Fresh Apple Wood question

[shriv]

Can I smoke with freshly cut apple wood or does it need to dry. If it needs to dry can I just dry it in the smoker? Any creasote issues?Thanks
Shriv

 

[sumosmoke]

If I'm correct any type of wood that's green will give you creoste problems. You'll want to let that stuff season for a few months, depending on where you live (the warmer climate the faster the wood will cure) before letting its smoke touch the meat IMO.

 

[mossymo]

My preference would be to split it and let it dry a year, but there are some smokers that like using fresh cut; some of these people are even quite involved in bqq competitions. Goes to show everyone has there own methods and thoughts about what is the right way.

As far as creosote I feel leaving your exhaust damper wide open during the smoke will provide the air flow needed in the smokers to avoid creosote taste to the product.

 

[ddave]

I would let it air dry for at least six months. But that's just me.

As a former dry kiln operator, I can tell you you are not going to get it "dry" in the smoker. At least not during the course of a normal smoke. You will get lots of steam from it though as fresh wood from live trees contains a lot of moisture and eventually it will smoke but it won't be the nice thin blue smoke that you desire. Green wood smoldering makes yucky tasting smoke that you don't want your meat to bathe in.

Dave

 

[rivet]

I wrestled with posting an answer to your question today, and DDAVE put it best. There's no way green wood can be forced into a good smoke.

Let it sit, let it dry. The results on a bad day wil be far better than an early smoke. My opinion only.

 

[shriv]

Thanks everyone. I will split it and let it dry. I may try to put some in the smoker on a rack at 250 for a few hours to see if it drys out as an experiment.
Thanks,
Shriv

 

[adb551]

I say let it dry, but I think 3 months is plenty. 1 month may be plenty if it is split. Fruit wood is, in my experience, the easiest wood to "over smoke" with. Oak and Hickory are much more forgiving when on the green side.

 

[creative rock]

i am a woodworker amongst many things.... put in oven, or smoker, or dehydrator... it is like kiln drying wood... At the moment I do not have time standards to tell you how long... from memory, weigh the wood before starting, fresh cut, put in and check the weight loss by losing water... I wish i had more info... will have to research it again, to find the right weight loss. When it stablizes, if I recall, you are at your relative humitity... you will good to go.

all of the above without researching so don't hold me to it, please ;)

Matt
aka Rocky