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View Full Version : Shelf life of wood chunks?


Kirk
08-24-2012, 09:25 AM
I have some wood chunked up for smoking that has to be at least 6 yrs old and I'm wondering if the fragrant quality of them will be diminished? Also wondering if I should soak them for a while before I use them or if I should just use them as is. Opinions?

NivekD
08-24-2012, 09:41 AM
They should be fine. As long as there is no mold. I never soak my wood. Why dry it out and then get it wet again? :noidea:

MS2SB
08-24-2012, 12:54 PM
Shouldn't be any downside to having something seasoned for that long.

fweck
08-24-2012, 01:47 PM
As a carpenter I have cut wood close to a hundred years old, and it smells the same as wood that was logged 6 months ago. Shouldn't be anything wrong with it.

deguerre
08-24-2012, 01:50 PM
I do believe the question has been answered.

Kirk
08-24-2012, 05:27 PM
Normally I wouldn't consider soaking them but I used some last weekend and I hardly got any smoke from my WSM, even though I put more than the normal amount of chunks in there. I think it may have had more to do with way the fire was lit. Instead of dumping 15 hot coals or on top of the basket, my buddy did a good half a chimney. Normally I sneak up on 250-275 over a half hour or so but it only took a couple minutes this time. I think things were just burning too fast to give me good smoke.

I guess the real lesson is here, if I have wood chunks laying around for that long, I'm not smoking enough. I have all kinds of stuff to use up. Guava, apple, cherry, mesquite, hickory, pecan... I better get at it.

IamMadMan
08-24-2012, 07:13 PM
There is no real shelf life as long as the wood has never molded or had fungus growing on it. Would you loose a little bit of smoke on 6 year old wood? Who knows, I am sure it would be negligible if any at all.

I would never soak wood before using, you could create poor combustion and possibly make the food slightly bitter.

Chef Jim
08-24-2012, 07:23 PM
Use it!!!!!

Kirk
08-24-2012, 07:34 PM
I'm not going to soak it but I don't think it would have a negative effect. I'll just be more careful when starting the fire this time and see if that was it.

IamMadMan
08-25-2012, 06:37 AM
Normally I wouldn't consider soaking them but I used some last weekend and I hardly got any smoke from my WSM, even though I put more than the normal amount of chunks in there. I think it may have had more to do with way the fire was lit. Instead of dumping 15 hot coals or on top of the basket, my buddy did a good half a chimney.


Remember the smoke we want is almost invisible and that different woods have different levels of smoke and different tastes which are imparted into the meat. Also temperature also effects the smoke penetration into meat. As the meat cooks it takes on less of the smoke flavor.

Kirk
08-25-2012, 09:37 AM
The smoke I want is just a nice wisp of blue. The usual progression of smoke from the time I light the cooker is lots of light gray from the initial dump of hot coals, lighter gray as the fire moves into the basket, a light wisp of blue when the fire is just right and then no smoke at all after the first few hours. My issue was that there was hardly any smoke right from the beginning. I'm pretty convinced it was just due to an incorrect execution of the Minion method. No worries though, I'm pretty sure the next run will be normal.

swamprb
08-25-2012, 10:00 AM
There are some very good articles from my BBQ Mentor and friend Rick Naug at his Apple Creek Timber Inc. site. A lot have to do with flavor profiles, burn rates, moisture content, and his special preference.

He's been in the wood business and a BBQ'r for a long time and know his stuff.

http://www.applecreektimberinc.com/modules/AMS/index.php?storytopic=1

Check it out- its worth bookmarking.

Kirk
08-25-2012, 10:41 AM
^^^ Thanks man, I'll have to peruse that site when I get a few minutes.