Where do you store your wood?

[NDKoze]

The following thread in this section made want to know more information about this subject:
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1607.0

In this thread it was brought up that you could buy Oak dowels at a lumber yard, but that they may be kiln-dried and need to be re-hydrated some before they could be successfully used.

I bought 10lbs of Cherry and Hickory from Smokin-It when I bought my smoker and even if I smoke 1-2 every two weeks, this wood is going to last me a long time at 3-6 ounces at a time.

So, this prompted me to want to know more information about where/how people are storing their wood.

As discussed in the thread below, do you find that fruit woods are not good after 6 months as the OP in that thread wrote?
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=711.msg1234#msg1234

I have been just storing my wood in a two-gallon Ziploc bag. But wondering if I should buy a plastic container of some type that may seal a little better and not let as much air in.

 

[DivotMaker]

I store all my wood in 1 gallon Ziploc bags, and have not had any issues with over-drying.

 

[jdiver]

I'd say it also depends on where you live, and where you store the wood. humid climate? Inside, or out? Here in GA it's humid, AZ would be quite a bit different.

I remember moving from CA to HI. In CA if you left a bag of potato chips open they dried out. In HI, they turned limp. Don't expect my wood chunks to turn limp but I bet they are not drying out much either.

I keep them in plastic bags in my garage. It's somewhat climate controlled, gets some of the AC or heat, but not lots.

 

[Pork Belly]

I don't think the humid air would be a problem. Moisture sucking dry air is an issue. I have about 100 lbs of sugar maple approximate 18 inches by 2 inches under my work bench. these are bark-on limbs from our tree. I will be cutting some apple, hazelnut and mulberry to store in the same manner. At some point it will be pretty dry but I will just give it a quick dunk. I will knock them down to chunks as needed.

 

[SuperDave]

I have lots of woods and in quantity.  I bought a bunch of Home Depot orange buckets and labeled them by wood type. 

 

[DivotMaker]

That will last you just about forever, Dave!  We deal in ounces in these smokers - the most you'll ever use on a long smoke is 5-6 oz, so a 5 gallon bucket will last a LONG time!

 

[SuperDave]

One of my neighbors is a tree cutter/trimming guy.  I took a few of limbs I had acquired over to him and he ran it through his chipper. 

 

[gregbooras]

I have four kinds of wood at the moment, I have moved the bulk of it into vacuum sealed bags. Then smaller amounts in zip-locks that are easier to use open.

Greg

 

[mizzoufan]

I hadn't thought about vacuum sealed.  Anyone see an issue with putting a damp (not dripping) paper towel in to make sure they've got decent moisture when opened (assuming dry, purchased wood chunks when sealed)?  I think the chunks I got, unfortunately not from MGW or Fruita, are a little dry

 

[swthorpe]

I would put a wet paper towel in the bag just to keep some moisture.    For my wood, I have plastic containers with sealed tops; I put a wet rag in a baggie inside the containers.

 

[DivotMaker]

Steve's definitely right.  A wet rag in an open plastic bag, inside a sealed container, is the best way to humidify wood.  You'll be amazed at how much moisture the wood will absorb over just a few days!  This is the way to get wood back to smoking moisture - NOT soaking it!

 

[RG]

I keep all of my lump charcoal, wood chunks/chips and pellets in what I like to call my BBQ closet down in my basement. I have a closet dedicated to the storage of all of my cooking accessories and fuel and it stays comfortable in there. Short walk to the outdoor kitchen so it works for me!

I don't keep it in a special container, just what it came in. The lump I put in charcoal caddies and keep outside, when empty I grab a new bag from the closet and refill.

 

[Schaef]

I'm new to this forum and just purchased and used for the first time a #2.  I've been reading as much as I can about woods used and optimal wood storage.

I read one post from Tony (I believe) that "A wet rag in an open plastic bag, inside a sealed container, is the best way to humidify wood.  You'll be amazed at how much moisture the wood will absorb over just a few days!  This is the way to get wood back to smoking moisture - NOT soaking it!"

Looks like most of you recommend woods from Fruitawood and Maine Grilling Wood.  I lived in the Northwest at one time so really appreciate the link to Smokin' Hot, as well.  Does your Tupperware method of moisture restoration mean that hardware store wood can be restored to acceptable levels?

Thanks...Greg from Iowa

 

[gregbooras]

This is a very interesting article on soaking wood and the results.

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_soaking_wood.html

In a grill or smoker, like the potatoes, the wood temp will not rise much above 212°F until the water steams off. After the water is driven off, the wood starts to warm and when the surface hits the combustion point, about 575°F, it begins giving off gases. It can then combust and produce smoke.

You might think you see smoke when you toss on wet wood, but it is really steam. Here is a test the AmazingRibs.com science advisor Dr. Greg Blonder did with two wood chip packets. Both had 50 grams of wood, but he soaked one in water. Both went on top of a 600°F heat source. The dry wood (red line) rose in temperature rapidly to the combustion point. The wet wood rose rapidly to the boiling point of water and stalled there for almost 30 minutes. When it dried out, it rose rapidly to the same temp as the dry packet. Now the exact elapsed time will vary depending on the oxygen supply, but you get the picture.

Greg

 

[jbauch357]

This article is a nice compliment to the thread talking about putting some chunks in a small sardine can of water in your fire box, so you get staged smoke production rather than heavy smoke followed by none.

 

[SuperDave]

The issue that I struggle with regarding this delayed burn concept on an electric is that your power or heat source isn't constant.  In my mind, if you delay the soaked wood anywhere near to when the box temp is reached, the element is then in maintain mode and not really kicking out enough power to create combustion. 

 

[DivotMaker]

That's a great observation, Dave.  Maybe Brian (Pork Belly) has some thoughts on this, since he pretty much invented the "time release" smoke method.  I bet it works because the moist chips are heated, during the initial heat up, but not to the point of combustion, and it doesn't take much when they finally dry enough to start smoldering.  Just my 2¢...

 

[Pork Belly]

I try not to think that had, I am a set it and forget it smoker. The only time I have used varied smoking on chips was for low temp jerky smokes and it seem to work fine. I haven't gotten good results getting smoke from a block unless set around 130 and up. That last cold smoke I did I was set below 100 on the dial, likley around 85-90, I had good results with long split pieces about the same size as standard pencils.