Comments on: DIY: Trash Can Cold Smoker http://www.nickdawson.net/blog/diy-trash-can-cold-smoker/ From Virginia and many fine airports. Healthcare administration, foodie, music buff and fan of all things porcine, skis backwards Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:17:02 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jimmy http://www.nickdawson.net/blog/diy-trash-can-cold-smoker/comment-page-1/#comment-120 Jimmy Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:43:31 +0000 #comment-120 Nick,<br><br>Don't forget that hotair rises, and therefore pushs the cold air down. It would be best to have a shelf of ice on the top of the chamber, than in the bottom.<br><br>Give it a shot. Nick,

Don't forget that hotair rises, and therefore pushs the cold air down. It would be best to have a shelf of ice on the top of the chamber, than in the bottom.

Give it a shot.

]]> By: Nick http://www.nickdawson.net/blog/diy-trash-can-cold-smoker/comment-page-1/#comment-85 Nick Wed, 27 May 2009 00:37:36 +0000 #comment-85 Jeff,<br>Thanks for asking!<br>The good news is that I'm still experimenting and have had some success. The bad news is that its far from perfect and I think we can forget Texas heat...I can't even lick Virginia in the spring.<br>You hit the nail on the head - the only way I can think of is to encase the entire trashcan in another chamber...OR find a way to introduce cool air with the smoke. <br><br>I'm thinking of borrowing an idea from those "DIY dorm room Air conditioners" ... find a way to pipe cold water around a coil and blow air across it. I think it could be done and I'm thinking of trying this summer...<br><br>The challenge, as you well know, is that cold smoking takes so much time that even 30-60 minutes above 40f is pretty dangerous. <br><br>please keep me posted on what you try! Jeff,
Thanks for asking!
The good news is that I'm still experimenting and have had some success. The bad news is that its far from perfect and I think we can forget Texas heat…I can't even lick Virginia in the spring.
You hit the nail on the head – the only way I can think of is to encase the entire trashcan in another chamber…OR find a way to introduce cool air with the smoke.

I'm thinking of borrowing an idea from those “DIY dorm room Air conditioners” … find a way to pipe cold water around a coil and blow air across it. I think it could be done and I'm thinking of trying this summer…

The challenge, as you well know, is that cold smoking takes so much time that even 30-60 minutes above 40f is pretty dangerous.

please keep me posted on what you try!

]]> By: Jeff http://www.nickdawson.net/blog/diy-trash-can-cold-smoker/comment-page-1/#comment-84 Jeff Fri, 22 May 2009 20:38:22 +0000 #comment-84 Hey there Nick,<br><br>So, did you ever try with ice? Were you successful? I'm thinking of trying this but I'm a little afraid of the Texas summers... I was thinking of making a separate cooling box in between the two cans that is fitted with ice and electric fans. That way, instead of just leaving ice in the bottom of the metal can I could actually blow in cold air. Not sure if this would be better, but I'm just curious how it worked. Thanks. Hey there Nick,

So, did you ever try with ice? Were you successful? I'm thinking of trying this but I'm a little afraid of the Texas summers… I was thinking of making a separate cooling box in between the two cans that is fitted with ice and electric fans. That way, instead of just leaving ice in the bottom of the metal can I could actually blow in cold air. Not sure if this would be better, but I'm just curious how it worked. Thanks.

]]> By: Coupons http://www.nickdawson.net/blog/diy-trash-can-cold-smoker/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Coupons Sat, 25 Apr 2009 09:01:32 +0000 #comment-83 Thanks for the inspiration on making my own cold smoker. I can't wait to get started on this. Thanks for the inspiration on making my own cold smoker. I can't wait to get started on this.

]]> By: Nick Dawson http://www.nickdawson.net/blog/diy-trash-can-cold-smoker/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Nick Dawson Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:38:14 +0000 #comment-8 Anthony - great question! In your case, you are in luck - cool temps do not pose a problem at all, in fact they are a blessing in disguise for cold smoking. The "bacterial danger zone" is 40F - 140F, in the case of most cold smoked items you cure them with enough salt that its safe enough to take them up to 80F for a period of 8 hours or so. Long story short, there is not really any detrimental effect to being colder than 80F, its actually even safer. The only problem I could foresee is actual freezing temps. In the case of below 32F, you might shorten the distance between your hot smoker and cold chamber to keep things inside from freezing. Good luck and please keep me posted! Anthony – great question!
In your case, you are in luck – cool temps do not pose a problem at all, in fact they are a blessing in disguise for cold smoking. The “bacterial danger zone” is 40F – 140F, in the case of most cold smoked items you cure them with enough salt that its safe enough to take them up to 80F for a period of 8 hours or so.

Long story short, there is not really any detrimental effect to being colder than 80F, its actually even safer. The only problem I could foresee is actual freezing temps. In the case of below 32F, you might shorten the distance between your hot smoker and cold chamber to keep things inside from freezing.

Good luck and please keep me posted!

]]> By: Anthony http://www.nickdawson.net/blog/diy-trash-can-cold-smoker/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Anthony Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:50:36 +0000 #comment-7 Hello Nick, I have a hot smoker and was planning on using it to feed a cold smoke chamber. I was going to start with a cardborad box for that. I live by Cleveland Ohio and I am actually concerned about maintaining 80 deg in 20 or 30 deg weather. What is the coldest wheather you have used your cold smoker? Is low temp ever a problem? Thank you, Anthony Hello Nick,

I have a hot smoker and was planning on using it to feed a cold smoke chamber. I was going to start with a cardborad box for that. I live by Cleveland Ohio and I am actually concerned about maintaining 80 deg in 20 or 30 deg weather. What is the coldest wheather you have used your cold smoker? Is low temp ever a problem?

Thank you,

Anthony

]]> By: NickDawson.net» Blog Archive » Feeling Lost? http://www.nickdawson.net/blog/diy-trash-can-cold-smoker/comment-page-1/#comment-2 NickDawson.net» Blog Archive » Feeling Lost? Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:02:26 +0000 #comment-2 [...] DIY Cold Smoker (the trash can smoker) [...] [...] DIY Cold Smoker (the trash can smoker) [...]

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