Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Makes good sense. I'm going into this with basically zero expectations as I've never done it before LOL. I guess you can say I wanted to start on the cheaper end of things to get my feet wet with the technique and the process. If its enjoyable, there will definitely be an upgrade in the future.

 

Smoked devilled eggs? I never even thought about that. Game changer!!!


Coolest or most unique thing any of y'all have smoked?

 

I started with a charcoal Brinkman - no longer made, but similar to what you have. The first thing I made was smoked chicken breasts, rubbed with oil and coated in Lawry's Seasoning Salt. The salt formed a nice little crust and kept the chicken super moist. From there I was hooked and now I own multiple smokers and have smoked everything I could ever think of.

Of course all the meats, seafood, eggs, butter, cheeses, cream cheese, salts, seasonings like paprika, peppercorns, Ranch Dip Mix etc, flour, vodka, water for smoked ice cubes, fruits, vegetables. You're only limited by your imagination.

 

So school me on cold smoke, or smoking things like cheeses. I'm worried about melting the stuff, but a buddy mentioned some sort of cold smoking tray/system you can get, and I don't know about all that. I have my big ol' offset smoker/grill and I did well with brisket and meats, but haven't ventured to try anything temperature sensitive like cheese or butter.

 

My preferred way is to use pellets and a smoking tube. The tube is filled with pellets and a blow torch is used to light the end and let it burn for 5 to 10 minutes, then the flame is snuffed out and the pellets smolder creating a "cold" smoke. Buy the 12 inch tube, which will last about 4 hours.

Using this method, you merely need a vessel to contain the smoke and add your food into. Most of the time you can simply use your smoker or grill as that vessel. No need to fire it up. Just add the whatever and the tube.

Butter is obviously more sensitive that cheese etc. It needs to be a cooler day, but you can also fill up pans with ice to keep the chamber cooler.

Butter can then be wrapped in the wax paper it came in. Cheese will need to be cooled down in the fridge, then you can vacuum seal it.

You can also use cold smoking to smoke just about anything including hard cooked eggs that got your attention earlier.

I also forgot to add in my post above about smoked Mac n Cheese and smoked Lasagna ... as I mentioned, pretty much everything is fair game.

 

You should cold smoke when the ambient outdoor temps are below 40° or you can keep your pit below that to reduce the risk of food borne illnesses. At that point, you’re smoking in a refrigerator. You can cold smoke non temp sensitive foods (nuts, fruits, etc.) at regular ambient temps.

Heck, you can do whatever you want, but I don’t gamble with diarrhea or the safety of my patrons

As @Kilo Charlie mentioned, a pellet tube is perfect for this. You get smoke without the excess heat. There are so many options for pellet blends and it’s relatively inexpensive to pick up a few smaller bags.

I enjoy making holiday gift baskets to sell when the temps drop and I’ll cold smoke for a few days straight to stock up for the warmer months. This was last year’s first batch: 60 lbs. cheese, butter, apples, tomatoes, garlic, Kosher salt, cashews, and Worcestershire sauce.



This is the pellet tube I use and it looks like it comes with a few extras now:

12" Pellet Smoker Tube for Pellet Grill 2 Pack Cold Smoker Generator for BBQ Stainless Steel Wood Pellet Tube Smoker Fit Electric Gas Charcoal Grill, Provides Food Tong and Brush and Hook

$17 12" Pellet Smoker Tube for Pellet Grill 2 Pack Cold Smoker Generator for BBQ Stainless Steel Wood Pellet Tube Smoker Fit Electric Gas Charcoal Grill, Provides Food Tong and Brush and Hook

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1Q3K14N

Happy Smoking!

 

Thank you @Beef Nachos for the follow up on facts!

 

Thank you both so much, I had never heard of a smoking tube before. I now have goals this fall/winter! Do you find you get any decent smoke penetration with the peels on? The idea of smoked garlic just rocks my world, how did it turn out?

Also, as former restaurant staff myself, having worked FOH and BOH, thank you for the Kenny Loggins warning, it's all too easy to forget and I appreciate the attention to food safety!

Thanks for the link too, I have a new purchase to justify to the old lady lol.

 

The smoke is just right on the apples, not too much to make it weird. I try to eat them within a week because you can’t bag them for resting (like you need to with cheese).

Unless, of course, you want fermented apple wine

Garlic is almost no different with or without peels, it’s such a papery thin membrane that I can’t tell the difference. This way makes it easier for me to keep them together (previously tried a big bag of pre peeled cloves).

Once she reaps some of the benefits of your new hobby, I think she’ll be a little more open minded about your purchases.

At least we can hope!

 

Oh she likes the smoker already, when we made that brisket we specifically froze some to save for the fall, to make brisket mac n cheese. I do some niftt stuff with food, because lawdy knows ahe didn't marry me for my money

Also, cherry wood smoked apple wine sounds absolutely killer, dude!

 

If not you just buy it anyways, squirrel it way, then when you finally bring it out remember the words “Oh, we’ve had it for years, Dear. Thought I’d try it out.”
Make believe it’s truck mods & you’ll do fine.

 

Liquids can be smoked too. The key to those is breaking the surface tension of them often. I've smoked cheap vodkas before as well as plain water that was then made into smoked ice cubes for a hint of smoke flavor in bourbon. I've smoked tomato sauce before for the lasagna mentioned above. I've even smoked heavy cream prior to making it into butter.

 

I'm getting all sorts of creative ideas now, like cold smoking a nice ribeye before she gets a reverse sear... I'll have to try smoking some vodka, or tomato juice for Bloody Marys

 

In my experience - lump isn't consistent, it's great for hot cooks like steaks and burgers, but for running a smoker, I have consistency with the briquettes that goes a LONG way. Get the ones that DO NOT have "self starting" etc. - and never use starter fluid.

Lemon smoked oysters.

Two approaches - smoked cooked, and also smoked raw. Just saw this on a show, they have one of those glass smoker chambers for drink making, they put the oysters in there, and then fire lemons through it for a smoke on the raw oysters.

 

No need to cold smoke the Ribeye.. hot smoke it to like 120F then reverse sear it to 140F (or your desired doneness)

 

Can I smoke a Pop-Tart?

 

.....

https://www.reddit.com/r/shittyfoodporn/comments/m5n1yo/smoked_pop_tarts/

But here's one that actually looks good.
https://www.howsweeteats.com/2015/05/smoked-cheddar-and-cherry-jam-pastry-pop-tarts/

 

Yes, but it'll taste like shit

 

*smoked shit

 

Thank you!