First Cold Smoke - Problems

All about smokers hot and cold
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banjo48
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:16 pm

First Cold Smoke - Problems

Post by banjo48 »

Hi Fellas, I'm new here and am looking at some advice. Did my first dry cured pork belly for bacon last week, bought a Smokai cold smoke generator and made up a bracket to fit my Q300 Weber.

All good but, I live in a retirement unit with a small back yard and shall we say I stank out the yard, me, the carport, the house and probably both my next door neighbours ! there just seemed way too much smoke.

I only fired it up on high then turned it down to low, but after 2 1/2 hours it was so bad I had to pull the plug ! I can still smell the smoke around the yard and my BBQ several days later !

End result was the bacon could have done with more time (not smoky enough) but some cheese I put in was fine, I used Apple wood chips as it was suggested to me as mild for bacon.

Thinking of making up a larger smoke box of some sort with just maybe a variable vent at the top to limit the expelled smoke maybe, the weber just leaked smoke like hell from both sides so I don't think is practical. Am I expecting too much or maybe I need to do the smoking somewhere else ? don't want to alienate our neighbours if at all possible.

The bacon was a little salty but I can solve that by more soaking and a test fry before the smoking. But I want to get into ribs and other goodies too.

Thanks for any advice.
Powderdigit
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Sep 10, 2017 12:33 pm

Re: First Cold Smoke - Problems

Post by Powderdigit »

Hey Banjo - welcome.

I'm relatively new 'round these parts too.

This post made me smile... I can picture some of your neighbours either very happy... knocking on the door with a bottle of wine or a little 'frown-ish' thinking.. "What is all the smoke and smell?!".

I am no cold smoker so I can't offer advice but I hope some comes through for you - I imagine that's what this forum is all about.

By the way - I looked up cold smoking for you in the google-verse and found my way to this rather strange video ... it's actually not cold smoking ... rather cooking pork by a river, smoked under wet leaves with and reasonable cool owl on tow!! Worth a watch when you have 5 minutes ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVPt578vrG8

Cheers and good luck.
Powderdigit
12x7
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 5:32 pm

Re: First Cold Smoke - Problems

Post by 12x7 »

Have a look at the amaze-n tube smoker.
http://www.amazenproducts.com

You buy copies for $10 on eBay.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/6-12-Stainle ... 100623.m-1

Works well to cold and hot smoke.

People can be pretty sensitive about bbq smells from a gas bbq, let alone charcoal or a smoker.
banjo48
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: First Cold Smoke - Problems

Post by banjo48 »

Thanks for the replies gentleman, after my last effort I decided after some researching here and around the web to reconsider the cold smoking for a while, so bought myself a Fornetto Razzo bullet smoker !

Just completed my first cook up of ribs, both pork and beef, used the 2-2-1 method and apart from using a commercial rub, which was way too much paprika and chilli for my wife, actually turned out pretty good for a first try.

The Razzo held almost a constant temp of 240F for the whole time apart from when i lifted the lid to put ribs in some foil for the tenderizing bit.
Had to top up the water pot once but plenty of charcoal left when i finally shut the vents to cool it all off.

We love smoked fish so that's my main aim but the ribs were pretty good anyway.
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