cold smoking in a AmeriQue

What do you want to smoke?

There are some cold smoke recipes that require the baffle and a tin of ice on top of it. I purchased the baffle with my 025 and have not used it yet. I did a cold smoked salmon from Cookshacks recipes on their site that did not require the baffle, it was devine!!! I also spoke to Karen at CS when I ordered my 025 and she told me a recipe online as well, using the baffle and ice.

You just slide the baffle into the bottom grate area and use the top grate for the food. Of course you have more than 2 racks, so others will chime in if you need to put the baffle higher than the lowest slot.

I'm with Vicki, not sure where your internal temp probe is, but you would want the baffle above it.

using the heating element is a bit counter-intuitive to the idea cold smoking; especially since the design requires the unit to heat for 20 minutes on high. All that heat needed to smolder the wood has to go somewhere. I just use a few pieces of charcoal covered with wood chips; just start a few coals and put them in the wood box and cover with chips. Much less heat to deal with. You can still use the ice pan and baffle as well.

Outstanding idea TN Q!! It amazing sometimes what a guy can learn on here and how creative everyone can be. I will have to try that in my FEC 100 sometime?? Thanks

Gary, you could give Cookshack a call and ask someone, Karen spoke of a way to do it by turning the unit on for the initial 20 min. And then turn it off. She said u can always turn on the unit again to maintain the desired temp if need be.

TNQ, do u use wood charcoal? I would never have thought about doing that, aren't u afraid of starting a fire?

Thanks everyone you are all very helpful. I really asked the question because I was wondering at what temperature the wood begins to smoke. I smoked some meat the other day at 160 degrees and the wood didn't burn. One very small piece did burn but the larger one didn't. I had 3.5 ounces of wood in there. I like TN Q's idea. Very unique. I'm gonna give that a try. Thanks again everyone.

Vicki, I use whatever charcoal I have on hand. Never had problems with flare ups; with the door closed and the smoldering I don't think there is enough oxygen to support much of a flame. I've been able to maintain below 90 degrees to smoke cheese. Of course the colder the weather the easier it is to hold lower temps.

Great to know, thanks. do u need a pan of ice at all? does it ever get got enough to need it, perhaps in the summer? I know i prob wouldnt need it in the nj winters here, thats for sure.

Easier still instead of chips. Use sawdust or pellets, they'll ignite at a lower temp.

I haven't seen the need to use ice, especially during the winter months. If you have pellets or sawdust that would work the same as chips.

quote:

Originally posted by Gary Bates:
.... How do you set everything up to cold smoke?

Vicky has a good question. What are you wanting to smok?

The key to cold smoking are temps and using cures. The temp can be a challenge because of outside temps and the heater having to work.

Is it true cold smoking you want to do or warm/hot smoking?