Seasoned Fruitwood - how long before flavor diminishes (6 mo, 12 mo, etc)

[BruceS]

Does anyone know how long Fruitwood maintains its smoke flavor? Is it 6 months, 12 months, 24 months?

 

[Dustin Flavell]

Really hard to say. Probably depends on how it is stored after it is seasoned. After my fruit/nut woods are seasoned I store them in the kingsford charcoal bins. Not air tight but has a decent seal. I have some cherry wood that is six years old now and while the “cherry” scent is all but gone it still seems to provide some smoke benefits and add a little red to poultry.

A have some pecan that is 4 years old stored the same and it still has the same scent as when I stored it, so assuming it is still good. I also may have stored this with a little more moisture than the cherry too…

Guess I should ask are your fruit woods store bought in bags or are you cutting your own chunks. My results are based on cutting and splitting in to base ball size chunks and then stored after a enough moisture has left the wood so as not to mold.

 

[JSaus]

I had some cedar blocks to hang in closets. The directions said that when the scent diminishes, sand lightly. The scent did come back. Perhaps the wood just seals itself over time.

 

[Chuck-roaniecowpony]

The only thing you have to worry about is mold or rot. Other than that, it should work fine. The only thing that happens with age is the moisture leaves, but it stabilizes at some point.