Smoking food with wood is one of the most popular methods, but you can smoke pretty much anything. Every day, we receive questions like this. What is the most effective way to store wood? Wood storage: where, how, at what temperature, and how long it will keep.
Finding a proper way to store the suitable wood for your project can be challenging after you’ve picked the suitable wood for your project.
You must know how to store your smoking wood the right way for them not to become wet, moldy, and full of pests. As much as possible, we will provide smokers with tips and techniques so that their cooking events are a success.
Wood available for purchase
A perfect world would offer us all a stock of free, perfectly aged wood. However, most of us will have to purchase wood to meet our needs.
BBQ stores: A convenient place to begin is your local BBQ store. Most hardware stores carry hickory and mesquite, but specialty BBQ stores are likely to have other types of hardwoods, such as alder, apple, cherry, oak, and pecan.
Amazon: Amazon offers a wide range of prepackaged smoking wood chunks and chips, much like you might find at a BBQ store. If you purchase a lot of wood, you should have enough space to store it.
Wood suppliers: Having access to specific wood types may be possible to find a reliable supplier. Your supplier can provide you with details regarding the origin and age of the wood.
Are you storing any wood?
When preparing to store wood, the first thing to consider is the kind of wood you intend to store.
- It usually comes in a cardboard box or bag when it’s packaged or purchased from a store.
- Cutting down trees produces larger logs.
It is recommended to store wood of both types differently.
It will take more room and separate storage conditions to season large logs you bought, cut down, or scavenged. One of the following is what you are going to do:
How to Store Wood You Purchased?
Wood should be kept in its packaging until it’s needed and taken out only as needed. Keeping the wood inside in a shed or garage is okay.
You should store your wood in a cardboard box with holes to avoid mold growth. That way, the air will circulate, and your wood will not go bad.
You may also store smoke wood in plastic containers or buckets with holes. Plastic Rubbermaid baskets and laundry bins can be used in this project! Make sure to ventilate plastic containers properly if you use them.
How to Store Wood Chips
Logs or chunks are much larger than chips to absorb water faster. Each time you smoke a pork shoulder or brisket, you wouldn’t want to purchase a new bag.
When you want to keep your chips ready when you need them, there are several ways you can store them. If you wish to use your wood chips for smoking to stay fresh in the garage, you’ll need to do the following:
Step 1: Get some lidded chip containers first.
Step 2: Store the chip mix in one container or fill each container with just one type of chip.
How to Store Wood Pellets
Following these simple rules when you first receive your wood pellets will help you get the best results. It is better to let them go in the bags they came in instead of just leaving them in the bags.
- Keep moisture away at all costs
- Be sure to keep your pellets off the ground
- Please wait until you are ready to use it before opening.
- Alternate directions when stacking bags
- Keep pellets fresh by using plastic containers with a capacity of at least five gallons as they are designed to contain moisture.
How to Store Large Wood Logs
No matter how long or small the logs you cut and split up are, you must store and stack the wood properly to ensure it ages well.
Since you can’t use green wood for smoking, all wood you will use if you’re going to smoke must be seasoned.
You may have heard before that dried logs should be stored indoors, where they are warm and dry. Protect them from snow and rain by providing enough airflow around them. To find out the most effective methods for storing kiln-dried logs, read this article.
The following tips will help you store your logs outside in a practical, convenient, and safe manner so that they stay dry the whole winter.
- Pick a location with care
- Efficient logging of stacks
- Circulates well
- Consider using a log store
- Avoid covering with trees
- Do not pile up your logs
Your kiln-dried logs will be safe in a covered area, such as a garage. You still need to follow the guidelines above for the logs to breathe. As for basements, airflow is essential to prevent mold from growing, as is low humidity. You should store kiln-dried wood in a dry environment. If it rains, it is better to keep your items in your garage or outbuilding rather than outside.
Covering wood is a smart idea?
You do not need to cover the wood during the summer months since it will air dry in the open air.
If you keep them undercover, they may look more aesthetically pleasing. A tarp will help you cover your woods.
Wood racks with built-in covers are also available for use with firewood logs. The holders retain the moisture at the top but allow air to circulate through the holder.
Your wood will not rot because the frames are off the ground.
Outdoor Storage
To make sure that your wood dries well, allow it to air-dry outdoors, in sunlight, during the summer months.
It is a wise idea to remove any leaves that fall on your wood in autumn to prevent rotting.
Snow and rain can damage wooden trees, so it is good to cover them in the winter. You can still season your logs until the summer, even if they freeze.
Make sure your wood is dry by using a moisture meter. At all times, you should keep the moisture level below 10%.
Snakes may live between the wood pieces when you store them outside, so be careful when grabbing some pieces when you are outdoors.
Termites and other insects also like to live and eat wood. You shouldn’t worry too much if you find bugs in your smoke wood as they’re relatively harmless.
Therefore, it is a good idea not to stack and store wood directly against your house since it might cause termites to infest your home.
Conclusion
Taking proper care of your wood will ensure that you reap the full benefits from your smoke session. Wood-fired food is by far the most delicious.
The quality of the smoke when cooking depends on the kind of wood you rely on when you smoke. Be more careful when using smoking wood than when using firewood.
The three essential tips to keep in mind when you’re storing wood inside or outside include keeping it away from direct sunlight, storing it in a dry place, and keeping it off the ground!