Crazy smokin

[singinggardener]

Hey all,

Just got my first smoker and learning the basics.

My question is what to smoke, obviously meat and fish but is there any strange things people can suggest like garlic or any vegetables etc.

Just want to broaden my options ready for bbq season

Cheers all
Martin

 

[osprey2]

Welcome to the mad house mate,

You can smoke garlic, veggies and nuts. If you go the route of cold smoking, you can do salt, pepper cheese and olive oil. The only thing stopping you is your imagination.

I know someone who smokes marmite and soy sauce !!

 

[singinggardener]

Wow thank you osprey2 not sure i could cold smoke yet as I only have a small fladen smoker but looking to expand once I've got the hang of it.
The smoker has 3 meth burners underneath so might try cold smoking later using just one burner.
Lots of experimenting to come

 

[mr t 59874]

Hey all,

Just got my first smoker and learning the basics.

My question is what to smoke, obviously meat and fish but is there any strange things people can suggest like garlic or any vegetables etc.



Cheers all
Martin

Martin,  Congratulations on your first smoker.

To put it simply, "If it can be consumed, it can be smoked."   Learn the 11th Commandment, " Thou shalt not say, I've nothing else to smoke."

Maybe the following will help.  My Cold Smoking Options w/Q - View,   New to smoking or have a new smoker? -- "How to optimize your smoke."

Have fun and enjoy,

Tom

 

[osprey2]

Nice one Tom.

Martin, I still have a smoker like yours. Just remember, no more than 2 tablespoons of dust or you overpower the food, I know. Great for doing mackerel in the summer.

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello Martin.  Welcome to the "family".  How about smoked water buffalo?  I mean the WHOLE buffalo!  Well maybe not!  Hard to find.  

  The guy's are correct.  If you can eat it you can smoke it.  Mr T even showed me a "how to" on smoking lettuce!  

  Who knew??  As you can see we are pretty informal in the Group and now and then take tha p***, but these are great folks!  TONS of knowledge they are more than happy to share.  Being American you can just imagine the abuse I have to suffer on a daily basis!  If I had feelings I might get upset!  

  Just give as good as you get and you will fit right in!

Season that smoker and then "experiment" with chicken parts.  Leg quarters, breasts and such.  Cheap to buy and if not done; finish it in the oven.  If burned, well the dog gets a meal.  We all had to start somewhere.  The first few smokes are about learning to control temps in YOUR smoker.  Each one can be different.  TEMP CONTROL is the KEY!  Once you have that under control you are off and runnin.  KEEP THAT DOOR CLOSED!  Don't let the heat out.  Get a good digital dual probe therm and use it.  One probe tells you the temp in the smoker and the other tells you the IT ( internal temp ) of the meat.  The Maverick ET732-ET733 is pretty much therm of choice on the forum.  Yes it is on the expensive side but how many cheap ones do you want to buy before you finally buy the Maverick??  If having problems don't struggle on; ASK THE QUESTION!  All of us enjoy helping.  We want to spread the "word".  If I don't know the answer I'll rattle Mr T's cage along with Wade and many others until we can learn together.  OK!  I am through ranting.  If I can help you in ANY way you know where to find me.  I don't really have a life so I am here at LEAST once a day.  

  Welcome and we look forward to your contributions.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[wade]

Hi Martin - welcome to the forum

You cannot keep us in suspense by just claiming to be from the South of the UK! Where are you from. I am from mid Kent.

There are a growing number of us from the UK chatting on here as we realise that the UK forums are unable to share the depth of knowledge that is available here.

What to smoke? Now there is a question!. As has been said above a lot of people smoke a lot of things - some which should probably remain nameless. It depends on what you like and what you want to try. There are basically two types of smoking - Hot and Cold - although there can also be a middle ground too.

For hot smoking you can find a lot of information on here on the likes of Brisket, Pork, Chicken, sausage (links) etc. and for cold smoking there is lots about Cheese, Salmon, vegetables and nuts too. There is also a lot about curing (smoked and un-smoked) if you are interested in Bacon, Salami, Chorizo etc.

I hot and cold smoke a wide range of things and for all the ingredients that you see the US guys use, they are either available here in the UK or have a direct equivalent.

Let us know what you want to try and we can help guide you to the most appropriate resources.

Great to have you on board 

Wade

 

[kc5tpy]

OMG!!!!  NOW you have done it Martin!!!!  You woke up Wade!  We usually try to let him nap during the day!! He needs his afternoon nap!  Poor old guy! 

SERIOUS NOW!!  Wade knows his stuff!  If it's midnight and he tells you the sun is shining; you better go check!  Take his advice to the bank and cash it in.  We don't always agree on techniques but he won't steer ya wrong.  We will both get to the same place in the end with the same quality product ( well, mine is ALWAYS better but he may not agree.  Of course he is wrong. ).  

  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[osprey2]

 
OMG!!!!  NOW you have done it Martin!!!!  You woke up Wade!  We usually try to let him nap during the day!! He needs his afternoon nap!  Poor old guy! 

Danny

Day, I thought we let him hibernate for winter !!!

 

[singinggardener]

I love this group lol everyone has such a laugh.

Too many comments to reply individually so I'll try and hit it in one (been a busy day today).

Thank you all for the tips and advise I really appreciate it. I tend to live more on experience from others rather than reading books, it seems more real.

I'm currently looking at thermometers to buy so I'll take a look at that one. Just invested into better burners, I had fondue burners that come with the smoker but just invested in some trangia burners I think they are called.

I'm in East Sussex living right next to the beach, Ideal for the summer.

