I've got an American smoker which is intended for hot smoking. However, if you are very patient and careful you can use it for cold smoking.
Hot smoking takes an hour for small items (e.g trout) and longer for larger things (4-5 hours for a good sized chicken).
I get the smoker hot with small clean logs (ash, apple or similar hard-ish wood, not pine) then maintain its temperature with the smallest possible amount of fresh logs. Take off the bark as it gives a bitter taste.
I salt whatever I plan to smoke. Trout gets an hour in strong brine then hot smoke at about 200 F for one hour. Hang them in the smoker using string through the gills. Don't hang by the tail as the tail comes off and they finish up in a heap at the bottom of the smoker. They can be eaten hot as a main course or cold as a starter. Very tasty and easy to do.
Once you are confident smoking trout, try a chicken and then move on to larger, more expensive things.
You can also use the smoker to cook (roast) meat like leg of lamb, pork, beef etc. The smoker has to be able to operate at about 375 - 400 F to roast properly and you don't need to salt the meat first. The results can be very good but the fatty bits can become bitter and not good to eat. Again, you need a supply of dry clean logs - ideally without bark on them. Avoid all treated wood as paint and chemicals can stay in the smoker and will spoil the food.
NN
Topic: Bacon Smoking (Read 6669 times)
