# our cold smokers



## bigarm's smokin (Sep 6, 2007)

*Hey everyone, I thought it would be fun and educational to see different cold smokers. I know people like, Huey, Mossy, and Skip must use them often. Here is mine. Its a walk in, under my deck.*




*now lets see yours.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 Terry*


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## fatback joe (Sep 6, 2007)

Very cool !!!!


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## chadpole (Sep 6, 2007)

Very good job,Terry. It is commercial size. Lots of meat can go in there.


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## pigcicles (Sep 6, 2007)

Nice smokin room Terry... I think that hill would be a great place for a slip N slide too... sorry been up 26hrs now and starting to get goofy thoughts.. Like the room though


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## flagriller (Sep 6, 2007)

Nice, looks way cool.


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## navionjim (Sep 6, 2007)

You posted that just to be mean didn't you. I've got to move back to the Pacific Northwest......
Jimbo


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 6, 2007)

*  Hey Jimbo, let me put it this way, 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  haha, just kidding. Actually I am hopeing that a bunch of pictures get posted here. I don't care if you have smoked fish and jerky for 40 years with a dozen different set ups, you can always learn something new. This unit works great, but I am looking to see something that rings a bell with me so I can make it even better. Thanks for the good comments guys. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	









  Terry*


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## pescadero (Sep 6, 2007)

I'll show you mine. . . . . 
If you show me yours !!

First !!


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 6, 2007)

*Skip, you been breathing too much smoke. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*


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## pescadero (Sep 6, 2007)

OK, sorry for the old joke.

Here is a picture of one I am still working on.  Will be similar to Terry's, except mine is more vertical than his.  It is about 4 feet square.  Still needs siding, a door and the racks.  Have an old propane cooker I am thinking about using.  I also have a small electric smoker I might use as a smoke generator.  Just haven't thought out the final details, yet.  

Skip


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## squeezy (Sep 6, 2007)

Wow ... I'm so impressed, I can't tell you!
Love to hear some stories on what you do and how you do it, 'cause I've have had no experience with cold smokers.


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## t-bone tim (Sep 6, 2007)

Here's mine it's not a large building type ,it's small but effective for what I need at this point


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## deejaydebi (Sep 6, 2007)

Awsome cold smoker Terry!

My cold smoker is my hot smokers with no gas a just a few coals and wood chips!


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 6, 2007)

*Skip and Tim, my smoke house is WAY too big! I had the material laying around, except for the insulation, so I figured what the heck, also I don't have to bend over and I got plenty of room to work in. Us old fossils don't like bending over much, and bending back up is worse) I heat it with my deep fat fryer , it maintains any temp I wish, I have had it down to 60 something, and up to 130, proably could go higher but there is no need. *
*Squeezy, you don't need advice from one such as me, I am steeped in ignorance, believe me.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 But I sure do have fun tryin. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*
*Debi, yours does what you want with only one unit, who could ask for more? *
*I forgot to say, home made chex mix, smoked and then crisped back up in the oven is to die for.*
*keep those pictures comeing folks.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*


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## adb551 (Sep 6, 2007)

How about a quick primer for those of us who have never used a cold smoker?


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 6, 2007)

*Well sir, truthfully, there are others here with TONS of experience that I simply cannot match, a few are, Skip, Huey, Mossy, Chadpole, Debi, etc, just keep an eye out, they will give you some excellent guidence. *
*  I can say that to cold smoke you should do so at between 70-110 degrees, it just depends on what your smoking. You don't cook with a cold smoker, you just flavor and preserve. Be patient my friend, someone will be along soon. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Terry*


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## salmonclubber (Sep 7, 2007)

Terry i could fill that smoker in one weekend with salmon that thing is huge good looking smoker i have a old 2'x2'x8'   cold smoker that i have used for smoking salmon i have had it for over 20 years it burnt down twice and i rebuilt it i need to get rid of it the roof is starting to peel off i dont use it much anymore its hard to get rid of stuff like that you know how it is man have i done a lot of salmon in that old thing i got no pics of it cause it is so ugly but it still does the job 

i now use a old refrigerator that i made into a electric smoker the temps go from 90 to 212 degrees but i seldom go over 175 with it when making sausage it is a great smoker i just made it this spring so i am still learning on it it has a few hot spots in it that i dont understand how that works but sometimes the sausage on one side of the smoker gets done faster then the other then next time the hot spot will move to the back of the smoker it just keeps me busy checking temps i will get it tuned in one of these days 

huey


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 7, 2007)

