Drying fresh wood chips

[luvlaa]

I have pruned my Apple tree and made wood chips which I intend to use for smoking food. How long should I leave the fresh wood chips to dry? They are stored in perforated baskets in a garage loft.

 

[reents]

My guess would be 3 months. what I do (not sure if right or not) I weight my bag at first time say weighs 1# every 15  days latter or when I remmber to do it I check agian may be down to 3/4# any way I keep doing this until the weight stays about the same and them I'm eady to use.This tells me how much moisture can out.

 

[geerock]

I wouldn't leave them in a basket...perforated or not. If you do you will wait a long time to dry and may find mold forming on apple chips. If you're in a warm climate just spread them out on a tarp in the sun for a week or more, or in a garage or closed area with a fan moving the air. I live near an orchard and get chips and chunks all the time and it won't take you 3 months, maybe couple of weeks turning them a few times for chips. A month or a bit more for chunks.