Smoker using an electric oven?

[Pav]

Using a smoke injector I am considering using an electric oven that I was given. I will cold smoke in the oven and then raise the temperature for the end hot smoke. (I'm new to all of this so please accept although I have now read the good part of a book on smoking I may be mis understanding things ).

The oven thermostat starts at 100C but in my book it suggests lower temperatures for the final part of the smoke (around 80c). I put smoke in at the bottom and allow smoke to exhaust out the top (The back sheet of the oven is very thin so would be easy to drill).

I thought I would try it anyway despite the higher temperature, so just wanted to know in practice would this work.

Food (be it chicken / fish / etc) put in oven for the cold smoke after salting in solution and drying. Smoke for approx 4-5hrs (oven off)

Then turn oven on (100c) continuing with the smoke. The oven should heat up quickly as it is only small. I imagine most meats etc will need 1/2hr to cook once oven is at 100c.

[saucisson]

Try moving the thermostat below its 100 degree mark, you may find you can get lower temperatures even though they aren't marked, then mark them in pen. They are not likely to be very accurate but it's a start. The minimum setting on my oven in the kitchen is 50, at which it is 75-80 deg, but by backing it off I can get as low as 30. Play with it and see how you get on

Dave

[Pav]

Had checked that. , but the dial when turned all the way clockwise (to its stop) points at 100c. Would this then be to hot to be useful?

[saucisson]

I think you will be fine for hot smoking, but not for curing/cold smoking. I would still be inclined to test it to see what temperature you actually get set on 100. The other thing is to set an incadescent light bulb in there to get the lower temperatures and turn the oven itself off. You might have to play with a few different wattages to get the temperature you want though

Dave

[Pav]

thanks.
I will try a few things out.