CSG smoker

[welsh wizard]

Hi I just thought I would post a brief note to say I have now completed 30 smokings with this little gizmo and have tried my own wood as well as the woods supplied by the company and quite frankly for c80p a 12 hour smoke for me it is not worth the hassle of grinding down my own wood to fit the CSG.

The one thing I have noticed however is the amount of times the little blighter goes out. I posted once to say give it a tap after using to clear all the little holes that allow the air to come through and whilst this is still relevant after a number of smokes I placed the CSG in the dishwasher (oh how the wife laughed when she saw all the little black bits over the crockery)! and this did make a huge difference. It is important not only to clear the holes on the underside but also the holes on the sides because they really do get clogged up with a tary substance and in so saying really reduces the amount of air flow to the wood. I have found a hard toothbrush (not the wifes, she didnt find that amusing either - god no humour with some people) works really well.

Anyway I am sure this is teaching most, if not all of you to suck eggs, but for numpties like me I thought the few lines may be helpful.

Right, anyone got a good recipe to get dried tar spots off white crockery - or teeth?????????

Cheers WW

[culinairezaken]

maybe interesting to, i dry my woooddust, in the csg, for about half an hour in the oven. this keeps it smoking and burning better.

[welsh wizard]

You are correct. I did think it was the way I was storing the wood in packets in the kitchen that possibly made it a little damp. The last time out I put the wood on the storage heater overnight and it did seem to burn better.

Cheers WW

[Jogeephus]

I use sawdust from the sawmill and its bad about soaking up water from humidity. If I'm going to cold smoke with the dust I make it a point to dry it well in the oven first.

[wheels]

Our different experiences are funny, I use the same smoking dust as Mac's supply but buy it in 15kg bags which I just keep wrapped in a bin liner outside. I 'tap' the CSG out after each use and give it a brush every so often and it's never gone out on me. However, virtually the whole of the bottom of my smoker is a large open vent to allow air to the gas burner I use for hot smoking - this air-flow probably explains why?

Phil

[Ianinfrance]

Hi folks,
I wanted to say that I'm pretty close agreement with the wizard over the saved hassle factor of not fiddling with our own wood. To say nothing of the fact that it's easier to change woods if we buy a variety.

I also have to say that I've not had my CSG go out on me, despite using it in the Bradley which has only limited ventilation.

However, cleaning it is an issue that does concern me. My ears are still ringing from the results of washing it in the diswasher. I've been given a small stiff brush with the information that "this is what you should use".

But you know I've been wondering. We've got a pyrolytic oven, and that heats up hot enough to burn oil etc off the sides of the oven. I wonder if using that - or even a blow torch - once or twice a year wouldn't be the best way of ensuring the mesh is kept clean. Has anyone tried this?

[culinairezaken]

i just brush it and rinse it with some soap under the tap, works verry well!

[welsh wizard]

Reading the posts I think it is just better to clean it properly (as properly as you can) after each use.

The reaon this is important to me is like to smoke through the night in the summer to ensure I am keeping the smoking as cool as possible, so when I get up and look at the smoker about 7am only to see it has only burnt for just an hour or so dosent make for a calm breakfast.........

As I dont hot smoke any more I am thinking of drilling a few holes in the bottom of one of my Bradley cabinets to increase air flow - any thoughts?

cheers WW

[welsh wizard]

Hi Wheels

Can I ask where you get your 15kg bags from?

Cheers WW

[Ianinfrance]

Hi WW

Reading the posts I think it is just better to clean it properly (as properly as you can) after each use.

The compromise I've chosen is to tap out the ash during a multiple batch smoking session (for example when smoking 20 or 40 hours), but then to try to clean it as best I can when cleaning up the smoker, and putting aside till the next session.

The reason this is important to me is like to smoke through the night in the summer to ensure I am keeping the smoking as cool as possible, so when I get up and look at the smoker about 7am only to see it has only burnt for just an hour or so doesn't make for a calm breakfast.........

As I live much further South than you, I am anticipating the same problem, and therefore it's likely that throughout the summer I'll be smoking overnight too. So far - not that I've done THAT many batches,- the smoker hasn't gone out on me once. As I see it, if the silly thing does go out, then it just means one has to put the stuff back in the fridge till the evening and try again the next night. No need for stressed brekkers.

As I don't hot smoke any more I am thinking of drilling a few holes in the bottom of one of my Bradley cabinets to increase air flow - any thoughts?

I've only ever uised the CSGi n the Bradley, and it's not gone out once. If air supply were to be on the limits, then I'd have expected it to be something we all experience. So I don't think shortage of oxygen is the problem if it goes out. I should also say that when I cold smoke, the smoking gizmo is in position, to cut down excessive air intake, my guess - and I emphasize it's a guess (of an ex chemist) is that it has to do with dust packing density and/or either moisture levels or dripping.

I think Phil said he got his dust from the maker, who normally sell it by the lorry load. However, Ian is doing a deal for those of us who live abroad, for large quantities which is quite competitive. I'm sure you could ask him what price he'd do a 15 or 20 kg unbagged batch for.

[saucisson]

That's correct Ian:

For anyone in the Midlands who can collect from Kettering, Ashwood Smoking Chips Ltd., Telford Way End, Telford Way Industrial Estate, KETTERING, NN16 8UN sell food grade smoking chips at very reasonable prices (about £7 for a 'potato sack' size for oak/beech - cherry is about £40 though!). Phone: 01536 523 220              

The trouble if you're further away is that the delivery costs more than the wood!

Phil

They also supply the dust for the CSG and Phil sent me some of his to try out which works beautifully. I've only had burn out on my first ever test run for the review when the dust got seriously dripped on and it stopped at the wet patch.

Dave

[saucisson]

However, Ian is doing a deal for those of us who live abroad, for large quantities which is quite competitive. I'm sure you could ask him what price he'd do a 15 or 20 kg unbagged batch for.

Is it this deal?

Wood Dust In Bulk Now Available - See Below

1 x ProQ™ Bulk Pack - (Approximately 12 Kgs) Enough for up to 1200 hours smoke.

Bulk Pack contains the following 6 x Oak, 6 x Beech, 6 x Apple and 6 x Hickory

£50.00 (Excl VAT) - FREE SHIPPING + 6 FREE Tealight/ candles

Only available to the following countries...

Belgium, France , Germany, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Liechtenstein and Switzerland

Dave

[welsh wizard]

Thanks for the info

Ianinfrance can you tell me when you smoke with your Bradley do you tape up the hole on the side where the smoke generator goes or do you leave it open?

Cheers WW

[ScoobySnax]

a question of dust-

I bought "dust" from butcher and packer, just received my mac's little csg (watch out cheddar, here I come tomorrow!!!). Problem that I worried about beforehand, and even moreso now with the inclusive packet of real dust from mac's, is that the butcher and packer "dust" are more like mini chips- there's dust, but more like sprinkles rather than dust overall.

I suppose that's my fault for buying against recommendations (tho this B+P "dust" works well with the soldering iron method). That being said, any suggestions for grinding this "dust" down further? I have a small mortar and pestle, a coffee grinder (I'd rather not use that- it's already taken a beating for being my spice grinder). I don't think I have a power sander (tho I do have a drill that I could fit with a sander attachment and grind into a steel bowl/covered). I'm wondering if there are any other suggestions?

For the time being, I'm going to run a test tonite to see if these sprinkle types will work. Does anyone else have experience with larger than dust sized "dust" working in the csg?

[saucisson]

Coffee Grinder I tried some coarser chips and they went out, but worked fine after grinding to the same weight and volume as the supplied dust.

Dave