Anyone Got A Guide To Ideal Ambient Temperatures For Cold Smoking Different Meats & Fish Etc

[sotv]

I know things like butter cheese & bacon smoke better @ colder temps and fish at slightly warmer temps. Got myself an Inkbird thermostat now so have a bit more control over these sort of things if I need to raise the temps in the cabinet over the outside air temp. Wondered if anybody had a guide or something for ideal temps?

[Wade]

There is no hard and fast rule regarding the cold smoking temperatures though some are practical maximums and others are safety maximums. Some are a combination of both.

Butter - thgis needs to be smoked at a temperature where the butter does not soften enough to melt through the grate. Anywhere from 8 C to about 12 C is fine. Be careful though where you place the smoke generator as it does produce quite a bit of heat in a confined space and can quickly raise the temperature by several degrees.

Cheese - fine up to about 15 C. Much above that and it may start to sweat

Bacon - best smoked at between 8-12 C. In the summer this can be a challenge and so smoking overnight when it is generally cooler is best. If smoking for more than 8 hours, dont forget that you can smoke ovenight, place back in the fridge during the day, then smoke again the following night.

Fish - this depends on the type of fish and how it has been prepared. With Salmon and trout that have been salt cured you are generally trying to dehydrate at the same time you are smoking. This is best done at about 20-22 C with a good air/smoke flow over the fish surfaces.

Nuts - these do not really matter. I take them straight out of the smoke roaster and into the cold smoker. The inside of the smoker often reaches 40+ C before it starts to cool down

Do not worry about a little temperature fluctuation but try to keep it as constant as possible

[sotv]

Thanks Wade helpful as ever 👍