Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

This was my first cheese smoke since moving to AZ from WA 2 years ago. In WA I would usually smoke around 40 to 50F and try to keep below 70F. Ambient temp was 26f. I put a bag of ice in the WSM water pan. Running a blower the temp never made it to 40F. I had maybe a cup of water from melting ice in the pan. This definitely was the coldest cheese smoke I have done. Hardly any moisture on the cheese after smoking. Also no noticeable color change but could readily smell the smoke. I didn't check ambient humidity as we had clear skys.

 

I’m not sure what the temp is inside the chamber but I use the green mountain smoke tube inside of my traeger and that seems to work great. I put the tube on one end and the cheese on the other.

 

Smoking a butt today

 

I use a smoker tube for cheese.

$13 Smoke Tube - 12'' Smoke Tube for Pellet Grill 5 Hours of Billowing Smoke, Stainless Steel Pellet Smoker Tube for All Grill or Smoker, Hot or Cold Smoking

https://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Tube-B...1670700771&sprefix=smoker+tube,aps,132&sr=8-5

Any outside temp below about 60º and out of the sun and you are good to go. I have seen it smoked in a cardboard box with the food grate resting on rods pushed though the cardboard, worked great. Just have to keep the smoldering smoker tube from coming in contact with the cardboard. I use a Little Chief with just the tube in the bottom. If I smoke a couple pounds, it never last long enough to worry about storing.

 

Done. I didn’t use my normal homemade rub, much less flavor. Ah well, that’s what they make BBQ sauce for.

 

Pork was on sale at the store today so I got a rib center roast, smothered it in mustard and “the usual” seasoning, threw it on the grill in smoker mode with some cherry chips for a few hours until I ran out of propane then transferred to the oven to finish. I was happy with the result, not a ton of smoke flavor but was definitely there.

 

First time attempting a cure/cold smoke on salmon.

Steelhead on the left, sockeye on the right.



Equal parts brown cane sugar and kosher salt. Ground up Szechuan peppercorns, black peppercorns, dried dill, and dried bay leaves for the aromatics. Got the bed down, placed the salmon down, and covered the top.



Filled in the gaps with more kosher salt and added a thin layer on top. Into the refrigerator for 20 hours!



Next step will be to remove the salt, rinse, and air dry in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

 

I've done similar a couple of times and the results are so delicious and gratifying

 

That’s what I like to here. Ran out of time last cold season, so I’m getting an early start this year.

 

Make sure you report back with some good pictures of the final product! my mouth is watering already... looks great man

 

Not usually a fish guy but let me know how it comes out. That's a metric butt load of salt, I'm curious if it comes out as worth the effort and resources to do it that way.

 

The effort's really minimal, just cover the fish in salt and sugar and maybe some lemon zest/spices and let it sit in the fridge. Totally worthwhile

 

$3.12 of Morton’s kosher salt for two fillets (+ whatever herbs/spices you grind in).

 

Update: salmon was rinsed and has been drying all day. It’ll go on as soon as I pull off the Worcestershire, butter, and salt / cashews.

 

Damn.

 

Same smoke for one as many, might as well fill ‘er up!

 

I’ve not smoked any cheese for a good nearly two years you gave me a hankering

Smoke tube or ?

 

I use the green mountain tube in my traeger

 

See y’all in 20 hours

 

Sorry, missed this. Yeah, I use a $12 - $15 hexagonal tube from Amazon and end up having to replace it each year. I’m also pumping out 9-12 smokes per week in season so I can sell all year.