101 uses for a smoker

[JamezF]

Ok, not that kind of smoker... I was given one for Christmas and have been experimenting with it since. Today I tried some "normal" and chile halloumi as well as a selection of strengths of cheddar.

After three to four hours smothered in smoke from apple wood, this is how they looked.

Tomorrow I'll vacuum pack them, then leave them for a three or four weeks before taking some for a test drive.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We used to have a contact in the last traditional smokehouse in Lowestoft who would sometimes sneak in a few pieces of stilton for us if we were in the area. Superb stuff

 

[Erichalfbee]

Smoked Stilton?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Smoked Stilton?

yes, it was superb. A few cheese companies do it nowadays

 

[JamezF]

I shall add Stilton to my list of things to try. I did some salmon (just some cheap stuff from a packet in Lidl) a few weeks back and that was fantastic.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

I shall add Stilton to my list of things to try. I did some salmon (just some cheap stuff from a packet in Lidl) a few weeks back and that was fantastic.

James

What smoker do you have, James?

 

[JamezF]

What smoker do you have, James?

It's the ProQ Eco smoker, which is really just a double cardboard box with some trays inside. I was given it as part of a kit for Christmas, with a few flavours of sawdust and a spiral burner for generating the smoke. Possibly this one, though I have no idea if it actually came from them:

Eco Cold Smoking Set

I suspect the cardboard won't last a huge amount of time, but it's doing ok so far and I can make something to replace it when the time comes.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks. It looks like something stan might like to play with and I’m always stuck for something to get him for his birthday

 

[enrico]

We used to keep pigs and come meat time I would spend hours out in the garden with a cheap BBQ type smoker, which I still have, smoking bacon and hams. It was all a part of the process of producing your own meat. The only pork vaguely like it is the pork from Rumwell for your info JamezF.

 

[JamezF]

I might check out the Rumwell shop then. We get pretty much all the meat we need from the butcher in Wiveliscombe because we know where it comes from, or even know the farmers who produce it, but pork is the exception.

I've made my own bacon (from our own pigs, when we had them), but never tried smoking it so that's definitely on the list of things to try once I get the hang of the easier stuff.

James

 

[drdrday]

I love doing smoked fish. Trout and haddock are great, but the most popular in our family is hot smoked salmon with salad leaves and a lovely zingy dressing of lime and honey from the bees. I keep meaning to try a smoked chicken, but haven't got around to it yet.

 

[JamezF]

Haddock is another that's on the list to try. I love kedgeree.

James

 

[Martimart]

Known as Arbroath Smokies. Absolutely lovely for breakfast.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Known as Arbroath Smokies

Not really, Arbroath smokies are a bit different to your bog standard smoked haddock you get at your fishmonger which are just fillets of haddock, brined then cold smoked overnight in a standard smokehouse. They still need cooking afterwards before eating.
Arbroath smokies however are dry salted for twenty four hours, then dried for a further day before being put in pairs in a special smoking barrel, sealed up with the fire and then hot cooked, sometimes only for an hour - they're then ready to eat

 

[Martimart]

Not really, Arbroath smokies are a bit different to your bog standard smoked haddock you get at your fishmonger which are just fillets of haddock, brined then cold smoked overnight in a standard smokehouse. They still need cooking afterwards before eating.
Arbroath smokies however are dry salted for twenty four hours, then dried for a further day before being put in pairs in a special smoking barrel, sealed up with the fire and then hot cooked, sometimes only for an hour - they're then ready to eat

So smoked haddock we have poached in milk and eaten with plenty of mash and pea's. The Arbroath Smokies I get are like you say, whole fish, even with smoked thick twine around them. These we have for breakfast with toast, when available and depending on cost, they are expensive.

 

[JamezF]

they are expensive

But oh, so tasty

It's the other kind I want to try first though. Shop-bought smoked haddock mostly seems to be normal haddock fillets painted yellow these days

James