[size=12pt]I gave some smoked cheese to a friend and she gave me a bag of twigs just pruned from her backyard apple tree as a gift. Being a newbie, I don't know if I can use them (most are about 1/4 inch thick) and if so, how long I have to let them dry. I have only used wood chips with the chip insert in my SI #1 so far. I do like apple wood.
Apple tree pruned twigs?
- Thread starter Suzie-Q
- Start date
SuperDave
New member
Suzie,
I pretty much beg, borrow and steal people's tree trimmings. However, I limit my use to the stuff a little bigger like 1" + diameter. With twigs, I just felt like the bark to wood ratio was a little high. But I'll follow your thread to see what others have actually tried and report.
Dave
I pretty much beg, borrow and steal people's tree trimmings. However, I limit my use to the stuff a little bigger like 1" + diameter. With twigs, I just felt like the bark to wood ratio was a little high. But I'll follow your thread to see what others have actually tried and report.
Dave
DivotMaker
New member
Don't use it green, Suzie. Never use green (freshly-cut) wood in the smoker - way too much moisture and will not make good smoke. Depending on the size of the "twigs" (if less than 1" in diameter, I'd save them for crafts or something), you're going to have to age them for several months, even up to a year, to be good as smoker wood.
If you get some branches, that you can cut into manageable sizes, I'd recommend storing them somewhere in the house, where airflow can get around them (drying racks), not just in a pile. It's a slow process, drawing moisture out of wood, but is certainly worthwhile! If you dry your own wood, you pretty much need to purchase a moisture meter, so you know when it's ready.
I've also heard of people drying wood in the oven, but I'd be a little nervous about the results of that. Could be wrong, though - might be worth some research.
If you get some branches, that you can cut into manageable sizes, I'd recommend storing them somewhere in the house, where airflow can get around them (drying racks), not just in a pile. It's a slow process, drawing moisture out of wood, but is certainly worthwhile! If you dry your own wood, you pretty much need to purchase a moisture meter, so you know when it's ready.
I've also heard of people drying wood in the oven, but I'd be a little nervous about the results of that. Could be wrong, though - might be worth some research.
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