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Burn wood chunks with mold on it?

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Egghead_Daron
Egghead_Daron Posts: 862
in EggHead Forum
Long story short, my tub that holds my wood got moisture in it. Now the wood chunks have a little mold. I am thinking I need to just make a run and get new but is there any harm in using it to smoke?
LBGE 2013, SBGE 2014, Mini 2015
Columbus IN
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  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,365
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    I wouldn't but dont have any experience or science to back it up. If its a small amount I would just toss it.
    Jacksonville FL
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  • Chowman
    Chowman Posts: 159
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    I think I would use the wood. The heat will kill the mould, so it can't hurt you, and I doubt if it will affect the flavor. If it was huge mould I would not do it.
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    Lots of people are allergic to molds. I would think that the period of "bad smoke" might be irritating to anyone around it.

    Worlds full of wood. Unless snowed in, or on a tight schedule, I'd prefer some fresh. Personally, I dislike handling moldy stuff.
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  • Egghead_Daron
    Egghead_Daron Posts: 862
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    Thanks for your thoughts. It isn't much mold but I had already decided not to use it today. Just hadn't decided whether to toss it or not. I'll just save it for campfire starter later.
    LBGE 2013, SBGE 2014, Mini 2015
    Columbus IN
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,114
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    I've used wood with white mold on it. Usually I scrap off what I can then put the mold side directly on the hot coals. Never had any adverse reaction or flavor.
    They don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them. That's against their interests. - George Carlin
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,188
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    Why risk it for a few bucks?
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
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    :-B I'm definitely not Bill Nye the Science Guy. But if it's a small amount of wood chunks I would probably toss them.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,114
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    Mold gives the nice earthy highland flavor I like so much ... or wait, is that peat moss?

    @Egghead_Daron can you post a pick? Are you talking a spot of surface mold or something more?
    They don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them. That's against their interests. - George Carlin
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  • Egghead_Daron
    Egghead_Daron Posts: 862
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    It was pretty minor but I went ahead and tossed it into the campwood pile. My thinking on using it is that wood just sits out for months or years at a time and I wouldn't think twice about building a campfire with it. Then after several glasses of bourbon or cold beer, I would throw some dogs or burgers on it. I'm sure it probably has mold or other fungus on it. But I wasn't taking any chances when cooking a brisket.
    LBGE 2013, SBGE 2014, Mini 2015
    Columbus IN
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
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    If you have a weed burner or MAPP setup, just blast it with that first.  Burn off the mold, then you should be good to go.

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  • UrbanForestTurnings
    UrbanForestTurnings Posts: 1,294
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    I make bowls with a type of fungi in it. Aint killed anyone YET. Might just scrape it off. If in doubt toss it out
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,776
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    ive lit moldy lump and cooked over it, not worrying about moldy wood.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • UncleFred
    UncleFred Posts: 458
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    Had the same situation a while back on a few chunks of apple wood that were kept in an un-breathable plastic bag.  figured the moisture came from condensation.

    I assume that the mold grows on the surface so I just took a rasp and filed it off to bare wood, let it sit in the sun for a while then used it.
    San Diego, CA - Where I've mastered Curmudgeon..working on Recluse.
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    No different than burning off the mold on a grid. Light it let it burn for a while , done.
    Seattle, WA
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,627
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    I get mold on wood chunks sometimes. Mostly lighter green and white, maybe up to 30% covered or so. I use them, figure it gets sterilized while I'm heating the egg up.

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