G'day from NSW

[220]

G'day everyone im in southern NSW wouldn't class myself as BBQ cook but I do have a charcoal spit I do whole lambs on a few times a year also a little hot smoker that gets used for fresh trout regularly and regularly cook using fire.

Have been watching a few of the US BBQ shows and it has got me interested and thrown up a few questions.
I see them using a bit of fruit tree wood on the shows, is there much interest in this in Aus?

The reason I ask is I have about 100 apple trees I pushed out about 12 months ago, I was planning on pushing the windrow into a pile and dropping a match in it sometime in the next month but if there is market for apple wood would be a shame to just burn it. Also have about 30 chestnut trees that have died and the plan was similar for them but again a shame to just burn it if there are people chasing it.

[Angryman65]

G'day 220 and welcome to the forum.

Definitely a market for Apple wood either in chunks or as dust, I use it myself often and it makes the best Cold Smoked Cheese and Smoked Salmon

If you don't want to prepare it and sell it yourself you may be able to sell the timber as is to someone who will.

Aussie BBQ smoke is a business that sells a lot of timber for BBQ and he may be interested. Here's his website link https://www.aussiebbqsmoke.com/

[220]

Thanks Angryman65 will hold off dropping a match in it and do a bit more research. I do a little bit of firewood on the side not a lot, maybe 20 tonnes a year so cutting & splitting wouldn't be a problem. I'm about halfway between Sydney Melbourne so distribution will be an issue if I do it myself.

Interesting you like it for salmon, I guess it should be equally good with trout. I will have to make some dust for my little hot smoker and give it a try.

[Davo]

If you can find a way to bag it, maybe hession or plastic in 3-5 kg packages, contact some of the BBQ shops between Sydney & Melbourne, they may be able to on-sell it.
You came in at a Good time for BBQ in Australia, lots of BBQ comps around the East side and growing accross the country and Apple, Peach and any stone fruit wood is highly regarded as it provides certain BBQ meats with a sweeter smokey taste.
Great opportunity for you I reckon!!

Cheers

Davo

[Angryman65]

If I was selling timber chunks for smoking at $9.00 a kilo or $120 for 15 kilo I'd probably come and get it if you've got a decent size truck load.

You'll never know the answer if you don't ask the question.

My rough guess based on your description of location and tree species puts you not that far off the Hume Highway and probably just uphill from a dog on a box. Not that far from either of the major capitals.

[220]

Right location Angaryman65, about 4.5hrs Sydney or Melbourne 2hr Canberra.
My brother does 3-4 farmers markets a week in Sydney and has either a truck or ute down this way picking up produce most weeks so if I was to sell myself working in with him would solve my problem of getting it to Sydney and give me a few outlets for sales.

Now the next question who cuts their own wood for smoking and what do you use?
Given most of these trees are less then 30cm Im thinking cleaning one of my little saws and running olive oil or similar would be the easiest option.

[Angryman65]

Little saw and olive oil would be the trick. From what I've seen on the merchants sites that is exactly how they do it.

I've cut up iron bark chunks for smoking in the past but they were from off cuts of the timber milling I had done when I cut all my trees down to build. They just got chopped up on the Triton Work Center. (still got one and still going strong)

If you get to Bunnings at all, an Ozito docking saw sells for about $80. You'll get consistent size bits using one of them.

[C.B & S.]

Hey 220,
Lets hope this forum gets to see the progress of your build mission.

Cheers.

[220]

Will start a thread once I make a start on it.

[C.B & S.]

Cheers 220,

Look forward to seeing the progress.
Good luck.