(One of) my Christmas project(s)

[JamezF]

The smoker I was given for Christmas 2021 used a double cardboard box as a cabinet. It was ok, but clearly wasn't intended to last long and didn't. I had to keep it in the greenhouse because it stank the house out. So this Christmas I gathered up loads of bits of scrap timber and made a new one.

All the wood was stuff left over from other projects or scrap left out by a local business. The ply was a touch tricky to work with because it wasn't even flat. The racks I saved from an old oven and the two trays are from the original smoker -- the lower one to put the smoke generator on and the upper one for a drip tray. Even the door hinges were saved from something else, though I can't remember what any more.

Today I'm doing a first test run with it empty.

It all seems to be going ok so far and there's a gentle trickle of smoke coming out of the hole in the top, so I think we'll be buying a few blocks of cheese this week to do a proper test at the weekend.

James

 

[JimBee463]

I'll recommend around 8 hours for an extra mature cheddar and stilton (smoked stilton is bloody lovely!)

 

[JamezF]

I'll recommend around 8 hours for an extra mature cheddar and stilton (smoked stilton is bloody lovely!)

I've not tried stilton yet. I'll have to give it a go. The cheese smoking slowed down a fair bit after I tried my first home-smoked salmon

James

 

[JimBee463]

I used to smoke salmon but won't buy it any more as the salmon farming industry is horrendous, in the main, so out of principle I don't by salmon, unless it's wild line caught (but that would just be too expensive)

 

[JamezF]

I used to smoke salmon but won't buy it any more as the salmon farming industry is horrendous, in the main, so out of principle I don't by salmon, unless it's wild line caught (but that would just be too expensive)

Yes, it's far from ideal I want to try some other fish, but longer term it might have to involve going out and catching some myself.

James

 

[JimBee463]

Mackerel is easy to smoke, just butterfly it and smoke it for 3 hours or so, lovely. Also, smoked hard boiled eggs are nice, along with butter and jam (yes, jam) - both of these can be spread thin on some tin foil and smoked, the jam is particularly good on toast.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'll recommend around 8 hours for an extra mature cheddar and stilton (smoked stilton is bloody lovely!)

there used to be a traditional smokehouse in Lowestoft who (totally off the record) used to smoke stilton for us, better smoked in small chunks that smoking a whole wheel
He used to put it on top of the prawns he was smoking and it was superb

 

[JamezF]

Mackerel is easy to smoke, just butterfly it and smoke it for 3 hours or so, lovely. Also, smoked hard boiled eggs are nice, along with butter and jam (yes, jam) - both of these can be spread thin on some tin foil and smoked, the jam is particularly good on toast.

I might have trouble talking the rest of the family around to some of those

Smoking my own bacon is another thing I want to try now I can hang things in the smoker. I've made my own dry-cured bacon quite a lot, but never tried smoking it. I'm going to have to start making a list

James

 

[JimBee463]

there used to be a traditional smokehouse in Lowestoft who (totally off the record) used to smoke stilton for us, better smoked in small chunks that smoking a whole wheel
He used to put it on top of the prawns he was smoking and it was superb

Yep, I smoke stilton in small bits (around 250g ish) rather than whole wheels

 

[JamezF]

there used to be a traditional smokehouse in Lowestoft who (totally off the record) used to smoke stilton for us, better smoked in small chunks that smoking a whole wheel
He used to put it on top of the prawns he was smoking and it was superb

Not sure I could afford a whole wheel!

Prawns are another thing I'd not thought to try. Definitely on the list.

James

 

[JimBee463]

chicken is also nice, brine it for a couple of hours then smoke it overnight and cook it (can be kept in the fridge once smoked), I use breast

 

[Amari]

I used to smoke salmon but won't buy it any more as the salmon farming industry is horrendous, in the main, so out of principle I don't by salmon, unless it's wild line caught (but that would just be too expensive)

I dislike the thought of hunting or fishing any endangered animal.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The smoker I was given for Christmas 2021 used a double cardboard box as a cabinet. It was ok, but clearly wasn't intended to last long and didn't. I had to keep it in the greenhouse because it stank the house out. So this Christmas I gathered up loads of bits of scrap timber and made a new one.

All the wood was stuff left over from other projects or scrap left out by a local business. The ply was a touch tricky to work with because it wasn't even flat. The racks I saved from an old oven and the two trays are from the original smoker -- the lower one to put the smoke generator on and the upper one for a drip tray. Even the door hinges were saved from something else, though I can't remember what any more.

Today I'm doing a first test run with it empty.

It all seems to be going ok so far and there's a gentle trickle of smoke coming out of the hole in the top, so I think we'll be buying a few blocks of cheese this week to do a proper test at the weekend.

James

James, that’s amazing!

 

[JamezF]

chicken is also nice, brine it for a couple of hours then smoke it overnight and cook it (can be kept in the fridge once smoked), I use breast

I wonder how well that would work with pheasant? I have half a dozen hanging at the moment that I was intending to deal with tomorrow.

James

 

[JamezF]

James, that’s amazing!

Thank you, Dani.

James

 

[JimBee463]

yes, pheasant works well and the brining also makes it a bit more moist when it is cooked bear in mind that it is game o a strong (ish) flavour already so don't smoke for as long - it is trial and error

 

[JamezF]

It's just occurred to me (since I brew my own beer) that there's a style of German lager called Rauchbier which is made with smoked malt. Sadly I've never yet managed to brew a lager that I considered acceptable (some might argue that it's impossible to do so, but they're not all XXXX). Definitely something to do a bit more research on.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wonder how well that would work with pheasant? I have half a dozen hanging at the moment that I was intending to deal with tomorrow.

James

Anything would be an improvement to be honest - one of the most overrated bird on the 'wild food' spectrum

 

[JamezF]

Anything would be an improvement to be honest - one of the most overrated bird on the 'wild food' spectrum

They're not my favourite it has to be said, and this season they seem to be quite lightweight around here. On the other hand they were free, so they'll probably get used in pheasant phajitas or something like that if I don't experiment with smoking them.

I've read that the tail feathers make good disposable bee brushes too, so I might save a few to try out. Not that I use a bee brush very often anyway.

James

 

[enrico]

We used to have our own pigs and ham and bacon was always self smoked. Sadly when we moved to Somerset we can't really keep pigs. Well! We could but I don't think neighbours would appreciate it!