Cold Smoker

[YetiDave]

I find hot smoked/roasted garlic to be waaaaaaaaaay better than cold smoked

As far as cheese goes, I find mature cheeses take the flavour of smoke better. Leave those vents wide open if it's a still night - you want a constant, light flow of smoke (both bottom and top wide open)

A vacuum sealer really helps with smoked cheese it only starts to get really good after a few weeks resting in the fridge. I just opened a pack of hickory and oak smoked Cathedral City that I've had in the fridge since last November, it's rather nice Also, no more than 4 hours of smoke unless you want that cheese tasting like an ashtray

[somapop]

Hi Dave!
Agree - I honestly can't taste any of the smoke in cold smoked garlic (at least the one's I've purchased). Just doesn't seem to penetrate through the myriad skins of the bulb.

Suggest leaving all of the bottom vents open (I have four)?

Got my eye on an Andrew James vacuum sealer - seems to be a favourable choice given the cost (£39 ish).
That's on the list so I'll have to use other methods for the time being - zip lock bags ok?

Thanks for the tip on the timing too. I'll try and place as much in the smoker as possible so as not to waste the wood powder. as mentioned above, I currently have some bacon hanging in the shed (pork loin - over a week in the brine and nearly two weeks hanging): smoke this for a few hours?

Cheers!

[YetiDave]

I can never taste the smoke on cold smoked garlic, even the really brown stuff you can occasionally buy at markets. Hot smoked it really picks up the flavour

You can use ziplocks bags aye! I'd just clingfilm the cheese once it's smoked and ziplock it up and try and forget about it for a few weeks. Sounds like a long time but honestly it's well worth it. Leave all four vents open too, I cold smoke on my Excel with all the vents wide open so long as it's not too windy

As for the bacon, I usually go a minimum of 12 hours plus a day or two resting time to let the flavour settle

Vacuum sealers are a great investment for this kinda thing! I've got a Food Saver but I use Andrew James bags. They're even safe to boil so you can freeze individual portions of sauce, curry, meatballs etc and just simmer in the bag for a quick meal

[Chris__M]

I use mature cheddar - standard supermarket fare, whenever it is on a 2 for 1 sale; and my friends rave over it. Edam and gouda are also good.

Butter is terrific - great on potatoes and veg, but also good for adding a smoked tasted to cooking - absolutely wonderful when used to make scrambled eggs.

I also smoke my own olive oil - this needs to be done in shallow dishes, although I am about to experiment with a plastic fan to bubble air (containing the smoke) through the oil.

[somapop]

I can never taste the smoke on cold smoked garlic, even the really brown stuff you can occasionally buy at markets. Hot smoked it really picks up the flavour

You can use ziplocks bags aye! I'd just clingfilm the cheese once it's smoked and ziplock it up and try and forget about it for a few weeks. Sounds like a long time but honestly it's well worth it. Leave all four vents open too, I cold smoke on my Excel with all the vents wide open so long as it's not too windy

As for the bacon, I usually go a minimum of 12 hours plus a day or two resting time to let the flavour settle

Vacuum sealers are a great investment for this kinda thing! I've got a Food Saver but I use Andrew James bags. They're even safe to boil so you can freeze individual portions of sauce, curry, meatballs etc and just simmer in the bag for a quick meal

Cheers for the tip. I'll use cling film and zip bags for the time being then. Definitely be purchasing a vacuum/food safe sealer however. I read one of your previous posts re the timing - will indeed wait 3-4 weeks if worth it. I've got some flavoured vodka (grapefruit rind and ginger for one) that I've left for around 3 months, so don't mind the waits. In fact, if I time it right, I can have the cheese and vodka ready at the same time (some time in March)

Like the idea of the bags too...very handy!

Cheers Dave.

[somapop]

I use mature cheddar - standard supermarket fare, whenever it is on a 2 for 1 sale; and my friends rave over it. Edam and gouda are also good.

Butter is terrific - great on potatoes and veg, but also good for adding a smoked tasted to cooking - absolutely wonderful when used to make scrambled eggs.

I also smoke my own olive oil - this needs to be done in shallow dishes, although I am about to experiment with a plastic fan to bubble air (containing the smoke) through the oil.

Will definitely be doing butter. I can imagine a combination of cold smoked butter and hot smoked garlic being pretty special. Somebody bought me some smoked oil last year (I've also got a bottle of homemade coal oil, which is sublime) - really liked it so will do that too.
Was thinking of using standard mature cheddar, but also some of the more mellower varieties. I quite like emmental cheese (alway use that on that stout pepper brisket recipe) - perhaps that would work equally well?

Might make a start this weekend - cheeses and the cured bacon to start me off.

Cheers!

[keith157]

I use a medium strength cheese, too strong and we find it conflicts with a light smoke.

[somapop]

I tend to buy smoked garlic, but up to now it seems only the 'skin' of the garlic has absorbed the smoke - the garlic cloves seem to miss out on the flavour.
Salmon is an interesting one. I haven't fully looked into it yet, but is is possible to 'cure' it via the cold smoker (presumably pre brining process first)?
Other than that, I have some bacon hanging in the shed ready to come out...possible stick that on too.

Garlic is not cost effective unless you plan to do loads imo. You need to do it for 20hrs or more.

Smoked salmon is just cold smoked. Salt first rather than brine. Smokey Jo's book is a good place to start for advice.

Cold smoking garlic for 20 hours? And do you genuinely see/taste the benefit in the garlic?

I always presumed smoked salmon was a more complex procedure, but it sounds like it isn't (I've also had a quick look at further guides). Possibly less fuss than hot smoking salmon. Probably most cost effective to buy a whole salmon, then prepare it myself. Not sure whether you know, but is it essential to get hold of a salmon slicer? I have an ok (and fairly longish) filleting knife which might do the trick. Also have a Prosciutto slicing knife which I could possibly use.
Still...great news - I love smoked salmon.

Wondering if any of you folk have made your own wood dust? I had a look at the cold smoking site and that recommends using an electric wood plane to create the dust. I don't have one of those at the moment, but need to pick one up soon when I fit some doors. Might work out a lot cheaper that way (quick look at wood dust suggests average prices of £3.99 per 300g + delivery - this is off the cold smoke.co.uk site.

Cheers.

[JBBQ]

I've done beetroot cured salmon and it was amazing, and so simple! I use a ham knife for the thinner cuts. Now I guess I simply cure, then cold smoke.. EASY!

[YetiDave]

I get wood dust from hotsmoked.co.uk - it's £8.50/kg. Not bad considering a full 12-14 hour burn uses less than 100g