Let it sit outside for 'bout 6 months, here in AZ. A year where they have those damn 4 seasons everyone living somewhere else thinks is so great...That just allows a large percentage of the natural moisture in the tree to evaporate, leaving firewood. If the tree's been laying in a yard dead for that long, it's seasoned.
And if you're unsure if you should use it, I'll bet you could find a volunteer to try a couple hunks...(me, me) haha...
Green--unseasoned--wood will emit all kinds of stinky nasty stuff that'll get on your smoker and meat. In a nutshell.
I got a wagonload of mulberry a few weeks ago. I've got to make a nice pile in my back yard so it all dries out. Everyone's worried about bees building in my wood, so I make sure to go pick around in it every week. I've been using my Weber Kettle as a stickburner lately. Great for fryin' burgers, sausages, chickens, and the rare (pun not intended, but appreciated) steak.
