We use both post-oak and hickory in our charcoal, sourced from the same managed stands in the Guadalupe Mountains. They are both dense hardwoods and both make excellent charcoal, but they are not identical, and understanding the differences helps explain why we blend them rather than using one or the other exclusively.
Post-oak: the workhorse ¶
Post-oak is the dominant hardwood in central and west Texas and eastern New Mexico, and it is the wood most associated with Texas-style barbecue. As charcoal, it burns hot and long with a relatively neutral smoke profile. The smoke flavor it imparts is mild enough that it does not compete with the flavor of the meat. This makes it a good base charcoal for almost any cook, from quick burgers to long brisket sessions. The density of slow-grown post-oak from the Guadalupe region means the charcoal pieces are heavy and hold heat well.
Hickory: more smoke, more intensity ¶
Hickory charcoal burns at a similar temperature to post-oak but produces a more pronounced smoke flavor. This is why hickory is the traditional wood for pork barbecue in the American South. As a charcoal rather than a cooking wood, the smoke flavor is more subtle than you would get from burning hickory logs directly, but it is still present and noticeable on long cooks. For quick cooks, the difference between hickory and post-oak charcoal is minimal. For a four-hour pork shoulder, it is more apparent.
Why we blend the two ¶
Our charcoal is a blend of post-oak and hickory rather than a single species for a practical reason. The two woods carbonize at slightly different rates in the earthen kiln, and blending them produces a more consistent batch. Pure post-oak batches can have a higher proportion of very large, dense pieces that are slow to light. Pure hickory batches tend toward smaller, more irregular pieces. The blend gives us a better distribution of piece sizes, which is useful for filling a chimney starter and for managing a fire over a long cook.
When to add hickory chunks on top ¶
If you want more pronounced hickory smoke flavor than the charcoal alone provides, the hickory chunk add-on is the right tool. Placing one or two chunks on top of lit charcoal adds a slow, steady smoke that builds over the first hour of a cook. This is most useful for pork and beef on long cooks. For chicken, fish, or vegetables, the charcoal smoke alone is usually sufficient and adding chunks can make the smoke flavor overwhelming.
The full charcoal lineup, including the hickory chunk add-on, is on the products page. If you are not sure which setup is right for what you cook, the short quiz on the home page can help narrow it down.