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PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:20 pm
by probbq
Vindii wrote:I am in the US so it may be packaged differently than the UK version. Anyway I thought it was odd that it would not come with enough to fill it the first time.

Here a pic of it with the whole bag of dust it comes with. Each track is not even half way up to the top also.

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I'll be giving it another try tonight. Ill report back.


Hi,
That is certainly not enough dust and I'm really sorry that you been supplied with so little. It is packaged differently to what we send out here in the UK... If you'd be kind enough to send me your details (or a copy of your order) by email to ian@macsbbq.co.uk , I'll make sure some more dust is sent out to you.
Please accept my apologies, I'll do my utmost to make sure that you are satisfied with our product.
Thanks Rich for bringing this to my attention.

Ian

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:41 pm
by Vindii
Thanks. I sent you an email.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:45 pm
by saucisson
You do need some air flow, but not much. Most problems seemed to be due to a problem with the dust being too coarse and/or too high a moisture content.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 6:27 pm
by Vindii
saucisson wrote:You do need some air flow, but not much. Most problems seemed to be due to a problem with the dust being too coarse and/or too high a moisture content.


Too much air wont hurt anything right. I should just be able to leave the vents wide open right?

Or maybe I should close them down to a small opening to help keep more smoke inside?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:47 pm
by wheels
I think that you want a box full of smoke with the smoke leaving the box at about the same rate as it's produced.

HTH

Phil

PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:49 pm
by Ruralidle
Clearly not enough dust. All the track should be full almost the the top and then, if the dust is correct, you get 10+ hours of smoke. If you have too much airflow through your unit you won't get good enough absorption of the smoke flavour and too little flow will result in a stale smoke taste. Make the in and out vents equal size (as Phil says), around an inch in diameter in total, each, to start with and see how that goes. Then, bearing in mind the stale smoke comment, reduce the vent size to its smallest before you experience stale smoke flavour. This means that you may well get a stale smoke taste for one piece of produce but subsequent ones should be almost perfect!

This always presumes that you get enough dust that does the job!

PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 3:04 am
by Vindii
Tried again today. Took the dust that was left and put it in the beginning of the track full to the top. Only had enough to go a little ways but I got 2+ hours of smoke. Apparently I was to impatience before and just needed to leave the candle under it longer. :shock:

Smoked some cheese. Extra sharp cheddar, coldy jack, swiss, and dubliner. Smoked for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Wasnt sure how long to smoke it for since I have never done this so if anyone has a tip ill take it.

ProQ in the bottom of the grill.

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Cast grate.

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Frogmats and then cheese.

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Vac sealed and into the fridge to sit. I was told to let them rest for about a month?

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The wife didnt like the smell of them. I tasted one and it was pretty good. Well see how it is after it sits.

Thanks for the help.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:09 am
by probbq
It should be fine to eat after a few days of resting... I could never wait a month ;)

PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:39 pm
by LM600
Cool pics Vindii!

What I do is fill the CSG, pop it onto the bottom grate of my Excel 20 - all vents open wide, light the CSG, load the top rack with cheese, lid on and then I go to bed....about 10hrs later the cheese is well smoked and the CSG all finished (and, no, I don't sleep for 10hrs!!!!)

I then wrap the cheese in greaseproof paper and store it in plastic takeaway boxes in the fridge until needed which is about 30 mins later!

Comes out good each time : )

PostPosted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:36 pm
by adventureswiththepig
This is SUCH a long thread but really exciting.

I've just got my CSG + a 110l plastic chest that I'm going to put wire shelves in to smoke on. Can't wait!

PostPosted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:58 pm
by Ruralidle
I just got my CSG to do a 15 hour smoke using beech dust :o . I had some bacon with a molasses sugar and black treacle cure in there and laid a few home grown chillies on a rack to see what they taste like (not tried either yet).

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:46 am
by adventureswiththepig
Having a bit of a crisis of faith about cutting up the frankly enormous box I've bought to make in to a cold smoker. I worry thats its too big and I don't really want to start cutting holes in the box if I'm going to take it back.

http://instagr.am/p/N5cC6/

Its this one,(armchair for scale) I was going to make three wire racks supported on dowel to go inside. That way I can hang stuff as well if I need to. I was also going to cut a hole in the bottom to put my CSG in and out and vents in the lid to let the air escape.

Does this all sound sensible or madness?

All thoughts appreciated.


cheers.

Jon

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:23 am
by Ruralidle
That looks fine to me. I use what was destined to be a dustbin or incinerator - but I collected it from the production line before it ever saw rubbish. I place my CSG down into the smoker and only have a few air holes low down. Mind you, I do occasionally get my arm a bit smoked getting the tea light out!

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:34 pm
by Ryan C
Jon,
That box looks perfect :D

You'll even be able to see inside it(for the first couple of runs anyway)
I'd love to see a time-lapse of that! :D

All the best

Ryan

PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:28 am
by adventureswiththepig
I did my first smoke over the weekend! Smoked some trout, white pudding, chicken wings, cheeses almonds and chillis. Was lush!

I'll do a proper blog post on it soon but here is how the smoker looked after two hours.

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