How long to season hickory

[Chris W]

I have 80 acres of hardwoods and I’m cutting some hickory limbs in 1.5-2 ounce sections.  How long should I let it dry before using it in my smoker?

 

[NDKoze]

The most effective way would be to get a wood moisture meter (Amazon has them pretty cheap). You typically would be looking for wood in the 20%-30% moisture range.

Here is an example: https://smile.amazon.com/General-Tools-MMD4E-Moisture-High-Medium-Low/dp/B00275F5O2

 

[old sarge]

+1 on the meter. General is a good brand; been around for decades.

 

[Pork Belly]

As with most hings smoking related wood moisture is a personal decision. Folks will swear by} __% is ideal."

Personally I have used everything from fresh off the tree to, been under my work bench for a few years. If you have doubts, toss a chunk in and fire up the smoker. How does it look and smell? If you find it unfavorable pick something else.

It's an electric smoker, not a lot involved in getting a sample of smoke rolling. Good Luck with it.