For decades, immersed in studying, working, learning, and teaching in the craft of meat curing, now sharing his passion with you through eat cured meat online resource.
I’ve been learning how to cold smoke for many decades, and I now teach others how to do this craft through this website and in-person classes, whether it’s cold bacon or other foods.
I thought it would be hard to learn at first, but it’s not. Like everything, it’s a process; however, it’s also a craft. For some reason, people perceive it as really confusing. I hope to explain meat curing and cold smoking and slightly demystify the subject.
It’s also not like baking, roasting, or cooking in general. It has nuances and is multifaceted in some regards. These are what make it interesting to many for flavor or preservation factors.
Summary Points:
- Cold smoking has a reputation for being complex, but it’s a straightforward process.
- Cold smoking is primarily for preserving and flavoring meat; it can also be used for cheese, nuts, vegetables, spices, salt, dairy, or fungi.
- Equipment for cold smoking includes various devices like pellet tubes, maze smokers, smoke generators, or DIY setups.
- Cold smoking should be below 30°C (86°F) to prevent meat cooking, ideally a lot cooler.
- Cold smoking has been used for centuries for preservation and flavor enhancement, and European regulators are more advanced in understanding its safety.
- Cheese, nuts, chocolate, salt, and spices are easy foods to cold smoke, as are meats like bacon, fish, and turkey.
- Cold smoking requires an enclosed area with airflow and a reliable smoke source to ensure the safety and quality of the final product.
Cold Smoking is simple. However, it cannot be summarised in a short article; I’ve gone into some depth below. More so, it can be brief – but won’t cover the nuances that I think are important for successful and consistent outcomes.
With some essential equipment and knowledge, cold smoking can be incredibly satisfying.
I’ve got four different cold smoking devices/techniques to go over also.
Nowadays, you can find commercial and artisan cold-smoked goods everywhere. I have tried every cold-smoking technique and taught others how it is done.
Defining Cold Smoking
Cold smoke is for preservation and flavor.
It was necessary in many cultures that needed the protective impact it had before refrigerating was standardized.
Or it can be done for flavor alone.
Cold Smoking is technically done below 30°C/86°F. The meat must be fully dry, salt-cured, or brined properly. Above this temperature, if you cold-smoke meat, it will start to cook.
European guidelines (which are more advanced than many other countries) suggest cold smoke should be applied below 72°F/22°C.
Some German meat smoking books I have read suggest under 65°F/18°C.
That’s why I like to cold smoke between 50-68°F/10-20°C, personally, either on cool winter days or at night with a reliable smoking device. In winter, where I live, the humidity is about 75% regularly, which is ideal.
It takes 1 day to 6 weeks, depending on the meat recipe. It is done primarily to preserve and flavor the meat.
Although cold-smoked bacon does have a magnitude of variations in how long it is cold-smoked, unlike traditional dry-cured bacon, I choose about 6-10 hours of cold smoking for my bacon style.
The Principles of Cold Smoking
For meat, these are the most important points I can give you from what I have learned:
- Make sure you have fresh, good, high-quality meat
- Weighing before curing and working out the finished weight
- Make use of adequate refrigeration when processing meat
- Accurately salt cure or salt wet brine the meat
- Choose wood that won’t be too strong
- Have a smoke generator or cold smoking device
How to Cold Smoke in Detail
Contents
For a consistent result, there are subtleties and nuances. I’ll elaborate on each of these steps:
- Fully salt cure the meat
- Form pellicle on meat
- Setup a Reliable Cold Smoking Environment (In and Outside the Smoking Area)
- Cold smoke and dry in sessions
- Monitor the cold smoking regularly
- Refrigerate and continue the following day if needed
Salt curing is only applicable for meat, it is not required for dairy products like cheese.
The non-cured options for cold-smoked foods will be elaborated on at the bottom of this article. Cold-smoking foods that aren’t cured meat are an excellent way to learn and develop a feel for the craft of cold-smoking food.
