Seasoning Wood in Smoker

matts · Jun 19, 2010

I was wondering if anyone has tried seasoning logs or chunks in their smoker. I read somewhere here about folks putting chunks on top their smoker to kinda preheat them before dropping them in the pan, but what if you have some wood that is fairly fresh. Could you use the smoker as a quick kiln to dry out the wood? If so, any ideas on time and temp. I do a lot of wood work so I have a moisture meter. I thought about using it to judge if the wood is dry enough to smoke with.

Any Thoughts?

Matt

ddave · Jun 19, 2010

I used to be a dry kiln operator in a softwood sawmill. Drying wood is done in terms of DAYS, not HOURS.

Softwoods like pine and such can be dried from green to 12% moisture content in 4 to 5 days at temps starting a 130° and ramping to 165° over a period of 4 to 5 days.

Hard woods take a lot more energy and time to dry. If you try and dry it too fast, you get cell wall collapse which for smoking wood is probably not an issue but for furniture wood is.

Yes it can be done but what it would cost you in fuel to do it would, in my opinion, outweigh the savings in time.

Dave

matts · Jun 20, 2010

Thanks Dave. I wasn't sure baking the wood could nock down a quick 20% or so if needed.

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Seasoning Wood in Smoker

matts

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