Cold Smoking Bacon in FL

[deebo65]

Hey guys I have a question about temps and all for smoking here in Florida.  I have only hot smoked meats and other yummies at 225+.  But recently I have been having an amazen, pun intended, hankering for making my own bacon.  I have read countless threads and recipies and methods on here (thank you all for your contributions and advice to all) and I have the brining and dry rub recipies and times and all that I want to try down.  My question regards with temps.  I have the wide body GOSM and could never keep my tamps low enough to cold smoke because it is so friggin hot here in central Florida.  (in the process of building a bigger smoker but I can't wait anymore to get going)  So, I broke down and got an AMAZE-N-Tube Smoker.  So, can I just lay my bellies in there (after brine and rest and pelicle has formed) and light my tube and let it go?  I feel ok now because the temps outside now are decently cool.  But what about when the temps outside are 100+ can I do the same thing?  Also, I have seen some say smoke their bellie 6hrs and some say but 10hrs of smoke on em...  Am I looking for an internal temp in them or just a look on the outside?  Any help or advice would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance

 

[pineywoods]

Get the metal smoker in the shade in the summer and that should reduce the temps. I like to keep the temps below 90 when doing bacon but that's sometimes hard in the summer when it's upper 90's so much of the time when it's that hot I'll do my cold smokes at night. With bellies your looking for smoke flavor rather than temp (you'll be cooking it before eating) and most of us go by color more than time. Also the type of wood affects how long a mild flavor like apple I would apply longer than hickory personally.

 

[jimdepo]

Hi ya Deebo. I'm from the Palm Bay area and I'll be trying to cold smoke bacon for the first time. I'll be using the amazen with hickory pellets.Lets hope it comes out decent. Like you, i'll worry when the temp is 95*everyday soon. Catch ya later.    Jim Depo 

 

[bear55]

You can use frozen soda bottles inside smoker to keep temps down.

 

[jimdepo]

Good thinkin bear about the frozen bottles.

 

[deebo65]

Thanks guys.  Good idea about the bottles too.  Luckily I have my GOSM under a covered porck so it is shaded, but I think it will be night smokes for the summer will be the route I take.  Maybe night smokes with soda bottles in there too :)  Last night we were sitting at the bar out back and I was just wishing it could stay cool at bight like it was last night.  It was beautiful