Is this a safe "cold smoke"?

[chooch]

I plan on trying 3 different methods for 3 slabs of a belly I bought for bacon. I was also thinking of cold smoking the slabs outside when the outside temps are lower in Illinois. My plan was to just use the puck burner for smoking in a cold box, thinking around the 35-40 mark in outside temps and smoking for 1.5-2 hrs without turning the box element on, and not having the cold adapter.

If I use a nitrite based cure and let it sit a good while (thinking wet cure here), then just use the burner without box heat in 35 degree weather would the temps be low enough to approximate a "cold smoke"?

And any ideas on food safety with this idea are appreciated ;)

[BuyLowSellHigh]

First, I am no expert and I have yet to do the bacon thing.  But I have been investigating and preparing to exactly that.  Here is what I have uncovered so far. 

For cold smoking the generally recommended method is dry curing for ~ 7 days.  The idea is to extract moisture from the raw meat.  One source recommends a cure time based upon thickness at the thickest part of the meat of 1 day for each 1/2" of thickness plus two days (2.5" max thickness leads to 7 days) using a base curing mix of 2 parts salt to 1 part sugar by weight. Nitrite added to the cure is good insurance, but is not essential if the meat is adequately cured.  However leaving it out will result in a different flavor.  If what you are looking for is something similar to familiar nitrite cured products then you will probably need the nitrite to get there.

Second is temp during smoking - the temp should be held below 80 °F, with any excursion to 90 °F leading to a throw out without question or debate.  You can turn off the heat source and stop the smoke during the smoking, but you cannot exceed the temp if you want to remain with a cold smoke.

However you do it I would suggest setting up your smoker as you intend to use it and when the temps are right turn it on empty and determine your temperature rise over time.  You can use the ice-tray trick to help keep temps down, or you might consider just one or two pucks, then allow a cooldown period, then one or two more, etc. until you have the smoking completed.  The cooler the safer, but there is always a risk.

[chooch]

Thanks for the info.... I'm gonna set up the smoker today outside and see what I get for temps after a few hours without the box turned on.

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Thought about this when I read ArnieM's "Yet More Cheese" thread.  That might be useful as a reference - Arnie posted the outside air temp and cabinet temps when smoking cheese earlier this week using that setup.  He got more of a rise than I would have expected from the SG alone.

[squirtthecat]

Chooch, where are you located in our fine state of IL? 

[chooch]

Chooch, where are you located in our fine state of IL?  

I'm in the less attractive part, Chicago  :(


I do get more central tho during deer season, around Bureau county.

Retirement is just around the corner though and we're still weighing options for where to flee too!

[chooch]

Thought about this when I read ArnieM's "Yet More Cheese" thread.  That might be useful as a reference - Arnie posted the outside air temp and cabinet temps when smoking cheese earlier this week using that setup.  He got more of a rise than I would have expected from the SG alone.

Hmmmm...just read that post... a bit disheartening since I was thinking the SG wouldn't give it that much of a bump. I'm nowhere near good enough at smoking yet to justify the cold smoke box. I still have a long way to go in the "rub" area. The last thing I did was pork ribs where I basically just smoked them and put some SBR on them. Tasted like smoke butt with a little sauce. Kinda boring and unexpected. So next time, it's rubs. I have some Butt Rub on the way as it seems pretty popular, and I picked up on a couple more like the brisket rub from WTS and another one from the board. I think I need a good selection of hot, spicy, mild and whatever other rub types under the taste buds so I can more effectively decide what rub to use for what sauce or what smoke  and all for what else I'm serving.

Still waiting for the Hi Mountain buckboard kit and my first belly, then I guess I'll try the famous Maple Cure recipe found here as well. My other half can let me know what the nitrites do for her.

[KyNola]

Chooch,
If you have something to monitor the tower temp, you can always crack the door open on the tower.  There will still be plenty of smoke in the tower to smoke the bacon.  As BLSH said, you could always put a load of ice in the smoker too.

Give it a test run with nothing it to see where the temps go.

There's something else you can do that is entirely opposite of what you're planning.  Smoke it at 200 degrees until the IT of the slab gets to 152 and take it out.  That's definitely not cold smoking though.