1. Salt-Cure, Either Dry or Wet curing
![A spice grinder filled with various spices sitting on a digital kitchen scale beside a can of tomato paste and a cup of ground spice blend.](https://eatcuredmeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/meat-curing-spice-large.jpg)
Quality of the Meat
This is just a reminder that you want fresh meat. Ideally, it even has a good story behind it about its traceability. Locally harvested or bought meat often means the best flavor and best outcomes.
You do not want dry/wet aged meat; fresh meat is always best. That has been effectively refrigerated.
I have used frozen pork belly for bacon, which turned out great. I knew the quality and the traceability well.
Explaining Dry and Wet Curing
Dry salt curing involves covering the meat with salt and letting the process occur when the salt comes into contact with the meat. It is vital to ensure all areas of the meat have salt rubbed into them.
![](https://eatcuredmeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Smokai-Cold-Smoking-large.jpg)
Salt Wet Brining – Simple Recipe
For example, Bacon – pork belly slab of 11 pounds /5kg (can be scaled to suit)
- 1 Gallon or 4 Liters of Water
- 250 grams of sea salt
- 125 grams (max of sugar)
- 80 grams Pink Curing Salt No. 1
Heat to dissolve in a pan and leave to cool to room temperature before brining.
Salt Dry Curing – Simple Recipe
2+% sea salt to the total weight of meat – this is using the dry salt equilibrium curing method I’ve written about a lot; here is a guide to understand this in detail.
2. Form Pellicle on Meat
Binding the proteins on the outside of the meat will allow the smoke vapor to attach to the meat more easily.
For some reason, many online guides do not cover this. The pellicle is essential to developing a good smoke flavor. This also relates to the environment inside and outside the smoker, which I’ll discuss.
![](https://eatcuredmeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/bacon1-1-of-1-1-683x1024-1-512x768.jpg)
Leaving the cured meat uncovered and hanging overnight in a relatively cool area achieves this; no insects or some protection (under 15°C/60°F) may be needed.
This can also be done on an uncovered, non-reactive rack inside the fridge.
Pellicle formation or drying the meat out before cold smoking can be done, I often do it. Since you are going to be cold smoking for long sessions, it isn’t vital so much. The meat should also start drying out in the cold smoker.
However, my preference is still to do it the same way as hot smoking pellicle formation. After curing, place in the fridge uncovered overnight.
3. Setup a Reliable Cold Smoking Environment
Under 20°C & 65-80% Humidity
I’ve seen a few people online trying to use charcoal smokers or another low-and-slow smoker to cold-smoke food. Most kettle charcoal smokers will not be under 30°C/86°F; some have used bowls of ice to keep the temperature down. Since the heat is inside the chamber, you’ll always create too much heat unless it’s a large chamber or a smokehouse.
For hot-smoked food, it’s okay to cook and smoke food at the same time, which is the definition of hot smoking, whether it’s with direct heat or indirect heat (portable hot smoker vs. offset low and slow smoker).
It won’t be able to cold smoke = smoking cured meat for flavor/preservation or just flavor.
I have just lit one piece of charcoal and sprinkled it with wood chips. As long as the smoking area remains cool, this can create cold smoke. This has worked by having the smoldering smoke outside the ‘food/meat’ area below it like this:
![A makeshift wooden smoker covered with aluminum foil cooking food outdoors, with a visible log of wood generating smoke for flavoring.](https://eatcuredmeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Cold-Smoking-Pellet-Tube-DIY-basic-large-767x1024.jpg)
But with fire in the same chamber, it just doesn’t work. You need to pump ‘cold’ smoke into the chamber or have a fire small enough to generate minimal heat (like the pellet and maze smokers).
Considering you can quickly and cheaply acquire a maze or pellet tube smoker. This would be a better option for cold smoking. It also burns/smokes very consistently.
