What can I smoke at below 160°F

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Nefarious

Master of the Pit
Original poster
Oct 10, 2021
1,619
1,320
Seattle WA
I will dismantle the mailbox mod that doesn't seem to want to cooperate and before I did so, I thought maybe I can get one use out of it. I will still be able to use the smoker before, use smoke tube for a little better smoke control, just no mailbox mod.

With the mailbox I get what looks like ok smoke up to 160°, maybe 165°. I thought of a thin steelhead salmon pulled at 140°F. Are there any other options. It will be the most expensive salmon I have ever eaten, and it might not even turn out.I

Any suggestions will be considered.
 
I will dismantle the mailbox mod that doesn't seem to want to cooperate and before I did so, I thought maybe I can get one use out of it. I will still be able to use the smoker before, use smoke tube for a little better smoke control, just no mailbox mod.

With the mailbox I get what looks like ok smoke up to 160°, maybe 165°. I thought of a thin steelhead salmon pulled at 140°F. Are there any other options. It will be the most expensive salmon I have ever eaten, and it might not even turn out.I

Any suggestions will be considered.

Cured jerky. If you want speed grind some lean beef or buy like 93% or better ground beef. Mix in cure and seasonings and roll 1/4-1/2 inch thick and smoke on q-mats.

When it dehydrates enough to handle well cut into 2 sheets and rotate so it dehydrates a bit more evenly. Pull when it is still a little soft and cut into strips.

Jerky!
 
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Cream cheese.
Coat a block in your favorite pulled pork rub and smoke it for a couple hours. It's a favorite snack in my house.
 
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you can smoke almost anything at those temps. with cure #1...
Thanks, I appreciate your response. I have only cured one meat, corned beef, and it won't be ready to cook until monday. I wish I had more experience. I assume the curing is because of how long it will take to cook anything at 160° will be so long it will be unsafe.
 
Cured jerky. If you want speed grind some lean beef or buy like 93% or better ground beef. Mix in cure and seasonings and roll 1/4-1/2 inch thick and smoke on q-mats.

When it dehydrates enough to handle well cut into 2 sheets and rotate so it dehydrates a bit more evenly. Pull when it is still a little soft and cut into strips.

Jerky!
This is on my list. I have to order the mats. I have to get some meat for the freezer for when I can walk but not drive, I will see if I can get some low fat beef. Maybe I'll grind up a piece of round roast. Maybe I can get this figured out by then.
 
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Cream cheese.
Coat a block in your favorite pulled pork rub and smoke it for a couple hours. It's a favorite snack in my house.
I was hoping I could cook something for a meal, but I will try this at the same time. I bet it will go well on bagels. I normally only smoke with light salt, pepper and garlic. Costco has kinder rub, have heard good things about it so will give it a try.
 
Most any cheese
butter
salt
I salt brined and cold smoked yellow fin (Ahi) tuna steaks some time back
i would love to be able to do a piece of steelhead. The problem is, I oly get smoke to 160°. So maybe I cook for a while, I'll follow some recipe, as.long as I can and then finish with no smoke. I guess I have to research this.

 
Oh one more idea.

Smoke anything for like 3 hours then throw on a grill to cook.
So steak, burgers, etc. This way you get a smoked + grilled dish. You can do this with anything and still be within the 4 hour safety margin :)
 
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Oh one more idea.

Smoke anything for like 3 hours then throw on a grill to cook.
So steak, burgers, etc. This way you get a smoked + grilled dish. You can do this with anything and still be within the 4 hour safety margin :)
I guess when I lifted the restriction that it all had to be cooked below 160° I didn't change my narrow perspective on what it meant. Palm on Forehead!
 
I guess when I lifted the restriction that it all had to be cooked below 160° I didn't change my narrow perspective on what it meant. Palm on Forehead!
Don't worry I didn't come to this conclusion all that quickly either. It just hit me today and palm foreheaded myself like "smoke anything and then grill it" 🤦‍♂️
 
Steaks or tri-tip with a reverse sear as tallbm tallbm recommended. Cheese without using the main burner.
 
With cure #1, you can smoke until desired color or just time, then finish on a grill or in your oven. Once smoke is established the finished heat source doesn’t matter. Wrap in foil and will finish faster.
 
I decided on steelhead salmon, smoke is best at 140°. I'm an hour, and 2 beers in. This is probably the best smoke I have ever had. I tried taking pics and the only one where you could see it is into my messy garage.

PXL_20220310_012413200.jpg
Trouble is, dial the temp up 10° and all the smoke shoots out the holes in the bottom of the mailbox. It comes off tomorrow, I can rearrange the garage for my car to fit.
 
Not everything can be done during daylight. 1.5 hours in and 3 beers later, this is the smoke with the aid of flashlight.

PXL_20220310_023508103.jpg

Not that the color is white/gray
 
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