Probably you are curious to find out – Is pin oak good firewood? Pin oak is good firewood. You’d want to particularly use this wood if you are looking for something easy to split. Nevertheless, these woods are sturdier when compared to white or red oak.
Pin oak also creates good heat when burning. They are hardwood, thus making them more solid than the softwood equivalents. The dense structure of pin oak trees refers to the organic element that is present within them. Once utilized as firewood, this organic element burns to generate heat.
Another thing that makes pin oak good firewood is its nice smell. The scent is mild and pleasant that pleases the people around the area. There are no appropriate words to describe the fragrance of pin oaks when burnt, so you should try it yourself.
When you use pin oak as firewood, a certain level of the organic element goes into the air which develops a pleasant scent and occupies the nearby space. Some households particularly choose pin oak as firewood because of the nice fragrance.
Moreover, pin oak trees have a low level of moisture. Its moisture content can even be reduced further by processing it. Some techniques used for firewood processing are kiln drying and air drying. When used as firewood, pin oak burns smoothly while generating plenty of heat and very minimal to entirely no black ash.
Can Pin Oak Tree Wood be Used in an Indoor Fireplace?
Pin oak tree woods are also good for indoor fireplaces knowing the fact that they are clean woods. Hence, they are not only more manageable for handling, but they also do not easily break in the fireplace. This wood offers a gradually-burning flame that could stay longer and burn smoothly.
Pin oak is almost accessible to any part of the country. Just keep in mind though that the longer time you season your pin oak, the hotter it gets when burned.
You need to season the pin oak tree wood well if you wish to use it in an indoor fireplace. Ideally, the wood has to undergo the drying process after cutting for at least one year to make sure the sap gets dry.
The heat content in pin oak as firewood is calibrated in BTUs (British Thermal Units), roughly 24 to 39 million BTUs. It burns a minimal fire but establishes a constant, hot flame. If you do not want to take the process of seasoning, you can always buy them from a supplier but just make sure that they are fully seasoned.
You would know if the pin oak tree wood is fully seasoned when there is dryness in scent and color, loose bark, and radial cracks.
Is Pin Oak Tree Wood Toxic to Cook On?
Pin oak tree wood is fine to use for cooking. It imposes no threat to one’s health. This wood is particularly great when smoking meat. Pin oak is known to be strong, however, you would notice that it does not knock out the texture and flavor of your meat. You’d want to try pin oak tree wood if you are cooking lamb or beef.
If you opt to use a live pin oak tree for cooking, find younger trees. You would want to get a two-year-old pin oak tree or even a younger one as it is likely to produce fresh and light flavor. Cut down the pin oak tree together with the base and let it sit for five months to give it time to cure and dry out. After the 5 months, cut it into smaller chunks.
Drying out and curing the pin oak tree wood makes it safe to non-toxic for cooking. Ideally, you should cut the pin oak into small pieces so that they become appropriate for barbecue or smokers. Do not use bigger or longer pieces.
In case you are using a huge grill, it would be good if you use coals and combine them with the pin oak tree wood. Set the coals on the grill’s base and lit. The moment you see the coal starting to become white, start layering the pin oak over it.
The heat developed from the coals goes to the pin oak wood and laying the fire. If the cooking will take a longer time, soak the pin oak overnight with water and arrange the soaked wood on your coals. The incorporated coals will gradually dry out your pin oak wood and develop smoke, which facilitates the seasoning of your meat.
