Hello; Just signed into this site, few comments questions. I have and use a Big Chief Smoker. As noted so many times, it just doesn't seem to get hot enought, but does the job. Living in Ohio and usually smoking during the winter it is tough to keep any heat in it when you are smoker for 12 to 18 hours and during late night COLD, COLD winter months. I usually use it only to smoke Steelhead Trought, which again are caught from late October into March-May, so you can see during the Dec., Jan and Feb. months the smoking is difficult. Anyway, just smoked a nice catch (Nov.10) and they came out great, BUT...we have been having some crazy, nice warm weather (50'-60's) and it was not to difficult to keep the smoker "warm".
Although I have been using it for years and the last batch came out great I do have some questions that I really never answered myself, just did this smoking on a trial and error system....so for all you experts, even though you may only be back yard experts allow me to ask:
Q. How many times during a lengthy smoking period (12-18 hours) do you add the wood (chips or bricks) to the pan. I usually do it three times during that period about every 2-3 hours.
Q. Since I brind the fish over night then smoke and the Big Chief doesn't really get to hot, is this considered "cold smoking" or "curing".
Q. As I said, it really takes long, 12 - 18 hours to get a good, good tasting, still a little moist smoked Steelhead....does this seem excessively long and if so what am I doing wrong.
Look forward to any and all replies..............going up now and take the Steelhead out of the brine, air dry, season and place them in the smoker....should be ready sometime tommorrow......later.
Captain John
(If you can, email me any responses:
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