*Hey Huey, great job on fitting the burner into the bottom of the fridge, where is your temp control? It sure don't look like you should have any hot spots, on my old fridge smoker, I put a small fan with an adjustable fan speed  in the exhust stack, that sure made things even out.  Sure wish we still had salmon here in Flathead lake. In the mid 70's the MT dept. of fish and game, being the rocket scientists that they are, introduced a type of shrimp into the lake. They were supposed to feed the salmon, instead, they ate the baby salmons food source, so now, No salmon and there never will be again. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*


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## cajun_1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Salmonclubber ya beat me to it.  Have some pics here of mine in progress.  Tomorrow I will take updated pics. (thought I had them on my puter)  Had a thread about it, but see all the pics are gone.


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## richtee (Sep 7, 2007)

Jeeez-sus that looks good! <DROOL> Crap... this place is gonna ruin my keyboard!


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## salmonclubber (Sep 7, 2007)

terry the temp controller is screwed to the side of the smoker the probe for controlling the temp comes in through the hole behind the top rack i have it stuck to the back of the smoker the fan idea i have been thinking of doing this but not sure where to put it i think just a small fan should do the trick i was wondering if the fan blows the ashes around and on the food 

cajun thats a good looking smoker i have been thinking of making another fridge smoker and using it as a hot smoker using the afterburner gas burner for that project i kinda like the old fridge smokers 
huey


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 7, 2007)

terry the temp controller is screwed to the side of the smoker the probe for controlling the temp comes in through the hole behind the top rack i have it stuck to the back of the smoker the fan idea i have been thinking of doing this but not sure where to put it i think just a small fan should do the trick i was wondering if the fan blows the ashes around and on the food 

*Hey Huey, I put the fan on the top of the stack, sucking the air through the smoker,(yea, I used duct tape to seal it up for good suction
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 ) so it was a very gentle air flow, doesn't stir anything up, just keeps a good air circulation going. Your right, it don't take a big fan. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*


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## gypsyseagod (Sep 7, 2007)

hey terry,i'll have to post my pic this january(if it snows)and i put on socks...unless ya wanna pic of my ice bong(joke) from the early 80's.....


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 7, 2007)

*Hey Gypsy, I don't even want to "see" a picture  of you in your socks. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 (you ain't near as purty as you think you are) haha, I didn't think you ran a cold smoker? I figured you were in a climate that didn't work for that. Shows what I know. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*


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## gypsyseagod (Sep 7, 2007)

hence the socks & january  lol - i did do a great(well a large) cook last superbowl sunday @ 18f w/ sweats & a t-shirt & 4" of snow....no wind so it felt warm...not like minnesota or montana.... or pt. barrow freakin' alaska.


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## pescadero (Sep 7, 2007)

Salmon and/or LOX qre a couple of big reasons to cold smoke.  some like to do various fruits.  for example I have done plumbs and they are great.  So are bananas.

I haven't had a cold smoker for years and am just starting to get back into it.  Most of my advice and support has come from Huey(salmonclubber) and Smoke, up in Everett.  Smoke is taking a little time off but should be back soon.

I talk with and IM with Huey almost daily and a lot too, with Smoke before his break.

They have both given me good ideas.  As mentioned in the earlier post, I am torn between using the building I posted the picture of, and using a couple smaller smokers, one to feed the other.  Maybe even my gosm to feed either the wooden smoker or one of the smaller metal smokers.  Any of these options will work good.  I am just trying to decide which one would be the easiest and most maintenance free.  

I probably don't cold smoke more than 6 times a year so I am not getting too worried about it.  

One day I will probably just choose one way or another and start working on it.


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## cajun_1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Ok .. Here's the pics of my Cold Smoker ...


