surface fungus on my wood!

CErnst · Oct 13, 2013

Last weekend, I spent a large part of my day chopping firewood for the winter, silver maple. I saved random chunks that were fungus free. I then put these pieces in a bucket I had laying around. I washed it out before I put the wood in because it previously held dog food. I didn't dry it all the way out, but did shake it out. I then filled it and put a lid on it, left it in the garage.

this weekend I'm doing a beef roast and went to use some of my new woood. I found a soft white fungus covering/on about 2/3 of the wood in there. SHINOLA!

Attached is a photo of one piece that had this fungus on it. to save much of my wood...could I take a wire wheel on a grinder and take that fungus off safely?

...learned a good lesson.

SmittyJonz · Oct 13, 2013

I'd burn it off.......in a fire ........before any meat went on......:shock:

Yellowhair42 · Oct 13, 2013

Burn as is.

93vpmod · Oct 13, 2013

CErnst I think you have a yeast infection on your wood!

Fwismoker · Oct 13, 2013

When wood reaches the temp to smolder burn and smoke then it's hot enough to kill any nasties....no worries.

SmittyJonz · Oct 13, 2013

If u are worried about it get charcoal going and burn the Yeasty off with handheld propane or butane torch all the while preheating your splits......:wink:

CErnst · Oct 13, 2013

okay, so as long as the growth is a fuzzy white, I'm hearing that is okay...and burning it off would be acceptable way to get rid of it. the bin did have a sweet kinda smell, perhaps yeast is it.

I remember reading that if there were mold, then it shouldn't be used to smoke with. A few pieces did have dark mold...those will go to the fireplace pile.

fantomlord · Oct 13, 2013

FYI...yeast=fungus

dwfisk · Oct 13, 2013

SmittyJonz said:
I'd burn it off.......in a fire ........before any meat went on......:shock:

Yep, not to worry. It's a shame with that pretty wood but not a problem. I preheat my splits on the firebox so that would take care of it if you have a way to preheat.

CErnst · Oct 13, 2013

I'll go to ace hardware after work and pickup a small bottle of propane for my solder torch...then spend a half hour or so scorching the wood to take care of the growth.

thanks guys!

luke duke · Oct 14, 2013

Just cook with it like you normally would.

columbia1 · Oct 14, 2013

Living up here in the rainy pacific northwest it is rare that wood does not have some type of mold on it, just burn it like normal.

ajstrider · Oct 14, 2013

So you have a plan on how to fix it but I am curious as to why you sealed it off in a bucket. I always thought you want to keep wood out where air can get to it, am I wrong on this?

pbj · Oct 14, 2013

ajstrider said:
So you have a plan on how to fix it but I am curious as to why you sealed it off in a bucket. I always thought you want to keep wood out where air can get to it, am I wrong on this?

This was my initial thought also. You need to keep air circulating or those nasties will grow. You can use it that way. The mold will just burn off.

CErnst · Oct 14, 2013

The whole effort was to primarily keep bugs away from the wood that like to eat it...then it made a convenient way to organize wood types. One of the first woods I got years ago was a large bag of mesquite that I put next to firewood I keep in the garage (to keep dry and burn better when needed). the mesquite then contracted some grub/bugs. I chopped up the mesquite and put it in a cleaned out cat litter bucket. that worked out, so I put my store bought wood chips in litter buckets. I then did the same for my cherry and mulberry. then I got the maple...didn't work out so well.

Fwismoker · Oct 15, 2013

columbia1 said:
Living up here in the rainy pacific northwest it is rare that wood does not have some type of mold on it, just burn it like normal.

Yep combustion temps kill all the bad stuff. For some folks it's the psychological thing of seeing it and thinking that they're breathing it in and eating it....By the time that wood turns into smoke it's HOT!

Okie Sawbones · Oct 15, 2013

columbia1 said:
Living up here in the rainy pacific northwest it is rare that wood does not have some type of mold on it, just burn it like normal.

Man, ain't that the truth! :shock: :rain:

HankB · Oct 15, 2013

CErnst said:
The whole effort was to primarily keep bugs away from the wood that like to eat it...

I set aside some mulberry and found it riddled with bugs when I went to use it. Since then I have taken to dusting the wood with diatomaceous earth. It's the skeletons from plankton that lived in the ocean and settled to the bottom. It's uses as an organic insecticide and also for filtration (pool filters, for example.) It kills bugs mechanically by puncturing their exoskeletons with sharp edges.

It's a mineral and won't burn. It should be harmless to eat but I would avoid inhaling it (like any dust.)

dano · Oct 15, 2013

Should burn right off....

Bludawg · Oct 15, 2013

I'd wash my hands good after handling that it might be contagious:shock:

surface fungus on my wood!

Knows what a fatty is.

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