What makes kiln dried wood different than seasoned/naturally dried wood?

This is simple. Once a tree is harvested, especially fruit trees, it begins to loose its flavor extremely quick. Generally within 30 days of being harvested the wood will only have half of its flavor content left and it looses more and more as time progresses. Six to eight months later there will be virtually no flavor left in the wood and it is pointless to smoke with. Kiln drying is done immediately after harvesting (usually the same day) which locks in all the flavors and instantly stops the wood from loosing any flavor or decaying. Q: What is the shelf life of kiln dried wood compared to seasoned/naturally dried wood? A: Naturally dried/seasoned wood has a shelf life of about 6 months from the date it is cut down. The problem with this is it takes about 5 months for it to naturally dry so when you receive it, it must be used instantly. Kiln dried wood has a shelf life of 3+ years (will last even longer if kept in a cool dark place). A piece of 2 year old kiln dried wood will have ...  more