Build your own smoker

[beerco]

Alton Brown, as far as I know, inspired the cardboard box smoker I posted. That's why I'd say it would work as a cold smoker. But I'm not a pundit of cold smoking. But yes, I'd imagine you would need to move the heat source outside the box and then channel the smoke into it to ensure low heat. Maybe Michael knows the answer?

AB actually had at least three shows on smoking:

The clay pot smoker he used for smoking a butt at around 250o

The cardboard box smoker for a fish at around 150o or so, don't remember exactly.

The gym locker/flexible pipe/smoke source device for making your own bacon at less than 100o (again don't recall the exact temp).

I guess it all depends what you call cold smoking.

When I do a fish I usually like the temp at around 225 dome and pull when it's at 135~140 - definitely not cold smoked in my book.

 

[keltin]

AB actually had at least three shows on smoking:

The clay pot smoker he used for smoking a butt at around 250o

The cardboard box smoker for a fish at around 150o or so, don't remember exactly.

The gym locker/flexible pipe/smoke source device for making your own bacon at less than 100o (again don't recall the exact temp).

I guess it all depends what you call cold smoking.

When I do a fish I usually like the temp at around 225 dome and pull when it's at 135~140 - definitely not cold smoked in my book.

I wonder if they have Alton Brown DVDs for sale yet? I've not seen all of those and would love to.

But again, I'm not into cold smoking, and have never done it, but I do know Alton Brown said it can be done in a cardboard box.

I’m pretty sure cold smoking has to be done at 100F or less, and I believe the idea is that the smoke itself, and not the heat, cures the meat? I should Google it I guess!

 

[mitmondol]

Here is something interesting keltin

Smoking meats and sausages is one of the oldest methods of meat preservation

 

[Bacardi]

One item you may want to add is to moisten things up is stream or aka a water smoker. I did the "big brown egg" pot thing and put it up against my friend brinkman water smoker...The water smoker produced much more moist meat. All you have to do is fit a pan of water near the heat source, but make sure there's room around pan for the smoke to rise...

 

[Michael in FtW]

Shhh Bacardi - don't let them "Egg Heads" know our secrets ...

 

[mitmondol]

What I remember from a long time ago, wet sawdust was used and the process took several days. We used to take the meat/sausages to the smokehouse, which was a small shad really.We could choose what type of wood we wanted, but if we didn't have enough stuff to fill the place, it would cost more to ask for a specific wood.

 

[beerco]

Shhh Bacardi - don't let them "Egg Heads" know our secrets ...

As a former water smoker I'm not so sure that the "steam" in the environment is what does it.

On my ECB for butt I used to brine and use a water pan. The results were excellent. On my Big Avacado I skip the brine (first time was on accident) and the water and I think it's even better.

I'm suspecting it has more to do with convection and radiant heat than the water. I've never tried a water pan in the egg but some do. It may be worth trying just to see.

 

[Bacardi]

As a former water smoker I'm not so sure that the "steam" in the environment is what does it.

On my ECB for butt I used to brine and use a water pan. The results were excellent. On my Big Avacado I skip the brine (first time was on accident) and the water and I think it's even better.

I'm suspecting it has more to do with convection and radiant heat than the water. I've never tried a water pan in the egg but some do. It may be worth trying just to see.

Taste testing is your goal...Have friends and family assist you with blind tasting to determine if the extra effort is worth it.

 

[ayeshaa]

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