wood

[artigiano]

someone gave me a cord of douglas fir chopped wood for my brick oven at home.  It isnt seasoned and I am wondering if its worth keeping or not until next year.  The wood is clean from resin but dont want to keep it aoround to season if it wont be good to use.

[Bill/SFNM]

I have been told, but have never tried it, that conifers aren't the best for cooking - no matter how well seasoned they are there can still be strong creosote-type flavors in the smoke. If you're just using it to heat up the oven, I've heard it is OK, but they don't produce as many BTU's as hardwood. I prefer to have a live fire while I bake pizzas, so I use only hardwoods.

Bill/SFNM

[Fio]

I would  not use it to sustain heat while cooking pizza, but I have used scrap softwood to get the oven hot.  It doesn't burn as hot and it tends to crackle and pop more. 

I don't know about creosote, but my chimney is so short and accessible that I don't worry too much.  Maybe I should?

[pizzanapoletana]

Conifers and resinous wood in general must NOT be used in wood ovens at any point. Those wood produces many dangerous residues (as well as creosote) which stick to the floor and dome of the ovens and will potentially contaminate the food even long after the initial use of the mentioned wood.

[artigiano]

Ok, thanks to everyone for their comments! Marco I trust your opinion... I have a lot fo cherry and maple but didnt want this softwood to go to waste since I have so much.  I guess I will give it away.  I had a feeling that there could be residue un suitable for cooking.

[pizzanapoletana]

If you have a fireplace those are fine. That is what my dad does at his summer house. Soft wood in the fireplace while he use chestnut, olive and beech wood for the wood oven...

Ciao