Cold smoking with door open

[braveheart]

I live in Ontario and today I smoked two pork bellies but could not keep the temp down to around 80f unless I cracked the door open about half an inch. I realise I need to get a cold smoke adaptor but wondered if anyone else has cold smoked with the door open and what were results?
Thanks for any info,
Kevin

[devo]

So your doing pork bellies, and you want to cold smoke them. I have to ask why? Are you following some recipe? Most people will put ice in the smoker to bring down the temp.

[Habanero Smoker]

I have, when I'm too lazy to setup my cold smoke adapter. Usually I don't keep it open the full time, just long enough to allow the temperature to fall. But others have kept it cracked open the full period. I found that you will still get good smoke flavor.

[braveheart]

Hi Devo,
Thanks for your comments. I am cold smoking these bellies to infuse a smoke flavor before frying them as normal store bought bacon. I brined them with a simple half in half kosher salt to sugar.
We raised these duroc pigs to get a higher level of intramuscular fat rather than fat cover, so it should be interesting to see how it tastes. Will be trying some in the next few days and will you know how it tastes.
Kevin

[devo]

I kinda thought you might want more like store bought but wasn't sure.
The last time I did pork bellies I hot smoked to an IT of 132*F and then pan fried like regular bacon. It was very good that way but at the time I had a cheap slicer and could only get thick cuts  :( This with the higher sugar content in the bacon I had to fry it on very low temps or else it would burn.
Good luck with your bellies  :) and I mean your pork bellies  ;D