# Hot vs Cold smoking



## kendec65 (Apr 4, 2017)

Looking to smoke some bacon, and I'm trying to decide on hot or cold smoking.

Are there pro's or con's to either and taste and texture different?


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 4, 2017)

Opinions are split. I like dry cured cold smoked bacon. I recommend you tried both and decide for yourself.


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## kendec65 (Apr 4, 2017)

Dry was my first choice due to space. What would your recommendations be as far as 

temp and smoke. What to keep it under and how long?


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## wade (Apr 4, 2017)

I smoke my dry cure bacon at room temperature for 24-36 hours with hickory. The smoking can be done over 3 nights with it resting in the fridge during the day.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Apr 4, 2017)

Dry cure. After cure allow meat to rest 5-7 days in fridge uncovered.

Cold (above 40, below 70) smoke 18-24 hours. I usually do 6-8 hours a day with an over night rest in between. Mainly do to time restraints. 

Allow meat to rest uncovered 5-7 days after smoke prior to packaging for storage. 

Currently cob is my favorite smoke for bacon.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236348/rubbed-the-belly-its-bacon-time


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## johnmeyer (Apr 4, 2017)

I just started experimenting with this. I've now done it twice where I take store bacon and then try to add smoke. I used Farmers thick sliced (Costco product). It is very, very thick. I cold smoked it for about 2.5 hours. I liked the result, but it was not close to being enough smoke. Therefore I can see how cold smokes of 24 hours or more might be a good thing.

The next time I do it I'll try eight hours and see what it tastes like.

BTW, since I had an empty rack in the smoker, I put a package of Bao on it that I purchased from Coscto:













SAM_0296_1024x768.jpg



__ johnmeyer
__ Apr 4, 2017






and put that rack above the two racks of bacon. 2.5 hours did a pretty good job of adding smoke flavor, although I am tempted to try five hours next time.

These treats are tasty to begin with, but after the addition of smoke they become quite addictive.


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## SmokinAl (Apr 5, 2017)

I prefer dry cure & cold smoke.

I do a modified version of Case's method.

IMHO dry cured & cold smoked has better flavor & texture than hot smoked.

Al


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## remsr (Apr 5, 2017)

I have only smoked bacon two times. The first time I tryed a wet cure with a hot smoke that I took to 155 degrees inturnal temp that turned out good tasting bacon that fryed up like jerky because the bacon was already cooked at 155 degrees. It was only good for things like beans, stews and bacon jam. 
Resently I made bacon again but this time I used Bear's step by step. Whech is a dry TQ cure and a cold smoke not to exceed 120 degrees as a little heat is needed so the smoke will penatrate better. The result was out standing bacon. 

Randy,


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## mr t 59874 (Apr 5, 2017)

We haven’t wet brined our bacon in over 40 years. We prefer the dry brined method as we like the texture, flavor, and with less moisture, any splattering while cooking is eliminated.

I normally cold smoke using a very pale blue smoke continuously for ± 72 hours to a desired color, while keeping the temperature below 72°. If using a heavier smoke, the time is reduced.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/178233/mr-ts-sugar-cured-bacon

Enjoy your bacon,

T


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## chopjaw (Apr 9, 2017)

Second for Dry cure and Cold Smoke.  There are so many different opinions here.  Some say let rest between smokes, some don't.  Some cure for 7days some don't.   Like all wise man say, do and decide for yourself..:)

I cure for 13days, let rest overnight, smoke for 12hrs.  36hrs if I have the time...   Either way, everybody eats and loves my bacon!


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## pugsbrew (Apr 14, 2017)

SmokinAl - what is Case's method?


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## hondabbq (Apr 14, 2017)

I cold smoke in my smoke vault 24 with the AMNPS. I could never go 36 hours. I don't get TBS as you know with the AMNPS.


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## remsr (Apr 14, 2017)

I like I said am not an expert but I know my past mistakes and some things that have worked well. After curing I put the bacon on racks in the refrigerator for two days to develop the pellicle then smoked the bacon in my MES 40" using my AMNPS loaded with apple pellets which smoked for 12 hours at between 115 and 120 then I wrapped the bacon in cling wrap and put it in the refrigerator for two more days the smoke  was very nice any more might have been to much where it would start tasting like smoke instead of bacon. The only thing that I will change next time is the cure time and maybe the smoke temp to between 90 and 100 but I don't think the temp change will matter. 