The actual smoke process is much simpler with cold smoking compared to hot smoking in some ways. I think it’s straightforward if you have your basic factors, which are:
- Reliable cold smoker – pellet tube, smoker generator, maze smoker
- An enclosed area where the meat or food is
- Under 86°F or 30°C – much less ideally
Here is a video overview I made about cold smoking also.
Cold Smoking Setup – Options
You can easily make a cold smoker box, wine barrel, cabinet, or smokehouse; many options are available. Attaching a smoker generator to it is simple.
![](https://eatcuredmeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Cold-Smoking-Wine-Barrel-Large.jpg)
Cold Smoke devices are available to create smoke like the above, with adjustable airflow.
More options are below under “Equipment for Cold Smoking.”
Choosing the Wood
Lighter hardwoods like apple and cherry are my preference for cold smoking. Heavier or stronger woods like mesquite will create a deeper, more robust flavor. Ideally, I like to mix them. Sometimes, I use an 80:20 ratio of light to stronger wood.
![Various natural textures: corn cob, dried leaves, twigs, and smoking wood shavings scattered on a wooden deck.](https://eatcuredmeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Various-Smoking-Wood-large.jpg)
For more wood selection, I wrote easy universal woods in this post.
4. Cold Smoke the Meat
Once the smoke enters the area, it’s pretty straightforward. You can use a thermometer to ensure the temperature is under 25°C or 86°F. If I’m using an electric cold smoker attachment or smoke generator, I don’t normally bother. I wait until the temperature outside is under 25°C / 77°F.
You shouldn’t have any issues if you have fully cured the meat and it’s cool, winter, or maybe nighttime.
Keep Your Cold Smoking out of the Sun
The sun can heat things, so I always try to find a shady spot to do the cold smoking on the porch. The sun will swing across the sky, so consider this when positioning your cold smoking session.
Hanging & Racks
It does come down to the design. Traditionally, fish fillets and salami are hung. But if you have racks in the smoker, it can also work this way.
![Sizzling skewers of sausages cooking on a grill, promising a savory feast.](https://eatcuredmeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Cold-Smoked-Smoke-House-Slovakia-2-large.jpg)
I read in a book that if you hang meat, the salt is drawn down through it.
One advantage of being hung is that smoke can more easily surround the meat.
5. Monitor the Cold Smoking Regularly
When it comes to smokehouses with offset smoking areas or smoke generators, I find myself checking every hour or two to make sure the smoke is still being generated. Sometimes, a smoke generator will go out and need igniting again.
![Sizzling pork belly on a grill enveloped in aromatic smoke, promising a deliciously crispy feast.](https://eatcuredmeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_8989.jpg)
Since you are generally cold-smoking for hours or a few days, it’s just nice to have a look now and then.
6. Refrigerate and Continue the Following Day
It’s an extended process, but if you want to take breaks, you can wrap the meat up and put it in the fridge for the next session. Cold smoking requires rest every 4-8 hours, especially for pork and red meat.
When cold or hot smoked food is refrigerated, the smoke flavor intensifies once completed. This is even when you cook/smoke a sausage and leave it in the fridge overnight.
I find it sometimes hard to put it in the fridge; it gets devoured too quickly!
Equipment For Cold Smoking
- Cold Smoking Device
- Food
- Salt
Here is a review of the Smokai I did; it’s a solid and a consistent clean smoking…. cold smoker. Can be used to boost smoke for a hot smoker or low and slow smoker also.
That’s about it when it comes to cold smoking; the equipment needed is simple. I guess this is why is done so widely across many European countries.
You want to make sure the meat is refrigerated before cold smoking will give the best outcomes.
Also, full salt curing of the meat is essential.
There are many ways to cold smoke; here is a selection that I am familiar with. You need to generate smoke and make sure the smoking area is well under 30 °C. In that old smoking book I read, Home Smoking & Curing by Keith Erlandson, it mentions that meat starts to cook above 30°C, hence why cold smoking occurs below this temperature.
DIY Smoker Options & Designs
Below, it will cover the simplest of smoking devices, which can be used in many smoking chambers, structures, or smokehouses.
