Easy to Make Cold Smoke Generator

[Hoggy]

VERY impressive Dave ! Although I think that salmon is almost choaking ! Did you hot-smoke the turkey afterwards ? How long did this setup burn/smoke Dave ? Looks as if you are pretty good settled now.
Hoogy

[saucisson]

I got about five hours of smoke before I brought the turkey indoors to cook in the oven, leaving the salmon to continue for (at a guess-as I didn't check it again) another couple of hours.

Dave

[Richierich]

Help needed here, I think I have the concept, just struggling with the execution.

I have managed to get hold of some 4" Diameter stainless steel tube, I have made a grate from some drawn steel mesh and that sits in the tube fine, it holds the wood/sawdust no problems.

My current smoke generator is a tin can with the air supply coming in through the bottom through an airstone, the can is on a stand so no problems kinking tube etc.

I am using the tin to support the tube, to give me a seal I have put a small amount of water in the tin before putting the tube in it. The top is still a little unfinished, but I am looking to prove the concept.

I am lighting the wood with my kitchen burner jobby, but the question is how "alight" do I need to get the wood, I am struggling to sustain the fire. Was better with chips, sawdust was a real problem. Are we talking seconds or minutes of fire. I wonder if maybe the wood is damp, but it does burn when I torch it, just keeps going out.

Initially I am getting a good stream of smoke, it's just not lasting.

Any thoughts??

[saucisson]

Might be an airflow problem, are you sure air is passing through the stainless steel tube at the same rate it was in the can system? I found I needed a much greater airflow in the enclosed system than I did when the open can was inside the smoker.
Any photos?
Dave

[Richierich]

Will try and get some photos later this morning. Might have to look for a higher capacity air pump, or maybe take the air stone of the line.

[allforumemail]

Will try and get some photos later this morning. Might have to look for a higher capacity air pump, or maybe take the air stone of the line.

any news for your setup?
thanks

[Richierich]

Photos are sitting on the camera about 4" from my right hand, will try and get them up later, been busy, shopping busy on Monday and 3kg of sausage busy last night.

Tonight, might be the night, if I ever get my f**king work finished, damn database, like wading through treacle. Been sat here 10 minutes while it searches for something it will probably tell me is not there.

Must go and see IT tomorrow.

[Terry]

Ooh Rich, must be an ACE system you are using. Just buy a Bradley !

Terry

[plop]

Woo hoo!

Hi everyone! I've been spending a lot of time at your website, and what a veritable mine of information it is. Over the last few weeks i've been dry curing some pork and have just been smoking it outside in the garden. I'm not sure i've gotten the right curing mix right (it tastes really salty) but maybe i'll get it better the next time round.

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to comment as it's helped me get setup for cold smoking. I can't stress enough how much easier it has been. And i'd wanted to post my experiences back.

Let me describe my current setup. I'm using an old biscuit tin to smoulder some wood chips in. I've gone for a slightly taller and narrower tin so the weight of the wood chips will naturally fall towards the air supply at the bottom of the tin. Now i had some 15mm diameter copper pipe lying around so that's the only reason why i'm using pipe of this size. My air supply is from an InterPet AP4 (twin outlet air pump) and both supplies are needed to create enough smoke. Using a single supply and there's barely a trickle of smoke. Both supplies produce about the same amount of smoke as in your images.

I've used standard compression fit brass fittings throughout and the most important thing - a cooling chamber (made up of 2x peanut tins on top of each other). It all fits together and is reasonably leak-free with a lot of duct tape. But in my next version i will make a cooling chamber from a square tin as the fittings are flat and not rounded like a tin. As you've recommended i have a pipe at the bottom of the cooling chamber for the condensate to drain away.

Once it's up and running it really does chuck out a lot of smoke. Unfortunately i'm using our Gas Grill as a smoking vessel - it has air vents and slots cut in to nearly all of it's surfaces so it's less than ideal.

I've just been out to check on it and it's still smoking away. I doubt it'll burn for 7hours. Not unless i restrict the airflow with some aquarium valves. But for now i am happy. Nearly 1 day of smoking and only 3 more days left.

Now i just need to order some curing mixes from here and try some smoked bacon.

Many thanks again,

Plop.

PS: I'm making (or trying to) make smoked ham without the bone.

[saucisson]

Welcome to the forums plop

Dave

[Richierich]

.............. Nearly 1 day of smoking and only 3 more days left...........

What on earth are you smoking for 4 days?

[lemonD]

Rich,

Over the last few weeks i've been dry curing some pork and have just been smoking it outside in the garden

PS: I'm making (or trying to) make smoked ham without the bone

The ham I did at Xmas was smoked for 6 days, it's a little and often technique.

LD

[plop]

Oh dear. I couldn't get hold of any proper wood chips for smoking my ham and got a box from Homebase. The one in the purple box. It smells horrible. Nothing like the delicate smokey smell (and taste) i was expecting - and that along with the salty ham i reckon i should put it in the recycling bin (the council will take nearly anything) and start again.

Arrrgh!

I'd better go to the very beginning and read and re-read all your threads on making ham. Oh well.

I'm tempted to get some bacon curing products and maybe have a go with that first. Looking at the threads on bacon - it looks lovely!

PS: Thanks guys. Great Forum and great WebSite.

[saucisson]

Stay with it, and if in doubt; ask

Dave

[plop]

Thanks for the words of encouragement Saucisson-Dave. I know i should really leave the bloody salty smoked ham alone, but i just can't. It seems the dry curing goodies got through to everything as the exposed meat is still pink and slightly moist, but doesn't appear to be going off. Maybe i can grind it all up and make some salty smoked lasagne!

BUT, over the weekend i was round my sister and brother-in-law's house planting out sweetcorn plugs. I know it's a bit late, but with a bit of luck with the weather we'll be eating juicy sweetcorn later in the year. BUT, they had a pack of Jack Daniel's Smoking Chips. I'm keen to give them a go this weekend. I was just looking at the PlanetBBQ site and fancy some smoked duck. A drip tray is essential i reckon as they are very fatty birds. Smoked Duck is delicious!

I'm still really after dry curing some ham at home. Parma ham would be nice. BUT everyone i've spoken to seems to prefer the regular stuff you're more likely to see at the Deli Counter at your local supermarket.

I've bought some food grade Salt Petre and would like to mixup my own bacon curing stuff. Can any of you give me some directions? I had some shop bought Pancetta from the local Independent Italian Deli last week. It was beautiful, so tasty, so crispy and all the fat was in the pan. Is it possible to make bacon like this?

Many thanks again,

Plop.