Cold smoking is a process of smoking meat or fish usually taking from few hours up to several days, in a low, maximum 26°C (79°F) temperature. The process removes moisture from the food and allows for deep smoke penetration, therefore preserving the food. Cold smoked products do not require further cooking as the products are normally cured before smoking. Deep smoke penetration along with curing not only enhances food flavor but also preserves the food from spoilage caused by bacteria. After smoking the products are ready for consumption and maybe stored for extended period of time.

Cold smoking process with shorter exposure times is sometimes used to add extra flavor to already cooked foods.

Hot smoking is relatively short process of smoking food, for up to several hours, in temperatures from 40 to 65°C. (105-150 °F). It is mostly done for adding smoke flavor to the food rather than preservation. In sausage making hot smoking may include short period of baking products in up to 90°C (194°F) temperature in order to cook it completely and reach internal temperature required for consumption. If baking is not used the product normally require finishing by another process to reach internal temperature required for consumption.  Finished products are not intended for prolonged storage.

Cold smoked products are prepared for consumption using low temperature processes only,

while Hot smoked products are cooked after or during smoking in higher temperatures until minimum, safe for consumption, or desired temperature is reached.

Curing generally means preserving meats by using any mixture of drying, salting and smoking processes.

When applied to home-made smoked meat products, curing is a process of preserving meats by adding salt and nitrites prior to smoking. It may also include other ingredients to enhance the flavor of the product.

Fish are usually cured with salt or a combination of salt and sugar.

It all depends on the product that you are making.  Some products, usually when smoked in higher temperatures don’t require curing.  For some other, curing is the first step in the process. Adding salts and nitrites starts the flavoring and helps developing desired color of the products. You need to follow the recipe.

The cost to smoke with our Smokers is about $1.00 per hour including cost of wood chips and electricity.

You have to find your own taste, but woodchips made of all hardwood with no bark are acceptable. Fruit trees wood works very well and alder, maple and oak are popular. You may also try using hickory or mesquite with pork, beef or red game meat. Use only dry woodchips in the smoke generator. All types of seafood are excellent with alder and maple.

When using smoke generator one load provides about 1.5 to 2 hrs of smoking depends on desired smoke density and size of woodchips.

To increase humidity in the smoking chamber, place a pan with water next to the heating element. You can control the humidity by adjusting the top dumper. The more closed it is, the more moisture will be kept in. The more open it is, the less moisture will be kept in. Do not close the damper in the top all the way when smoke is running. The smoke must flow through the chamber for good smoking results. Cook with top damper 1/3 open, you should never cook with your damper closed more than 1/4.

It is important to note that our Smokers have been designed for making meat products that don’t require high, grilling temperature. They are crafted to reach up to 120°C (250°F) (Smokehouse) and 175°C (350°F)(Patio Smoker) smoking/cooking temperature. Nonetheless, here are a few tips and things to note about the temperature of your smoker.

• The heavier the load in the smoker the longer it takes to reach desired temperature
• Opening door releases the heat stored inside, which takes some time to restore.
• Preheat your smoker before putting your food in it.
• Put your meat into the smoker when at room temperature.
• Your smokers is fully insulated, but low ambient temperature will affects the internal temperature of your smoker, so the colder it is the longer it will take to heat your smoker to desired temperature.
• If you require the use of an extension cord, make sure it is heavy-duty and less than 20 feet long.

The famous thin blue smoke comes from clean fire and is excellent for gentle flavoring meats barbecued for long hours, without causing overwhelming taste of smoke. However, the thin blue smoke does not provide any preservation to the product. The temperature that produces the smoke is too high and all the preserving elements of smoke are already gone, being burned in the fire and never reach our sausages or bacons.

Denser smoke from low temperature wood burning is good for flavoring and also preserving the meats. This smoke is produced during the process called pyrolysis – decomposition of organic matter in not too high temperature and oxygen-deprived environment. Some of these chemicals are responsible for smoke flavor and others act as preservatives. For good smoke, make sure to use dry wood only.

With smoke providing preservation to home made products, there is no need to add any preserving chemicals to the food, making it healthier for consumption.