The Effects of Keeping Green Wood Near your Pit (assuming you are running your pit daily)
Firewood Drying Estimate: 24% to 10% Moisture Near Smoker BBQ at 180°F
If you place firewood at 24% moisture content about 2 feet away from a smoker BBQ operating at 180°F, and aim to reduce it to 10% moisture, here’s a realistic breakdown:
Estimated Drying Time
10 to 20 days
Drying Conditions
Condition
Impact
Starting Moisture: 24%
High – wood is still fairly wet inside.
Target Moisture: 10%
Low – hard to reach naturally.
Smoker Temp: 180°F
Helps significantly, faster than 160°F.
Distance: 2 feet
Moderate effect from radiant heat.
Humidity: Moderate
If high (e.g., Houston), slows drying.
Airflow: Weak/Still
Slows drying. Needs ventilation.
Why It Takes This Long
- The first 10–15% of moisture evaporates relatively quickly.
- Getting from 15% to 10% takes much longer — it's 'bound water' that requires more time and heat.
- At 2 feet, you’re not getting direct contact heat — just indirect radiant warmth, which helps but isn’t fast.
- Daily rotation and air movement are crucial to prevent moisture from getting trapped.
Ways to Speed It Up
- Move wood closer (12–18 inches), being careful not to overheat or scorch it.
- Use a fan or blower to increase airflow across the wood.
- Keep it elevated off the ground and uncovered, but protected from rain.
- Rotate and flip wood every 12–24 hours
Is this post oak?
our customer cooking for the weekend had this question…
This is post oak that a customer was recently asking about.
Based on the image, the wood does appear to have characteristics consistent with post oak:
Bark texture: Thick, rough, and blocky with a rugged appearance, typical of post oak.
Color: The outer bark is grayish with deeper fissures, while the heartwood is light to medium brown — which matches post oak’s appearance.
Grain: The visible grain pattern is coarse and straight, another match for post oak.
However, visual identification alone isn’t always 100% reliable. Post oak (a type of white oak) is very dense and heavy, burns hot, and has a mild smoke flavor — which makes it popular for BBQ.
To be more certain, you can also check:
Weight: Post oak is heavy for its size.
Smell: When freshly split or burned, it gives off a mild, pleasant aroma (not overly sweet or acrid).
Burn quality: Burns slowly and evenly with good coals.
How to differentiate Hickory from Post Oak
THIS IS HICKORY - Its kinda stringy like pecan and the bark is sometimes very similar to Post Oak.
1. Density & Weight
Post Oak: Very dense and heavy, but lighter than hickory.
Hickory: One of the densest hardwoods in North America; heavier and harder than post oak.
2. Bark Texture
Post Oak: Thick, blocky, rugged bark with deep fissures.
Hickory: Shaggy or scaly bark, often peels in strips. Some species have tight bark, but many (like shagbark) are easy to spot.
3. Color (Heartwood)
Post Oak: Light to medium brown.
Hickory: Light reddish-brown to tan, often with more color contrast between heartwood and sapwood.
4. Grain
Post Oak: Coarse, straight grain; open pores.
Hickory: Fine, tighter grain with more variation; can be wavy.
5. Smell
Post Oak: Mild, clean, and slightly sweet aroma when burning — excellent for smoking meats.
Hickory: Stronger, sweeter and more pungent smoke — great for bacon, ribs, and heavier meats.
6. Burn Characteristics
Post Oak: Burns hot and long, makes good coals. Low-to-medium smoke intensity.
Hickory: Burns hotter and longer than most hardwoods, produces more smoke. Can overpower delicate meats.
7. Splitting
Post Oak: Splits fairly easily when seasoned.
Hickory: Very tough to split, even when dry, due to its density and interlocking grain.
BBQ Use Tip
Use post oak for brisket and longer cooks when you want balance and consistency.
Use hickory for shorter cooks or to add bold smoke flavor — but go easy on it to avoid over-smoking.