Most designs I have seen have two chambers.
- An area where wood is smoking & smoldering
- food or meat area where meat can be hung or on racks
A pipe or some connection is made so the smoke can travel to the smoking food area. Because the fire/wood is in a different area, this keeps the temperature below the all-important 30°C or 86°F, generally speaking.
I came across one Dutch butcher many years ago. He had a huge metal storage tank with double doors. He would make a large pile of sawdust below the meat and light it with a blow torch. Because it was 6 feet below where the meat was hung, and it was winter, the temperature always remained low.
The devices below can be used inside a smoking area, depending on their dimensions.
Pellet Tube & Maze Style Smoke Devices
You will find these work very similarly to each other. You light one end, and it starts smoking—pretty simple. However, because it isn’t a controlled form of burning, it can be a little hit-and-miss. For example, sometimes I find the pellets stop burning.
Keeping an eye on this method is key. It would help if you also remembered fire needs oxygen, so how you set these devices up needs to consider this factor.
I use a pellet tube on the gas grill to enhance my cooking, such as steaks or eggplant. Alternatively, I leave the gas grill heat off and use the enclosed area to cold-smoke some food.
A pellet tube or maze might not generate enough smoke to fill a smokehouse or larger cabinet. I guess it does depend on the design.
Smoke Generator (Venturi Effect)
This has a significant advantage over many electric smoker accessories or the above maze or tube smokers. It has variable controllers, so you can control how much smoke is generated and how it burns.
Depending on the wood you use, this means you have more control over the cold smoking project.
These can come in a range of sizes. I find they can create a good amount of smoke. I’ve played around pumping smoke into my gas grill BBQ, portable smoker, and kettle BBQ.
Some smoke generators can handle larger chips and chunks of wood, while others are more suited to pellet wood fuels. I’ve tried using the unrecommended wood sizes a few times, but it becomes annoying because you have to relight or clean out the tubes often. If I were you, I would avoid this experimental behavior.
This is a ‘cool’ (cold smoke) invention. I have been using it for many years. My smoke generator came with a drill bit. You can then make a hole and use a nut and thread to mount the smoker in many different locations.
A small air
The key to smoke generators working effectively is to use good, dry wood that’s right-sized for the device. Some generators prefer chunkier-sized wood, while others prefer some dimensions or pellets.
If your looking for the 'ducks nuts' (that means a very good bit of equipment). A smoke generator can be used as a cold smoker, or adding smoke to indirect cooking which equates to a form of 'low & slow' bbq or making smoked ham and some much more.
The inventor of smoke generators was Smokai, it's a simple device that uses the venturi effect and a variable air pump to control the amount of smoke you are pumping.
I have a range of cold smoking options, and the Smokai is my favorite.
By far the smokai is the most efficient cold smoker I've come across because you have control.
It also burns very clean, which flavors the food exceptionally well. I've been using smoke generators for over 10 years, and this one is the ducks nuts.
Check out this review I did of the Smokai Smoke Generator here.
As mentioned, you probably want to start with something non-meat, like cheese. That’s nice and simple, actually, a lot of milk or non-milk-based products can be cold smoked, believe or not even chocolate!
This can just help make sure you have an environment conducive to cold smoking.
- Under 30 degrees temperature at all times (ideally 10-20)
- Enclosed area with an exhaust for the smoke
- reliable smoke generation
Comments
I’d love to know more about Venturi vs maze/tube
Hey Julia, it’s a super broad question!
The biggest thing is the pump from smoke generator means control over how much smoke with the variable pump. I see from you email you’re in Australia?. Google https://smokai.com/ – to read about a venturi smoke generator
If you haven’t read, I wrote this about pellet tubes – https://eatcuredmeat.com/how-does-a-smoker-tube-work-cold-or-hot-smoking-guide/
Hi Tom,
I made a smoke generator out of an old 1 gallon propane tank and use an old CPAP machine as a pump to pipe in the cold smoke into my vertical propane smoker (without gas). The CPAP’s air pressure is much more proficient than a portable aquarium pump. I place the briquettes in a minion method and add the wood chunks. I get at least 8 hours of smoke before I need to add more briquettes and wood chunks. It works really well for cold smoking salmon.
