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Wood season/cure time

BizGreenEgg
BizGreenEgg Posts: 301
in EggHead Forum
We recently moved into a new place and have a couple apple trees on the property.  I have begun trimming these, as they were in quite bad shape and have been hanging on to some of the larger pieces to use as my smoking wood.  For those of you who have access to your own smoking wood supplies, how long do you let it dry/cure/season before using it?  I've read that if it's too green, it will be pretty bitter.
Large BGE & mini stepchild & a KJ Jr.
The damp PNW 
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Comments

  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,261
    I have cooked with apple, a couple weeks off the tree, and some two-three years off the tree, the fresher the cut, the less I use. Stored correctly, apple can provide a quite a few years of good smoked flavor. Apple chunks found in most grilling areas of retail stores have at least a year or so since harvesting.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    I was always told "seasoned" wood meant through the seasons Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter here in the Midwest.  So roughly one year from when it was cut, chopped, split, and stacked.

    Maybe Darb could write a thesis, shed some light.   
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,597
    cut some small chunks and give it a week or two,  the sap is really flowing in the northern trees right now. the smaller the chunks the quicker they dry, ill use a pocket knife and get shavings off a maple, they are great a day or two later. if you want to save some for next year, leave it in a log and cut it up next year, it will stay fresher
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    edited April 2016

     
    For the most part, smoke wood is good whether green or seasoned. The bitterness issue that a lot of "a buddy told me once" advice refers to perhaps kicks (re: green/unseasoned wood) maybe if you are burning a ton of it in a stick burner (in which case SGH can weigh in). 

    But in a BGE, you won't have any issues either way. Bark off or on. Green or not

    more than one trophy winner proclaims seasoned is the only way. And more than one old timer conversely swears by using green wood. 

    Try it out for yourself. 

    If the smoke smells good, it will taste good. 

    Edit: if you'd like, @focker, you can ping me privately and let me know when it was that i p!ssed in your cheerios. I mean, i can't unp!ss, but maybe i can kiss the boo-boo so you don't have to keep making indirect references and cute little knowing comments all the time. Kinda beating around the bush doesn't seem your style. Apologies for that time i [insert-offence-here]. Now let's just move on. Fist-bump
    [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]

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    If it's still attached to the ground, that's too soon. Once cut, you're good to go. Never noticed "bitter". Green or not, bark or not.

    If you are determined to season it, the smaller the piece, the quicker it will season. Also, wood cut in the dead of winter will season more quickly than wood cut in the spring when the sap is at it's peak. Keep it dry, let air circulate through it as much as you can, don't wrap or cover it in plastic to keep it dry (it won't).

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • BizGreenEgg
    BizGreenEgg Posts: 301
    Thanks for the comments guys.  I have a 5 gal bucket with it cut up sitting in the garage to dry.  I'll be stacking the larger branches in a dry area to cut up at a later date as needed.
    Large BGE & mini stepchild & a KJ Jr.
    The damp PNW 
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited April 2016
    Darby_Crenshaw said:

     
    For the most part, smoke wood is good whether green or seasoned. The bitterness issue that a lot of "a buddy told me once" advice refers to perhaps kicks (re: green/unseasoned wood) maybe if you are burning a ton of it in a stick burner (in which case SGH can weigh in). 

    But in a BGE, you won't have any issues either way. Bark off or on. Green or not

    more than one trophy winner proclaims seasoned is the only way. And more than one old timer conversely swears by using green wood. 

    Try it out for yourself. 

    If the smoke smells good, it will taste good. 

    Edit: if you'd like, @focker, you can ping me privately and let me know when it was that i p!ssed in your cheerios. I mean, i can't unp!ss, but maybe i can kiss the boo-boo so you don't have to keep making indirect references and cute little knowing comments all the time. Kinda beating around the bush doesn't seem your style. Apologies for that time i [insert-offence-here]. Now let's just move on. Fist-bump
    Huh????

    I don't eat cheerios.  Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  Old people eat cheerios.  
    Why can't you unp!ss?

    You can lick my boo-boo.  We can chat about that offline.

    "Indirect references and cute little knowing comments all the time"?
    The BGD Brunswick Stew comment was in reference to squirrel being traditionally used for that dish.  Nothing more.   Would love to chat about "all" the others?  I'm confused.   

    Your assessment is dead on.  You seem like a guy like that likes to hear yourself talk.  Was only bustin balls.    

    No need for apolgoies.

    Butthurt was not intended.  

    Fist-bump blown up. 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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