# Cold Smoking



## pineywoods

"Cold smoking" can be used as a flavor enhancer for items. The item can be cold-smoked for a short period, just long enough to give a touch of flavor or longer to impart more smoke flavor. Foods are ready to be finished to safe internal temperatures at this point by such cooking methods as frying, grilling, sautéing, baking, and roasting, or even hot smoked to the appropriate doneness. Temperatures for cold smoking should be maintained below 100 °F (38 °C). In this temperature range, foods take on a rich, smokey flavor, usually develops a deep mahogany color, and tend to retain a relatively moist texture. They are not cooked as a result of the smoking process, however. Any meat that you intend to cold smoke should be cured first to safely allow it to be in the lower temperatures for the amount of time used in cold smoking.

Notes from Cowgirl

During the cold smoking process, the internal meat temperature is not monitored......you monitor the temperature of the smoker.

People always ask how do you know when it's done?.. it's done when you have the amount of smoke that suits your taste. Some like a smokier flavor in their bacons and hams than others.   The internal temperature of the meat is not a factor in cold smoking.


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## adiochiro3

Nice summary.  thanks.  Many folks get the two methods crossed up -- which can lead to safety problems.


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## Bearcarver

Excellent !

BC


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## tjohnson

Great Info!

Todd


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## cowgirl

I guess we could have mentioned that preserving via cold smoke was not included. Rule of thumb, the lower the temperature of the smoke and the longer amount of time smoking...the longer the shelf life. ....But...

If you *do* smoke to preserve, remember to do your research first. Proper curing of the meat is essential whether you brine cure, dry or combination cure... the meat has to be cured to the center to prevent spoilage.

After hams have been "properly cured", they can be cold smoked then "aged" without refrigeration for 9 months to over a year. Some like the strong flavor of aged ham.. some do not.

Hope everyone has fun with the new forum! Looking forward to seeing some cold smokes.


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## pineywoods

I think another thing that needs to be pointed out is that you don't have to have a smokehouse to cold smoke. The key is the temps with things like the A-MAZE-N-SMOKER  google_ad_section_end and other smoke generating products out there you can cold smoke in your smoker or even a cardboard box. You can lay stuff down on the racks of your smoker and cold smoke it just fine. I like my smokehouse but the truth is that right this second its pretty useless the way I have it set up. It has a metal roof and sits in the hot Florida sun so the temps in the summer are usually well over 100 inside of it just sitting there.


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## Bearcarver

Until I found this forum, I thought cold smoke was when my wife gets really peed off at me, and stands there with that Cold look, and Smoke starts rising from her beautiful long hair.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Note: I put the "beautiful long hair" in there, in case she reads this post!  Been married over 41 years, and I know how to cover my butt!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bearcarver


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## cowgirl

Bearcarver said:


> Until I found this forum, I thought cold smoke was when my wife gets really peed off at me, and stands there with that Cold look, and Smoke starts rising from her beautiful long hair.
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> Bearcarver


lol.. good save Bear!


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## meateater

Great explaination, you should wiki this.


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## Bearcarver

meateater said:


> Great explaination, you should wiki this.


Hoping you meant the explanation Jerry did----Not the one I did.

If I'm in a crazy mood, I'm sorry. I just got my blood test results back today. I still have the heart, aorta, and lung problems, but my A1C, HDL, & LDL have all gone back to the good side of the border line. Makes me feel a little better.

Bear


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## meateater

Bearcarver said:


> Hoping you meant the explanation Jerry did----Not the one I did.
> 
> If I'm in a crazy mood, I'm sorry. I just got my blood test results back today. I still have the heart, aorta, and lung problems, but my A1C, HDL, & LDL have all gone back to the good side of the border line. Makes me feel a little better.
> 
> Bear


That's what I meant, no worries. Good to hear your feeling better.


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## princess

I am waiting until winter (when my basement gets just a little more consistently 55 degrees) to start working on semi-dry cured sausage.  What I am reading says Cold Smoke for color (aka bloom) and flavor (aka fermentation) then raise it for safety.  But I am still confused:

For example: Rytek Kutas in GSR&MC hold the Sheboygan Summer Sausage at 90 degrees in heavy smoke for 24 hours, then at 130 for four hours, & finally 150 for for four hours (*internal temp of 140*.)

