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Woot! Partial cold smoke solution!


Mallette

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Did a home cured corned beef. 10 days in the brine and the results were far superior to store bought and I paid only 2 bucks a pound for the brisket. Just put a fresh ham into brine mixture today to cure. Will smoke it in about 5 days. I'd want to try a Smithfield dry cure soon. Takes much longer, but superior results if you like country ham...which I do.

 

Figured a real smokehouse was a luxury I'd never have, but have looked for plans lately and found some that I could build on the cheap. Real cure smoking is done at about 90 degrees for many, many days. But, of course, you can do a winters worth at once since it's really full cured and will keep for months. 

 

Some of them allow for either cold or hot smoking. Would like one of those. Will see...

 

Anyway, it's fun, and the results rather rewarding. 

 

Dave

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Woot! Woot! Who knew? During my research I stumble over a 62.00 add on to my Masterbuilt electric. Allows smoking at 100 degrees with six hours between loads. Well, that isn't quite purist cold smoking and the load interval would be a challenge for full curing a ham and such, but the kicker is that several comments were that for hot smoking it was basically essential for ribs, brisket and such. Precisely the problem I'd had! At 225, the dinky internal element really won't get the chips going and you have to use chips rather than chunks. IF you can get them going at a higher temp, you still only get less than a hour of smoke before having to reload. This one give you 6 hours worth. I am betting I can extend that to 8. Regardless, a HUGE improvement I am looking forward to on Friday. Will send pix and impressions when I put it to work. May do something before I try the ham I have in the brine at the moment. 

coldsmoke.jpg

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Years ago when we raised a couple hogs a year I thought about getting into cured meats. After much reading I decided not to, it seems there is a fine line between curing and rotting and I was afraid to try it.

 

Cold smoking is tough, I wanted to try one of the hardest things only because I like it so much, smoked cheese. But to get real cold smoking is not easy, many people use something to produce smoke and have it a good distance from the smoker box  and piped in so the smoke can cool to almost room temp before reaching the smoker. Then after it was done cheese needs to be wrapped and stored for a certain time before it's ready. 

This all if I am remembering it correctly from years ago, fish is also good smoked but I think cheese was much more particular to temperature.

 

That smoke generator addition for the masterbuilt connected to a metal duct going to the smoking box could help lower the temp, might have to be a good distance away, it would be trial and error to figure out. 

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2 hours ago, oldtimer said:

Well Dave, you are aware that a real man would use a wood/natural charcoal fire....

I like caveman style wood logs only, charcoal is for cheaters. :P Gas does not even count, wouldn't know where to list pellet poopers. :o

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5 hours ago, oldtimer said:

Well Dave, you are aware that a real man would use a wood/natural charcoal fire....

BS. Nothing "not real" about the wood from my yard being used. Only difference is that instead of newspaper, starter fluid, or whatever I'll use electricity to get it going. Further, consider the messenger... 😋  Next visit you don't HAVE to eat any if you can't tolerate the idea of hybrid tech for ancient methodology. BTW, just how many dry cured hams, wet cured corned beefs, or bacon have you made? Hot sauce doesn't count...but it DOES somewhat ameliorate your snark.

 

Dave

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3 hours ago, dtel said:

I like caveman style wood logs only, charcoal is for cheaters. :P Gas does not even count, wouldn't know where to list pellet poopers. :o

As do I, and if I could afford the sort of smokehouse I'd like it's what I would do. Very satisfying to get a fire just right and maintain it for days. OTOH, it is the RESULT that really counts and I don't intend to do without first class BBQ, cured hams, bacon, etc just because I can't afford an "I want..."
 

As to cheese, we'll have to see. Certainly if it melts to a puddle it isn't good. Users say this box does a 100 degrees in a Masterbuilt. I hope to get it a bit lower. Perhaps full open vent, or large chunks. Will report. Nothing like a challenge! However, I KNOW that my ribs and brisket are going to profit from constant smoke and maintaining 225. No question about that. It was basically not possible with the unit alone. This is a game changer for those things regardless of what else it does. 

 

Would REALLY like to have you and Christy over for a visit. Work on it! We could have some serious fun and you could make fun of my system. You are allowed...

 

Dave

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After further research, decided to modify my immediate plans into curing and cold smoking. Seems that it can be very dangerous except with very precise steps. So, I am going to cook my wet cured ham before smoking and smoke at 140. Still want to, at some point, try a dry cure and cold smoke ham cure but only after I master the intermediate stages. I've done well in the past smoking pre cooked hams at 140, but that is not true cold smoking. OTOH, it is safe and the results awesome...and safe, as I mentioned. As a great man once said, "I intend to live forever...so far, so good." 

 

Dave

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So cheating goes back a long way. :o

 

But really some charcoal is not bad, I like the ones that are real pieces of wood and still have some un burned wood in them, I just don't like the perfectly pre formed type.

Plus we heat the house with wood and i always have a bunch stacked, no chance of running out plus I'm old and convenience counts.

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On ‎7‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 6:55 PM, Mallette said:

Further, consider the messenger...

As fine and talented a human being as you might ever meet.

 

On ‎7‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 6:55 PM, Mallette said:

BTW, just how many dry cured hams, wet cured corned beefs, or bacon have you made?

Ah, about three fitty.

 

On ‎7‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 6:55 PM, Mallette said:

Hot sauce doesn't count...but it DOES somewhat ameliorate your snark.

You were long overdue for said snark.  "We would like it to be known, the exhibits that were shown, were exclusively our own, all our own all our own."  Bonus points if you get the reference, but it may prove that you do indeed have the blessed affliction mentioned prior.

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