Smoking - A couple of first timer questions

[Richierich]

Having decided to throw �40 at Matalan for the Brinkmann smoke 'n' grill I figured I should look to use it.

Having been told it is no good as a cold smoker I feel some what demoralised, but have found a site suggesting these can be used to cold smoke by using a lot of wood powder (sawdust I guess) piled up over a small quantity of charcoal. So the questions I have are....

1. Does anyone know of a supplier of wood "powder", chips in North Oxfordshire area.

2. I fancy a go at some Salmon (cold smoking) does anyone have a recipe for the cure needed prior to smoking?

Thats all for now I think.

Thanks,

Richard

[saucisson]

I wouldn't be too discouraged just yet, you will get a fair degree of control over the heat output using the upper vent but you won't get the extremely fine control needed for cold smoking wihout being able to control the intake from underneath. I get my wood chips from Franco but have been meaning to check out the Blenheim Sawmill :
http://www.oxfordshire.co.uk/data/009502.html

For smoked salmon I've been using 20g salt, 2 teaspoons of honey and a dessert spoon of whisky per kg fish as a semi-dry cure.

Edit: some useful info in this thread:
http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=1106

[jpj]

also
your salmon can be cured simply by burying it in salt for a period of time dependent on the size
and also
ensure any dust you get from a sawmill is guaranteed untreated

[Richierich]

Thanks for the responses guys, the sawmill sounds like a good place to start, I want to try and see how cool I can keep the thing with no food in the smoker if the temperature gets too high I will have to look to find another source of smoke. Failing that I have a couple of very large metal box/chests that the Mother-in-Law left us, could always cut into these and duct in the smoke. I think one box is Aluminium and the other painted do you think they are safe to use if only cold smoking?

Good point about the untreated wood, I guess Cuprinol (or worse) does not add a nice flavour to food!

Will let you know the results.

[jpj]

if you have a digital thermometer handy this could help you record temperatures, many have built max/min gauges
you could then post the range for advice

we swap smoked food for sawdust at our local sawmill . . . just an old idea

[saucisson]

As jpj said, make sure they know what you want the sawdust for. treated woood is a obviously a no no, and chainsawed wood is usually contaminated with oil from the saw. Let us know how you get on, I might well be interested in some too

Dave

[BBQer]

Here's a website that might be helpful to peruse -

http://www.randyq.addr.com/ecb/ecbmods.html

ECB - "El Cheapo Brinkman" (affectionate moniker for the Brinkman Smoke 'n Grill)

[Richierich]

BBQer, thanks for the link, I might give it a go in its virginal state before I deflower it so to speak. Looks like some good ideas on there, I guess each can be used seperately if needed.

Thanks,

Richard

[jenny_haddow]

Go for it Richard. If you look back at Saucisson's thread on cold smoking experiments you'll see some fairly good results. I tested some of his ideas and cold smoked cheese in an ordinary kettle barbecue.

Jen

[Richierich]

Thanks for the encouragement JH, I will, having trouble locally sourcing some supplies though, rather than mail order.

Saucisson, just called Blenheim Sawmill, it is now a company called Barlows who make timber furniture etc. most of the wood is treated, and/or very green, do you need to use sawdust/chips from seasoned wood?

I am gonna try Eynsham sawmill now! They do oak sawdust, apparantly I need to go and see the sawer (I am sure thats what she called him, although it looks oddly spelt) he will sort it out. Problem is only open 8:00 - 4:30 Monday to Friday.

[saucisson]

most of the wood is treated, and/or very green, do you need to use sawdust/chips from seasoned wood?

I would have thought seasoned, when experimenting I got a better smoke from plum wood shavings after drying them in the oven, than if I used them at their natural humidity. If you have trouble getting to the Eynsham mill let me know the details and I should be able to get over there in the daytime, either next week or over half term. I might also try Bagley Wood saw mill which is closer to me.

Dave

[Richierich]

Thanks for the offer Dave, I will bear it in mind, I have a couple of other irons in the fire, a friends father is a joiner, he is building a lot of oak bits at present and can maybe let me have any scrap, I also know of a local company that make a lot out of Beech, and know of the ex-production manager (via a friend of a friend), so I will keep my fingers crossed.

Failing that might have to pull my deck up and wittle that down, its Red Cedar so should be okay, although a little extreme.

I did find a website that does chips, and dust of various types, but I am buggered if I am gonna pay �10 for a kilo if I can find someone with them locally. The website is http://www.foodsmoker.co.uk/ if anyone is interested.

I will keep you posted.

[Spuddy]

they also do 15 kilo sacks for �30, which is more reasonable.

[Richierich]

Don't laugh, but I have just been to our local pet shop, they do 15kg backs of beechwood chippings for �15, its meant for Reptile tanks to put in the bottom, untreated, 100% beechwood!

Didn't buy any though.

[saucisson]

Rich I am more than likely to be driving past Kettering next weekend and could drop by Bicester on the way home on Sunday, do you want me to pick up any chips'dust from the place Fallow Buck recommended? I'll probably try and get some oak whisky barrel.

Dave