It is a pork/beef recipe that DOES include InstaCure #1, but never gets above 140. Is it the cure that makes the meat safe to eat? Or the cure plus time above 80 degrees?

Cheers-

Princess


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## losyeny

what is the maximum temp for aging ham after curing and cold smoking?  Wondering if it can be hung in garage during winter months (not freezing)?


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## pineywoods

Princess said:


> I am waiting until winter (when my basement gets just a little more consistently 55 degrees) to start working on semi-dry cured sausage.  What I am reading says Cold Smoke for color (aka bloom) and flavor (aka fermentation) then raise it for safety.  But I am still confused:
> 
> For example: Rytek Kutas in GSR&MC hold the Sheboygan Summer Sausage at 90 degrees in heavy smoke for 24 hours, then at 130 for four hours, & finally 150 for for four hours (*internal temp of 140*.)
> 
> It is a pork/beef recipe that DOES include InstaCure #1, but never gets above 140. Is it the cure that makes the meat safe to eat? Or the cure plus time above 80 degrees?
> 
> Cheers-
> 
> Princess


Instacure #1 does not make it safe to eat it must still be cooked/smoked to proper temp before eating


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## Bearcarver

Princess said:


> I am waiting until winter (when my basement gets just a little more consistently 55 degrees) to start working on semi-dry cured sausage.  What I am reading says Cold Smoke for color (aka bloom) and flavor (aka fermentation) then raise it for safety.  But I am still confused:
> 
> For example: Rytek Kutas in GSR&MC hold the Sheboygan Summer Sausage at 90 degrees in heavy smoke for 24 hours, then at 130 for four hours, & finally 150 for for four hours (*internal temp of 140*.)
> 
> It is a pork/beef recipe that DOES include InstaCure #1, but never gets above 140. Is it the cure that makes the meat safe to eat? Or the cure plus time above 80 degrees?
> 
> Cheers-
> 
> Princess


I only use Tender Quick---Never used Instacure #1 or #2. With TQ, it is using the right amount of TQ, for the right amount of time, in the right way. Once Bacon or Sausage or Beef is cured, it is the cure and the fact that it is cooked to the proper internal temp that makes it safe to eat. How long it takes to get to that temp is not important.

Bear

 


losyeny said:


> what is the maximum temp for aging ham after curing and cold smoking?  Wondering if it can be hung in garage during winter months (not freezing)?


There are very few guys on this forum that would go through that method. And I am not one of them. Unless you are a curing & smoking veteran, I would try the easier methods first.

Just my opinion,

Bearcarver


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## princess

Ok... so what you are saying is that Rytek Kutas is wrong, and that regardless, I must still get the temp up?  (That's exactly the clarification I am looking for!) PLease confirm.

This may be important, as MANY people on this forum read/use his cookbooks regularly, and if SO much of the information in there is grossly off, we should let people know it, yes?

Thanks in advance!

-Princess
 


Pineywoods said:


> Instacure #1 does not make it safe to eat it must still be cooked/smoked to proper temp before eating


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## princess

If what I am reading is correct, TQ and InstaCure1 are brand names for the same active ingredient: sodium nitrite

http://www.americanspice.com/catalo...0212&_ssess_=fbb56c6db76653dd43b7a36bc6e122ba

http://www.sausagemaker.com/11000instacureand153no11lb.aspx

To be fair, I think TQ is chemically closer to IC2, but that's not my point just yet. :)

Pineywoods, says no, this is not correct. That I must still get the meat to "proper" temp before eating. The cure makes no difference.

Bearcarver, you're saying I absolutely need both the cure and the "proper" temp, correct? That the cure is what allows me to hold the meat at botulism level temps for so long, but that Rytek is wrong? That I still have to get the meat to 150 minimum?

So how do you guys make prosciutto? Or pepperoni? Or lardo? Or any of the other tasty meaty goodies that are NEVER cooked at all?