Randy,


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## kendec65 (Apr 14, 2017)

Thanks for all the help / suggestions. Doing my ham this weekend, jerky tonight

then will tackle bacon next.


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## myownidaho (Apr 14, 2017)

I'm one of the few here that hot smokes because cold smoking in a Bradley is prohibitively expensive. Dry cure, fridge rest, four hours at 200 to an internal temp of 150. Even if cold smoking produces a better product, nothing I've bought in a store compares to what I pull out of my smoker.


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## Bearcarver (Apr 14, 2017)

kendec65 said:


> Thanks for all the help / suggestions. Doing my ham this weekend, jerky tonight
> 
> then will tackle bacon next.


If you live anywhere within 20 miles of Macungie or Emmaus, you might find that "Warm Smoking" works Awesome in that area.

Not hot---Not Cold---Just Warm, between 110° and 130° Smoker Temp.

You get the same color & flavor as with Cold Smoking, but in less time. (10 to 12 hours)

Check it out here in my Step by Step:

*Bacon (Extra Smoky)*

*Bear*


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## mr t 59874 (Apr 14, 2017)

MyOwnIdaho said:


> I'm one of the few here that hot smokes because cold smoking in a Bradley is prohibitively expensive. Dry cure, fridge rest, four hours at 200 to an internal temp of 150. Even if cold smoking produces a better product, nothing I've bought in a store compares to what I pull out of my smoker.


I’m not familiar with your smoker, but it seems to me if it produces smoke you could apply a good amount of smoke to your bacon for an hour or two then let it hang for three or four days. That would give the smoke time to permeate the bacon before freezing. Of course you could vac seal it also.

Keep in mind, when applying smoke to a cool product it will take on smoke more readily than when hot smoking. If your smoke is heavy, take care not to oversmoke it.

T


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## shyzabrau (Apr 14, 2017)

MyOwnIdaho said:


> I'm one of the few here that hot smokes because cold smoking in a Bradley is prohibitively expensive. Dry cure, fridge rest, four hours at 200 to an internal temp of 150. Even if cold smoking produces a better product, nothing I've bought in a store compares to what I pull out of my smoker.



As a Bradley owner, can you explain why it is expensive to cold smoke on a Bradley?


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## remsr (Apr 14, 2017)

Question: should so be concerned about the way the grain is going when I slice bacon?

Randy,


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## mr t 59874 (Apr 14, 2017)

REMSR said:


> Question: should so be concerned about the way the grain is going when I slice bacon?
> 
> Randy,


I normally slice it in the same direction that the ribs were laying. I feel it doesn't make a big difference when slicing bacon.

T


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## kendec65 (Apr 14, 2017)

Live a few miles away Bear


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## myownidaho (Apr 14, 2017)

Shyzabrau said:


> As a Bradley owner, can you explain why it is expensive to cold smoke on a Bradley?



A 24 hour cold smoke would take 72 biscuits. For me, that's $30 just for smoke. I'm happy enough with the hot smoke results that at this point, I not willing to spend the extra money.


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## myownidaho (Apr 14, 2017)

Mr T 59874 said:


> I’m not familiar with your smoker, but it seems to me if it produces smoke you could apply a good amount of smoke to your bacon for an hour or two then let it hang for three or four days. That would give the smoke time to permeate the bacon before freezing. Of course you could vac seal it also.
> 
> Keep in mind, when applying smoke to a cool product it will take on smoke more readily than when hot smoking. If your smoke is heavy, take care not to oversmoke it.
> 
> T



That is something to consider. I'm running low on bacon, so it may be time to buy a belly and try both methods. Either way, the results would both be highly edible!


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## shyzabrau (Apr 14, 2017)

MyOwnIdaho said:


> A 24 hour cold smoke would take 72 biscuits. For me, that's $30 just for smoke. I'm happy enough with the hot smoke results that at this point, I not willing to spend the extra money.



Ahh. I didn't realize that you had to smoke 2 or 3 times longer for cold smoking versus hot smoking.


