There is no right or wrong answer regarding the type of wood to cook BBQ with. It’s all up to the cook’s preference. You do need to understand that different types of wood will add different flavors to your BBQ. Some woods are very strong like mesquite while others are very mild such as cherry or peach. Don’t hesitate to experiment with different woods. Different regions across the country have preferred woods to cook with. Here in Texas, hickory and oak are the mainstays for BBQ. Some cooks also like to mix in a little mesquite but you need to be careful because of its strong smoke.

The first thing you should always do is test the saltiness of the rub. Salt helps bring out the flavors of cooked food but, if applied too soon before cooking, it could pull the moister out of your meat — drying it out before you’ve even cooked it! With all of our Riley rubs the salt is balanced perfectly, so to gain the best flavor, use a heavy coating the night before. Use a little high-quality olive oil and rub the meat all over. Next, apply the Riley’s Rub of your choice and create a nice heavy coating all over the meat. Wrap and place in your refrigerator for several hours or overnight.