Building a cold smokehouse from a wine cooler

[kil2k]

You cling wrap the cheese before putting it in the caveau? I've been putting them in there naked, and haven't had any issues so far.

[GUS]

Just helps contain an enduring smokey atmosphere within tight confines, assists not spreading odours elsewhere / absorbing them, presentation ...possibly assisting penetration & even flavour, ...looks tidier too! ..easy to write with a sharpie pen date smoked, when ready etc, or batches for others, ..also you try spotting the difference between say a red Liecester & a double gloucester after smoking, keeps a lid on potential confusion.

(but then I do have a track record of multiple brain injury, so not the sharpest tool in the box, whilst not quite "George" from of mice & men).

[kil2k]

[kil2k]

It's a good idea to include curing salt if you're making sausage to cold-smoke.

Phil

Actually, I've got some cod in the freezer which would be great for a trial run. Would the same rules apply? Add 2.5g / kilo, extra salt / seasoning / herbs, then leave to cure before smoking?

[kil2k]

It's a good idea to include curing salt if you're making sausage to cold-smoke.

Phil

Actually, I've got some cod in the freezer which would be great for a trial run. Would the same rules apply? Add 2.5g / kilo, extra salt / seasoning / herbs, then leave to cure before smoking?

Never mind - I've had a Google and it looks like the method is to brine the cod for ~1 hour, dry and refrigerate overnight, then cold smoke it for ~4 hours. I'll give it a go and see what happens!

[wheels]

The reason to use cure for sausage is 'cos you've ground the meat spreading the bacteria etc from the outside of the meat throughout the product; you then pack it tightly in a tube and put it in a warm place in anaerobic conditions. You've created the ideal place for the nasties that cause botulism poisoning to thrive. The cure should stop this happening.

It's not needed for fish as you've found. I'm sure that the cod will be great.

HTH

Phil

[kil2k]

So the first block of cheese was a massive success. The cod was amazing! I'm now smoking a big block of the cheapest mature cheddar, brie and camembert I could find at Aldi, and a wedge of decent Red Leicester.

Microwaving the dust seems to have done wonders. Fingers crossed it burns the whole way round!

Next up will be BriCan's maple bacon recipe [we have approx 1 billion sausages in the freezer the missus says I have to get through before I make any more ]

[GUS]

Lidl often does good cheese deals, esp in the run up to Xmas for brie.

Mature cheddar imho won't be as good as a young cheddar smoked, competing tang & saltiness, ..it's ok, but stay your hand & keep your head, heart & wallet close, the stronger flavoured cheeses tend to bring less joy under smoke (like finding a really good sub £5 bottle of very drinkable red wine) cost doesn't necessarily equate to better results.

Saying that, I do have some gorgonzola I'm tempted to blow some smoke across..

[wheels]

That's the beauty of smoking - it takes rubbish cheese to a different level. Edam's a prime example, it's great smoked.

Phil

[kil2k]

The first block I smoked was an extra-mature jobby on special offer in Tesco, and I thought it was delicious. I haven't tried smoking mild cheddar yet, so it'll be interesting to see the difference.

The CSG burned for the full run - success! Microwaving the dust solved the issue. The cheese is now cling-wrapped and back in the fridge.

I can completely understand your fascination with cold smoking, Gus. Several times I've been walking around the house, opening the fridge, freezer and cupboards looking for more things to smoke

[NCPaul]

You are well and truly bitten.

[GUS]

See my posts on soy sauce, you must learn to mature your goodies though, typically achieved by smoking to different times, thus your head gets round leaving them wrapped & snug so the magic happens, buy large blocks, sub divide, short, med, long smokes so you start to have continuity in supply & actually taste something that has rested, ...scoffing when so "young" 'll have you kicking your own ass when you have a bit of a cheese glut, enough to leave it alone.

[GUS]

Yup as wheels says edam! ..phenom, let it go Orange in the smoke.

Peel wax & the other skin layer. ..smoke it to hell, eat at room temp.

[GUS]

Mature it 14 days

[kil2k]

Will do!

Had 6 rashers of bacon in a single sandwich this morning, just so I could deplete the supply and have an excuse to crack on with the next batch. If I could do this full time, I definitely would.