removing bark?


 
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Howdy,

I have oak growing in my backyard and ready for smoking. I just found a felled tree that was perfect width for cutting into smoking pieces.

Why do people seem to emphasize removing the bark? How long does wood normally need to dry before smoking?

Thanks
Troy
 
I wouldn't use it for smoking until it's dried at least 6 months. Don't worry about the bark, a lot of the apple and cherry chunks I've bought have bark. I haven't noticed any difference. I have some hickory from a tree that an ice storm took out early this year. It's been drying more than 6 months, and I've found after cutting into smoking size chunks, the bark will come off some of it very easily after a few weeks in the sun. The other I use as is, no problem.

Smokin' Jim in NC
 
Thanks Jim,

do you cut up your wood and then let it rest for 6 months, or just let the dead limbs rest for 6 months and then cut up?

The tree that I will be smoking has been laying on its side since this winter.

Thanks,
Troy
 
To "season" or dry the wood it is best to cut to stove length and then split at least once. "Seasoned" wood by definition is wood that has been cut in one season, usually winter and then used the next winter. (4 seasons = seasoned)
If left in long pieces then it has to dry thru the ends and this doesn't happen very well.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Troy Balling:
[qb] Thanks Jim,

do you cut up your wood and then let it rest for 6 months, or just let the dead limbs rest for 6 months and then cut up?

The tree that I will be smoking has been laying on its side since this winter.

Thanks,
Troy [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>This hickory wasn't in my yard, so it was down about 6 months before it was cut. Had I known about it sooner, I would have sawed and split long ago.

Smokin' Jim in NC
 
I smoke with a lot of wood that's not seasoned. Infact It's really all I have. I get all my wood from my Dad's yard by trimming his tree's. He's got Apple, Crab Apple, Pear, & Maple tree's. Although the wood I use is branches. I cutt them up into around 6 or 7" peices. And there not that big around. I would think that chunks like this wood season much faster. But then again I could be wrong.

But anyway I never noticed any bad or strange flavor or anything using unseasoned vs seasoned wood. I also just split them once down the middle before I use them in the smoker. I leave the bark on. but I do scrap off any dried mold or anything like that on the surface.
 
Dennis,

The creosote in the wood, besides tasting bitter, is not the best thing in the world for you health-wise. You may not taste it because the wood branches may be "dead wood" and in essence already seasoned, and as you mentioned the thin branches certainly don't take as long to season.
 
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