Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Youtube | Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Wood question
Philicious
Posts: 346
a neighbor has an apple tree and told me that I can cut off a limb to cut into chunks for smoking. Do I need to let the wood 'season' before using it? If so, about how long?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Born and raised in NOLA. Now live in East TN.
Comments
-
I'm assuming the tree is still alive? If so, I would say a couple months if you strip the bark off and let sit out side.Large and Small BGECentral, IL
-
Either is fine. Cut it into chunks, keep it dry, allow for air circulation (no plastic bags) and start using it. As it seasons, you can decide whether you prefer seasoned or green.
I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!
MichaelCentral Connecticut -
Nope. And the bark is not an issue
[social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others] -
saluki2007 said:I'm assuming the tree is still alive? If so, I would say a couple months if you strip the bark off and let sit out side.Born and raised in NOLA. Now live in East TN.
-
you can use some right away but it seasons fine in a few days if you cut it up as 1 inch thick disks and leave it in the sun for a couple of days. i use the miter saw. i dont normally use huge chunks of green wood but i do use a knife and whittle down green sugar maple into shavings/chips and use that frequently. to me, green sugar maple is hard to beat. as for the bark, i peel shagbark hickory bark right off the tree and toss it directly into the pit for smoke the bbq legends that made up all these rules are just legends in their own mindsfukahwee maineyou can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
-
fishlessman said:the bbq legends that made up all these rules are just legends in their own minds
my only rule: just TRY stuff and figure it out.
[social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others] -
Darby_Crenshaw said:fishlessman said:the bbq legends that made up all these rules are just legends in their own minds
my only rule: just TRY stuff and figure it out.
I think I know who you are referring to that uses green wood. If it is who I think, he is getting away with using green wood because he is cooking hot and fast. I personally would not try that cooking low and slow on a BGE. -
I just pruned my apple tree this spring. I'm using that wood now to smoke. I usually just quarter 6" diameter limbs and leave them 8" in length. Toss 'em right in with the lump~ John - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
XL BGE, LG BGE, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven, King Disc
Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers! -
~ John - https://www.instagram.com/hoosier_egger
XL BGE, LG BGE, KJ Jr, PK Original, Ardore Pizza Oven, King Disc
Bloomington, IN - Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers! -
I've used green, but mostly seasoned. Had a bunch of green peach. There were fellows that said fruit woods w. the sap still in them added fruit flavor. I didn't notice any.
I usually go w. seasoned 'cause the amount of water that has to steam out of the wood is enough it delays the time till the "good smoke" starts.
-
ColtsFan said:
This wood is seasoning nicely. You can tell that by the checking (cracking) on the ends of the pieces. -
smokeyw said:Darby_Crenshaw said:fishlessman said:the bbq legends that made up all these rules are just legends in their own minds
my only rule: just TRY stuff and figure it out.
I think I know who you are referring to that uses green wood. If it is who I think, he is getting away with using green wood because he is cooking hot and fast. I personally would not try that cooking low and slow on a BGE.
there is no issue using green wood in a BGE in the amounts we're using. these are not stick burners eating up a cord of wood
[social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others] -
This came up in one the BBQ classes I was taking a couple years ago and the person giving the class says he usually lets fresh wood season for about 6 months before using, but those are what he fallows. I wood at least give it a few days to a week if I was using it.XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas GrillKansas City, Mo.
-
gdenby said:I've used green, but mostly seasoned. Had a bunch of green peach. There were fellows that said fruit woods w. the sap still in them added fruit flavor. I didn't notice any.
I usually go w. seasoned 'cause the amount of water that has to steam out of the wood is enough it delays the time till the "good smoke" starts.
when you season the wood, the water is the only that is lost. sugars remain.
some find that the water in a BGE (pan or from water in wood, etc.) helps with smoke ring formation.
but there's nothing in green wood that isn't in seasoned, except water. not in any great amount anyway
[social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others] -
Darby_Crenshaw said:smokeyw said:Darby_Crenshaw said:fishlessman said:the bbq legends that made up all these rules are just legends in their own minds
my only rule: just TRY stuff and figure it out.
I think I know who you are referring to that uses green wood. If it is who I think, he is getting away with using green wood because he is cooking hot and fast. I personally would not try that cooking low and slow on a BGE.
there is no issue using green wood in a BGE in the amounts we're using. these are not stick burners eating up a cord of wood
I don't agree. Green wood creates creosote when it smolders such as in the mix of lump. Creosote smells bad and will impart a bad taste into the food. Stick burners can only get away with it when they burn a small, hot fire. If they choke it down, they will also have an issue with the creosote taste. I have seen it many times. I will say however, that small pieces of wood don't take a long time to dry out enough to use. Fist size hunks should be fine in a month or so. -
Philicious said:saluki2007 said:I'm assuming the tree is still alive? If so, I would say a couple months if you strip the bark off and let sit out side.
I have two cut up Apple trees and it worked great green and it works great now that they have seasoned for a while. Just cut it into chunk size you want and go for it.Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large. -
Drive some copper nails into the tree so you have a lot more Apple wood in a year or soLawrenceville, GA
Categories
- All Categories
- 182.7K EggHead Forum
- 15.7K Forum List
- 459 EGGtoberfest
- 1.9K Forum Feedback
- 10.3K Off Topic
- 2.2K EGG Table Forum
- 1 Rules & Disclaimer
- 9K Cookbook
- 12 Valentines Day
- 91 Holiday Recipes
- 223 Appetizers
- 516 Baking
- 2.4K Beef
- 88 Desserts
- 163 Lamb
- 2.4K Pork
- 1.5K Poultry
- 30 Salads and Dressings
- 320 Sauces, Rubs, Marinades
- 543 Seafood
- 175 Sides
- 121 Soups, Stews, Chilis
- 35 Vegetarian
- 100 Vegetables
- 312 Health
- 292 Weight Loss Forum