Cold Smoke Roast for how long?

[papa chubby]

I have a couple of 4 lb. chuck roasts that I was going to smoke for Christmas but, due to unforeseen circumstances, I won't have the time.
Plan B is to cold smoke the roasts (local temp will be below freezing the whole time) tonight and then throw them in a crock pot (I know, blasphemy) first thing in the morning.
I have a tube smoker that I plan to use - I use for cheese all the time and usually do three hours of smoke but have to let it age for a couple weeks before eating it to let it mellow out (right off the smoke, it's like licking an ashtray).

So the question is, how long do I cold smoke the meat for?

 

[Sowsage]

I have a couple of 4 lb. chuck roasts that I was going to smoke for Christmas but, due to unforeseen circumstances, I won't have the time.
Plan B is to cold smoke the roasts (local temp will be below freezing the whole time) tonight and then throw them in a crock pot (I know, blasphemy) first thing in the morning.
I have a tube smoker that I plan to use - I use for cheese all the time and usually do three hours of smoke but have to let it age for a couple weeks before eating it to let it mellow out (right off the smoke, it's like licking an ashtray).

So the question is, how long do I cold smoke the meat for?

I do this all the time in the winter. As long as you can keep your smoker below 40° your good to go. I have the maze and I let them run the whole course. 6-10 hr. Then into the crock pot the next day. One thing you can do also is give it a good sear in a pan after the cold smoke and right before going in the crock.

 

[papa chubby]

I do this all the time in the winter. As long as you can keep your smoker below 40° your good to go. I have the maze and I let them run the whole course. 6-10 hr. Then into the crock pot the next day. One thing you can do also is give it a good sear in a pan after the cold smoke and right before going in the crock.

Thanks for the reply! I just didn't want to oversmoke it and jack up a couple of roasts.

 

[gmc2003]

I really don't think you'll over smoke a chuckie using a tube smoker. Smoke away and enjoy. As for the cheese. Next time let it smoke away for an hour and then try a slice. If it's good then your done. If you want a stronger smoke flavor let it go for another hour, and repeat taste test. Dust also works better for cheese then pellets do. However I don't think dust works all that great in a tube.

Chris

 

[chef jimmyj]

Good advice. Make sure to SEAR WELL, before slow cooking. A major part of that Beefy Flavor comes from searing!...JJ

 

[tallbm]

I have a couple of 4 lb. chuck roasts that I was going to smoke for Christmas but, due to unforeseen circumstances, I won't have the time.
Plan B is to cold smoke the roasts (local temp will be below freezing the whole time) tonight and then throw them in a crock pot (I know, blasphemy) first thing in the morning.
I have a tube smoker that I plan to use - I use for cheese all the time and usually do three hours of smoke but have to let it age for a couple weeks before eating it to let it mellow out (right off the smoke, it's like licking an ashtray).

So the question is, how long do I cold smoke the meat for?

I think what you encounter with your cheese isn't over powered smoke but STALE smoke.
This is an issue with cold smoking because stale smoke tastes horrible and occurs when you have no airflow/draft.

This will surely be an issue with the meat UNLESS you can guarantee airflow.
You can kind of crack the smoker door open like 1/2 an inch and hope you get enough airflow that the smoke consistently moves and doesn't linger to become stale.

If you can fix the stale smoke and airflow issue then you can cold smoke it the whole time.

What kind of smoker do you have?
If something like an MES some guys put little "personal" fan so that it blows horizontally over the vent hole which causes a draft sucking the air and smoke through the smoker ensuring it doesn't linger and become stale.