Wood Slabs

ulikadawgs · 02-27-2006, 04:07 PM

has anyone ever used wood slabs from a sawmill? I can get a bundle (defined as a big truck load) of hickory slabs for $30. I think that the slabs are the bark sides of the wood that the sawmill can't really use.

Wildcat · 02-27-2006, 04:31 PM

I haven't used them myself but a lot of BBQ joints around Western Ky use them.

BBQchef33 · 02-27-2006, 05:00 PM

If KC be here, he'd be the expert, but i think i remember him saying as long as they are not treated in anyway, they're fine... cept if they're kiln dried, they gonna burn real quick. Theres a thread somewhere around here about using sawmill, cabinet and furniture wood.

LostNation · 02-27-2006, 05:08 PM

My nephew used to get me hickory slabs at a local mill. Most mills cut wood green and de-bark it. I should ask him about hickory again, I do have about 10 cords of green cherry for the future.

Brauma · 02-27-2006, 05:14 PM

We call them "laps" but they're all pine around here. And it is usually all bark. If you can get hickory laps with a good amount of wood on em, try em.

Kevin · 02-27-2006, 08:10 PM

I used to heat my house with em. Up here it's cottonwood so no good for cooking with. If they are fresh from the mill they will be water soaked. Just give them time to cure and you got some nice wood.

1MoreFord · 02-27-2006, 08:18 PM

Slabs are the outer parts of the tree cut off to square the log up before cutting into lumber or cross ties. Depending on whether the mill has and uses a de-barker or not they may or may not have bark on them. They will be cut green and not have any chemicals on them.

Just remember they're going to be ~8ft long and will need to be cut to length and split to size too.

Bearing these things in mind they'll work just fine. Wish I had a good local supply of 'em.

Yakfishingfool · 02-27-2006, 08:23 PM

Is there an age for wood to be good to smoke with? Assumin not green, can it be to old? Scott

parrothead · 02-27-2006, 08:36 PM

Depending on condotions anywhere wrom 6 months to a year for curing. As far as to old, if it's not punky, or moldy you can go ahead and use it, it will just lose some of it's flavoring ability.

racer_81 · 02-27-2006, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildcat

I haven't used them myself but a lot of BBQ joints around Western Ky use them.

Yep. And they work out mighty fine.

jt · 02-28-2006, 07:21 AM

I've got a lot of white oak lumber I bought from an Amish sawmill. Some of it I never got around to using and now it's so hard it breaks drill bits. Makes great smoking wood.

If the bark is thick cut it off. If not then leave it on unless it's moldy.

02-27-2006, 04:07 PM	#1
ulikadawgs Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 02-01-05 Location: Nashville, TN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Wood Slabs has anyone ever used wood slabs from a sawmill? I can get a bundle (defined as a big truck load) of hickory slabs for $30. I think that the slabs are the bark sides of the wood that the sawmill can't really use. __________________ --------------- Ulika BBQ Team [url]www.ulikabbq.com[/url] --------------- Custom 14 ft trailer smoker NB Bandera --------------- Ribs and Whiskey Let's Smoke Some Butts

02-27-2006, 05:00 PM	#3
BBQchef33 Grand Poobah and Site Admin Join Date: 08-11-03 Location: Long Island, NY Downloads: 10 Uploads: 4	If KC be here, he'd be the expert, but i think i remember him saying as long as they are not treated in anyway, they're fine... cept if they're kiln dried, they gonna burn real quick. Theres a thread somewhere around here about using sawmill, cabinet and furniture wood. __________________ Site Administrator and Grand PooBah CBJ with a Fuzzy Blue Hat, 18 Foot Competition Trailer, Customized Klose BYC, Custom Klose built MoAB (Mother of All Banderas) passed on to Big Dog, 1 Double Barreled Lang 84, 1 Heavily Modified Bionic Bandera, 1 Custom Super Medium Stickburning Spicewine w/stoker, 1 XL BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 1 Pit Barrel Cooker, 3 WSMs, 3 Weber Kettles, an NB Hondo, A Modified Brinkman Horizontal, DCS 48" Grill, a Broilmaster P3, a covered, pellet pooping FEC100, and our duck died. :( News Flash: "A mans worth is judged by the weight of his integrity " You know your getting older when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy Smoke on KC. WWW.BBQ-BRETHREN.COM