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## salmonclubber (Sep 7, 2007)

hey big arm we forgot about dacdots david smokes a lot of bacon and hams in his cold smoker he can teach us a lot about cold smoking he has all the cool toys he has helped me on several issues that i have had in the past


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## cajun_1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Salmonclubber .. You are on the ball ..Even I forgot about Dacdots.  He really uses a cold smoker.  His posts are always informative.


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## Deer Meat (Sep 7, 2007)

Hey, pescadero  That smoker didn't use to be a.....ummm... outhouse! did it?

LMAO


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## gypsyseagod (Sep 7, 2007)

ok to be serious- i do want to cold smoke & store some cheese & so does my mil-mom in law but it'll have to wait for winter. i do have a rock walled underground tornado shelter(better known as a hobbit house) stays around 40f from dec-march if it's a decent winter.just waiting....


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 7, 2007)

*Hey Gypsy, I usually melt the dang cheese even if it is cold out. I haven't tried it in the new smoke house yet, it should work good in there. I saw where someone smokes the fresh mottzarella, I tried that but it ran LOTS of water out of the cheese, I do better with the regular stuff. *


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## pescadero (Sep 7, 2007)

Deer Meat:

Sure looks like it, huh.  Might as well be, for all I have used it.  Started in building it last year.  Got that far and stopped.  Now that I have gotten hooked up with SMF I am interested in finishing it up.

Jeeezuusss !!  Am I ever gonna be able to eat anything that comes out of it, now  ??   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





LOL      Skip


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## walking dude (Sep 7, 2007)

yea......a kodak moment NOT to dwell on, while smoking in it.......hehehehe



Wd


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## chadpole (Sep 7, 2007)

Hey Tim and Hughey. Those refrigerators look like they still have plastic insides. Does that work without putting a plastic smell on the food or does it not get hot enough to matter. I thought you might have to gut it out and put sheet metal on the inside and have a cold smoker and a hot smoker. I would like to do a fridge smoker. I still use a refrigerator box for my cold smoking.I love the pics for new ideas. Any information I can get is appreciated. We can all improve what we have.  Thanks,Paul


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## Deer Meat (Sep 7, 2007)

I've noticed a few of the fridge smokers on here still have the original shelves in them. I thought I read on here somewhere before that there is some type of coating on the racks that is toxic if heated? 

does anyone else recall this?


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## gypsyseagod (Sep 7, 2007)

i have no clue about using "stock" fridges as smokers but if ya google mother earth news there's a mag article from around 1974-76 about making a smoker outta an old fridge. there's another mag- i gotta get the name - m.i.l. gets it. about farm life & refurbishing all kinds a stuff-really cool mag.i think it's called "farm life" or living green... something like that.


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 7, 2007)

*Hey Brian, I have read that too, I have also read that it takes pretty high heat to release whatever may be in the coating of the metal, so now, I have decided to, "quit reading" , ignorance is bliss. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 , and damn I am happy. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Terry*


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## gypsyseagod (Sep 7, 2007)

man i hate to sound like a professor,know it all, or whatever... but just the words,plastic,food,smoke together in any sentence don't work for me.... i've seen a lot of smoke houses & they were all lined w/ wood... just mho.......


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## salmonclubber (Sep 7, 2007)

my fridge smoker is porcilin lined it does have a plastic trim inside the door and it needs to be replaced with a piece of 1 inch angle aluminum but its not melting or smelling and does not affect the taste of the food i will replace this soon the shelves are on 3/4 inch angle aluminum and for the sausage i hang them on 1/2 inch woos dowel


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## gypsyseagod (Sep 7, 2007)

you being from the nw,i have to ask... what about lining it w/ alaskan fir or cedar as in a traditional inupait style ??? i just asked about the plastic cause my mother earth thing was for redoing a fridge into a regular smoker. but anything under 100f i wouldn't think the heat would affect the plastic... just a question.


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## cajun_1 (Sep 8, 2007)

My fridge is the old style.  It's all metal. Here is what it used to look like.









Look how big the freezer section was.  
Bring back any memories?


