Smoking Woods..........bark or no bark??

[skyclad]

Hello to all SmokeLovers!

I got a loaded question for you guys today, and I'm wondering what the general consensus will be..  I just got a small load of apple wood from a buddy that chopped down his apple tree the other day..  I now have to cure it (wondering how long and procedure for that part) and also, wondering if what I read in one of my BBQ books was valid..........."use wood chunks without bark"..  Is this total BS or do I now have to deBark my wood chunks..??  You can probably tell what I would like to hear on this one.....:)

Thanks in advance for any info you guys might have on this....

S

 

[joe black]

If there's no mold on the bark, burn it. I cut and split all my wood with the anticipation of letting it cure 10-12 months. I just read an article by Myron Mixon and he says that curing fruit wood that long let's all of the sugars dry out. He says that the sugars are what gives the fruit wood it's flavor. He knows a lot more about that than I do, so I guess that's the best advice. I will still cure my nut woods longer.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Apple Bark is thin and no issue. Most of the " bark off " guys are talking splits of hickory and other wood with thick bark that can cause a bitter flavor. With sticks and trunk wood <5" kept dry, you will be good for the spring and summer season...JJ

 

[SmokinAl]

I never bother to take the bark off, & I use mostly oak & hickory.

Al

 

[wade]

Thin bark is fine. If the bark is thick and flakes off easily then remove it - otherwise leave it on.

 

[niallam]

I've always left the bark on mine when the tree has a nice clean bark.
Last few times I've gotten Apple wood it's been from very shaded areas and has a much greener and sometimes mossy bark so I take it off when it's like that alright.

Apple and beech

image.jpeg

• niallam
• Oct 16, 2016

Apple I was getting help cutting :) I took the bark off all this before starting to dry it.

image.jpeg

• niallam
• Oct 16, 2016

In Ireland the only source of Hickory is the 1kg weber chunks and all them bags have bark on the chunks in them.