Mr. Bar-B-Q Variety Pack Wood Chunks 4 x 3.5 lb Hickory Cherry Apple Mesquite Review (2026)

Who this wood chunk pack fits

This is a bundle for charcoal grill and smoker owners who want to experiment with more than one wood flavor without buying four separate bags. According to the manufacturer listing, each of the four bags weighs 3.5 lb and holds hickory, cherry, apple or mesquite chunks, giving a cook enough variety to pair bold mesquite with beef, sweeter apple or cherry with pork and poultry, and all-purpose hickory with ribs or brisket. It fits someone who smokes regularly enough to go through multiple bags over a season, or who hosts and wants to offer different flavor profiles across several cooks. It is a weaker fit for anyone using a gas grill smoker box, since chunks of this size are made for direct use in charcoal, not for the small metal boxes gas grills typically use for chips.

Wood type, burn and what is included

Each bag in the pack is described by the manufacturer as 100% all-natural hardwood with no chemicals added, and the chunks are meant to be used straight from the bag without soaking first. Chunks burn slower and longer than wood chips because of their larger mass, which suits longer charcoal cooks like ribs or brisket where steady smoke over several hours matters more than a quick burst of flavor. The four flavors work on different proteins: mesquite brings a stronger, more assertive smoke that pairs well with beef, hickory is a versatile all-purpose wood good on pork and ribs, and cherry and apple both bring milder, slightly sweet smoke suited to poultry and pork. The bags are sized to be manageable for storage compared with buying single large bulk bags of each flavor.

Using the chunks on a charcoal smoke

For a charcoal grill or smoker, a few chunks placed directly on top of lit coals is the typical approach, letting them smolder and produce smoke as the coals burn down. Because these chunks do not need soaking, they can go straight onto the fire without the extra prep and waiting time that chip-soaking often adds. Owners running longer cooks, such as pork shoulder or brisket, generally add chunks in stages rather than all at once, since a steady low level of smoke over many hours reads better on the final bark than a single heavy dose early on. Because the pack includes four distinct woods, planning a smoke ahead of time, picking the flavor that matches the protein, is part of getting the most out of the bundle rather than grabbing whichever bag is open.

Trade-offs and how it compares

The clearest trade-off is that these chunks are sized for charcoal grills, smokers and campfires, not for the small chip trays built into most gas grills, so gas grill owners looking to add smoke flavor should look at wood chips instead. Storing four separate bags also takes more shelf or garage space than a single bag of one flavor. Against rivals in the wood chunk guide, the Billy Buckskin Co. variety pack offers the same four flavors and bag sizes and rates equally well, so the choice between the two often comes down to brand preference or price. Single-flavor options like Western Premium's apple chunks work well if you already know you want one wood consistently rather than a rotating variety across different cooks.

Bottom line

This variety pack earns our score of 8.8/10 as a convenient way to build a rotation of hickory, cherry, apple and mesquite without shopping for four separate products. The natural, unsoaked chunks suit charcoal grills and smokers handling longer cooks where steady smoke matters, and the range of flavors lets a cook match wood to protein across ribs, pork, poultry and beef. Buyers with a gas grill and a smoker box should pick wood chips instead, since these chunks are too large for that use. For charcoal cooks who want variety without committing to a single flavor, this bundle is a practical, well-reviewed starting point.

Frequently asked questions