Ruedeleglise

Thanks looks good, will investigate.

Yes it is a problem. I am new to cold smoking and the scowls and comments from HID.....you smell like a bonfire....... what are the neighbours going to say etc etc. Actually the neighbours commented “Oh wow, thar smells great. What are you smoking? Or once when I apologised the reply was that they couldn’t smell a thing. Gave the nearest neighbour some smoked salmon and he keeps on asking when am I going to smoke some more! Must admit HID has cooled it now I can produce fairly consistent smoked salmon....her favourite.

I would like to buy a vacuum machine, initially to pack cold smoked salmon. So must be able to take up to 50cms length. Advice please.

Ruedeleglise

Will get confirmation of no pesticides.

Thanks. Will do. Yes they are dry.

I have a friend who has a large apple orchard. Naturally he has to prune the trees and he chips these pieces. He has given me a large bucket full of these clippings which are a mixture of sizes, anything from 1 mm to 10 mm in size plus longer bits. They are perfectly dry. He hand clips and cuts and assure me there is no contamination from his small chipper. As you would expect it appears that there is plenty of bark mixed in with the chips. Do you think this would be suitable for hot / cold smoking?

Update on my posting about rebuilding / improving a cold smoker. .....Computer fan fitted successfully with good results. Then with the cooler weather it became apparent some type of heater would be needed...so....a thermostatically controlled 250 watt heater used in reptile cages has been incorporated under the unit and walled in. The unit now bears little or no resemblance to the unit as bought, has cost a ridiculous amount but it appears to work well!  A less impulsive buy with a bit more research and reading would have been a good thing!  However having with your combined advices corrected its shortcomings all is not lost and I have learn a lot. Now to produce the finished goods at a consistent standard to justify the capital outlay!

I have one piscaterian daughter and two veggie granddaughters in Canada. Here in the U.K. I have another gluten intolerant granddaughter, our second daughter gluten “sensitive” and a wife (the only one thank heavens!) who has gluten intolerance,  garlic intollerance /near allergy and IBS.......me? I am a mange-tout....there is not a thing I actually dislike and I have the digestive capacity of an Ostrich! Why all these eating problems....? Sprays, insecticides, additives? We have the dentition of an omnivore and the gut length to match! Not the gut of a vegetarian with rumens etc. Anyhow each to his own! Possibly having been born into war time austerity and weened onto tripe, ox hearts, lites and anything else lying about plus HAVING to clear one’s plate, there isn’t a thing I won’t eat (or drink!)

4 hours ago, Justin said:

Right. Yes. The scared to eat an egg brigade.  

 Edwina Currie circa mid 80’s. Then of course we were told not to eat more that 3 eggs a week because of the cholesterol content .But only about 2 years ago ....all change! Behold egg cholesterol can’t be assimilated by us as it is different and now we are told we can eat up to 3 eggs a day. Clucking bell!

4 hours ago, Justin said:

 

D

4 hours ago, Justin said:

Please excuse my total ignorance but, what is a fatty? 

Visited the reptile shop yesterday and got myself a bulb, bulb holder, thermostat as suggested. Installed the bulb below the smoke input part of my “growing like topsy” unit and walled in the sides. Test run seems fair so far. As the unit is thermostatically controlled I bought a 200w ceramic bulb. Ah well I think off to the fishmonger for another side of salmon. Lucky friends and family like smoked salmon!

Phew from a simple (much too simple) unit, it becomes increasingly sophisticated. I was thinking of putting the holes in the floor of the chamber where the smoke pipe comes in from the generator which is  under the smoking chamber itself. The thermostat will of course need to be in the smoke chamber....about half way up? So with a thermostat you can get the higher 150w heater.

I would definitely want to fit a thermostat to make things easier.

So with this set up would you think I could put the heater in the void under the smoker, walling in the open sides and drilling holes in the existing base of the unit which has no vent holes in it?

And there I thought keeping the smoke container cool was the only important thing! Now with colder weather I may well need a ceramic thermostatically controlled heater. Next stop the pet shop! Nevertheless I am and everyone (so far) is delighted with my last effort. However being critical I found the side not dehydrated enough. Now I think I know the reason.

3rd and 4th smoking attempts of scotch salmon have been accepted by quality control (the wife) and by all the family. Family orders now arriving for Christmas! Someone said once you have home smoked salmon you won’t want supermarket offerings again! Well I quite agree and so do they all! Thanks for the encouragement and advice from you all. Now to branch out onto other foods and “experiment” a bit. Stand by for more requests for help and advice.

David.

Thanks for all your comments and advice. Cheers.

David.

Hmm must try that! You do the “in box” bit for up to 5 days having salted, herbed or whatever, the side lightly...? Then smoke with what wood as usual for how long?

Thanks for the ideas! I am trying to master the simple, then I am looking forwards to experimentation. All set to have another go at straight “Scottish” style cold smoked salmon. Lack of weight loss seems to be a problem after curing. Am leaving this side for a good 30 hours to “equalise”. Looks good and developing a good sticky surface.....forgotten the word! Peticle or something!

Just done a bit of reading on Google....https://www.barbecue-smoker-recipes.com/cold-smoked-salmon-recipe.html.... bit over the top, but oil / maple syrup used!  Anyone tried this?

David.

Thanks. So what about rubbing olive oil into the flesh prior to smoking to increase the “oiliness” as I have read once elsewhere? 

Following the recent bad press concerning farmed salmon, I have just used Sockeye for the first time. The result is totally different. Do you experts have an opinion as to the preferred type/species of salmon, wild/farmed for traditional smoked salmon?

David.

I have just sliced some of this sockeye that I have prepared and smoked in exactly the same way as I did some other salmon. Taste is very different though not unpleasant but the texture is very different. Seems denser and less oily and not as translucent. Difficult to cut thin slices.

Yes. I have followed your suggestions on a previous answer to one of my many queries with great success. Many thanks to you and others for putting me on the route to palitable success. I have yet another question which I will post under a new thread.

David.

Only with salt and sugar on the surface.

Yes