Cold smoking without the attachment

[pwabrahams]

Come to think of it, what is the advantage of using the cold-smoking attachment box versus just using the main box  with the heater not turned on?

[tskeeter]

I often cold smoke cheese without a cold smoking attachment.  I just smoke early or late in the day, when the temperature is below about 40 degrees.  The puck burner brings the cabinet temp up about 50 degrees above ambient.  If it is warm outside, a pan of ice on a low rack helps to keep the temp down.

Several forum members have built home made cold smoke attachments.  Since the principle of cold smoking is to remove the heat source from the smoker cabinet, a variety of devices will work as long as they are separated from the smoker cabinet by some dryer duct.  Something as simple as a cardboard box will work.  One forum member used a large size residential mail box.

[Grouperman941]

Come to think of it, what is the advantage of using the cold-smoking attachment box versus just using the main box  with the heater not turned on?

The cold smoke adaptor keeps the hot element out of the box.  Not necessary, but a lot harder to keep the temp below the melting point for cheese, and below the point where you are still cold smoking other stuff.

What tskeeter said.

Here in the swamp, I can't keep the heat below 90 most days, even with the attachment and a pan of ice. I have to wait for cooler nights.

[Roget]

I tried smoking cheese without the adapter & it is possible, but for me it is just so much easier using the adapter.
I have melted some cheese before I got it. For me it is worth the price (& the setup).
I smoke cheese every April & every October & that keeps me in cheese year round.

[Edward176]

I smoked an entire assortment of cheeses back in early December before winter really set in. I vacuumed sealed it all and its in the fridge and will last till spring time. I must admit you can't beat the smoky flavour of your own smoked cheese, and its true it tastes and smells better after maturing several weeks/months in the fridge. I don't have a cold smoke adapter, I just used a tray with lots of ice in it to keep the temperature down, and of course smoked it in the colder time of year.