I'm just boggled right now. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





-Princess


Bearcarver said:


> I only use Tender Quick---Never used Instacure #1 or #2. With TQ, it is using the right amount of TQ, for the right amount of time, in the right way. Once Bacon or Sausage or Beef is cured, it is the cure and the fact that it is cooked to the proper internal temp that makes it safe to eat. How long it takes to get to that temp is not important.
> 
> Bear
> 
> 
> 
> There are very few guys on this forum that would go through that method. And I am not one of them. Unless you are a curing & smoking veteran, I would try the easier methods first.
> 
> Just my opinion,
> 
> Bearcarver


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## Bearcarver

Princess said:


> If what I am reading is correct, TQ and InstaCure1 are brand names for the same active ingredient: sodium nitrite
> 
> http://www.americanspice.com/catalo...0212&_ssess_=fbb56c6db76653dd43b7a36bc6e122ba
> 
> http://www.sausagemaker.com/11000instacureand153no11lb.aspx
> 
> To be fair, I think TQ is chemically closer to IC2, but that's not my point just yet. :)
> 
> Pineywoods, says no, this is not correct. That I must still get the meat to "proper" temp before eating. The cure makes no difference.
> 
> Bearcarver, you're saying I absolutely need both the cure and the "proper" temp, correct? That the cure is what allows me to hold the meat at botulism level temps for so long, but that Rytek is wrong? That I still have to get the meat to 150 minimum?
> 
> So how do you guys make prosciutto? Or pepperoni? Or lardo? Or any of the other tasty meaty goodies that are NEVER cooked at all?
> 
> I'm just boggled right now.
> 
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> -Princess


Princess,

I would never say that Rytek is wrong. I have the best of his books, and I have a very hard time translating his recipes to Tender Quick, so I more or less use it as a confirmation to what I'm planning to do, before I do it. He doesn't even mention the words "Tender Quick" any place in his book. I got the small book for home curing from Mortons, and I search all over the place for my plans of attack. I wish somebody credible would write a book using nothing but TQ.

Everything I said in my last reply was for TQ, and I believe for Instacure #2, but I don't know a whole lot about #1, and I haven't looked into #1 as yet. I've been having too much fun with TQ to worry about it, and once I started reading about #1, it got too confusing to me to bother with it for now.

When I made Pepperoni, I used the recipe for All Beef Pepperoni from the Morton book, using TQ, and I smoked it to 160˚ internal. To be honest, it tasted GREAT, but in my opinion, it really didn't taste like Pepperoni. Then I changed the recipe (only slightly), made the sticks smaller, and call them my "Unstuffed Beef Sticks", which you can see in my "signature".

I can't tell you any more about the other cures, because I don't know much about them, but with my TQ, I always bring my products to the proper internal temp (or higher), either during smoking, or just before eating (like Bacon).

Just off the top of my head, I take my Canadian Bacon to 160˚, Beef Sticks to 160˚, Pepperoni to 160˚, Dried Beef to 160˚, Summer Sausage to 165, Bacon to anywhere from 100˚ to 140˚, but then fry it, and my Smoked Salmon to 140˚/145˚, but I don't cure it, and I freeze it first for over 30 days to 0˚ to eliminate any parasites.

I hope this helps,

Bear


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## scarbelly

Bearcarver said:


> Until I found this forum, I thought cold smoke was when my wife gets really peed off at me, and stands there with that Cold look, and Smoke starts rising from her beautiful long hair.
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
> Note: I put the "beautiful long hair" in there, in case she reads this post!  Been married over 41 years, and I know how to cover my butt!
> 
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> Bearcarver


Now that is funny - Only us old married guys would think to cover like that !!!!


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## princess

If Morton would pay me to do the work of writing, and provide me with the FACTS needed to write the book, I'd be thrilled to be a part of that project.  :)

Looks like I am hitting the library for this one... Let's get some facts, BearCarver! :)

Cheers!