Awesome! DIY invention. Sounds very smokey!
I don’t generally smoke over 5-6 hours in one session, so a longer cold smoke isn’t needed.
I love your site I built a new smoke house and plan to use a lot of your records thanks Steve B from Missouri. Have you ever cold smoked a chicken?
Heya,
Nope – but as long as the meat is fresh (chicken seems to develop unwanted bacteria faster than red meats. As part of the charcuterie whole muscle online video course I’m doing, I’, going to be included a cold smoking ebook (currently writing it). Trying to go in-depth as much as possible. I’ll also make the cold smoke ebook available separately, I’ll be emailing out when its done to all emails on this page.
Cheers
Tom
Would it be possible to build a smoker or cold smoker using the exhaust vent from the pellet wood stove in my basement to pump smoke into an enclosed smoker box? any ideas would be greatly appreciated
Definitely! I would think so! Basically, cold smoking is pumping smoke from 1 area to another, or just keeping the smoke under 30C or 86F , but I prefer under about 15C or 40F. Moisture and Airflow helps too!
I’ve seen cold smokers made from fridges, barrels, any wooden box, beehives, gas grills, kettle grills, pellet smoker grills – really it’s just a chamber with airflow through it! 🙂
All th ebest,
Tom
Hello Tom!
I,ve made my own Venturi type smoker. For generating a lot of smoke it´s very effective and the smoke is also cold and that is good because I want to cold smoke. However the smoke is thick and white and the food I´ve smoked so far tastes terribly bitter. The Wood I´ve used is Cherry and it makes the food taste great in my hot smoker. What is your experience of Venturi type smokers, can you get them generating any other smoke than thick White? I´ve looked at a lot of clips when people use them and they all seem to make only thick White smoke.
All the best Patrick.
Nice Patrick! Yeah the theory behind cold smoking is ‘light’ with good airflow and high humidity. So fo me, I always just have a whisper of smoke.
My venturi smoker has a variable airflow pump (fish tank air pump basically). This allows me to choose the smoke amount!
I learned many years ago less smoke is better than. Open up the chamber/area more and go slow on that smoke! I’m going to have a cold smoking ebook as part of the online dry cured course coming out in a few months, here that link. Cheers Tom
Thanks Tom! I have smoking chamber with minimal airflow and a lot of smoke from my smoker. So now I have some things to start fixing. Graet tips, looking forward trying them out!
I´ll look into the course and ebook to, sounds great!
No problemo! cheers Tom
nice article Tom im going to cold smoke a twice smoked ham for xmas my 1st go at cold smoking if i cold smoke cheese or peppers at the same time does it affect the flavor or should they be done separate thanks keith
nope, not in my experience, here’s to the silly season!
Hi Tom, a lot ofGood information here. I am planning on getting your book it is sure to help me has just this article long did. I do have a question: I want to cold smoke Loma, I wish for it to hang for approximately 14 days give or take. It will have a dry rub with curing salt and regular salt to create equilibrium. My question is, how many days should I put this in a cold smoker to smoke and then remove it, to finish the drying process in a 70% humid 50 degree Environment inside the house, that will not be smoking? I want to get some good smoke flavoring but I live in Michigan and it’s pretty cold out so I think cold smoking for a few days?? And then hang inside? Not sure if you’ve had any experience with this but you may have with your years of knowledge please share. Thank you the time you took to write extensively to be honest.
I share my cold smoked bacon recipe in the online course, I like 6-8 hours for a lighter smoke. You could try 4-6 hours, let it rest overnight. Of course, it depends on the thickness of the smoke vapor, airflow etc… it just takes experience with this craft! 😉 Many of bought the ebook and are happy with the content, Cheers T – Like dry curing, there is much more then just a recipe to follow!
