Taking up smoking

[Moley]

Come on guys and gals, there are plenty of foodies on the forum, point me in the right direction.

One of my favourite meals is a chunk of smoked salmon, a few mushrooms, maybe a bit of white wine & cream, a sprinkle of herbs, wrapped in buttered filo pastry, whack it in the oven for half an hour and serve with some baby spuds and a few veggies plus tartare out of a jar or home made.

Chunks of smoked salmon from the supermarkets are getting into silly money, but I can often pick up a side of salmon quite cheaply.

How do I smoke my own?

 

[Mark1964]

from what we have seen on telly a covered bar b q with wood chippings of your choice is the method. Its an all day smoking though slow and steady

 

[hairybiker]

Depends on Hot smoked (like above over a bbq) or cold smoked where the smoke is moved away from the fire before you smoke.
So how do you want it?

BTW Hot smoking is the easiest to do.

...

and that’s about all I know about it :grin:
(River Cottage did some progs on it, that's where I got the info)

 

[cnelsonplumber]

Interesting question.

How about this as a basic guide

Building a smoker seems to be the hard bit

Must be someone who knows an easier way :thumb:

 

[aneray]

I have smoked mackerel on top of the hob at home. It turned out really nice but the kitchen stank a bit, even though I turned on the extractor hood.

I took a tray, the size that you do your beef in for a Sunday roast, and sprinkled some sawdust on the bottom of the tray. It was a good even layer and was slightly damp, damp enough that it held together in a ball but as soon as you touched it, it fell apart.

Take a rack small enough to fit in the tray. Use something like a camping grill tray, they are usually small enough. Place your fish or whatever you are smoking skin side down onto the oiled rack and cover with tinfoil. Now stab a few holes in the foil. This is important because if you don't do it, the smoke will not come out and all you are left with is rancid tasting fish. Place the tray on your hob (gas is best) and bring it up to heat just until it starts to smoke. Now turn it down low enough so it won't burn, but will still produce smoke. leave for about twenty minutes and by then an average piece of salmon should be done.

I have done this a few times with good success. Its a bit trial and error to start with but after a couple of attempts you get good at it. I have only tried it once in the house and it stank for days. Now I do it outside using a camping cooker.

Now the brewing shed is built, I will be attempting to build an outside oven, bbq and smoker ready for next summer. The oven will be a metre square with a bbq at one side. On the other side will be a block made tower about seven feet high which will be used as a smoker. I started planning this once the shed was built, and already have more than enough fire brick stacked up in the garden which I was given by a guy from the local tip for free.

I forgot to add that the smoking dust was from my local angling shop and not any old rubbish which is not suitable for the job.

 

[Bru4u]

It's something I want to get into more aswell, HERE is a thread on a metalwork forum I visit where a lovely build is going on, the Yanks have got the smoking thing down to a fine art, there was a program on discovery called Primal Grill Here which is excellent. One day I'll build something like above.
I have a feeling this thread will be good :
Bru

 

[graysalchemy]

As said salmon is cold smoked. You need to make a smoke box to produce the smoke then duct it into a chamber for smoking. Old fridges make an ideal smoker.

I think salmon is either brined or salted and a side of salmon takes some time to do.

I used to work on a salmon farm in scotland and I used to buy large sides of smoked salmon for a fiver. My dad would buy about 10 so I would travel back at christmas on the train with a fish box full of the stuff.

 

[graysalchemy]

I have found this to make a smoker out of a filing cabinet here

 

[graysalchemy]

These seem to be the dogs danglies for generating the smoke.

Recipie as well

 

[Moley]

Thanks folks, some good links there to get me started or to draw ideas from, and I've already got a filing cabinet which could soon be emptied and modified.

Is there anyone on the forum who already uses a smoker?