No wood to buy, but it's everwhere!?

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crabjoe

Is lookin for wood to cook with.
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Sorry for such a noob question but I'm at a loss.. Being new, I'm not sure where to get consumables...

I hit up the Walmart and Lowes today looking for different wood chunks for smoke, but I didn't see any. Lowes some chopped wood for a camp fire, but nothing for a smoker... Then I was like, why should I buy wood? There's wood everywhere near my.. Now I have questions.. as someone that knows nothing about smoking, other than what I've seen in Youtube videos and just reading stuff online.

My questions now are can any wood be used other than stuff like Pine.. The stuff that people normally burn in a a fireplace? I know Oak, Hickory, Apple and Pecan seem to be popular, but why not maple, walnut or even from a peach tree?

Can I use green wood? I've got a couple apple and peach trees... heck, even a black walnut tree, in my yard. Can U saw off a thick branch and use it? If I do use it, does it need to be seasoned or can I through a few green chunks on the coals?

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Maple, walnut, and peach will work great, almost any hardwood. I have some almond and peach firewood that I use in my stick burner. It needs to be seasoned though. Green wood will produce nasty smoke and gunk stuff up with creosote.
 
Gimmethecash said:
Green wood will produce nasty smoke and gunk stuff up with creosote.
Click to expand...

How long should I season the wood? If its say 3 or 4 inches thick, and I brought it inside, do you think I can get away with using it in 6-8weeks?
 
I think most hardwoods need a year or so, Oak can take 2 years. No way 6-8 weeks is going to be enough.
 
Most sources I’ve read recommended a moisture content of 20% or less. I bought a truck load of split oak in Feb. of this year that had been cut and split about 7 months before. I resplit half of it to fit my Shirley 24x36 and what I’m using now is in the 15% range. I’m guessing it’s been cut about 14 months.
 
English Walnut is good but stay away from black walnut.
 
This chart here should help guide you a bit while you're figuring everything out.

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I have a large offset and I use Craigslist to get my wood. I just search "firewood" and it comes up with a ton of different people who have cured hardwoods ready to sell....most of the time they're not cured all the way, but it's usually cured enough to where I can work with it.

Good luck!
 
Check with lawncare/landscaping firms and tree trimmers. If there are any pecan groves or orchards around be sure to check with them.
 
1MoreFord said:
Check with lawncare/landscaping firms and tree trimmers. If there are any pecan groves or orchards around be sure to check with them.
Click to expand...

I've got a few peach and apple orchards around me.. I also have a couple of Apple, Peach, Persimmon, and Pear trees on my yard.. I haven't trimmed any of them for a couple years so they all need trimming....

I was googling about how to season wood for smoking and the 1st link that came up said free trees could be used green. https://mybackyardlife.com/how-to-season-wood-for-smoking/ This is contrary to what everyone is saying here..

Other than possibly ruining in flavor, a piece of meat, is there any reason to not giving green apple wood?
 
You can also look in the "free" section of CL and get wood for the future. Specially after a storm
 
One thing I don't see any of us seem to be smart enough to ask.

What kind of smoker do you have?

Since that determines the size of wood pieces you're looking for and what some answers will be we should know that.

I have, for example, used green hickory. But it was only a few small pieces for smoke flavor on a charcoal base fire. I wouldn't try to use green hickory, or any other species, of any larger size to feed a stick burner.
 
I’m surprised Lowe’s and Home Dept don’t have chunks of smoke wood by you. That is where I buy mine. It’s usually near the smokers and pellets. Ace hardware by me also sells Weber smokers and wood chunks.

All the wood you have laying around is green. Believe it or not you have to season smokewood. I used to get a small stack of cherry for my fireplace from a guy who sold chords of firewood. I have cut it into fist size chunks for my smoker. If you can get some from a guy who sells firewood that would work too.
 
I just realized where you are located from your other thread and North east Lowe’s on rt 40 and rt 272 has 7 bags of cowboy apple chunk in stock on isle 24 bay 15
 
Shadowdog500 said:
I just realized where you are located from your other thread and North east Lowe’s on rt 40 and rt 272 has 7 bags of cowboy apple chunk in stock on isle 24 bay 15
Click to expand...

I'm down in Port... and since I grew up in Baltimore, I tend to head south, into Hazard county... The Lowes I had checked was the one in Abingdon...

I'll have to hit up the NE Lowes.. Thanks for the info!
 
1MoreFord said:
One thing I don't see any of us seem to be smart enough to ask.

What kind of smoker do you have?

Since that determines the size of wood pieces you're looking for and what some answers will be we should know that.

I have, for example, used green hickory. But it was only a few small pieces for smoke flavor on a charcoal base fire. I wouldn't try to use green hickory, or any other species, of any larger size to feed a stick burner.
Click to expand...

I'm waiting on a WSM 18 to arrive.. I'm not worried about size since I've got chainsaws, axes and hatchets..

Thanks for the info!
 
crabjoe said:
I'm down in Port... and since I grew up in Baltimore, I tend to head south, into Hazard county... The Lowes I had checked was the one in Abingdon...

I'll have to hit up the NE Lowes.. Thanks for the info!
Click to expand...

They must have restocked, or have a messed up inventory listing. The lowes in Abington Says it has 6 bags of apple chunk in stock on isle 26 bay 9. May save you a trip.
 
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