-Sarah
 


Bearcarver said:


> Princess,
> 
> I would never say that Rytek is wrong. I have the best of his books, and I have a very hard time translating his recipes to Tender Quick, so I more or less use it as a confirmation to what I'm planning to do, before I do it. He doesn't even mention the words "Tender Quick" any place in his book. I got the small book for home curing from Mortons, and I search all over the place for my plans of attack. I wish somebody credible would write a book using nothing but TQ.
> 
> Everything I said in my last reply was for TQ, and I believe for Instacure #2, but I don't know a whole lot about #1, and I haven't looked into #1 as yet. I've been having too much fun with TQ to worry about it, and once I started reading about #1, it got too confusing to me to bother with it for now.
> 
> When I made Pepperoni, I used the recipe for All Beef Pepperoni from the Morton book, using TQ, and I smoked it to 160˚ internal. To be honest, it tasted GREAT, but in my opinion, it really didn't taste like Pepperoni. Then I changed the recipe (only slightly), made the sticks smaller, and call them my "Unstuffed Beef Sticks", which you can see in my "signature".
> 
> I can't tell you any more about the other cures, because I don't know much about them, but with my TQ, I always bring my products to the proper internal temp (or higher), either during smoking, or just before eating (like Bacon).
> 
> Just off the top of my head, I take my Canadian Bacon to 160˚, Beef Sticks to 160˚, Pepperoni to 160˚, Dried Beef to 160˚, Summer Sausage to 165, Bacon to anywhere from 100˚ to 140˚, but then fry it, and my Smoked Salmon to 140˚/145˚, but I don't cure it, and I freeze it first for over 30 days to 0˚ to eliminate any parasites.
> 
> I hope this helps,
> 
> Bear


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## cowgirl

Princess, Rytek is right. If you use his recipes you need to follow them exactly as written. Some sausage is not meant to be cooked or smoked to a high internal temperature.

another good source for sausage info... http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/index.html

"Originally Posted by *losyeny*  

 

what is the maximum temp for aging ham after curing and cold smoking?  Wondering if it can be hung in garage during winter months (not freezing)? "

losyeny,

after a ham has been properly cured you have the option to smoke it or not.  The ham does need to equalize before either smoking or aging. A skin-on ham can age from 5 to 12 months.  The temperature best suited for aging is between 70 to 85 degrees..

You need to have good air flow around the ham especially for the first week, this helps dry the ham... as the ham ages it loses weight which in turn concentrates the amount of salt in the meat... thus preventing bacteria to form.

Run a wire into the ham every once in awhile. (down to the bone)... if the wire smells bad, there is a good chance the cure did not reach the center and the meat is spoiling from the inside.

I've hung cured hams during the winter in an outbuilding and have never had one freeze.  When I cold smoke a ham during the winter, it hangs in my smokehouse for days..

Hope this helps!


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## pineywoods

Princess said:


> If what I am reading is correct, TQ and InstaCure1 are brand names for the same active ingredient: sodium nitrite
> 
> http://www.americanspice.com/catalo...0212&_ssess_=fbb56c6db76653dd43b7a36bc6e122ba
> 
> http://www.sausagemaker.com/11000instacureand153no11lb.aspx
> 
> To be fair, I think TQ is chemically closer to IC2, but that's not my point just yet. :)
> 
> Pineywoods, says no, this is not correct. That I must still get the meat to "proper" temp before eating. The cure makes no difference.
> 
> Bearcarver, you're saying I absolutely need both the cure and the "proper" temp, correct? That the cure is what allows me to hold the meat at botulism level temps for so long, but that Rytek is wrong? That I still have to get the meat to 150 minimum?
> 
> So how do you guys make prosciutto? Or pepperoni? Or lardo? Or any of the other tasty meaty goodies that are NEVER cooked at all?
> 
> I'm just boggled right now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -Princess


Ryteck is not wrong but its not the cure that makes them safe to eat its the rest of the process. Those are dry or semi dry sausages and that is the process that makes them safe to eat. The cure is only the start of the process for those sausages. If you read over the link that Cowgirl posted it should make a lot more sense. Many of us aren't set up to maintain the proper temperatures and humidity levels to do these types of sausage but there are some here that are maybe they will chime in with better info. I personally don't know if you should be using Instacure #1 for these I almost think you'd want Instacure #2 but I'm not sure.