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Hi, loved the article and the site, congratulations! I’m making homemade pastrami (it’s curing in my fridge right now) and I plan to finish it off in the slow cooker and cold smoke it to add flavor (I live indoors, so I’m using a smoke gun). Should I do it while it’s cooking or only afterwards? Or maybe both?
Hey there, to be honest I haven’t used a smoke gun. I’m using other methods involved with combustion!
If it was me, using this infusion method – I would be doing it after cooking. Seems the infusion of smoke is lost if done before cooking. After smoking, you should ‘rest’ in a container/bag/cookware overnight. This may enhance the smoke flavor and let it permeate. Cheers Tom
Hello, do you think I can use the same cold smoker for Fish and Meat? Do I risk getting the fish taste or flavors pass onto the meat?
Regards
Of course that’s ok! Been doing that for like 20 years!
I converted an old fridge into a smoker box and used a water heater with 2 electric plates dropped in it where i place buckets of chips , a 12 foot 6″ galvanized pipe joins the two so I can get smoke at 75f. I’ve made a salt heavy teriyaki brine to soak my moose meat for 12 + hours in an attempt to make moose jerky. My question is since jerky is drying the meat and smoke is just a flavour enhancer / preserver should I try to place a fan in the fridge to promote air movement
If it was me, I would want some airflow also for jerky, some form of acidity can also be used to preserve, like the ‘biltong’, which south Africans are known for. Acidity has a denaturing effect like cooking.
Also, if it was me thickness of the meat will be a big factor in drying (something like 3 days per inch?), also what salinity the salt brine is of course! hope it works out! Cheers Tom ps. after a 10-20 hr of smoking max, I would be just letting it dry. The hard part of wet brining is knowing that you have fully salt-cured it evening through the meat. More recently I have been injecting meat with equilibrium brine to speed things up (just makes lots of holes!)
Hi Tom
I still can’t find an answer to my question. I had the pork belly for bacon in salt brine for ten days. That’s my father’s advice. But now, I don’t know how long, how many sessions to keep cold smoking and what are steps between and after smoking. Where and how to dry the bacon? Thank you.
Hey, too many variables, it’s not quite that straightforward, for ‘saturation curing’ 1-2 days per 2 lbs/1kg, it depends on the temperature you’re curing, and also the fat/meat ratio (less water in fat).
This is the reason why I am producing a video bacon course right now, should be done by xmas I hope.
I cold smoke for 4-8 hours my house bacon, dry bacon before cold smoking. Also, hope you have exp cold smoking, its quite a few tips. Get my free ebook on cold smoking if you haven’t from the menu.
All the best,
Tom
Like some of the other commenters, I’m curious about doing this in an apartment without a proper smoker. Do you think it would work to cure fish/meat/whatever in a vacuum sealed bag under weights for a week, then pump smoke from a smoke gun into the bag and close it off for a day or so to really infuse the flavors?
Or is the point to let it smoke + oxidize/dry a bit at the same time?
Thanks!!
I think I wrote on smoke guns, the ‘vapor’ doesnt really stick at all to the meat. It’s used in some restaurants as the finally stage. But its really nothing like using ‘real’ smoke. My suggestion, which I have been testing with my new 5 ways to do bacon masterclass – using liquid smoke, buying good stuff means its the condensation from a smoker basically. Putting this on during the curing process is definitely what I would be doing!
You mentioned earlier in the article about humidity with cold smoking. Can you throw a good humidity level to keep if your smoking for like 3 weeks (suho meso). Also is there a low temperature to be aware of? Keep it above freezing? Read something about a dew point once. Thanks
I had to google suho meso! it sounds a lot like pastirma or basturma I’ve made.
