Hot smokers
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Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
Don't waste your money on a Bradley. Seriously. The concept is brilliant, the execution appalling. Overpriced beyond belief, shitty materials, crap build quality, zero spares support, and the briquettes are stupidly-expensive, as are replacement racks. If you can find them. I had one and used it to death, which didn't take long to be honest. I now use the cabinet with an upgraded element, a rotary voltage controller instead of the idiotic sliding rheostat Bradley supplied with the base model, and I use an Amaz-n smoke tube inside the cabinet for hot smoking, and via a length of corrugated aluminium piping for cold smoking. I replaced the rusted-out crappy racks with some decent non-stick ones from eBay.
In truth though, if all you're doing is cold-smoking you could just use an old fridge with a vent, and attach some piping to it for a smoker tube. I buy 15kg of hickory pellets for about a tenner, and that lasts an age
www.wish.com
www.bedsbbq.co.uk
In truth though, if all you're doing is cold-smoking you could just use an old fridge with a vent, and attach some piping to it for a smoker tube. I buy 15kg of hickory pellets for about a tenner, and that lasts an age
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Traeger Wood Pellets
Traeger Wood Pellets are made from 100% natural hardwood, providing clean burn and maximum flavor. Available in various wood types, they enhance the taste of your grilled, smoked, or baked dishes.
I have a Weber Smokey Mountain.
I don't believe there's a way to use it as a cold smoker. It is basically a segmented 55 gallon drum with a domed base and top.
Theoretically you could try to adapt it as a cold smoker, but it would probably be a whole lot easier to do as Woodsmoke suggested above.
I don't believe there's a way to use it as a cold smoker. It is basically a segmented 55 gallon drum with a domed base and top.
Theoretically you could try to adapt it as a cold smoker, but it would probably be a whole lot easier to do as Woodsmoke suggested above.
Dan Gliballs
Well-Known Member
For hot smoking I just use the Weber kettle BBQ. Charcoal pushed to one side as the fuel and I place an oak log next to the charcoal for the smoke.
For cold smoking I use the same Weber kettle but use the ProQ cold smoke generator...
"ProQ Cold Smoke Generator | Accessories | ProQ Smokers – ProQ BBQs & Smokers" ProQ Cold Smoke Generator
For cold smoking I use the same Weber kettle but use the ProQ cold smoke generator...
"ProQ Cold Smoke Generator | Accessories | ProQ Smokers – ProQ BBQs & Smokers" ProQ Cold Smoke Generator
Chevotarevich
Well-Known Member
I have a ProQ bullet smoker (which is similar to the Weber Smokey mountain) and use it for cold smoking with a cold smoke generator ProQ Cold Smoke Generator
You can use a Smokey Mountain or any other hot smoker or simply use a suitable modified cabinet.
You can use a Smokey Mountain or any other hot smoker or simply use a suitable modified cabinet.
Woodsmoke is bang on, the Bradley is a good concept but very poorly done. Smoking and curing is very tough on materials and realistically only stainless will do. Chrome plating and plastic just doesn't cut it. Better to hotsmoke with a cheap lidded enameled BBQ. For cold smoking just look to what traditional smoke houses do. Large volume smoker made of literally anything that contains the smoke and reduces humidity.
Overlay
Well-Known Member
Cheers Guys
ive just been on the proQ website
looks spot on for what I want to do
going to order one and the generator mesh box
a lot cheaper than the Bradley and in stainless steel
Thanks to all greatly appreciated
better start chipping up some apple wood
got cheese waiting in the chiller.
ive just been on the proQ website
looks spot on for what I want to do
going to order one and the generator mesh box
a lot cheaper than the Bradley and in stainless steel
Thanks to all greatly appreciated
better start chipping up some apple wood
got cheese waiting in the chiller.
I have one of these and couldn't recommend it more:
www.gardengiftshop.co.uk
It takes chips not pellets, runs on meths, these is basically nothing to go wrong and packs away to nothing. I have smoked two chickens or about 30cm of salmon.
Food Smokers | Garden Gift Shop
Whether you want to smoke meat, fish, veg or cheese, we have an extensive range of quality food smokers that will enhance the taste of your culinary delights.
It takes chips not pellets, runs on meths, these is basically nothing to go wrong and packs away to nothing. I have smoked two chickens or about 30cm of salmon.
Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
The Pro-Q Is a great wee thing, but you need to be aware it can be a bit fickle, and produces only a wisp of smoke. Great for cheese, eggs, fish, etc, but it struggles to adequately fill a larger volume with sufficient dense smoke to lay down a good flavour. The tube smokers are great in this respect, but they burn a bit hotter so you need to duct the smoke to keep it cool. The Pro-Q is also quite fussy when it comes to fuel, and you might struggle to keep it going for protracted periods. Both are great though, don't get me wrong. The tube smoker has the edge for me though, as it can be used for both hot, and cold smoking as its a lot more robust.
