Cleaning up your act - clean smoke is delicious smoke!

[GaryHibbert]

Now that was a great post!!!!!!!!!!!!  You put a lot of time and effort into it, and presented the info collected beautifully.  

Thanks you very much.

------Well earned.

Gary

 

[setesh]

 
Now that was a great post!!!!!!!!!!!!  You put a lot of time and effort into it, and presented the info collected beautifully.  

Thanks you very much.

------Well earned.

Gary

Thanks Gary!  

 

[dls1]

Very impressive post, Setesh. Your presentation was excellent.

It's a perfect example of a somewhat scientific method step by step approach to solving a problem which results in a validation of the very simple fact that, when it comes to cold smoking anything, the distance between the smoke generator and the smoking chamber makes a difference. A really big difference.

I also agree with you that when it comes to a subject such as this, Tom (Mr. T), knows what he's doing. He's the man, and it was nice that he was able to assist you.

Great job and keep up the good work.

 

[setesh]

Thanks Gary!  

 
Very impressive post, Setesh. Your presentation was excellent.

It's a perfect example of a somewhat scientific method step by step approach to solving a problem which results in a validation of the very simple fact that, when it comes to cold smoking anything, the distance between the smoke generator and the smoking chamber makes a difference. A really big difference.

I also agree with you that when it comes to a subject such as this, Tom (Mr. T), knows what he's doing. He's the man, and it was nice that he was able to assist you.

Great job and keep up the good work.

Thanks dls1!  I'm very curious to do the same thing with hot smokes now and see what happens.  I'm bombarded with work projects right now, but I'll get to it!

 

[setesh]

I did a strange smoke today that came out amazing....pizza!  I cranked the MES up to max and let it heat up, loaded a tray of Pitmaster's Choice pellets into the mailbox, and put a Digiorno pizzeria style margarita pizza on the top rack.  It took 20 minutes to bake at 300.  After taking it out I drizzled real white truffle oil onto it.  Good grief was it good!  I forgot to take a picture, it smelled and looked so good I just dug in!

With dinner over I let the smoker cool down a couple of hours while some cheese came up from fridge temp.

IMG_4435.JPG

• setesh
• Mar 26, 2016

I put half in the smoker and half in bags for another day.  I also threw in some cheese I forgot I had in the family fridge:

IMG_4441.JPG

• setesh
• Mar 26, 2016

I loaded a tray of powdered Pitmaster's Choice pellets into the mailbox and off we go!

 

[bauchjw]

The addiction is compelling! I just did a batch for neighbors last night while restocking my own. Everyone eats it right away!

Pizza sounds amazing? I used to do a BBQ chicken pizza with smoked Gouda. I may have to go at it again!

 

[jted]

THANK YOU!

 

[daveomak]

Great thread....   Folks should go to school on your experiences...  There's a lot one can learn here.....

 

[mauser]

a-f-o

 

[setesh]

I just realized I never posted the 'after' pictures for the cheese.  I did two batches, one for 28 hours with powder, one for 25 hours with pellets and both ends of the tray lit.

1st half of the cheese smoked with Pitmaster's Choice pellets blended to powder for 28 hours:

**Edited to include pic of 1st half of cheese**

IMG_4573[1].JPG

• setesh
• Apr 6, 2016

I just pulled the cheese out of the fridge to take the picture.  Sadly, the mozzarella wasn't available for the photo as it is all gone.  Smoked fresh whole milk mozzarella is one of the most dangerous foods I have ever come across!  

2nd half of the cheese smoked with both ends of pellet tray lit for 25 hours:

IMG_4504.JPG

• setesh
• Apr 6, 2016

As you can see, the system cleans the smoke amazingly well.  That was 6lbs of pellets over 25 hours.  That is a LOT of smoke and the color buildup on the cheese is still pretty minor.

 

[mr t 59874]

Good job on your cheese, nice color.

Last weekend, I completed an 18-hour smoke over a three-day period on some five-year-old Tillamook sharp cheddar using cob pellets. Served some with dinner that evening, my wife took one bite and did not say a word, just smiled and took another.

