Converting Smokette to a Cold Smoker

I 'suppose' you could gimmick up a tube and stick it up through the drain hole and don't turn on the CS and have the smoke escape out the top...just use the CS like the trash can pictured?

I'd like to hear from some of the 'cold smokers' on the forum to see if there are any inherent challenges to cold smoking on a CS. I've never tried to cold smoke, though I know of some on the Forum that do so with great success!

Axel, this guy has 8 of them for sale, and only $40 a piece. I'm thinking you should be the guinea pig...er, 'Pioneer'

Interesting....

until he said you could turn a garbage can into a smoker...that's dangerous (metal cans, not food safe kinda thing). And he uses it in a pig roaster?

Actually there are a couple of ways, use sawdust and pellets in your smoker. Put a load of sawdust in, turn it on. When it start smoking, turn it off. This will unfortunately generate heat, but put a pan of cold ice in to absorb the heat.

Or just spend the $40 and let us know how it works. How does it continue to combust and burn? Lots of questions. Yeah, try it out, let us know

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
Or just spend the $40 and let us know how it works. How does it continue to combust and burn? Lots of questions. Yeah, try it out, let us know

I know there a a few "workarounds" to using the Smokette as a cold smoker but none of the seem quite right and they still produce a bit too much heat
I think I probably will try it later when the weather outside gets nicer.. If it turns out that this is unfeasable for adaptation to the Smokette I will use it in a seperate smoker I plan to build for cold smoke. I did e-mail the guy and he said he has sold about 40 units so far with very good feedback. If it ddoes work it won't be too long until the news hit the various forums.
My problem now is that I'm still waiting for the backorder of Smokettes to clear up so I can get my 009 which was ordered in December.

I use a rack wrapped in foil w/a pan full of ice for my cold smoking. a cup full of chips into the wood box.
Turn on smoker until a nice steady stream of smoke comes out of top vent.
Turn off smoker and cover vent w/empty soup can.
One hour later I open door and remove food, normally cheese.
Save the $40 dollars, type in cold smoking in the search function.

Some folks save the smokette box.

Tape the opening over the top of the smokette.

Thus it is empty box stacked on top of the cooker.

Cut a door in front with a utility knife.

Mount a couple refrig type shelves,with tape,etc.

Cut a small vent hole in top.

Run smoke as usual,and it is a cold smoker on top.

Pretty cost effective.

Here is one from my archives...and I still use the same one today.

bob

Hey Bob, how's that Pennzoil help the cheese flavor

That pic is almost 2 years old, and the box had probably smoked a couple hundred pounds of cheese in its day. It is well seasoned now.

Bob

Let me confirm, please. The smoke exuding from the top of the CS is cool enough that when directed into a cardboard box (etc.) it will cold smoke the interior of the box and anything placed inside it...without use of ice?

I'll admit I've never taken the temperature of the smokey effluent coming from the top of the CS...maybe it's cool enough?

Intrigued...and standing by with cheese, salmon, salt, almonds and peanuts in hand!

It was discussed here a number of times,although I haven't tried it.

Folks run flexible clothes dryer hoses from cookers to an outside food box,with the same principle.

The only caution (you know me) is not to modify the air flow too much. If there isn't a way for the smoke to easily flow into the box it will just sit there.

Needs to be enough draft for the smoke to go up into the box.

Like Smokin' says.

If you do this,please let us now,as it could be of interest to other cold smokers.

Thats correct on not changing the draft on the smoker. Notice in my picture, I sit the box on 2 1x1's. This holds the box above the smoke hole and the natural draft allows the smoke to slowly drift thru. Excess smoke escapes around the 2 open areas at the bottom of the box. And like Tom said earlier, you can close the top "lids" on the box some to retain some smoke longer. I also poke my remote thermometer thru the side of the box to monitor heat. It rarely goes above 80* degrees unless the outside temp is that high. Inside the box, 1/2 way up each corner is a 1x1 fastened to the corner. On top of the 1x1's is a grill with a jerky screen to hold the to-be-smoked items. IF the item to be smoked will drip, I line the bottom of the box with foil, remembering to make sure the bottom hole is wide open.

Bob

Cold smokers
I have used the Penzoil smoking method for 3 years. Only difference is I use a Mikielob box(more fun using that product). I have smoked plenty of cheese & quite a few slabs of bacon. Most of it is in the cold weatherto keep product cool. I have also used alum. pans with ice,iw weather was too warm. It works great, just like most of the fantastic ideas that are always flowing on this awesome fo5rum.

Thanks,
RT64

quote:

Originally posted by Tom:
Like Smokin' says.
If you do this,please let us now,as it could be of interest to other cold smokers.

I just ordered one of these smoking units on e-bay. When I get everything together I will run a few tests with the Smokette. I'm hoping I can just run the smoke pipe into the drain hole. Be interesting to see just what temps are inside the smokette. Also wheteher the temp can be raised or lowered by lengthening/shortening the piping.
The thing is if it is at all workabale the cookshack smokers are a perfect insulated smoke chamber. And all-weather. Unlike the cardboard box method.
We'll see. I know I just couldn't let this go because of the tinkerer in me.

I see what is coming next.... a box inside a box lined with fiberglass. Then you would have an all weather cold smoke cardboard box.

quote:

Originally posted by BigDMK:
I see what is coming next.... a box inside a box lined with fiberglass. Then you would have an all weather cold smoke cardboard box.

But I want my powder coat painted too