The smoker that @muddy42 uses is also a cracking piece of kit, and it produces some of the best hot-smoked trout you'll ever taste! Again though, it does a slightly different job, and it's for hot-smoking only
The smoker that @muddy42 uses is also a cracking piece of kit, and it produces some of the best hot-smoked trout you'll ever taste! Again though, it does a slightly different job, and it's for hot-smoking only
Dan Gliballs
Well-Known Member
I concur
The ProQ cold smoke generator works perfect with a kettle type BBQ but as you say, the big drum type BBQs do struggle to maintain adequate smoke.
I found that the "home produced" wood dust for the generator is hit or miss, best to use bought stuff. Even the bought stuff is a fiddle if the bag has been left open and in the shed. It really needs to be kept indoors. I use a tealight to light mine.
Chevotarevich
Well-Known Member
There are 2 sizes of ProQ cold smoke generator.
I have the largest smoker they do (the Elite) and the larger "Artisan" cold smoke generator produces ample smoke for 14-16 hours.
You obviously need to set the venting low enough so that there is sufficient smoke to flavour & cure the food whilst making sure that there is enough circulation to prevent stale smoke tainting the food.
I light the dust with a kitchen blow torch (less hassle than a tea light) and have never had any problems with keeping the smoke going-I normally light it and go to bed (have only ever bought dust from hotsmoked.co.uk as it's always worked for me so never had any reason to try anything else).
Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
The trouble with the Pro-Q cold-smoke generators (for me) is that they rely on a particularly fine dust which can be tricky to keep going if it's damp. When they work well, they're superb. I found that the tealight flame wasn't really sufficient to get the dust to smoulder quickly enough, so I resorted to a pencil burner which made the world of difference. They're also a nightmare to keep clean if used heavily, and the mesh can clog with carbon particles, leading to a lack of airflow and hence the track can stop. I also found it wasted quite a lot of the dust too, as you need to overfill it to ensure the tracks are adequately-filled. You can recover some, but a lot is wasted. However, I only have experience with the 'Original' CS generator, so I can't speak for how the larger one performs
Can you please supply a link for the wood chips to purchase ? or would the Traeger ones be suitable ?I have one of these and couldn't recommend it more:
Food Smokers | Garden Gift Shop
Whether you want to smoke meat, fish, veg or cheese, we have an extensive range of quality food smokers that will enhance the taste of your culinary delights.
It takes chips not pellets, runs on meths, these is basically nothing to go wrong and packs away to nothing. I have smoked two chickens or about 30cm of salmon.
This smoker really isn't fussy. You simply sprinkle chips on a tray which then gets heated to smoking point by the meths and your food hot smokes above. Any wood chips will do, I have even made my own, with a knife, handsaw and one an an axe. I'd watch out for chainsaw chips, these may contain chain oil. I've also bought chips - oak and hickory tend to be a little strong, maple is my current favourite.
Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
As far as woods go, any of the lighter hardwoods (apple, cherry, maple, beech, etc) will give a mild and delicate flavour to the likes of fish, cheese, eggs, chicken, etc. While hickory, mesquite, oak, will give a denser, stronger flavour (mesquite being especially strong, and a great favourite for the likes of Texas BBQ which smokes a lot of beef) Hickory is a favourite of mine, but is perhaps a bit too powerful for cheese. In short, if it's a robust flavour you need, use oak, hickory, pecan or mesquite. If it's a lighter flavour, use any of the fruit woods, or maple, beech, alder, etc. The Bavarians, and Germans actually use pine, larch, and spruce which gives that classic 'German' flavour to smoked meats, but you need to be careful as to how much is used as it contains a lot of resins which can be a) unpleasant to taste, and b) toxic if used in excess 
good luck. Simple hot smoking is the way to start off. I have some unused chimney liner and intend to make a DIY cold smoker like this. The longer the chimney is the colder the smoke.Great, I can do simplethank you for the prompt response.
Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
Any of you guys ever tried cold-smoked eggs? Boil them until firm (not soft-boiled, trust me. Don't ask me how I know this is a bad idea), then dry and place into cold smoke for about 6 hours, keeping the temperature below 15C or so. They're brilliant chopped into mayo' for a sandwich filling, or you could do as I do and make Scotch Eggs with them. Utterly superb!
Chevotarevich
Well-Known Member
Maybe I've just been lucky as I've never had any problem with the dust I've bought from Hot Smoked. It lights well (with tea light or blow torch) and I've never had it go out.
Regarding filling I just fill it on a bit of card - any excess gets tipped back into the bag.
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