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## Bearcarver

Princess said:


> If Morton would pay me to do the work of writing, and provide me with the FACTS needed to write the book, I'd be thrilled to be a part of that project.  :)
> 
> Looks like I am hitting the library for this one... Let's get some facts, BearCarver! :)
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> -Sarah


LOL

"Just the facts Ma'am"---Joe Friday--1950s


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## bbally

Princess said:


> I am waiting until winter (when my basement gets just a little more consistently 55 degrees) to start working on semi-dry cured sausage.  What I am reading says Cold Smoke for color (aka bloom) and flavor (aka fermentation) then raise it for safety.  But I am still confused:
> 
> For example: Rytek Kutas in GSR&MC hold the Sheboygan Summer Sausage at 90 degrees in heavy smoke for 24 hours, then at 130 for four hours, & finally 150 for for four hours (*internal temp of 140*.)
> 
> It is a pork/beef recipe that DOES include InstaCure #1, but never gets above 140. Is it the cure that makes the meat safe to eat? Or the cure plus time above 80 degrees?
> 
> Cheers-
> 
> Princess


Instacure number 1 makes it safe to hold at ninety degrees for 4 hours.  This would be a time temp violation if the cure #1 was not in the meat.

The slow rise to 140 is to insure all the nitrite has converted.  The length of time at the different steps is for smoke depth and texture.

The cure makes it safe... without it nasties could grow.  It works by converting from Nitrite to Nitrous Oxide.  Which decays to NaCl and O3 (ozone) First the nitrite kills things, then the nitrous kills things, then the O3 kills anything left.  Leaving behind salt.


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## bbally

Long curing sausages and methods require Cure Number 2 which also contains sodium nitrate.  This triples the length of time that the conversions are taking place allowing fermented sausage to stay safe while they develop the flavor profile necessary for true fermented taste.

Country ham is cured with just salt..... but the correct salt and proper HACCP plan is required to do it for real and be safe.


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## chefrob

good thread.............as i am just starting to read about the curing process. keep this one rolling!


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## scarbelly

I am loving watching this thread and the great input - like Rob said - keep it coming

I have both the Rytek and Charcuterie books and this is great info

Here are a couple more sites to add to the sausage links

http://www.lets-make-sausage.com/index.html

http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/sausage-recipes.html

http://thespicysausage.com/index.html

Gary


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## Bearcarver

Scarbelly said:


> I am loving watching this thread and the great input - like Rob said - keep it coming
> 
> I have both the Rytek and Charcuterie books and this is great info
> 
> Here are a couple more sites to add to the sausage links
> 
> http://www.lets-make-sausage.com/index.html
> 
> http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/sausage-recipes.html
> 
> http://thespicysausage.com/index.html
> 
> Gary


Hey Scarbelly,

That second link (meatprocessing........) is the one I got the great buy on my 5# stuffer with the stuffing kit. It was about $40 less from them than from LEM itself. The only thing is, after nearly two weeks of hearing nothing from them, and them not returning emails & phone calls, I had to call LEM. Within two hours after calling LEM, I started getting action & had my order within 5 days after that.

Thought you should know for the future,

Bear


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## princess

I am going to try Rytek's Sheboygan come October. In order to ensure I am following him to the letter, I just need the basement to be a little more steady.  Wish me luck, pepperoni come December.

Hey BearCarver...

http://morton.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=21181&cid=178

I may grab one. They ship 'em practically free if you order one or two.

-Princess


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## Bearcarver

Princess said:


> I am going to try Rytek's Sheboygan come October. In order to ensure I am following him to the letter, I just need the basement to be a little more steady.  Wish me luck, pepperoni come December.
> 
> Hey BearCarver...
> 
> http://morton.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=21181&cid=178
> 
> I may grab one. They ship 'em practically free if you order one or two.
> 
> -Princess


Yup,

That's the one I got. It's not very big, and it doesn't have a lot in it, but it's worth the low price, especially since there isn't a whole lot out there as far as good recipes with TQ.