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## chadpole (Sep 8, 2007)

Thanks for the reply. I had always been told not to the the plastic in the fridge for smoking. Looks like even at 120 to 130 degrees that plastic would smell. I don';t know what temp. you cold smoke salmon at.


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## chadpole (Sep 8, 2007)

I appreciate you clearing that up for me. In pics it looks like plastic. Good job. Like I said in another reply I have been looking for a good old metal antique fridge so I can have a cold smoker.


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## gypsyseagod (Sep 8, 2007)

i'd love an old coca cola cold box for my...welll cold box fer caterings.....


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## navionjim (Sep 12, 2007)

cajun_1;86002 said:
			
		

> My fridge is the old style. It's all metal. Here is what it used to look like.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## cajun_1 (Sep 13, 2007)

I am using the original door seal. I have pre-run mine and see no evidence of any smoke reaching it. The temps used aren't that hot. As for the shelves, galvanized needs to get really hot to give off the bad fumes. Again, temps not that hot. I use wire racks on them for the food. The "black" plastic looking stuff, i believe is "bakelite" and not actual plastic. Again, the temp doesn't get that hot.  I also have a Fridgradire" in my garage that still works. I use it for brining and thawing frozen meat. Keeps the wife happy not taking up room in the house fridge.


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 13, 2007)

*I agree with what Tim says. It just don't get that hot in a cold smoker. Its normally around 90 degrees. I ran my fridge smoker for several years with no problems and no smell except for wood smoke. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  Terry*


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## cajun_1 (Sep 13, 2007)

Sometimes.. at that temp, I have a problem keeping my chips (not chunks) lit and smokin. I usually have some charcoal/briquettes not totally burnt from pervious smokes. I just light one up and add to chips.


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 13, 2007)

*Hey Tim. I used an electric hot plate in mine. It worked very well and was so easy to run, it proably should have been illegal. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Terry*


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## cajun_1 (Sep 13, 2007)

I also have an electric hotplate, 2 in fact. May have to make chips smaller?


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 13, 2007)

*I wouldn't think the chips were too big Tim. I made my own with a gas powered chipper. They were about the size  of the end of my thumb and maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Perhaps you could break your chain saw out and saw a few logs over a tarp,(don't pump the chain oiler) then try the saw dust on your hot plate. also, I found that a thin pan works much better than a thick one for containing the chips. The thick pan takes forever to get hot enough to make smoke. I did have to replace the chips quite often but smokin is my joy in life, so I didn't mind baby sitting the chip pan. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Terry*


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## fatback joe (Sep 13, 2007)

Give the chips.......and the pan too, a blast with a torch........gets 'em smoking and heats the pan some........just have a little self control when you do it.


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## cajun_1 (Sep 13, 2007)

Since I'm using an old cast iron frying pan, (made in China .. not a Griswold/Wagner), I'll try a smaller pan. Chips are pretty small now. Will try the thinner pan first. Thanks Terry           ...May try that also Joe  ..  sounds "hot"


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 13, 2007)

*Hey Tim, I tried the cast iron too, it didn't work for me either, I am positive the thin pan will work for you.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*
*  Hey Joe, are you sure your real name ain't Tim Allen? I remember the show where he made the "Mans" grill! Flames 6 ft high, steak took 3 seconds per side. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Terry*


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## cajun_1 (Sep 13, 2007)

I just tried the thin pan option. If anyone would have seen it, I would no longer be a member of the "OTBS". To many chips.... tons of smoke, thought it was on fire for a minute until I realized what I had done.


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 13, 2007)

*sounds like you done good to me. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*


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## adb551 (Sep 15, 2007)

Ok, without sounding rude, will someone please walk me through the process of a cold smoker?

How how is too hot? How hot do I need it for certain foods? How do I create the smoke and still keep it from becoming too hot? What is the best way to make a cold smoker?

How long does it take for certain foods?

I know this sounds like alot, but I have become very dependant on this site!!!
Basically give me the whole idea behind a cold smoker. I will be forever grateful.


