[deepinthewoods]

im nearly there with making my cold smoker, has anyone got any tips, like how long to brine things for, where to get the chips etc etc, all help greatly appreciated

[Bert]

Hi deepinthewoods we made a cold smoker, well no that is a lie we brought one of these
http://www.macsbbq.co.uk/CSG.html and put it in an old up side down fridge. Are you now asking why up side down? let me explain. You have the little freezer compartment at the top of old fridges, you rip the door off that turn you fridge up side down you then have the prefect protection for your smoker it stops any drips or moisture from your food getting on to your wood dust. Then drill a big hole in the bottom (now the top) of your fridge for your chimney and you have a smoker. we get are wood dust from that web site as well. I would suggest any dust you get you keep in the airing cupboard because the slightest bit of moisture makes it a pig to keep it lit. It works out at about £1 per fill (10 hours smoking)
 As for brining/ curing it's all a bit hit and miss I've had real trouble trying to find any info on the internet about it. I have found that what works for me is a 50/50 of salt and brown sugar . Enough  to cover what ever you want to smoke. As for timings I really can't help you. Just make it up as you go along. Mackerel I cure for half an hour and salmon fillets I tried last week for the first time I did for an hour I would do it for a lot longer next time. After curing wash all the salt sugar off pat dry smoke it. Again timings you make up Mackerel I do for 2/3 hours salmon I did for 8 hour ( would do longer next time). But to start smoke some cheese no curing needed cut into 1/2 pound blocks smoke for 4 hours ( bloody lovely if you like smoked cheese). Hope some of this helps.   

[Mel]

Hi Deepinthewoods,
I made the same using the same smoker as Bert! Amazing!
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=21003.msg199278#msg199278

I did not do the same as you Bert,my larder fridge had a bottom salad drawer which I took out and cut holes in it,works a treat,the chimney was cut through the rear to the outside of the shed with chimney attached.

I use the top freezer section to keep all the bags of sawdust in,including my cures and related items 

I agree with Bert,the slightest moisture you can sit there for an hour trying to light,since using the old freezer section I do not have this problem! I made some home reared Pork half pound burgers and used the maple sawdust,smoked for 4-6 hours and they were really incredible!

I have noticed it is a game of chance,the longer you smoke it,the stronger the flavour and this also changes for small or larger items,i.e.Three whole sides of bacon like in the photo smoked to the maximum of the smoking unit gave me really nice bacon,though for me it was a bit strong.

Hope this may help somewhat,hopefully.?

[deepinthewoods]

right. thank you thats all very helpful.
what wood smoke is your favourites, obviously apple and fruit woods, and oak but have you tried anything else?

[Bert]

Only used apple and oak, proffer the oak, only because it stays lit better. Nothing to do with flavour. I would like to try maple next time we need to order more wood dust.

[deepinthewoods]

part of the reason for wanting a smoker is because i have access to soooo much dust and chips, being a chippy ive make sacks of it, i might have to buy some in at first to see what it looks like tho.

[Bert]

It is very fine dust for the pro Q cold smoker we use. As you were not lazy and made yours from scratch you may get away with not quite so finer dust. I would use your bigger wood chips on your hot smoker when you build that 

[Mel]

The Maple is one of my favourites along with Hickory,they are quite sweet and aromatic,I have also used the whiskey oak out of the kit and worked very well too,I tried this on sausages,burgers and some gammon.lish it were

I wanted to try the Alder,but does not stay lit for long,even though it is definitely bone dry,perhaps it needs more airflow in the smoker?And Cherry smoked ham is wonderful,it is a little sweeter than the Hickory in my opinion but very moreish!

[ZacB]

  I love this thread, my mouth is dripping. We cured a side of pork for bacon last year, dry cure mix in the fridge etc v.good but it set the mind thinking about a 'real' smoker & this is looking good

[SteveHants]

Brining time depends on what it is that you are smoking.


I used to run a small smokery in a former life and we used chipped-up oak whiskey barrels which we got from a feller who made those 1/2 barrel planters (turns out they are slightly less than 1/2 a barrel and we got the 'middles')


I would say that for bacon, dry salting is best, also for cold smoking large fish (salmon etc), but for small fish (mackerel and all white fish - they take on salt much more readily than oily fish) and hams, brining is better, otherwise it seems to end up too salty.


With dry salting you learn to 'feel' when it has long enough in the salt (approx 3 days for a side of bacon, overnight for a salmon).


I would smoke a side of fish overnight and half the next day and bacon for a good two days.


This is the important bit: You must NOT let the temperature get above 26/27 Dec C or it starts to cook whatever it is you are smoking and this means it will essentially start to cook/hot smoke and a partially hot smoked fish is horrid, take it from me, and also bad from a bacterial point of view. We used to use a food probe thermometer with an alarm - they are relativeley inexpensive from catering suppliers.


Hope this helps....