Smoking Your Catch/ Rabbits/ Pigeons Etc.

[mark williams 7,558]

If Admin` will please allow.

 

Lads have you ever considered smoking your food ?

This is tonight, about to be cold smoking Herring (kippers) and Mackerel. Many a time I`ll use pigeon breast, Rabbit etc.

 

 

please excuse the dustbin in the background

 

 

atb.

 

 

 

 

 

[mad4it 695]

I have thought about smoking rabbits and pigeon breasts, your set up looks grand do you just cold smoke or do you do hot smoke and what wood do you use.

[moxy 617]

Cold smoke to flavour. Hot smoke to cook.

Most fruit woods are good. Beech and chestnut work well. I find oak a bit overpowering.

I've been refining my smoker for a while but I hot smoke/cook more than I cold smoke.

A large Pork shoulder cooked overnight is an absolute winner.

 

Tidy set up mark

[mad4it 695]

I bet the pork should cooked over night just melts in the mouth, what temp do you used and how do you keep it burning

[Rez 4,961]

Mint. Never seen oat like that. Nice Marko, something new.

[mark williams 7,558]

I`ve still got L plates on with this project lads and simply follow the books I have but the food coming out is delicious - far, far better than commercial she ite.

Yes Moxy you are correct but the stage I am at I simply cook under the grill or in the oven to cook the food after the cold smoking process,- the results have been superb .

Gets quite addictive lads, be warned .

The hot smoker is an easy build and is next - this is great fun lads and the food is delicious.

​​

 

atb

[philpot 5,005]

Perhaps a talk through on method, woods and times would be of interest from you boys

 

Phil

[Rez 4,961]

Bet it's the best smoker from the finest materials being a builder. Robbin stuff from site etc

[Mister Gain 1,764]

I built a smoker from a 2 drawer filing cabinet. I wanted it for both hot and cold smoking. I use the ProQ with oak dust for cold smoking getting a 10-11 hour smoke from one filling. It actually makes Edam cheese edible . I use a baking tray or a 'home fashioned' metal tray with American White Oak planings, and I like the nuttiness it imparts, also I have quite a bit of it as I put down a solid oak floor (in the house ) some years back which I prepared from rough boards

The smoker has a metal flap which I lower to cover the burner for cold smoking, obviously lifting the flap and clipping it against the back wall for hot smoking using a gas burner. It has a small chimney at the top/rear for smoke throughput, and a temperature gauge on the door. It can also be used as a conventional oven, but doesn't have the insulation properties of the proper one which is about 15 ft away, in the kitchen.

 

Home smoking adds another dimension to food instead of some of the shit you buy which is so artificial tasting. I have used both smoke powder and liquid smoke in the past but it just doesn't come near.

 

 

 

 

 

[moxy 617]

I built a smoker from a 2 drawer filing cabinet. I wanted it for both hot and cold smoking. I use the ProQ with oak dust for cold smoking getting a 10-11 hour smoke from one filling. It actually makes Edam cheese edible . I use a baking tray or a 'home fashioned' metal tray with American White Oak planings, and I like the nuttiness it imparts, also I have quite a bit of it as I put down a solid oak floor (in the house ) some years back which I prepared from rough boards

The smoker has a metal flap which I lower to cover the burner for cold smoking, obviously lifting the flap and clipping it against the back wall for hot smoking using a gas burner. It has a small chimney at the top/rear for smoke throughput, and a temperature gauge on the door. It can also be used as a conventional oven, but doesn't have the insulation properties of the proper one which is about 15 ft away, in the kitchen.

 

Home smoking adds another dimension to food instead of some of the shit you buy which is so artificial tasting. I have used both smoke powder and liquid smoke in the past but it just doesn't come near.

 

smoker1.JPG

 

 

smoker2.JPG

 

 

smoker3.JPG

 

That's a very similar setup to mine.

 

I collect the sawdust when cutting firewood with the chainsaw. I tried chippings from a wood chipper but they were far too coarse.

Mines lagged so holds heat fairly well without burning loads of gas. Nowhere near as efficient as the oven but it's something a little different.

Optimum temp for a long slow cook is around 160 deg C.

Meats can blacken a little but it's no more than you'd get with your oven and most of the time it's just the seasoning or rub.

[moxy 617]

What are you using Mark and what's the rest of your setup like?

[mark williams 7,558]

I thought Manx Kippers were good but we`ve eaten most of these cold smoked ones for tea tonight and they were just "outstanding".

 

I`ve picked up a metal cabinet today (free) at the factory that supplies us with the roofline pvc, should make a cracking smoker cabinet.

[mark williams 7,558]

I send off for Smoke dust on the internet.

I use the Pro cold smoke generator and the bog standard smoke box you have seen.

I find the best book (s) to use are - Smoking food at home - with smoky Jo and also Curing & smoking ( river cottage handbook no 13)

 

Great for newbies like me

 

Great fun too !

[tomburras 2,730]

Looks great mark I'm thinking of building one too. Cheers for mentioning the pro cold smoke generator I'm going to order one and looking into a cabinate now.

[mark williams 7,558]

Aye up Tom

 

Brilliant bit of kit mate.

Friends and relatives are always mentioning " the kippers"