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## bigarm's smokin (Sep 16, 2007)

*Remember, you will get many more responses from the TRUE experts, its a matter of, "trial and error" PM me if I can be of help. Terry*


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## cajun_1 (Sep 16, 2007)

As good an answer that I've gave.  Thanks Terry


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## cowgirl (Nov 14, 2007)

Great smokers everyone! 
Terry, I think you could smoke a whole cow in your's.....niiiice!


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## bigarm's smokin (Nov 14, 2007)

*  It holds quite a bit alright. Trouble is, "I" get to buy the cow, process the cow, smoke the cow, THEN, everyone shows up and wants to take half of it home with them. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	



*


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## goat (Nov 14, 2007)

Here is mine again:  http://www.darylecoates.com/sausage.html  Not too fancy but it works pretty good.


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## cowgirl (Nov 14, 2007)

Niiiice goat!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 That smokehouse gets the job done.
I like the fact that you do not use chicken lips, that's one of the main reasons everyone should make their own sausage and not buy it. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Terry, I know what you mean, I have to make venison jerky in secret...then hide the goods when I'm finished or it will vanish within the day.


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## goat (Nov 14, 2007)

Let me see if I can answer some of your questions.  I do not have a thermomenter in my smokehouse, but I would say not to get over 100* and I know that I keep mine a lot lower than that.  I have a piece of 16" pipe in the bottom of mine with one of those metal oil pans in it.  I place a few small pieces of oak in the pan and light the wood.  I then place the pan in the pipe and just let the small fire burn or smolder.  I smoke whatever I have, for as long as the instructions call for, but mostly 6 to 24 hrs.  As you can see from this thread, there are numerous ways to build a cold smoker.  I have a friend that used to use 4 pieces of scaffolding and threw a canvas tarp over it for a long time and that set up was passed down from his grandfather.  Several tons of sausage were smoked in that very simple smokehouse.


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## nogoer (Nov 14, 2007)

To add to Goat...

The point of cold smoking is to flavor the food without cooking it which would alter the texture of the raw meat. Doing this also helps preserve the meat by chemical reactions from the acids in the smoke reacting with the surface of the meat. To be true cold smoked ,temps must stay below 100F and the closer to ambient the better. 

Generally cold smoking takes hours if not days which is why most cold smoked meat like sausage or bacon have nitrates(cure salt) added to combat bacteria. The exceptions are things like cheese which require the cold smoke method to prevent melting during flavoring and are usually smoked enough after an hour or so. Since cold smoking in modern times is essentially for flavor than the time taken can be adjusted to your personal tastes. The longer you smoke something the stronger the flavor. For example i smoked a tiny peice of bacon last week. It was under a pound so i cured it in honey and curing salt for 3 days then cold smoked it for 5-6 hours at 50F. that short time was all it took to get a strong hickory flavor through the whole bacon. Color is also a good indicator of smoke time because you want that nice smoked brown color and the bigger the meat the longer that takes.

To make a cold smoker all you need is a smoke generator and a meat box. The colder you can keep the smoke generator the less heat will make it to the meat box and the more consistent and reliable the setup will be. the farther away from the meat box the generator is the cooler the smoke will be when it gets to the meat box as well. There really is no wrong or right way to build a cold smoker and this thread has lots of great ideas for doing so. Keep in mind though that plastics and galvanized metal can be trouble and if your using wood or cardboard anywhere near the smoke generator you should use a chip cover with holes to help prevent flareups.

Following this post will be another post with my setup.

Edit::Actually forgot that i have a thread i posted yesterday about my setup, but i will add the photo agin for conveniance
http://smokingmeatforums.com/forums/...ad.php?t=10520


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## goat (Nov 14, 2007)

Thanks for the assistance here nogoer.  One can never think of everything.


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## nogoer (Nov 16, 2007)

No problem Goat!

All this stuff is fresh in my head because its all i've been thinking about for the last few months. The curing, stuffing, smoking of bacons and sausgae is quickly becoming my most favorite thing to do. That doesn't make me wierd or anything does it?!?!


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## goat (Nov 16, 2007)

Nogoer,  Not on this forum.  Anywhere else, well let's just not go there.


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