Bear


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## tjohnson

Great Post!!

Todd


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## scarbelly

Bearcarver said:


> Hey Scarbelly,
> 
> That second link (meatprocessing........) is the one I got the great buy on my 5# stuffer with the stuffing kit. It was about $40 less from them than from LEM itself. The only thing is, after nearly two weeks of hearing nothing from them, and them not returning emails & phone calls, I had to call LEM. Within two hours after calling LEM, I started getting action & had my order within 5 days after that.
> 
> Thought you should know for the future,
> 
> Bear


I had called them daily for two weeks with no response so I did not order from them but their recipes are interesting so I kept the link just for that - I remember we chatted about these guys when you ordered -

Gary


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## princess

Do think its because the chemical mix of TenderQuick is patented and proprietary? As apposed to Prague Powder/InstaCure/Tinted Salt?

Hmm... Morton has an HQ in Chicago. Maybe I'll look into it next time I am there.

Cheers!

-Princess
 


Bearcarver said:


> Yup,
> 
> That's the one I got. It's not very big, and it doesn't have a lot in it, but it's worth the low price, especially since there isn't a whole lot out there as far as good recipes with TQ.
> 
> Bear


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## Bearcarver

Princess said:


> Do think its because the chemical mix of TenderQuick is patented and proprietary? As apposed to Prague Powder/InstaCure/Tinted Salt?
> 
> Hmm... Morton has an HQ in Chicago. Maybe I'll look into it next time I am there.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
> -Princess


Princess,

Any info you can find about TQ, please let me know---maybe by a link?

I always have an eye out for info on recipes using TQ. I have found some though, that I ignored, because sometimes a web page will have a recipe using TQ that is totally wrong. I never use a recipe with curing involved, unless I can confirm it's accuracy elsewhere.

Thanks,

Bear


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## smoker lar

Cowgirl,

Hi, my name is Larry O'Connor and I have been enjoying this forum for the past 3 months that I have found it. I have been smoking for the past 3 years and since found out how many others are doing the same.

I really want to learn more about cold smoking because I have tasted some cold smoked sausages at parties that blow me away. I'm trying to get this straight in my head of how to go about it but the more posts I read I get more confused. 

Yours seemed to make more sense to me then others but I'd like to confirm with you so I don't get myself or someone else sick. You say, when cold smoking(I'm talking sausage) you don't monitor the internal temp of the sausage(other then keeping the smoker 80 degrees or under) but you monitor the smoke. You also say, if your going to want some shelf life or freezer time from it you must be sure the cure is all the way to the center of the meat.

One guy told me when I tasted his cold smoked sausage, he smokes over a small bed of coals and uses only green logs for the smoke. He said it takes him 10 days to smoke it this way. At the time I didn't think to ask if he finished the sausage to a certain internal temperature so you don't get sick. He also mentioned he uses morton tender quick.

QUESTION: Are you saying, when you feel you have enough smoke flavor in the sausage it's safe to eat and you don't have to finish hot smoking it to a internal temp. of 152 degrees? If this isn't true, could you walk me through the steps you would do to cold smoke sausage.

I have always used cure #1 for my hot smoking and I have read posts where they say you shouldn't cold smoke any longer then 4-10 hours if using cure #1. What do you think? Maybe that's why the guy used MTQ in his.

Could you please help me out. Thank you.

Larry


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## cowgirl

smoker lar said:


> Cowgirl,
> 
> Hi, my name is Larry O'Connor and I have been enjoying this forum for the past 3 months that I have found it. I have been smoking for the past 3 years and since found out how many others are doing the same.
> 
> I really want to learn more about cold smoking because I have tasted some cold smoked sausages at parties that blow me away. I'm trying to get this straight in my head of how to go about it but the more posts I read I get more confused.
> 
> Yours seemed to make more sense to me then others but I'd like to confirm with you so I don't get myself or someone else sick. You say, when cold smoking(I'm talking sausage) you don't monitor the internal temp of the sausage(other then keeping the smoker 80 degrees or under) but you monitor the smoke. You also say, if your going to want some shelf life or freezer time from it you must be sure the cure is all the way to the center of the meat.
> 
> One guy told me when I tasted his cold smoked sausage, he smokes over a small bed of coals and uses only green logs for the smoke. He said it takes him 10 days to smoke it this way. At the time I didn't think to ask if he finished the sausage to a certain internal temperature so you don't get sick. He also mentioned he uses morton tender quick.
> 
> QUESTION: Are you saying, when you feel you have enough smoke flavor in the sausage it's safe to eat and you don't have to finish hot smoking it to a internal temp. of 152 degrees? If this isn't true, could you walk me through the steps you would do to cold smoke sausage.
> 
> I have always used cure #1 for my hot smoking and I have read posts where they say you shouldn't cold smoke any longer then 4-10 hours if using cure #1. What do you think? Maybe that's why the guy used MTQ in his.
> 
> Could you please help me out. Thank you.
> 
> Larry


Hi Larry,  Welcome to the forum, it's nice to meet you. :)

As far as sausages go, there are two basic kinds.  "ready to eat" sausage  which is either sausage that is hot smoked to an internal temperature that is safe to eat.. 

Also fermented sausage or dried sausage that is safe to eat.

Then there is "not ready to eat" sausage that is cold smoked and needs to be cooked after the cold smoking process.

(you can also make sausage that isn't smoked)

When you cold smoke sausage you are not cooking the sausage. You don't keep track of the internal temperature of the sausage, you monitor the temperature of the smokehouse to keep the temperature cool enough so the fat inside of the sausage does not render.

You can cold smoke sausages for a few hours or longer.. depending on the flavor you want (and the diameter of the sausage).

They can be wrapped or frozen for cooking later.  Cook them like any raw sausage, grill, fry, etc..
 

Any meat that you are going to cold smoke needs to be cured to the center.

I've not heard that about cold smoking and cure #1 but do know that cure #1 is used with sausage...

here's a bit more info on the cures...

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-making/curing

and on sausage making...

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-making

Hope this helps Larry,

feel free to contact me

jeanie


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## meateater

smoker lar said:


> Cowgirl,
> 
> Hi, my name is Larry O'Connor and I have been enjoying this forum for the past 3 months that I have found it. I have been smoking for the past 3 years and since found out how many others are doing the same.
> 
> I really want to learn more about cold smoking because I have tasted some cold smoked sausages at parties that blow me away. I'm trying to get this straight in my head of how to go about it but the more posts I read I get more confused.
> 
> Yours seemed to make more sense to me then others but I'd like to confirm with you so I don't get myself or someone else sick. You say, when cold smoking(I'm talking sausage) you don't monitor the internal temp of the sausage(other then keeping the smoker 80 degrees or under) but you monitor the smoke. You also say, if your going to want some shelf life or freezer time from it you must be sure the cure is all the way to the center of the meat.
> 
> One guy told me when I tasted his cold smoked sausage, he smokes over a small bed of coals and uses only green logs for the smoke. He said it takes him 10 days to smoke it this way. At the time I didn't think to ask if he finished the sausage to a certain internal temperature so you don't get sick. He also mentioned he uses morton tender quick.
> 
> QUESTION: Are you saying, when you feel you have enough smoke flavor in the sausage it's safe to eat and you don't have to finish hot smoking it to a internal temp. of 152 degrees? If this isn't true, could you walk me through the steps you would do to cold smoke sausage.
> 
> I have always used cure #1 for my hot smoking and I have read posts where they say you shouldn't cold smoke any longer then 4-10 hours if using cure #1. What do you think? Maybe that's why the guy used MTQ in his.
> 
> Could you please help me out. Thank you.
> 
> Larry


  Welcome to the SMF. Glad to have you here. Lots of good folks, great recipes and knowledge. Looking forward to  your first qview.


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## volcanowatcher

I am a relative newbie to smoking, and I want to try cold smoking.  How can I cold smoke in my Brinkman Gourment Charcoal smoker? I have an electric heat source, (I live in an area that doesn't allow charcoal grills) and I am dying to do cold smoking. I mention the type of smoker so the experts out there can help me better. I want to buy a cold smoker, but if I can get the job done in my present smoker, then I can go that route.


