Maple pellets or chips

[Rebel SS]

I could use some myself!!! Pain relief!!! Maybe I should just go soak my wood....

[delcecchi]

I'm paying attention to Del....

So was this kiln dried wood boards that you are "re-hydrating" for smoking?

If I cut a chunk off of one of my maple trees.... do you think it would have the same water content?

When I smoke something, I usually just go cut off a branch from one of my trees and use that.

These were kiln dried maple casing like goes around a door that had then been sitting on a shelf for a few years.  I think they were pretty dry.  We were talking about wood and smoking and soaking so I thought an experiment might be of interest.     

The wood I actually use for smoking tends to be either pellets in a amaizin (spelling?) tube, or chunks of wood from my collection of apple and norway maple trees. 

I think the moisture content of green wood is pretty high.  Seasoned wood that has been stacked for a while like a year has a lot less.   I posted a video someplace, by Franklin of Franklin BBQ in Austin Tx and PBS fame about wood.   

Here it is again...  He cooks with 100 percent wood...

[Rebel SS]

Howz that wet board experiment comin' along there, Delmar? 

[roony]

I like to soak my wood. 

[Rebel SS]

I like to soak my wood. 

Do you plan a follow-up on this? 

[delcecchi]

Howz that wet board experiment comin' along there, Delmar? 

E,xperiment is over.  As I posted, a surprising amount of water was absorbed.  Initial weight was 393 grams.  After a few hours it was 450 grams and the next morning it was 502 grams.

[Rebel SS]

Over??!! Like heck it is!! Everyone knows a dry board will suck up water....duh...
You haven't proven anything yet! Now ya need to put them on coals and time them to see which one provides most and longest amount of smoke....from start to finish.

[HD]

I understand the experiment, but I don't know if I would trust wood being used for cooking. Don't some kiln dried wood get treated for bugs? And how do you know if it wasn't? I do know that imported and exported wood to and from certain countries has to be treated.

Then, if it was from a place that you know is reputable... wouldn't that change the flavor of the smoke compared to a air dried branch or chip?

I'm just asking questions.... because I don't know....

[Rebel SS]

This is a non-cooking experiment only, HD. Del souses his stuff up.  Besides, bug-treated wood smoke might kill off some of those nasty bugs growing in that soused up stuff!

[mike89]

excellent questions HD...

[Rebel SS]

excellent questions HD...

O, Mr. Wizard speaks!   

[mike89]

excellent questions HD...

O, Mr. Wizard speaks!   

who dat???

[Rebel SS]

excellent questions HD...

O, Mr. Wizard speaks!   

who dat???

You and Del!!! 

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[mike89]

you trying to be evil this morning...

[Rebel SS]

Na, just had a mental picture for a minute....

[LPS]

We need Del to soak a chunk of maple meant for smoking in water and one not it water.  Then smoke with them and see which one works best.  I am thinking same time except the wet one will just take longer to get to smoking mode. 

[delcecchi]

OK guys.
I am pretty sure the maple used had not been treated with anything and was grown in USA or in Canada.
I cook stuff in a variety of way.  Sous vide, on a burner, in the oven, on a weber grill, in a weber smoky mountain.  Whichever is most appropriate and effective.   Occasionally I even use a crock pot.

I could measure the time that each would smoke.  How much smoke and separating out the steam would be hard. I have an idea but reboot would probably get uncomfortable with all that smoke being blown up his......

I have some lump charcoal I boughtthat is made out of scrap lumber.

The experiment was to see how MUCH water got absorbed.

[Rebel SS]

OK guys.
I am pretty sure the maple used had not been treated with anything and was grown in USA or in Canada.
I cook stuff in a variety of way.  Sous vide, on a burner, in the oven, on a weber grill, in a weber smoky mountain.  Whichever is most appropriate and effective.   Occasionally I even use a crock pot.

I could measure the time that each would smoke.  How much smoke and separating out the steam would be hard. I have an idea but reboot would probably get uncomfortable with all that smoke being blown up his......

I have some lump charcoal I boughtthat is made out of scrap lumber.

The experiment was to see how MUCH water got absorbed.

Isn't that what they did?   

[Reinhard]

I didn't read every post but anything about soaking wood in water is just plain wrong.  Never use wood weather it's chips, pellets ect. soaked in water.  Only dry wood.  You soak wood and you will get steam and not smoke.  I think using maple pellets or chips are fine.  In the standard electric smokers pellets are not a good idea to use because the temperature is not hot enough to give you that smoke you want.  Pellets are best in those smoking tubes or maze's.  good luck.