Mr T

 

[hoity toit]

Ok , here is my question on this post...'GUYs and GALs....Why "should" we have to make modifications on our store bought smokers? You would think the MFG's would pay attention to our Forum and make their products better using the mods that Bear and a few others here on SMF have implemented.. Makes me wonder if there is a market for a "SMF Smoker" ... Think about that one folks...just sayin. Todd??? take it to the next level.

I will be watching this thread as I am sure this will be read and replied by many of my SMF members.

HT

 

[mr t 59874]

 
Ok , here is my question on this post...'GUYs and GALs....Why "should" we have to make modifications on our store bought smokers? 

I will be watching this thread as I am sure this will be read and replied by many of my SMF members.

HT

Your question is like asking a hot rodder why he soups up his car? Answer, to make it run better. Many are satisfied with the smokers they have while others like to soup them up a bit.

Perhaps the following will help explain it a bit further.

What is going on with smoking cheese?

Mr T

 

[hoity toit]

 
Your question is like asking a hot rodder why he soups up his car? Answer, to make it run better. Many are satisfied with the smokers they have while others like to soup them up a bit.

Perhaps the following will help explain it a bit further.

What is going on with smoking cheese?

Mr T

what I am saying is for the regular person who buys a store bought smoker is why buy something you have to fix or tweak..I see where you are going on this and that was not my intent.

HT

 

[mr t 59874]

 
what I am saying is for the regular person who buys a store bought smoker is why buy something you have to fix or tweak..I see where you are going on this and that was not my intent.

HT

HT, it would be my guess that increased cost would be a big factor. I see where you are going also, but the manufacturers have to draw the line somewhere. Although on your line of thought, they could offer the mods themselves or for cold smoking suggest using a smoke generator of any type and a cardboard box.

T

 

[weensnbeans]

@Hoity Toit: I here you. Now that I have my smoker I'm all about getting it to run to perfection. I like the basic floor model and it does a good job for what I would assume the masses use it for - but I am looking to expand my WSM to be a cold smoker too. I'm not a metal fabricator so I'll have to get creative so I don't ruin my smoker (or get a buddy to come over) if I decide to run smoke pipes. I've seen videos and read posts where people have filled their water bowl and froze it to ensure a cold smoke (or just add ice and keep adding ice).

I've seen the mods for the WSM and they all make sense - better door, wheels, lid hinge, chamber expanders, etc.

I haven't done much research on different smokers but I would imagine that everybody has their own style and taste and preference. I would imagine that I will use this smoker and customize for the things I smoke and if a better smoker becomes available based on the needs - I'll consider upgrading.

However, (and I don't know if this is a true statement or not because I am a noob) but I would like to think that there is (or perhaps in the future -- let's talk some business here!) a company would create a versatile smoking box that would be so basic and inexpensive that it was developed to be customized. A simple fire chamber, a simple water bowl chamber (if you want one), a chamber for a rack (which you can stack multiple chambers), a tall chamber that would allow for hanging sausages or sticks, chambers with windows, vents built with the ability to remove them and attach a blower fan, cold smoker pipes,etc.

@Setesh and others - I've seen other posts with a long run of tube with a slight incline for the smoke to rise uphill to fill the chamber... I like the idea of the compact tubing in this thread that requires a smaller footprint! Was a blower used from the mailbox or was the heat generated from the mailbox enough to push the smoke up, around, and down (many times) through the smoke tube to get into the chamber?

 

[weensnbeans]

@Mr T 59874 - do you think I would need a blower fan on the mailbox to get the smoke up around and down 20' of piping? I fear the smoke would build in the pipe and just sit there...

 

[mr t 59874]

 
@Mr T 59874 - do you think I would need a blower fan on the mailbox to get the smoke up around and down 20' of piping? I fear the smoke would build in the pipe and just sit there...

Place your extension piping in a horizontal position with an incline between each section of pipe, whether a straight line or laddered. This will allow easy airflow and provide good condensation draining.

Most likely a fan will not be needed.

The reason Setish went vertical, was space limitations.

Mr T

 

[pitbulmom]

I'm doing so much reading and Note taking! Thank you for all that hard work!

 

[sigmo]

A great post and excellent thread, indeed.

I will have to visit the hardware stores yet again!  :)