make your own wood chunks?


 
T

TBalazs

New member
We just had to cut down a couple of trees in our front yard. Something my landscaper said was a cherry tree, though it didn't bear fruit, and something I think was an oak, both young, about 10 years old. I know have a stack of logs from these trees.

Two questions:
1. Do you think these would make for good wood chunks for bbq, after, of course, chopping them up a bit.
2. If so, how long do they have to dry, do you think?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

Tom
 
They don't have to dry at all, in fact they smoke a little better when they're green. Most ornamental cherries have been hybridized not to fruit. It shouldn't affect the smell of the wood or the smoke.

If you're not experienced cutting up wood, just be careful. Split first, then cut to length with a saw. Hand saw is safest. Reciprocating saw is faster and still relatively safe. Stay away from circular saws with irregular pieces...it's an accident waiting to happen.
 
Anything up to about 5" I cut into length with my chop saw. You can even make little discs. They smoke up nice. And I would dry the wood; green wood gives an off flavour. Lastly, don't rely just on trees. I recently used some Tennessee white oak flooring (unfinished of course!) for smoke wood on a prime rib roast. I cut the 2" wide flooring into 3 or 4" long pieces.
 
Up to 2" in diameter, I just cut to size with me mitre saw. Any larger, I will split like firewood and then cut to size. Depending on how you plan on storing the chunks, make sure they have plenty if ventilation. Green wood will mold if sealed in a container without any air circulation.
Good luck,
Tim
 
I use peach and plum from my yard and a buddy supplies pecan. I throw it under a cedar tree for a season then chop it up and use it. Turns out great!
 
Do you guys remove the bark before using in the smoker? Most all of the store bought stuff doesn't seem to have much, if any bark. I have a large branch, that came off of our Apricot tree, and intend to use it as smoke wood.

Jason
 
Larger logs I find it easier to cut it into 3-4 inch disks and then split into chunks. I don't worry about removing bark. My supply of sugar maple is usually seasoned around 6 months by the time I use it and kept in open air containers in the garage.
 
I've done it with and without,just depends on if the bark has much dirt on it or not. I don't think it matters either way.

Jason Beach said:
Do you guys remove the bark before using in the smoker? Most all of the store bought stuff doesn't seem to have much, if any bark. I have a large branch, that came off of our Apricot tree, and intend to use it as smoke wood.

Jason
Click to expand...
 
I've used red oak with good results. Most of the time I just take a piece off the wood pile that is already split and cut it into 4" lengths. If it is thicker than I like, I will split it some more.
 
I just cut up three peach trees and a cherry tree last weekend. I used a chain saw with a short bar 14" and ran it with no bar oil (don't want any petroleum in my smoke wood). Cut into 4 inch long lengths then split into halves or quarters depending on the size. Mainly looking for fist size chunks. I leave the bark on all my chunks with the exception of the White Oak. I prefer to use green, as it gives a strong smoke flavor and a longer burn. If you have dried sap on the fruit woods it's a real bonus in my opinion.
 
The wood I use is from the orchards in my area. And since they are sprayed with pesticide I make sure to strip the bark. Once they are cut to length with a chainsaw. a splitting maul makes short order of the bark.
 
I'm cutting down an apple tree this weekend that is starting to grow into my fence. Not a bit of that tree will go to waste. The smaller branches and leaves will be composted and the larger branches and trunk will be cut, dried and used for either the WSM or the woodstove. Sort of the tree version of the "Circle of Life".
 
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