02-27-2006, 05:08 PM	#4
LostNation Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-15-05 Location: Essex Jct. Vermont Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	My nephew used to get me hickory slabs at a local mill. Most mills cut wood green and de-bark it. I should ask him about hickory again, I do have about 10 cords of green cherry for the future. __________________ Rich Decker www.lostnationvt.com

02-27-2006, 05:14 PM	#5
Brauma Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-04-05 Location: Goochland, VA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	We call them "laps" but they're all pine around here. And it is usually all bark. If you can get hickory laps with a good amount of wood on em, try em. __________________ Mark - part of Cat Sass BBQ Team. Community Development VP - Secret Squirrel Society (but we don't exist) Member: Mid Atlantic BBQ Association. Member: KCBS. CBJ # 31818 "Life's too short to drink cheap beer or eat crotchpot BBQ" NB Bandera - refurbished; Two Big Green Eggs: Poncho - Large, and Lefty - Small; Weber Kettles; 6' fire pit; Super fast Blue Thermapen

02-27-2006, 08:10 PM	#6
Kevin Moderator Join Date: 02-06-05 Location: Southern Minnesota Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I used to heat my house with em. Up here it's cottonwood so no good for cooking with. If they are fresh from the mill they will be water soaked. Just give them time to cure and you got some nice wood. __________________ Kevin

02-27-2006, 04:31 PM	#2
Wildcat Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-04-05 Location: Kentucky Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I haven't used them myself but a lot of BBQ joints around Western Ky use them.

02-27-2006, 08:18 PM	#7
1MoreFord is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 03-14-05 Location: N. Little Rock and Hot Springs, Arkansas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Slabs are the outer parts of the tree cut off to square the log up before cutting into lumber or cross ties. Depending on whether the mill has and uses a de-barker or not they may or may not have bark on them. They will be cut green and not have any chemicals on them. Just remember they're going to be ~8ft long and will need to be cut to length and split to size too. Bearing these things in mind they'll work just fine. Wish I had a good local supply of 'em.

02-27-2006, 08:23 PM	#8
Yakfishingfool Babbling Farker Join Date: 10-01-05 Location: Shokan, New York Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Is there an age for wood to be good to smoke with? Assumin not green, can it be to old? Scott __________________ Oh It'z BBQ! 6 Kayaks(tarpon 160i, 2 tarpon 120's, a hobie outback, hobie tandem, and a Kaskazi Dorado) 1 Weber Gold Series Grill 1 Spicewine Large on a trailer 1 WSM 1 Smokey Joe Platinum 1 XL Big Green Egg KCBS Certified Judge #9079

02-27-2006, 08:36 PM	#9
parrothead somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Port Saint Lucie, FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Depending on condotions anywhere wrom 6 months to a year for curing. As far as to old, if it's not punky, or moldy you can go ahead and use it, it will just lose some of it's flavoring ability. __________________ Greg American Picker Blog

02-28-2006, 07:21 AM	#11
jt Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-10-04 Location: BFE Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've got a lot of white oak lumber I bought from an Amish sawmill. Some of it I never got around to using and now it's so hard it breaks drill bits. Makes great smoking wood. If the bark is thick cut it off. If not then leave it on unless it's moldy. __________________ I didn't hijack the thread. I just took it in a completely different direction. Spicewine, 2 Dutch Ovens, Weber OTP, 18 " Weber Kettle, White Mountain Ice Cream Freezer, Whirly Pop, Cast Iron Hot Dog cooker, and a 10 year old. Moink. RIP - my NB Bandera "Sweet Blue to all" - E

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