New cold smoke generator designed in the UK

[wheels]

Our local Co-op sells them. Wilko's had some as well.

Phil

[welsh wizard]

If you have a pound shop near you give them a try. I bought 25 for a pound and they fit.

Cheers WW

[Ianinfrance]

Has anyone else come across a source of tea lights that fit?

PS
Mac you need to look at the design to make this better.

I know that this isn't much help to you, but any supermarket out here has the right ones. We picked up as bag of a hundred for peanuts. Given that I re-use and re-use them, I can't see myself ever running out.

[wheels]

From what I've seen it appears that it's ones that are not in the foil/metal container that are too large.

HTH

Phil

[Jonty]

Has anyone else come across a source of tea lights that fit?

Batman, I bought a bulk bag from morrisons last week that do the job. I've got more than enough to last me ages. If you want I could stick 10 or so in a jiffy bag for you.

[bigJ]

just come across this topic and looks like i've struck gold. I know that this was touched upon earlier but i have just come by a large upright freezer and was wondering whether it would do as a cabinet, will it produce enough smoke to fill it? and what modifications would be needed-presumably air vents at the bottom and a chimney- any guide as to size? also could i attach my thermostatic controller from my fermenting cabinet in hot weather?
Also, as a slight aside, anybody smoked with heather? there is lots around me and i was thinking of drying some when it is in flower and giving it a try>

[Ruralidle]

Hello BigJ

To address your last question first - the ProBBQ CSG uses a wood dust to generate the smoke so you wouldn't be able to use heather. The wood dust burns very coolly (smoulders) so it probably wouldn't work too well if you spread it on top of the dust.

A large old fridge should make a decent smoker box and the CSG only needs a small vent at the top and bottom to let air in and smoke out. Ian at ProBBQ suggests an area the size of a 10p piece works well - but I have about 18 x 8mm drill holes to let air into my smoker. Put the exhaust hole on the side to prevent water dropping onto the food and/or wood dust if it rains whilst you are smoking produce.

I am not sure why you would want/need to add a thermostatic controller because (as referred to earlier) the ProBBQ CSG generates only a small amount of heat and I would suggest that you would have to refrain for trying to cold smoke anything if the amient temperature was so high that the ProBBQ CSG would heat your smoker to a temperature that was too high for cold smoking.

HTH
Richard

[bigJ]

thanks for that richard. If i dry and then pulverise the heather into dust (not sure how)would that work?
Good point about the temperature, especially as round here it rarely gets above 20 anyway.

[wheels]

bigj

One thing that I can tell you, 'hand on heart', is that this smoke generator is one of the best bits of kit to be produced for years.

You will not regret buying it.

Phil

[Ruralidle]

bigJ

I can't really comment on your suggestion of drying and then pulverising heather as I have not tried it and have not seen any posts on this forum that refer to any similar process. Having said that, it sounds like it might work and would certainly be worth a try. I bet there are a lot of visitors to this forum - including me - who would love to hear if it works out and whether you get to taste the heather in the end product.

I agree with Wheels, the ProBBQ CSG product is excellent and will enable you to produce great cold smoked food. To date I have smoked my own home-cured bacon, salmon, trout, mackerel, garlic and cheese. All have tasted marvellous and I doubt you would want to buy any similar commercial products again.

Indeed, my eldest daughter is planning a 21st birthday celebratory meal for a friend of hers and she specifically requested some of my home smoked salmon as the starter! So - I have just removed 2 sides of salmon from my smoking bin (I smoked it overnight because of the high daytime ambient temperatures) and it looks good. That is despite the twine I used for hanging the fish pulling though the skin on one fillet and that piece of fish falling onto the floor of the smoking bin. Because the two fillets were on one piece of twine this then resulted in the other fillet dropping a little, until it was touching the CSG. Lesson - use one piece of twine for each piece of fish and thread it carefully - not too close to the end of the fillet. I will taste it later today or tomorrow to decide if it needs any more smoking - but my last batch didn't.

I am going to remove two pieces of ham from the cure today and, after letting them dry and "equalise" for a while, I will cook one and then cold smoke it for one or maybe two full charge smokings from the CSG, using Applewood dust. The ProBBQ CSG has certainly opened up a new home produce hobby for me and is pretty much paying for itself as a friend has provided trout for me - free of charge - to cure and smoke and we share the results. The two pieces of ham - about 6.5kg in total - is on the same basis, my friend raised the pig and I have cured the leg and will smoke the ham, we will then share the results!

[wheels]

....I will cook one and then cold smoke it for one or maybe two full charge smokings from the CSG, using Applewood dust.

The more normal way would be to do this the other way around - smoke then cook.

Phil

[Ruralidle]

Phil

Thanks for that. I thought the Brican cooked then smoked his ham but I am happy to take your advice - it is my first time making ham and smoking it. Won't the cooking process remove some of the smoke flavour? Also, should I remove the skin before smoking it?

Thanks;
Richard

[wheels]

Richard

I can't think of any British hams that are cooked then cold-smoked.

Can anyone else? Maybe Brican was talking about another context?

Phil

[Ruralidle]

Oh dear, I've read the post again and it is his brine that is cooked - not the ham! I should pay closer attention. Thanks for pointing out my error Phil. Should I smoke it with the skin on as I would normally remove that after cooking the ham?

Richard

[wheels]

I'd smoke it with the skin on.

Phil