Apple Wood Question

[wsmsteveo]

I got some apple wood for free from this guy who owns an orchard here in MA. Some of it was green so i split it and chopped it into chunks on the mitre saw and am waiting a good 6 months before i use it in the WSM.

My question is about the other seasoned applewood. Im guessing its fairly seasoned, possibly even a little on the old side. It is a dark red almost brown color, and under the bark looks like it has some termites or other little critters. They made trails on the surface of the wood where I'm guessing they burrowed. Is this wood good to smoke with or will the insects make the wood taste terrible?

Thanks a lot
Steve

 

[bassman]

As long as it isn't rotten, just the trails won't hurt anything. I would split some open into smaller pieces and see if it's solid inside. If it's falling apart, I don't think I'd use it.

 

[bw0529]

as Bassman said.... i have a lot of apple trees on my land and as long as its not rotten, it works great.

 

[geek with fire]

Last year one of my big apple trees split during a storm. When I got the chainsaw out there I noticed that the center of the largest trunk was hollow and was crawling with carpenter ants. I chopped and chunked up the "good" pieces and piled up anything that looked like it had been chewed on. I started a big fire and starting throwing the "bad" wood in. It only took about 30 minutes before I realized "bad" wood still smells like good ol' apple wood.

I've found that apple wood is is good almost to the point of being rotten. Those pieces that are almost soft, I pre-burn and still use. So I guess the point I'm trying to make is, use it, you will be glad you did.

 

[wsmsteveo]

No i chopped around all the rotting pieces that were black and soft. The pieces that had the bug trails were solid as anything but I was more concerned about the insects in the smoke.
I was unsure about the color because the green pieces i chunked up are so light in color versus the well seasoned stuff thats nice and dark.

 

[rivet]

They smoked critters add to the "taste experience"

 

[alx]

I mill alot of lumber and air dry large beams,paneling etc.You are probably seeing wood boreres under bark which make the trails in sapwood-effective control is to remove all bark-expose wood to air circulation and shelter from rain..I square all my smoking wood and cut trees into square cants.Many woods darken in color when exsposed to air-good example is wild cherry which darkens very much in short period.I would not worry about the insects effecting smoke as they should be long gone after proper seasoning-termites,postbeetles excluded.