practically first hot smoke session

[curious aardvark]

Okay - I have a bradley electric (yes that's right electric - don't spit it's a cracking little unit ;-) ) food smoker.
To date I've used it exclusively for cold smoking.

I'm now planning on doing a hotsmoke. I'm going to make some fairly thick sausages that after smoking will be eaten cold and sliced. I've also got some salmon and trout to smoke and I might do some pigeon breast if there's room, for making smoked pigeon pate.

Now given that bradleys seem to be much faster smoking than ordinary smokers (on cold smokes certainly)- does anyone who's used a bradley have any tips on temparatures, times, etc.

And obviously any general tips on timing and temperature will also be gretefully received from the rest of you.
And yes I do plan on doing the fish and sausages at the same time - I hate to waste space in the smoker :-)
Obviously I'll use different cooking times for them and foil to stop fish juice frm going on meat.

Just after general tips and times temps really :-)
Cheers

 

[ronp]

I have an electric MES. I generally smoke in the range of 225" - 250".

Maybe somebody will chime in here.

Good luck.

 

[richtee]

Fish done when flaking easily in the thick part- you want to go to at least 145. but it's hard to measure accurately in a fillet.

The sausage... will it be kept chilled? Eaten within a couple days? Otherwise I'd have to say you need to cure the meat. Cook ALL ground meat to 165 minimum.

 

[curious aardvark]

The sausages, once smoked, will be individually vac packed, frozen and taken out when required.
Only had it a few months but already I reckon a commercial vac-packer is an essential item for anyone who's serious about food :-)

Oh yeah I don't have a food thermometer - never had a use for one till now. Don't worry it's on my shopping list, any tips on what to get ?

So if I go to around the 165 mark (I'm going to have to get a celsius conversion chart as fahrenheit means less than nothing to me - on the other hand the bradley is calibrated in fahrenheit, so that helps - just doesn't mean diddly to me) approx how long do you reckon ?
I'll be using - compared to the rest of you - smallish lumps of meat. So that probably cuts down on time.
I'm figuring 4-5 hours maybe ?

 

[richtee]

Sigh... Gotta have the 'mometer. Cook to temp...time is less than meaningless in the Q/smoking arena. Any of the digitals are OK. My next will be a dual probe for both grate and meat temps..or a couple meat hunks. Many folks have 4-5 of the buggers. Can't have too many. Should be around 20 bux A...or Hmmm 8GBP's? LOL...we can't even talk! Just kidding... got a fag? ;{)

 

[luv2camp35]

CA,

if you would like a great time and temp chart, follow this link and download the PDF. I found this last year and have used it many times.

http://cid-273ae30c2caa330f.skydrive...king%20Tidbits

I am sure you are already aware of this but remember that you need to cook to TEMP.....TIME is only a guesstimate.

 

[curious aardvark]

Brilliant !
Exactly what i was looking for - many thanks :-)

 

[okie joe]

Always cook to temp you can have it on grill long time and still be under temp....like rich said any thing is just guessing...lots of times my temp has fallen off heat spikes and cool off it happens if your useing wood...charcoal..lump is all i use my 2cents...