# First Bacon on a horizontal offset smoker



## aussiepete (Jan 21, 2012)

I wanted to get some opinions on how suitable my horizontal offset is for smoking bacon.  I've noticed most of you on here seem to use gas or electric for your long smokes.  My concern is the temperature fluctuations I get with my horizontal, which although they're not major, and I can keep them under control fairly well these days, at the lower temp range for cold smoking am I potentially going to have problems with my finished result?  i.e if it' gets too cold for too long will the meat spoil?  Or too hot will the bacon cook?

I'm looking at getting a MES as the 30" has just become available in Australia, with the 40" available in the next few months once all the internal electrics have been modified to suit our power.  I'm holding out for the 40", so am I better off waiting to do a long smoke til I get an electric?

cheers

Pete


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## alblancher (Jan 21, 2012)

Most of us cold smoke our bacon.  A simple cardboard box with a smoke generator will do that for you if you don't have any other equipment.   Properly cured pork bellies will last a couple of days in the smoke if the temperatures are fairly low.  Once the smokehouse gets over 110 degrees or so the fat starts rendering so try to avoid that unless you intend to go ahead and precook the bacon at higher smoker temperature


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## big casino (Jan 21, 2012)

alblancher said:


> Most of us cold smoke our bacon.  A simple cardboard box with a smoke generator will do that for you if you don't have any other equipment.   Properly cured pork bellies will last a couple of days in the smoke if the temperatures are fairly low.  Once the smokehouse gets over 110 degrees or so the fat starts rendering so try to avoid that unless you intend to go ahead and precook the bacon at higher smoker temperature


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## aussiepete (Jan 23, 2012)

alblancher said:


> Most of us cold smoke our bacon.  A simple cardboard box with a smoke generator will do that for you if you don't have any other equipment.   Properly cured pork bellies will last a couple of days in the smoke if the temperatures are fairly low.  Once the smokehouse gets over 110 degrees or so the fat starts rendering so try to avoid that unless you intend to go ahead and precook the bacon at higher smoker temperature


We're in the middle of summer over here and we're getting regular temps of 90-98 deg F so when my AMNPS arrives I might try that with no other heat source.  Thanks for the tips!

Pete


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## boykjo (Jan 23, 2012)

I use one of these in my smoker with a flood light bulb..... lowes or HD carries them...... Holds good temps for bacon







Joe


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## alelover (Jan 23, 2012)

With temps in the 90s you won't need a heat source. Maybe a bag of ice.


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## scarbelly (Jan 23, 2012)

alelover said:


> With temps in the 90s you won't need a heat source. Maybe a bag of ice.




I agree with Scott. The AMNPS will do the job easily or in the interim you can use a soldering iron in a can to generate some smoke


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## mballi3011 (Jan 23, 2012)

I just use a single hot plate in an old GOSM smoke for my heat source. I can get smoke at 70° or so.


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## SmokinAl (Jan 23, 2012)

alblancher said:


> Most of us cold smoke our bacon.  A simple cardboard box with a smoke generator will do that for you if you don't have any other equipment.   Properly cured pork bellies will last a couple of days in the smoke if the temperatures are fairly low.  Once the smokehouse gets over 110 degrees or so the fat starts rendering so try to avoid that unless you intend to go ahead and precook the bacon at higher smoker temperature


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## aussiepete (Jan 24, 2012)

alelover said:


> With temps in the 90s you won't need a heat source. Maybe a bag of ice.







mballi3011 said:


> I just use a single hot plate in an old GOSM smoke for my heat source. I can get smoke at 70° or so.


So what kind of temp range should I be aiming for guys?


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## alblancher (Jan 24, 2012)

The cooler the better, really not that important, you just don't want the fat rendering so stay below 110 or so.  I have never used a bag of ice but if it is 90 degrees outside I have smoked at night when it was cooler.  Just smoke no heat, just keep it above 40 degrees or so.


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## aussiepete (Jan 25, 2012)

alblancher said:


> The cooler the better, really not that important, you just don't want the fat rendering so stay below 110 or so.  I have never used a bag of ice but if it is 90 degrees outside I have smoked at night when it was cooler.  Just smoke no heat, just keep it above 40 degrees or so.


The nights are much cooler than the heat of the day so might give that a go.  I'll post my end result (with Q-view of course!).

cheers\

Pete


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## moikel (Jan 25, 2012)

AussiePete said:


> I wanted to get some opinions on how suitable my horizontal offset is for smoking bacon.  I've noticed most of you on here seem to use gas or electric for your long smokes.  My concern is the temperature fluctuations I get with my horizontal, which although they're not major, and I can keep them under control fairly well these days, at the lower temp range for cold smoking am I potentially going to have problems with my finished result?  i.e if it' gets too cold for too long will the meat spoil?  Or too hot will the bacon cook?
> 
> I'm looking at getting a MES as the 30" has just become available in Australia, with the 40" available in the next few months once all the internal electrics have been modified to suit our power.  I'm holding out for the 40", so am I better off waiting to do a long smoke til I get an electric?
> 
> ...


Got my MES 30 from mistygully.Last years model no window.Got a good deal.I love it the MES40 is going to be on the shiny side of a $1000.

Lot of really wise blokes on this forum,havent had a bad bit of advice yet.


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