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How long to let fresh cut wood dry before cooking?

busmania
busmania Posts: 414
in EggHead Forum
I just cut down an apple tree with a friend.  Im anxious to use the wood as my old stash is running out.  HOw long do I need to let it dry for?  Can I use it "fresh?"  Im in Colorado where it is VERY dry so I was thinking it would dry faster than some other areas. 
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Comments

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    It doesn't need to season. Okay to use now. If you want to wait, wood that small will dry quickly. Leave it in a sunny location with plenty of air circulation. Keep it dry of course.

    Me? I just prune a branch and toss it in the egg.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,806
    As noted by @Carolina_Q-green is fine-may take a bit in the BGE to release the water but if you can air dry for a while then so much the better.  And location does matter-as the wood will only dry to the general ambient air moisture content.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 6,134
    I've used it green and dry. If I had other wood on hand I would wait and let it dry. If not I would go ahead and use it. I prefer to let it dry for a few weeks because it seems to me that the green wood tends to gum up the inside of the dome with resin. Just my two cents.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
    I dry mine for 3-6 months per inch of thickness. I'll stack it up so plenty of air can circulate and cover before it rains.

    LBGE since 2014

    Griffin, GA 

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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,377
    Fine Woodworking (iirc) had a recent article about drying smaller pieces of wood in a gas oven, just the pilot light creates enough heat and arid air to dry smaller pieces (as in a 3" smoking chunk) in a couple weeks, that could hold you until the bigger stuff is dry.
    Just remember its sitting in the oven before preheating for a pizza!  
    :-O

    "Dumplings are just noodles that have already eaten"   - Jon Kung

    Ogden, UT, USA


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