Follow-up ? on Beech for smokin'

NoVA Bill

Like I said yesterday I have a lot Beech trees on my property. After your replies I'm convinced Beech will be a good smokin' wood.

Question: how long should the green wood age before using for smokin'?

Here's a shot of my wood bucket with the test pieces of Beech.

I have access to larger limbs but this was from a quick trim job.

Thanks,

vidalia1

Most folks say to let it dry 4-6 months but i was watching the FN and they was a throwdon with a BBQ guy out of Richmond. He only uses green apple wood to smoke with....so I don't know for sure...I am sure others will chime in...personally I let mine go at least 3 months....

NoVA Bill

Kim.

I appreciate the windage on seasoning the wood. Guess I should get some Hickory, Oak, Maple and Beech wood cut to start the process. Well now... I have a to-do to add to my list (this one is fun though).

Thanks!!

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Wood seems to dry best here in northern MN in the winter (much drier air) and for the most part, I season my smoke-woods going on a year.
Because of the sizes being smaller....They may be ready sooner, but I think I would still go 6 to 8 months in dry weather.
You can do so in the "can", just don't cover it.

nbrdnck

from my experiance let it dry for a few weeks if you are only using it to smoke with. if you are using it for fuel also then i would go with the 6 month drying. if its for smoking with then you dont really have to soak it in the water its already weet with sap and from what i understand the sap of beeck isnt harmful. i have gone out and cut hickory and peacan and thrown in my uds that same day you just get a heavy smoke so use fewer piece and they still bun as fuel just a little later in the process.

gdenby

Aging depends on thickness, and how green the wood was to begin with. Also where you are drying. I cut some wood in the fall, and left it to dry in the garage. By spring, the only pieces that were usable were disks about 1/2 inch thick. By mid-July, 6" thick log chunks were dry.

Don't store your sticks in a bucket. Best bet is to stack them with lots of air flow. Once dried, a paper bag is usually a good way to store.

You should notice that the weight has decreased a lot by the time the wood is ready to use.

You can smoke with green wood, but boy will it smoke! With all the moisture being driven out, there's a good chance for forming creosote.

fishlessman

i would split some with a hatchet so they dry quicker and leave the rest as is. i keep my smoking wood in the attic, with the my coal stove burning it would be ready by tday.

NoVA Bill

Thanks!

NoVA Bill

Great thanks!

NoVA Bill

Thank you.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Need to chime in once more regarding smoke wood…
My late Uncle and Auntie smoked / cured a lot or meat over the years, and yes they are both gone now, but would be / were in their mid to late 80’s…With a knowledge base that was so LARGE that we / I couldn’t even realize it!!!!! In my mind, age is wisdom!!
One thing that stands out in my memories is Uncle saying that the smoke wood “needs to be dry or you just get steam and creosote…Not REAL flavor”. That is why I advocate for the long dry time for smoke wood.
Right or wrong…It’s what I do anymore!!
Can’t really say what / why, but there are times I wish for the wisdom of my grandparents, there grandparents and any of their siblings and off springs.
I can still pick my mother (88) and father’s (87) brain and get some pretty good help…
Thank God! I am blessed with still having my parents about me!
OTOH, sometimes I feel I have lost so much from the older folk, which will never be recovered!

BobS

When I lived in Tennessee, I used to cut my own hickory and I always liked fresh cut better than the older cured stuff.

I also cut small trees (2"-3") and left the bark on.

I would try some now and then after it has dried and see what you like.

NoVA Bill

Thanks for your input. I sure understand your feelings about the grandparents.

NoVA Bill

Thanks Bob,

I'll also go after the smaller Beech wood just too much of it around in the form of low hanging branches. Hope I can reach some Hickory as I have an "order" in for some already. :huh: Else there will always be the winter storms.