Cold smoked bacon and sun tans

Tips and tecniques on dryng drying, curing etc.

Cold smoked bacon and sun tans

Postby salumi512 » Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:50 pm

I got to thinking about the preference for massive cold smoke in one shot (less than 8 hours) and a little cold smoke over days or weeks. Since humans are also meat, I started thinking about tanning. You can't get a golden tan by laying in the full sun for a day, but you can get it by laying in the sun a few hours a day for a couple weeks.

I also note that you can get a sun tan or sun burn in the winter, so it doesn't have to be hot to get burned in that respect.

Personally, I like this analogy. Practically, it is unlikely I will get to cold smoke one slab for that long in Texas, even in the winter. Maybe time to move back to Alaska for the great experiment 8)
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Postby solaryellow » Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:59 pm

Cold smoke overnight, toss into fridge, and repeat two more times. :D
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Postby salumi512 » Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:03 pm

solaryellow wrote:Cold smoke overnight, toss into fridge, and repeat two more times. :D


For me to cold smoke it needs to be under 50 F outside. That would mean I have to do it during the night in the dead of Texas winter, which lasts about as long as it would take to smoke one slab. Sigh :cry:
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Postby solaryellow » Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:32 pm

salumi512 wrote:
solaryellow wrote:Cold smoke overnight, toss into fridge, and repeat two more times. :D


For me to cold smoke it needs to be under 50 F outside. That would mean I have to do it during the night in the dead of Texas winter, which lasts about as long as it would take to smoke one slab. Sigh :cry:


What is your cold smoking setup? Things aren't all that different here in NC so I am curious. :)
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Postby salumi512 » Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:47 pm

This is my setup. I use the vertical chamber for cold smoking, and usually leave the door open to help alleviate heat. I will say I have only tried to introduce as much cold smoke as possible in a short time. So, I will have to see what outside temps are needed when applying minimal smoke over longer periods.

I use chunks with charcoal typically for cold smoke.

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Postby BriCan » Fri Apr 06, 2012 11:28 pm

salumi512 wrote:
solaryellow wrote:Cold smoke overnight, toss into fridge, and repeat two more times. :D


For me to cold smoke it needs to be under 50 F outside.


:? I have/do cold smoke when it's 95 F outside --- albeit our summers are not usually quite that high on the coast --- more like 90 F :wink:
But what do I know
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Postby salumi512 » Fri Apr 06, 2012 11:35 pm

BriCan wrote: :? I have/do cold smoke when it's 95 F outside --- albeit our summers are not usually quite that high on the coast --- more like 90 F :wink:


Ok, so what are your max cold smoke temps where the meat is? And, how long would you smoke at that temp?

Thanks.
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Postby solaryellow » Fri Apr 06, 2012 11:47 pm

salumi512 wrote:This is my setup. I use the vertical chamber for cold smoking, and usually leave the door open to help alleviate heat. I will say I have only tried to introduce as much cold smoke as possible in a short time. So, I will have to see what outside temps are needed when applying minimal smoke over longer periods.

I use chunks with charcoal typically for cold smoke.

Image


One of these should minimize the heat since no charcoal is needed. They are pretty small (6"x6" or 5"x8") and don't need an external heat source to generate smoke. That in your firebox shouldn't add any additional heat to your vertical chamber.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDe ... e=AMNPS5X8
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Postby salumi512 » Fri Apr 06, 2012 11:54 pm

solaryellow wrote:One of these should minimize the heat since no charcoal is needed. They are pretty small (6"x6" or 5"x8") and don't need an external heat source to generate smoke. That in your firebox shouldn't add any additional heat to your vertical chamber.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDe ... e=AMNPS5X8


I appreciate the advice, but I'm particular about what I use as a fuel source. I notice a big difference in using wood logs and chunks, vs. dust, shavings and pellets. I don't like smoke from those small fuel sources. I can tell the difference.

I will begin experimenting with minimal smoke with chunks. I am wanting to know what is the max temp and time for a period of smoke between rests. Thanks.
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Postby DanMcG » Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:17 am

Cold smoke according to the Marianski's is 52-71°F but they also mention 86°f is the high limit in many European countries.
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Postby salumi512 » Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:26 am

DanMcG wrote:Cold smoke according to the Marianski's is 52-71°F but they also mention 86°f is the high limit in many European countries.


Thanks Dan. Does it say how long it would stay at those high temps? I can see doing 90 F for 2 hrs a day while resting in the fridge otherwise at 54 F.

How does this sound?

I'm looking for limits on when you start cooking vs. curing and smoking. We are getting somewhere in this conversation.
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Postby solaryellow » Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:54 am

salumi512 wrote:
solaryellow wrote:One of these should minimize the heat since no charcoal is needed. They are pretty small (6"x6" or 5"x8") and don't need an external heat source to generate smoke. That in your firebox shouldn't add any additional heat to your vertical chamber.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDe ... e=AMNPS5X8


I appreciate the advice, but I'm particular about what I use as a fuel source. I notice a big difference in using wood logs and chunks, vs. dust, shavings and pellets. I don't like smoke from those small fuel sources. I can tell the difference.

I will begin experimenting with minimal smoke with chunks. I am wanting to know what is the max temp and time for a period of smoke between rests. Thanks.


I personally use a hot plate with a cast iron pan that I fill with chunks and chips covered with foil that I have punctured that has a minimal impact on temp. In the summers here, I can cold smoke at night with it but not during the day.

I received today a new prototype version of the A-Maze-N smoker with 10 lbs of pellets that I will be reviewing soon. I will post my results and comparisons here as well.
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Postby salumi512 » Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:02 am

solaryellow wrote:I received today a new prototype version of the A-Maze-N smoker with 10 lbs of pellets that I will be reviewing soon. I will post my results and comparisons here as well.


If you have kin in NC for a while then we probably have a past at some point. My family is all over NC and VA, doing the Jamestown thing.
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Postby BriCan » Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:16 am

salumi512 wrote:
BriCan wrote: :? I have/do cold smoke when it's 95 F outside --- albeit our summers are not usually quite that high on the coast --- more like 90 F :wink:


Ok, so what are your max cold smoke temps where the meat is?


90/98 F humidity is on the high side -- never checked that

And, how long would you smoke at that temp?


I would start the smoke/fire 9.30 am - 10.30 am set the smoke for a 7 - 8 hour smolder, when I left for the night I would crack open the doors (about a foot :?: ) this keeps the inside dry if you don't do that then there is moisture build up on the product that is being smoked, come in the following morning at seven and start the process again

In a sence I am doing the same as you fellows do when doing butts and ribs --- long and slow and the smoke being thin blue :?:
But what do I know
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Postby vagreys » Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:26 am

Bruce Aidells once mentioned a cold-smoking technique for use in kettles but there is no reason why it wouldn't work, elsewhere. He used a 6" cast iron skillet with several (5) charcoal briquettes in it, and a chunk or chips, which might be cooler and last about long enough before you'd need to refrigerate the meat if you were cold smoking during warmer weather.

I know how hot my horizontal smoker gets, just with the ambient heat from the sunshine in spring. I imagine you want the coolest smoke possible.

Family in VA and NC - I've got Hudsons from 18th century Henrico, here, and my Alexanders in NC are the Alexanders of the 1775 Declaration and uprising, there. Also have Harliss and Price (Preuss) lines from over around Pearisburg and Blacksburg. Evan Watkins, of Watkins Ferry, VA, was one of my 9G-grandfathers. My Scots lines are from further south.
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