chips — dense, dark-grained timber, no dust or bark clumps. 700g per bag. Natural product — exact volume may vary slightly with the wood's natural moisture, so always check the physical bag for the printed weight. Built to smoulder long and steady.

The facts

Material: 100% real hickory wood, kiln-dried in batches of approximately 10,000 lb and moisture-tested for consistency. No chemicals, no additives, no charcoal binders — real wood only, leaving roughly 2% residual ash. Natural product — always check the physical packaging for the printed weight and any handling notes.

Questions answered

Is hickory too strong for chicken?
It's on the bolder end, but plenty of pitmasters run chicken thighs and drumsticks on hickory with no complaints. If it's your first time, start with a lighter load and build confidence from there.

What's the difference between hickory and pecan chips?
They're close cousins — pecan carries a similar strong smoke but leans sweeter and a touch milder. Hickory is the bolder, more classic "smokehouse" profile of the two.

Can I use hickory chips in a charcoal kettle grill?
Yes, though wood chunks generally perform better than chips over straight charcoal for longer burns. Chips work fine for shorter cooks — scatter a handful directly onto hot coals or use a foil pouch.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

I've smuggled worse past the missus than a bag of wood chips. Rub the cut with Butchers Axe Ranger Red Rub, run this hickory smoke low and steady, then finish the plate with Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce. Feed the fire a little at a time — a handful of chips does more good than a mountain dumped on all at once.