5 firewood picks for winter, and the test before you burn

Five hardwoods earn a spot in this winter's woodpile.

Oak and black locust sit near the top. Beech and maple aren't far behind, and ash rounds out the five.

But the tree matters less than you'd think. Dryness wins. A wet log of great wood burns weak and smoky, while a dry log of so-so wood burns clean.

My first stretch off the grid taught me plenty about wood, most of it the hard way. Now I test a split before it goes in the stove.

Here's the catch. Wood can look dry on the outside and still be wet in the middle, and the bark can fool you.

There's one reading on the meter that tells you a log is ready. Anything above it waits for next year.

Would You Burn Dry Pine in Your Stove?

Some of you burn dry pine without a second thought. Others won't put anything but hardwood in the stove.

What the guide walks you through

• The heat table: how far a cord of pine falls behind a cord of oak.

• The meter test: the spot on the log that gives you an honest reading.

• The keep-out pile: the wood that never comes inside, however dry it is.

See the 5 best firewood picks →

Talk soon,