Comments on: DIY: Trash Can Cold Smoker

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:57:00 +0000

Dubtz82 – totally appreciate that concern, and, at times, share it. The goal of cold smoking is to stay under 100f – cooler than the inside of the can would reach on a hot summer day. Generally, I only cold smoke in the winter, to avoid bacterial concerns. Still, there is that linger thought about using galvy in food prep at all. I think it merits research for anyone interested in doing lots of smoking.

By: Dbutz82

Dbutz82 — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:47:00 +0000

I don’t think galvanized is the best choice. Heat+ Galvanized = Neurological damage

By: Digital Clamp Meter

Digital Clamp Meter — Wed, 25 May 2011 05:58:00 +0000

Great! Thank for information, I’m looking for it for
a long time,

By: refuse compactors

refuse compactors — Sat, 07 May 2011 13:30:00 +0000

In the world of charcuturie, cold smoking is applying smoke to meat without much heat in the attempt to get the smoke flavor into the meat without cooking the meat. The most common examples are bacon and smoked salmon, which are both basically uncooked by the smoke.

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:50:00 +0000

Bill, thanks for the great comment. Its neat to find someone else who has followed the alton path; sounds like it was successful for you too. I like your suggestion about using a mesh ring!

Sadly, thanks to starting a graduate school program (in addition to my full time job) I haven’t had much time to spend in the kitchen (indoors or out)…. so keep the comments coming! I’m living vicariously though ya’ll!

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:03:00 +0000

Great idea Brad! We’ve had a nice cool winter so I hadn’t had much of a need to cool things off. I’ll give dry ice a try sometime this summer along with the other great ideas that have been shared here.

By: Brad7chellie

Brad7chellie — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0000

What about dry ice to keep the chamber cool?

By: Bsmiley

Bsmiley — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 14:55:00 +0000

Hello Nick! Thanks for your work! Like you, I followed Alton’s tips and built his Terra Cotta Smoker years back, just after his show was on Food TV. I used a “Anti Spatter Screen(13 inch dia.)”, a stainless cheepo fine mesh ring after cutting off the handle to support items to be smoked above the smoker bowl on the hot plate. In your reply to John R. I had done the trick using an Ice Chest and duct parts to “cold smoke” duct breasts I over-smoked the breasts as well as over-cured them. Live, do, and learn from my mis-steaks (forgive the pun). I will be happy to post pix via email to anyone who wants. Bill Smiley

By: Nick

Nick — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 04:51:00 +0000

Thanks guys!

Bsmiley the dryer vent sounds like a great option!

Eli, my old man is crafty like that. He took a dryer vent sleeve and some scrap metal and fabricated the damper. You could get real close with a premade small chimney capper.

By: Bsmiley

Bsmiley — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 01:43:00 +0000

Hi, I used a plastic dryer deflector that is used to recycle dryer hot air inside the house in one position and outside in other. If you have a right angle before it it will stay where you set it, it was about $7 several years back.