Fruit woods losing flavor

[messy]

I have acquired a branch from a peach tree and I read on another website that if you cut fruit wood into chucks and store it the wood will lose its flavor. They say to cut it when you are ready to smoke. Does anyone know anything about this and is it true.

 

[richoso1]

I have some cherry and apple chunks that are over a year old in storage, whenever I use them they still have the same amount of flavor. And I've has the same results with alder wood.

 

[messy]

Yea, it just doesn't make sense to me that it would lose it's flavor, but I am new to this so I thought I would ask. Thanks

 

[fire it up]

Not sure since I cut what I have in logs to smoke but the chunks that I buy have always kept their flavor, even if close to a year later but never had chunks around longer than that.
Gotta figure they do tons at a time and bag them up and they probably sit around for a year or so before getting bought in some cases.

 

[pineywoods]

I don't see how a tree would loose the flavor. I don't think a peach tree would somehow become an oak once its been cut for awhile

 

[smokin relaxin steve]

Fire It Up is right... so many companys baging chunks in bulk... im sure some sit for over a year collecting dust...

I dont think I've seen a Sell By Date on my Wood... but than again there is always the blue pill...

 

[messy]

Thanks you all for your advise. I am cutting it up.

 

[wheat state smoke]

I wondered about the same thing, mainly after seeing an episode of BBQ Pitmasters where they were literally cutting fruit wood in the field that seemed destined for use in a contest the next day.

Contrary to that, the BBQ book I'm reading right now says green wood can impart a harsher smoke flavor.

Who's right here?

(maybe a test is in order? A very tasty test!)

 

[3montes]

I know I have had bag chunks of hickory lose or at least seem to it's aroma and flavor. The last bag of hickory chunks I bought I noticed this. When I first opened the bag the smell of hickory was very evident. I used one chunk on top of some coals when grilling some burgers and the hickory flavor imparted to the burgers was almost too much.

I just grilled some more burgers this past weekend and threw 4 chunks from the same bag on the coals. Could hardly notice the flavor. I posted about this awhile ago. It seems the concensus then was that wood in fact can go stale if you will. I'm guessing this would be more evident in bagged chunks or chips as I am guessing it is quite old by the time it hits the store shelves.
In addition if you live in a area where the chunks or chips aren't big sellers they maybe several years sitting on the shelf before you buy it.

 

[ralphster]

@ Wheat State Smoke: "Green" wood is just that - relatively recently cut wood that has a higher moisture content in it - which can produce off flavors if used to smoke meat.

@ Smokin Relaxin Steve: You sir are hilarious.

 

[athabaskar]

I've been wondering the same thing about some grapevine I recently cut. It is only about 1" diameter and it bled water out the ends when I cut it down. I guess I'll cut it to length for the MES and keep looking at it as it dries. It may be best to keep it a little moist.

 

[hdsmoke]

You can smoke with grape vines? WHats the flavor? And, yes grapevines will pour water out when cut depending on the time of year.

 

[smokin relaxin steve]

I have a friend from Armania (hope I spelled that right???) and all he uses is Grape Vine... I have yet to try it (obviously not a super close friend) but he said adds a great sweet flavor...

And Ralphster, thank you much... I used to do stand up about a year ago... was even on a couple of Comcast Specials... just recently decided to get back into it...

 

[mballi3011]

I to cann't see where a chunk of peach wood could change it's flavor. So it should still smeel and flavor meat like regular peach wood should.

 

[athabaskar]

I haven't tried the grapevine yet, but it is woody and does produce a fruit, so...

I'm going to walk over and gather some more today. It's only about a quarter mile from the house. I want to get it before it starts to green up.

 

[hdsmoke]

If anyone wants grapevine....let me know! I have 35 acres at my house covered in the gosh darn things! HATE THEM. Maybe i will get a little satisfaction out of cooking meat with them. Some of them are as big as small trees too. Would have to split them! I hate them so bad that i almost will have a hard time using them.

 

[treegje]

I've already used them for grilling

in the French wine regions they use anything else for grilling on
There I first used it for grilling,here in belgium I must go to buy grapevine
So I use them not so much
I will try smoking with them,good idea

 

[DanMcG]

Could it be that the wood is drier, so it burns faster and doesn't impart as much smoke on the meat as it use to? just a thought.