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## myownidaho (Apr 14, 2017)

Shyzabrau said:


> Ahh. I didn't realize that you had to smoke 2 or 3 times longer for cold smoking versus hot smoking.



Don't go by what I have to say. I've just observed the cold smoking crowd cold smokes bacon about that period of time, if not longer.


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## Bearcarver (Apr 14, 2017)

REMSR said:


> Question: should so be concerned about the way the grain is going when I slice bacon?
> 
> Randy,


I agree with "T":

I've sliced Bacon in all different directions, and saw little difference.

So I generally slice it in many directions, in respect to the way the slices look the best, in regards to the Fat-Meat alternating ratio.

I think Bacon is the only meat that I don't care which way the grain direction goes

Bear


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## mr t 59874 (Apr 14, 2017)

MyOwnIdaho said:


> A 24 hour cold smoke would take 72 biscuits. For me, that's $30 just for smoke. I'm happy enough with the hot smoke results that at this point, I not willing to spend the extra money.


Whoa, forget that. After doing some research on your smoker, if I'm not mistaken, that would be over 5 pounds of biscuits, way too much.

After looking at videos to get an idea of the amount of smoke you are producing, I would recommend you start by not cold smoking your bacon longer than 1.5 to 2 hours. That would greatly reduce your cost yet provide a nice smoke to your bacon. 

Regardless the recipe or the technique used, as long as you like it, you win. 

T


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## myownidaho (Apr 14, 2017)

Mr T 59874 said:


> Whoa, forget that. After doing some research on your smoker, if I'm not mistaken, that would be over 5 pounds of biscuits, way too much.
> 
> After looking at videos to get an idea of the amount of smoke you are producing, I would recommend you start by not cold smoking your bacon longer than 1.5 to 2 hours. That would greatly reduce your cost yet provide a nice smoke to your bacon.
> 
> ...


Thanks, T! I now have a quest. Half a belly with the hot smoked method versus half a belly cold smoked two hours and vacuumed packed for a few days before slicing. I have plenty of guinea pigs for the taste test.


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## mr t 59874 (Apr 14, 2017)

MyOwnIdaho said:


> Thanks, T! I now have a quest. Half a belly with the hot smoked method versus half a belly cold smoked two hours and vacuumed packed for a few days before slicing. I have plenty of guinea pigs for the taste test.


Let us know your results.

Have fun,

T


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## myownidaho (Apr 14, 2017)

kendec65 said:


> Looking to smoke some bacon, and I'm trying to decide on hot or cold smoking.
> Are there pro's or con's to either and taste and texture different?



Looking forward to your results! My apologies for the hijack.


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## remsr (Apr 14, 2017)

Thanks Bear, I didn't think it mattered but being new at this I needed to check.

Randy,


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## mr t 59874 (Apr 14, 2017)

Shyzabrau said:


> Ahh. I didn't realize that you had to smoke 2 or 3 times longer for cold smoking versus hot smoking.


 The means of delivery along with the color and density of the smoke should determine the length of time any product is smoked.

T


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## hondabbq (Apr 18, 2017)

I cold smoke my bacon in my Smoke Vault and I go about 12 hours with My AMNPS and find I get enough smoke flavor.


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## remsr (Apr 18, 2017)

I go warm 115 to 120 for 12 hours in my MES and get plenty smoke but it seems intense, not over fine but intense. I would like to try dust but I am unable to find it here in St Paul Minnesota or Menneapplis. 

Randy,


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## Bearcarver (Apr 18, 2017)

REMSR said:


> I go warm 115 to 120 for 12 hours in my MES and get plenty smoke but it seems intense, not over fine but intense. I would like to try dust but I am unable to find it here in St Paul Minnesota or Menneapplis.
> 
> Randy,


Hi Randy,

There must be a lot of stores in MN that have it, because MN is the home of "Todd Johnson" and Amazing Smoker.

Did you check the list of dealer's on his Web Site? There are 34 places in MN.

Dealer's list:

http://www.amazenproducts.com/v/vspfiles/downloadables/DealerList.pdf

Bear


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## remsr (Apr 18, 2017)

Thanks again Bear I'll check it out,

Randy,


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