As someone who is completely new to this BBQ cooking, I have many questions,
most being answered in the FAQ. What I can't seem to find is an answer to where
one goes to get the wood for smoking. Not the lump charcoal, or chips and
pieces in the bags, but the logs I read some people are using. I also recall,
from a discussion on this NG I think, someone mentioning the wood has to be a
year old before you can cook with it. Is this true, and can someone tell me
why?

"Tranch749" > wrote in message
...
> As someone who is completely new to this BBQ cooking, I have many
questions,
> most being answered in the FAQ. What I can't seem to find is an answer to
where
> one goes to get the wood for smoking. Not the lump charcoal, or chips and
> pieces in the bags, but the logs I read some people are using. I also
recall,
> from a discussion on this NG I think, someone mentioning the wood has to
be a
> year old before you can cook with it. Is this true, and can someone tell
me
> why?

Some guys use year old seasoned wood to avoid creosote. Other use fresh cut
wood to get a better smoke. Technique for your smoker is more important.

OK, where to get wood.
Firewood dealers.
Trimmed branches from the guys doing the power lines
Fruit orchards at trimming time
Scraps from a cabinet shop
Hobby woodworkers (I do woodwork and bag all the scrap hardwoods for
smoking)
Supermarket (very expensive that way in those cute carry bundles)
Steal from your neighbor's firewood pile
State forest with permission
Streets department in your town.
People that clear land for building

If tree trimmers are working in the area, a cooler of cold drinks is a great
bartering tool. If the town is clearing some streets of overhang. same
deal. With pot of coffee my wife snagged me two cords of wood.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

Tranch749 wrote:
> As someone who is completely new to this BBQ cooking, I have many
> questions, most being answered in the FAQ. What I can't seem to find
> is an answer to where one goes to get the wood for smoking. Not the
> lump charcoal, or chips and pieces in the bags, but the logs I read
> some people are using. I also recall, from a discussion on this NG I
> think, someone mentioning the wood has to be a year old before you
> can cook with it. Is this true, and can someone tell me why?


When I cook with logs, I get them right from the source........trees.

Aging the wood is where you'll find a lot of opinions. Personally I prefer
pretty green wood for offset cooking, and dry for barrel burning to make
coals for direct cooking.

Then again, most of my offset experience was in a huge-ass block pit with a
giant firebox. I could keep a massive bed of coals in it and toss in a
couple green logs every hour or so. They'd catch right up and burn clean,
and they give off a lot more aroma when green. YMMV. Seems most folks with
little metal offsets have trouble with smoldering and/or creosote.

Green wood in a burn barrel for coals means you have to keep the barrel full
to overflowing just to produce minimal coals. Most of the fire's energy is
used drying the wood.

If you cut your wood in the winter and keep it under cover, it'll be plenty
dry by summer.


TFM®

Tranch749 wrote:
> As someone who is completely new to this BBQ cooking, I have many
> questions, most being answered in the FAQ. What I can't seem to find
> is an answer to where one goes to get the wood for smoking. Not the
> lump charcoal, or chips and pieces in the bags, but the logs I read
> some people are using. I also recall, from a discussion on this NG I
> think, someone mentioning the wood has to be a year old before you
> can cook with it. Is this true, and can someone tell me why?


When I cook with logs, I get them right from the source........trees.

Aging the wood is where you'll find a lot of opinions. Personally I prefer
pretty green wood for offset cooking, and dry for barrel burning to make
coals for direct cooking.

Then again, most of my offset experience was in a huge-ass block pit with a
giant firebox. I could keep a massive bed of coals in it and toss in a
couple green logs every hour or so. They'd catch right up and burn clean,
and they give off a lot more aroma when green. YMMV. Seems most folks with
little metal offsets have trouble with smoldering and/or creosote.

Green wood in a burn barrel for coals means you have to keep the barrel full
to overflowing just to produce minimal coals. Most of the fire's energy is
used drying the wood.

If you cut your wood in the winter and keep it under cover, it'll be plenty
dry by summer.


TFM®

On 27-Jul-2004, ospam (Tranch749) wrote:

> As someone who is completely new to this BBQ cooking, I have many questions,
> most being answered in the FAQ. What I can't seem to find is an answer to where
> one goes to get the wood for smoking. Not the lump charcoal, or chips and
> pieces in the bags, but the logs I read some people are using. I also recall,
> from a discussion on this NG I think, someone mentioning the wood has to be a
> year old before you can cook with it. Is this true, and can someone tell me
> why?

There's lot's of possible sources depending on where you are. I get oak logs already
split from a business that prunes trees for part of their income. They then sell the
recovered wood to all comers. I bought about 80 pieces for $20 the last time and they
loaded it for me.

--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")


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On 28-Jul-2004, "TFM®" > wrote:

> Tranch749 wrote:
> > As someone who is completely new to this BBQ cooking, I have many
> > questions, most being answered in the FAQ. What I can't seem to find
> > is an answer to where one goes to get the wood for smoking. Not the
> > lump charcoal, or chips and pieces in the bags, but the logs I read
> > some people are using. I also recall, from a discussion on this NG I
> > think, someone mentioning the wood has to be a year old before you
> > can cook with it. Is this true, and can someone tell me why?
>
>
> When I cook with logs, I get them right from the source........trees.
>
> Aging the wood is where you'll find a lot of opinions. Personally I prefer
> pretty green wood for offset cooking, and dry for barrel burning to make
> coals for direct cooking.
>
> Then again, most of my offset experience was in a huge-ass block pit with a
> giant firebox. I could keep a massive bed of coals in it and toss in a
> couple green logs every hour or so. They'd catch right up and burn clean,
> and they give off a lot more aroma when green. YMMV. Seems most folks with
> little metal offsets have trouble with smoldering and/or creosote.
>

You summed that up quite well fats. My NBS just isn't big enough to handle
the size of fire needed to burn raw logs without generating acrid smoke or even
creosote. I have to use a lot of draft and crack the cook chamber lid some to
(control?) the temp. I've pretty much given up on trying to cook with wood only.
I can get away with throwing a 2-1/2" log on top of a pile of burning lump for
the smoke and that works pretty well. The fairly large log lasts a long time and
does not tend to flare up.

> Green wood in a burn barrel for coals means you have to keep the barrel full
> to overflowing just to produce minimal coals. Most of the fire's energy is
> used drying the wood.
>
> If you cut your wood in the winter and keep it under cover, it'll be plenty
> dry by summer.
>
>
> TFM®

That's just my 2¢. (ALT-0162)

--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")


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-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

"Tranch749" > wrote in message
...
> As someone who is completely new to this BBQ cooking, I have many
questions,
> most being answered in the FAQ. What I can't seem to find is an answer to
where
> one goes to get the wood for smoking.

Here in Colorado Springs, Colorado, I get mine from a Landscaping outfit.
Filled the back of my Jeep for $25.00, and it was well aged.

Paul

"Tranch749" > wrote in message
...
> As someone who is completely new to this BBQ cooking, I have many
questions,
> most being answered in the FAQ. What I can't seem to find is an answer to
where
> one goes to get the wood for smoking.

Here in Colorado Springs, Colorado, I get mine from a Landscaping outfit.
Filled the back of my Jeep for $25.00, and it was well aged.

Paul