She says: 'Hands down, the best wood for smoking meat is post oak. Oak is slow-burning and ... You can get a 20-lb bag of hickory pellets from Lowes for $11.99. If anything, hickory is too good ...

Treat the pellets as an ingredient that provides depth of flavor. For example, the best types of wood to use for smoking brisket are rich and intense, like post oak or mesquite, while something ...