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## teeznuts

Many here use the AMNPS or AMNS smoke generators in our electric smokers. this allows us to get a true cold smoke with minimal or no use of the smokers heat element. my mes barely makes smoke unless I have it set above 140-160 which is too hot for cold smoking.


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## SmokinAl

Volcanowatcher said:


> I am a relative newbie to smoking, and I want to try cold smoking.  How can I cold smoke in my Brinkman Gourment Charcoal smoker? I have an electric heat source, (I live in an area that doesn't allow charcoal grills) and I am dying to do cold smoking. I mention the type of smoker so the experts out there can help me better. I want to buy a cold smoker, but if I can get the job done in my present smoker, then I can go that route.




You can cold smoke in a cardboard box with an AMNPS. You don't need a special smoker, the smoker you have will work fine.


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## alaskanbear

X2 what Al just said, the AMNPS will work wonders for any cold smoking venture.  I will never be without one while doing my cold smoked salmon!! or cheeses!,,

Rich


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## Bearcarver

Volcanowatcher said:


> I am a relative newbie to smoking, and I want to try cold smoking.  How can I cold smoke in my Brinkman Gourment Charcoal smoker? I have an electric heat source, (I live in an area that doesn't allow charcoal grills) and I am dying to do cold smoking. I mention the type of smoker so the experts out there can help me better. I want to buy a cold smoker, but if I can get the job done in my present smoker, then I can go that route.


Yup, What Teez & Al & Rich said:

You can easily cold smoke & warm smoke with an AMNS (with dust), and you can use an AMNPS (with pellets) for cold, warm and hot smoking.

Bear


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## rwills81

Hey guys,

I am new as well. I have cold smoked a bunch of ribs before but different from how you guys might do it....

You can see from my avatar my cold smoking unit, I have never tried to cold smoke something that was cured I just hung ribs and cold smoked them for 6 hours but kept the temp between 35-45. When it gets cold out in Boston I won't need the 40 bags of ice.

so the way I understand it....if the food item is cured through then it can be in a cold smoker with temps 85 and lower, but if not cured it has to be anywehre between 45 and lower...is this correct?

I am looking to cold smoke my turkey this year for for thanksgiving for a good 8-10 hrs and was wondering if I should brine it....not worried about it being cured because of the temps, I figure the weather temp outside would be perfect fridge temp btu I am sure the brining will make the flavors more intense. My question is how long should I brine it for? How do I know that the 'curing' has reached the center of the meat?


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## eman

welcome rwills,

 When you talk about "brining" and "curing",you are talking about 2 totaly different processes. Brining is to add flavor and moisture to the meat whereas curing is to ,well cure the meat

 We recomend that ALL smokers follow USDA guidelines . They say that any meat that is not cured needs to go from an internal of 40deg to an internal of 140 deg in 4 hours or less. I would not recomend trying to cold smoke any uncured meat. maybe it can be done under low enough temps ???

 Down here on the bayou we never get low enough temps to attempt it.

 How about some of you folks up there in the frozen north chiming in on this one!


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## fpnmf

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine


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## eman

That is a curing Brine , a curing liquid can have salt and be a curing brine. But if it has no curing agent then it is just a brine.The word brine has nothing to do w/ modern curing. Brine is just a very high salt content liquid. In the old days and old ways  when curing was done w/ salt and not the modern cures we have today , A brine would have been used to cure. But today, a true brine ( salt and water) would not be considered safe to cure with  by most .


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## rwills81

by the time thanksgiving is here the outside temps could be below 40


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## fpnmf

*Wet curing is how most commercail bacon is made.. *

*How is commercially cured bacon made?*

Commercially made bacon is wet cured in brine with either phosphates or a derivative. Injected into the meat, phosphates encourage the absorption of water, boosting the weight of the meat. This is the milky liquid that seeps from bacon as it fries. Bacon cured this way will retain a higher level of salt, a matter of concern to anyone who worries about sodium in their diet. Commercial bacon producers also mix a colourant with the brine.


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