cold smoking now, have questions, where are Mighty Quinn, Nola, Utarted???

smokesniffer · February 18

Well I am into the 4th hour of cold smoke. The bellies don't look any different than when I put them on. Have my small sitting at 300. the smoke is slowly rising out of the large egg. It is freaking me out. I haven't seen any change at all in the colour of the meat. When does it take on the smokey look that you all have shown pictures of. I was planning to smoke for 8 hours today, but am wondering if it is going to need longer. Ambient temp today is 38-40 and when I stick the thermopen down the upper vent of the large, I get a reading of between 49-50* My understanding is that temps up to around 90* are ok. Am I on the right track here. What should the meat look like, does it take on much of a colour. Could one of you that have done this a few times, please hold my hand :).

I have done a lot of salmon smoking in a Little Chief smoker, but this is a way colder smoke. Hhhhhhhhelp.

billyray · February 18

What type of wood are you using for smoke? Here are a pic of cold smoked bacon after 10 hours with apple wood.

smokesniffer · February 18

Hey thanks billyray. I am using applewood as well. When did you start seeing a colour difference in the meat when you did yours??

Chubbs · February 18

I smoked mine using the AMS for 6 hours and had a lot of coloring. If my memory serves me correctly, MQ didnt have a ton of coloring with his similar setup. Cant remember though. With the AMS I noticed it in a few hours.

Did you let it form pellicle in the fridge beforehand?

smokesniffer · February 18

@Chubbs. I had it in the fridge for a day and a half, they were spread out on racks so the air could get around them. Trying to decide if I take them off after 8 hours of smoke and fry a piece up, then I could decide if it needs more smoke. I am just worried about them cause I don't see any real change in the colour. If Mighty Quinn didn't have much change I might be on the right track.

Kempy · February 18

I did my bacon in 2 smokes. I found that the smoke from the maple pellets was a lot more noticable. I didn't see much color difference is the apple pellets. Both had the smoke flavor I was looking for though. FWIW, each smoke was under 8 hours.

Chubbs · February 18

Oh yeah, mine was maple pellets.

MikeP624 · February 18

I had a pretty noticeable changed in color after i finished my smoke (6hrs total). I used the A-Maze-N smoker thing with apple sawdust. Not sure at what point it changed color as i did not open my lid until the smoke stopped coming out.

billyray · February 18

smokesniffer said:

Hey thanks billyray. I am using applewood as well. When did you start seeing a colour difference in the meat when you did yours??

It was about at the 6 hour mark. Are you using the Amaze-n-smoker or just apple wood in your small?

double · February 18

I used apple in the amazen and didn't open it till 11hrs later so not sure at what point it changed...

smokesniffer · February 18

@billyray. I am using my small with the applewood in it. Sitting at 8 hours now and still not a change. Wondering if the temperature in the large should be a little warmer, kind of nervous about this. It basically looks like a slab of belly with no colour.

smokesniffer · February 19

OK so here is how it turned out. Smoked for 8 hours with applewood. Took it off and sliced off an end piece to fry. I kept in mind what folks had said about an end piece being a littler more smoke saturated. Fried up, turned red, that is good. It has a smokey flavour, but I can also taste the maple syrup behind that. So I wrapped in syran wrap and it will stay in the fridge for a day or two before slicing it up and vac sealing it. Initial thoughts are that it should be good if the smoke dissipates a bit. The texture is more to what us Canadians would call back bacon. If that makes sense. The colour of the bellies changed ever so slightly. Will wait to fry some up in a couple of days. Thanks everyone for the help along the way.

Mighty_Quinn · February 19

Glad it worked out for you... Sorry late to the game since you were specifically looking for my help. For what it's worth, I see little to no color change from the smoke and I go 11+ hours.

U_tarded · February 19

I'm here I like 12 hours of cold smoke but I like smoke. Like when I pass gas I want some apple in there smoke. Think light smoke long time equals a better flavor instead of heavy smoke over short time or a harsh flavor. Here are before and afters of the last batch I did. Sorry cell phone pictures, this was basic with apple smoke. In the end it all really is your own tastes and remember you can change the next batch I'm Nona try to do like 30 pounds over the next few weeks before it gets too hot here.

Before

U_tarded · February 19

I will post my after when I get home I'm still at work and Verizon is being slow.

U_tarded · February 19

Finally here is the after

smokesniffer · February 19

Thanks everyone. Got through it ok. I was a different type of smoking than what I expected. In the end it all worked out. I appreciate the help and guidance from all of you.

@u_tatded, if you are getting tired of some of that heat., I take some of your hands. Wouldn't mind a few more degrees up here.

Cheers.

;)

U_tarded · February 19

smokesniffer said:

Thanks everyone. Got through it ok. I was a different type of smoking than what I expected. In the end it all worked out. I appreciate the help and guidance from all of you.
@u_tatded, if you are getting tired of some of that heat., I take some of your hands. Wouldn't mind a few more degrees up here.

Cheers.
;)

haha its perfect here now about 50 at night and getting into the low 70's during the day. need to get my cold smoking in before it is melt you face off hot like 110 peak and 90 at midnight.

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cold smoking now, have questions, where are Mighty Quinn, Nola, Utarted???

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