Smoked my first meat -> have a laugh !

[Ptarmigan]

Removed because I posted it for a laugh, and not specifically on the subject of cold smoking

[wheels]

Does this mean you can't go to the pub - because of the smoking ban!

[Ptarmigan]

Removed because it was mostly chat with minor cold smoke content

[Richierich]

Following my last smoking attempt (quote a successful one, even if I do say so), a chicken having spendt almost 4 hours on and off back and forth to the smoker to ensure the charcoal was not gone, adding chips etc, I smelt like a bonfire, 2 showers later in the car to the office the next day I could still smell smoke, turns out my silicone "make poverty history" wrist band has absorbed the smell, it lasted for about 3 days, next time I am smoking nude!

[Ptarmigan]

no cold smoking content

[wheels]

Richierich
Better stick with cold smoking then!

Ptarmigan
Can't make beer anymore as I have converted my fermenting buckets into a cold smoker!

[Ptarmigan]

Removed because it was silly camp-fire chat surrounding cold smoking, but not about cold smoking

[wheels]

Ptarmigan>
Mmmm ..... BEER
Good job I live next door to the pub!

The only problem with the smoker, as you found out, is that it runs off electricity - OK if you have somewhere under cover but not too good outside in this weather. Its main asset is that it is very cheap both to make, and to run. Even buying wood chips in small bags it only costs about �1 to run for 12 hours or so - unlike the �1 per hour Bradleys.

I am currently making a smoker from a large stainless steel tank - it will have an external smokebox, probably an oil drum with some sort of baffle to direct the smoke along a tube to the smoker cabinet. I hope to be able to arrange it so I can both cold and hot smoke - cold in the stainless tank: hot in the oildrum.

Your fish tank idea sounds a good one

Regards

Phil

[Richierich]

By using the solderig iron are you able to use wood chips as opposed to saw dust, I would have thought you need small pieces of fuel to keep the airspaces small to prevent ignition, or is there just not enough heat in a soldering iron. The reason I ask is that I have managed to get hold of some oak, initially I was led to believe it was sawdust, it now seems like it is going to be a mixture of dust and planings, my plan was to light a small number (yet to be decided) of charcoal briquettes and then smother with the sawdust (read somewhere this is quite a succesful method for creating cold smoke, like pouring grass clippings on to a fire) lots of smoke no fire and by using a thick enough layer of sawduct you keep the heat away too. But now I have planings I think this method might create fire (too much air) so I may invest in a soldering iron.

Is it even possible to use the chips available from all good garden centres these days? Finally, wet or dry wood?

EDIT: Not finally above, but finally now, what sort of wattage iron have you guys used? Maplin do a 25W unit that runs of 12V, with a bit of modification I could run it off my garden lights.

[wheels]

Richierich>
Yes, I use wood chips with the soldering iron - the sort they sell for 'adding' to a barbeque for a smoky flavour. I use these dry - the packet says to wet them, but I don't as I think that all that this would do is produce steam rather than more smoke. I use a Weller soldering iron bought off Ebay, I think it is 30W. The first iron I bought burn't out in about 6 hours - I have had no problem with the Weller though. I just have just the 1 inch solid tip in the can. I need to shake the can about every couple of hours and top up about every 4 to maintain smoke.

The method you describe is, I believe, used by Vernon Smith - my only concern would be that it would create to much heat for my small smoker - I think Vernon uses a fairly sizeable old freezer and on another post he says it reaches about 45C. Even allowing for the higher temp where he lives, this is too hot for me. However, Vernon has far more experience of doing this than I do and obviously makes it work for him - his produce looks superb! I guess that his system needs a good amount of sawdust to keep going - I wonder if anyone has any experience of using this method with smaller quantities of sawdust?

My plan for my new smoker is to use sawdust/shavings/chips in a cast iron pot (an old dutch oven). I will use a (calor) gas burner to get around the problem of electricity in the garden. If, once smouldering, I can maintain smoke production without the gas it will be great for cold smoking. Obviously, I will still need the extra heat when hot smoking.

I will let you know how I get on, but, it may take me 2-3 months before I have it up and running.

[wheels]

Ptarmigan>
Oops, seem to have got a bit off subject - how's the colour going - if we can get it to last a few weeks we could give up smoking food and open a tanning salon

Cheers
Phil

[Ptarmigan]

. -conv-

[wheels]

Hi

I fear I may have caused some confusion. My Weller 25W works perfectly OK and is still going after quite a few 12 hour sessions. I have the solid end fully into the tin but only a couple of mm of the 'barrel' of the iron.

Ptarmigan>
Sorry, I should have said that I use a 'trip' and that the smoker was only on the floor for the photos - it normally lives on a 'work mate' type bench.

For safety I only try and use it when the weather is good.

Phil

[Ptarmigan]

Removed because it was electrical proceedures and not cold smoking

[Richierich]

Nice idea ptarmigan, my garden does not really suit a tent, it barely suits the smoker. I have a tiny little corner where I have the bbq and the smoker, I suppose I could get a tarpaulin or something similar. My other thought was to source an outdoor plug socket and run that from the house, all I need do then is keep the soldering iron off the floor and provide some sort of protection from drips.