Ideally depending on where in the world you are at nighttime is often when humidity is more like 70% – and better for cold smoking. (basically you want conditions similar to dry curing…)
I’ve cold smoked from above freezing to about 15C/60F. For longer cold smoking, I guess you could add a humidifier. Remember cold smoking is really just drying the meat with smoke around it!
3 weeks, is often more like once per day for 3 weeks, not 3 weeks 24 hours from what I’ve learned. Cheers
Is it ok to smoke cheese and steak at the same time?
cold smoke? I do! that wonderful smoke is anti bacterial/fungal etc… Cheers T
Thanks for this article! Just discovered your you tube channel as well. I’m new to cold smoking but have made some delicious cold smoked salmon with WSM and a maze smoker, now want to do white meat fish i.e. herring. When I see videos and articles on herring or cod, they indicate after finishing cold smoke, you still have to cook, poach, pan fry? With salmon, I cured 24 hrs, rinsed (soaked actually) then cold smoked 80 F about 18 hrs then chilled, sliced and ate, nobody got sick. Just brined some pollack, rinsed, then smoked 18 hrs, looked great but I did additional hours at 200 F to be safe, now I have jerky. Is there something about salmon that’s unique? Would appreciate any help. All the best, Cheers!
interesting, I haven’t done herrings or smaller oily fish! but i am waiting for the weather to clear up to get some! its been one my list for a long time
salmon is often salted and dried
herring, anchovies, etc is often salted, cold smoked and oil preserved (probably a reason for that)
salt and drying these small fish could make them too intense in flavor! (i have had that with some wild game, like certain ducks or geese)
If its salt cured properly then it just comes down to drying for preservation, but with salmon gravlax or lox – often its not dried, just consumed inhibited with salt form my exp
All the best,
T
pollack is lean, salmon is fat, this will produce diff outcomes too, fattier fish better for smoking!
I am trying to start cold smoking. Need a lot of knowledge so I start right.
Great, hope what I write helps, All the best, Tom Mueller –
Check out the free pdf cold smoking guide too
What about cold smoking in contrys that the whether is between 28c to 38c? Is it dangerous that the meet can go bad? I hard sam guys that did a cold smoking in temperature of 40c. Is it possible?
Hi, Difficult- non-meat – maybe. Meat no way. Fish starts cooking around 30c. I had a guy comment a few years ago that used a fridge. And pump cold air through the fridge. Or if you ordered a plug in controller, you could cycle the fridge on and off to be around 10-15C. With cold smoker pumping smoke in, and some airflow out of fridge also.
You environment is just not for it. In South Africa, Vinegar and Salt is used to cure/denature meat then dried in heat. Acidity can help alot for preservation. All the best, Tom
Hi. Great article it was a pleasure to read it.
2 thins I’d like to know please.
1. What about places that the whether there is 28c up to 38c? Do you recommend not doing cold smoking?
2. I heard from someone that he cold smoke at 35c and even 45c. Is it dangerous?
1. Answered already
2. Yes dangerous, bacteria growth is rapid between 35c and cooked meat temps!
We have a field stone smoke house 5 foot wide 8 feet deep 6 foot side wall that i need to reroof it . i was thinkn of using smokey joe smoker once i fix it up we live in Grafton Wi . the old barn is 1882 thinking it has to be around same year
Sounds like a great setup, the traditionalists in Europe like to have adjustable vents in some way. Smokey Joe is like a bullet or drum style from memory.
Hello Tom,
I am learning about dry curing and cold smoking and i have a question… A few other people say to use ONLY salt with no other additives ( anticlumping additives). i have a crap ton of canning salt, would this work for dry curing or would sea salt be better
Thank you
Hoya Grey, I haven’t used canning salt, from what i’ve learned its sea salt with no additives – that’ll work great. cheers, Tom
Hey tom,
Thank you for the reply, i just bought a 15 pond pork belly this afternoon, i’ll portion it out and start the curing process tonight.
I’ll keep you up to date on the process.
Awesome! keep me updates, feel free to email also. Cheers Tom