Wild Cherry

[nick]

Hi Guys,
On my property, I have a lot of wild cherry trees growing. most of them are a few inches in diameter but a couple are up to 8 inches in diameter.
These are the trees that produce the tiny cherries that some folks make a wine out of called "cherrybounce". Can I use this wood to smoke with? If so, how long should I let it cure before I do?
I also have water oaks over here. Same questions as above. Can I use this type of oak? I read through this thread and came across Dutch's post stating that you can use all types of cherry wood. I just didn't know if that included wild cherry trees also.
Thanks.
Nick

 

[earache_my_eye]

Hiya Nick......I'm pretty sure if the wood has the word "cherry" involved in it's name.....it's good to smoke with....

As for seasoning it....it will depend partly on how far you break the limbs/logs down. If you were to cut it into rounds an inch or two thick, it will take less time to dry out than if you cut it into 16" logs and leave it to dry. Generally, cut and split wood takes somewhere from 3 to 6 months to season. Logs that are only cut to length can take a year or more depending on their diameter.

Hope this helps,
Eric

 

[richtee]

Never had a bad cherry. Grin.

 

[travcoman45]

Nick: that cherry is a good score, just cuter to the size ya wan't ta use. If yer a chunk man, thated be how I'd do it, Ifin ya ain't got that much time cutter to bout 12 inchs long and split em. They'll take less time curin that way. Ifin that oak is nice and hard, should be able to smoke with that as well. Good luck!

 

[capt dan]

, OH MY RICH !

Yes , that will make some great wood, and at least 6 months for that small of a tree should work. Just got done cutting and splitting up a huge cherry in my back yard that was about 75-80 feet high and about 28 inches in diameter. Twas a good amount o wood, and it will take at least 6 months for that to be ready for my stickburner. Got a load of seasoned mullberry today, that stuff is gonna be torched up a lil next weekend for sure, along with the red oak that I usually burn!