Fresh apple wood...

SensFan

Hey guys just trimmed the old apple tree and have some solid chunks I wanted to try smoking with......should I dry the wood out before I use it or is it alright to just go ahead and smoke with them??

DMW

Dry them out and then make sure you soak them before you use them )

SensFan

Or maybe I could dry them out in the egg like a kiln???

Catmandiesel

Most smoking wood is dried(seasoned) I never soak mine. I sure it help with small chips but larger pieces it barely penetrates the wood. Not sure about using it green I'm sure it would burn slower but the smoke may be a little harsh. Either way enjoy Apple is 30 bucks a bag here in Louisiana I wish I had a tree to trim.

NPHuskerFL

I used some pruned branches off our orange trees I cut back from freeze damage (l let them dry in the sun and then used them). +1 green wood isn't gonna give you a desirable smoke IMHO.

buzd504

Catmandiesel said:

Most smoking wood is dried(seasoned) I never soak mine. I sure it help with small chips but larger pieces it barely penetrates the wood. Not sure about using it green I'm sure it would burn slower but the smoke may be a little harsh. Either way enjoy Apple is 30 bucks a bag here in Louisiana I wish I had a tree to trim.

How big of a bag and where in Louisiana?  That doesn't sound right.

Skiddymarker

Dry for a few months, then throw them on. Smaller pieces, <1" can be used green, my Granny Smith tree blew over last year, I'll have enough apple for years to come. 

fishlessman

its perfectly fine to smoke with fresh green fruit wood, it has the best flavor now and it will only lose flavor as it seasons. only problem is getting it to smoke in a slow draft atmosphere like an egg but will be fine over a long low and slow

NPHuskerFL

Yes you can use "green" wood. Yes it will burn and yes it will smoke. But, IMHO you are getting such a plume of white smoke because of the moisture boiling out of the wood it can easily be overpowering vs subtle.

SenecaTheYounger

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.  There's no need to season wood before using it to smoke.

NPHuskerFL

I think the trick is to use smaller pieces vs larger chunks so the white plume clears and then you get your good smoke. @fishlessman‌ is that what you have done using green? Fact is most ppl won't run across to much green wood so it definitely is different especially when we are talking to such a broad audience (some have lots of experience smoking and some have 0).

fishlessman

NPHuskerFL said:

I think the trick is to use smaller pieces vs larger chunks so the white plume clears and then you get your good smoke. @fishlessman‌ is that what you have done using green? Fact is most ppl won't run across to much green wood so it definitely is different especially when we are talking to such a broad audience (some have lots of experience smoking and some have 0).

have used cherry, fruit woods are pretty mild anyways and in an egg you use so little. now i have some old bags of cherry and apple that have almost no flavor left so there must be a problem with overseasoning it. my go to now is hickory bark right off the tree down the street
one of the Mixon shows he used a fresh cut peach log.  my go to now is hickory bark right off the tree down the street, stike gave me some once and it took a while to find the trees but its now a lifetime supply

NPHuskerFL

I like to use cherry off the cherry wood trees we have (they often lose branches after storms) and they have served us well with bark n all. I was simply stating when you look at the forums unique audience (some old seasoned eggers and some are greener than green and this is their first experience smoking) some don't understand the difference between "good" & "bad/ undesirable" smoke. Ya know what I mean?