Questions about my own wood for smoking


 
M

Mark-H

New member
Had a couple of sources for Hickory and Apple wood for smoking and have questions about storage and use.

The Hickory was from a live tree felled this spring, and cut into 20" logs but not split.
Today I cut a couple logs into chunk length slabs, then used a hatchet to cut the slabs into chunks.

The Apple was from low hanging branches on a live tree, and the branches were 3-7" in diameter.
Cut them to length with a chainsaw, then used a hatchet on them too.

I'm assuming I can use the Hickory for smoking now, but what about the Apple, should it cure first?
I have all the chunks in 5 gallon buckets and sitting on my back deck, (no rain forecast for the next couple of days).
Planning on storing them in the buckets in my basement, after they've set on the deck for a few days.

Should I do anything different to them for curing or to use for smoking?
 
I would store all wood until the following season before using it for smoke wood.

That's what I do when I am not using commercial wood.

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
Mark, your plan is solid. The only thing I might add, is to drill several 3/8" or 1/4" holes all over your buckets. (Including the bottom) this will allow more air flow in the/through the bucket eliminating the possibility of mold growing on your wood as it sits. Good luck, and good score on some great smoke wood!
Tim
 
I've used the cherry from a tree in my yard immediately, and after letting it season for a while. Did not notice much of a difference either way, is there some reason green wood should not be used? I typically cut discs about 2" thick and split those with an ax when I'm ready to use it.
 
We shoot for 12% moisture level in the splits for an offset so I would guess that is pretty close to what you would want for chunks. That is pretty low moisture so seasoning is very important. The environment where seasoned will determine how long.

Do not close the container and make sure you have good airflow around the wood.

I'm starting to plan for next years wood now. Cutting etc.
 
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I've never had a problem using freshly cut wood for smoking. The hot coals will dry it out as you cook. If you're planning on using it in an offset as a source of heat as well as smoke, you're going to want dry wood that will support combustion.

To dry the chunks, sun and wind are your friends. Keeping it in buckets will drastically slow the drying process. Once dry, I would be really hesitant to store it in a basement. A basement is almost always going to be the most humid part of a house. I store my wood in cardboard boxes in a shed where it bakes in the summer and gets freeze dried in the winter.
 
Wood that has not been dried before using will leave a bit more residue in the smoker. It might show a bit more resin, too.
 
Green puts off a lot of smoke and lasts longer but it's also harder to keep burning....a few seasoned pcs with a green/er pc is a great combination.
 
Thanks for the replies,

Yesterday I dumped the green Apple chunks out of their buckets, and found moisture was too high at the bottom.
The bark on the tree branches I cut had some grayish material on them, and that was starting to turn green with the moisture and lack of air.

So I spread them out on the driveway for the remainder of yesterday and today, and the sun took care of the problem.
All the chunks seem drier now, but I picked up some burlap bags and have them in the garage in those now.
The burlap is very open so I'm sure they will dry much better now, and I'll sit the bags on the driveway on sunny days to speed up curing.
 
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Even in a burlap sack, the ones in the center aren't going to dry very fast. I'd just leave them out in the weather until fall/winter. A little rain or dew isn't going to affect them much and Chris even posted a few years back how little moisture there was in chunks that had soaked in water overnight.
 
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