Few serious pitmasters use mesquite, despite a lot of stories about its prevalence in the Southwest. If hickory is the king of barbecue woods, oak is the queen. Assertive but always pleasant, it's the most versatile of hardwoods, blending well with a wide range of flavors. What it does to beef is probably against the law in some states. Pecan The choice of many professional chefs, pecan burns cool and offers a subtle richness of character.
Some people call it a mellow version of hickory.
Don't get me started. These are unique since the hams come from only peanut-fed hogs. They are worked with cure for 30-45 days. Then they are smoked for at least 7 days and left in the smokehouse for another 6 months. It is my experience that bacon is the easiest slow smoked product to produce at home and the results are as good as, or better than, the best commercially produced bacon.