I tried my first smoke today with 3 different fish (sea bass, rainbow trout and mackerels) obvious mistake though, cooked to quick for it to smoke but very nice and moist.

I had slight problems getting it going due to burning not the most ideal oil but hopefully fixed that.

Will try again in a couple of days with maybe some nice steak.

Happy smokin

Martin

Ps I'm hoping to put some pics up soon so everyone knows who I am and what I'm smoking with etc

 

[kc5tpy]

Hi Martin.  Sorry.  If I sound abrupt; I don't mean to be; just put it down to me being a Yank.  So here is where it starts!!!  We are here to help.  Why didn't your fish get smoked in your opinion?  We need DETAILS of your method.  You can get a good smoke flavour on something that takes 5 minutes to cook.  As I said earlier lettuce can be smoked and served cold.  SO!  Let's sort out what happened with the fish smoke!  Let's "nip it in the bud" now.  These are problems you don't need.  Pictures of your smoker would help.  Pictures are a GOOD thing.  You are committed now Mate so get to posting and we will give you all the help we can!  I'll stick with you and we will beat the bushes until we figure out where it went wrong!  If your first try went wrong you MAY have a problem with the smoker or the method used.  Let's get 'er sorted before your next smoke.  We CAN do this!!!  You know where to find me.  I'll be watching.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[singinggardener]

image.jpg

• singinggardener
• Mar 2, 2015

 

[singinggardener]

Okay so to get a picture, above is the smoker and below is what I was told is paraffin oil but not sure. Just bought methylated spirits to replace it

 

[singinggardener]

image.jpg

• singinggardener
• Mar 3, 2015

 

[singinggardener]

And here's the story.

Windy day in East sussex. Set up smoker, filled burners with oil and started to light although it took about 20mins to light the finally got light, gave 5 mins to warm up then place tray over. Inside tray was cheap old woodchips found in garage (had been soaked over night) I filled the middle under drip tray with chips. On the rack was a couple of sea bass and a small bit of rainbow trout.
They cooked for about 20 mins, half way through I had to bring it in and smoke it on the gas hob still in tray as burners had gone out and would not relight.
Top vent was closed for 10 mins and then half open for 10 mins.
End result was nice cooked moist fish but no smoke taste.

My thoughts,

Maybe the oil isn't best to burn,
Old woodchips that I really don't know how old they are May of been no good and was sainsburys own :/
due to fairly strong winds the burners kept spilling the oil and so burnt quicker
Fish cooked to quick to be able to smoke

Resolutions.

I've just ordered new burners (trangia burners)
Also ordered methylated spirits
Arrived yesterday was some new wood DUST not chips (Apple, hickory and whiskey)

Hopefully the fuel will burn better than what I have at the moment and with new burners be abit more sheltered and controlled.

That's my thoughts, all advice gratefully recieved

:)

 

[osprey2]

Meths and dust is the way to go with that baby. Had some good results with mine.

 

[singinggardener]

Cheers osprey2

 

[jockaneezer]

And if the fish doesn't turn out too good, you can always drown your sorrows with the meths 

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  Thanks for the details cause I have never seen that type of smoking rig.  I now see how it works.  It's the same as used on the cook top but also has the option of it's own heat source.  I guess we can rule out you doing a 7kg. brisket for the time being.  

  That's ok.  After a short time you will become as addicted as the rest of us and want to go BIGGER!  We can help you sort that when the time comes.  We are like the local drug pusher: we want EVERYONE addicted to our product.  

  I already twigged that Osprey2 had one of those.  He was gonna be my "go to" guy until your explanation.  I would have thought dust so glad Dave weighed in.

The problem is easy for me to spot but I have been smoking for a while.  The problem is you soaked your chips.  I DON'T KNOW WHY they keep putting that in the directions!!!  

  Ok.  so here is what happened.  Because you soaked and due to you not having a REALLY hot fire, the chips just steamed a little and never got the chance to smoke.  WHEW!!  I was afraid you may have had a serious problem.  In FACT; in that small area I would caution you go easy with that dust; especially with fish.  20 minutes of smoke in there MAY give you a final product you aren't ready for.  Fish takes up smoke easily.  A white flesh fish like the bass has that delicate flavour that can easily be overtaken by the smoke.  As a "general" rule, the whiter the meat ( any type of meat ) the less time I leave it in the smoke, taking into consideration the mass of the meat being smoked.  So a pork chop would be exposed to smoke for a shorter time than a ribeye but the ribeye skeak would obviously be in the smoke a shorter time than a 7kg. brisket.  I don't want my smoked food to yell "I'M SMOKED!!!!"  I still like to taste the original product.  Personal thing so you will just need to experiment.  With the meths and the dust I figure you will be good to go for your next try.  Remember to take picts for your next smoke ( something I frequently forget ).  ESPECIALLY helpful if you have a problem.  Often we can spot something you may have thought trivial or even overlooked.  PLUS we like drooling on our computers!

Finally; yes the other members should have warned you about "asking Danny a question".  "He will just ramble ON and ON and ON!!"  

  Have fun.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[singinggardener]

Hi all,
Thanks for the advise, I always thought soaking was the way to go but now I know. I deffinetly want to get a bigger smoker later but once I've got my own place.

I'm just waiting for maths to arrive and then I can try again. I similar to you Danny I like to be able to taste the quality meat aswell as the smoke. I did a couple years in restaurant so I like my flavours and herbs and spices.

I pan fried a couple of bass today for lunch using someone's rub from on here with the paprika onion powder salt and pepper, went down very well so think that will be the plan with the smoker next.

Thank you all again

Happy smoking

Martin