Cold Smoke vs Hot Smoke

[alliecat61]

I'm a newbie.  Can you explain the difference between cold smoking and hot smoking?

[EZ Smoker]

In some smokers, the source of heat for cooking the food is the same source of heat for providing the smoke.  But in the Bradley, there is a puck burner that provides the smoke, while a separate heating element provides the heat for cooking.   So "cold smoking" means using the puck burner to smoke food without turning on the separate heating element.  In reality, of course, a small amount of heat will rise from the puck burner, raising temps in the smoker cabinet several degrees above the ambient temperature.  

Cold smoking usually refers to smoking with a temp in the low 90s or below.  (I'm estimating.. I don't know if there's an actual temp specified in the definition of "cold smoking").     

But cold smoking is simply providing smoke without cooking the food.  This is often done with cheese, and sometimes with meat before it is cooked.  For example, you could cold smoke a couple of ribeyes for an hour or so before you throw them on the grill, and this would create a better smoke flavor if you don't get the smoky taste you want from grilling alone.  

For cold smoking cheese, you want to keep your temp down, so the cheese doesn't melt or sweat, but that can be really difficult if it's June in Texas (where I am) and the outside temperature is in the mid-90s.

[classicrockgriller]

Alliecat ............ EZ S has nailed it pretty good.

I would learn hot smoking/cooking (+225*) first and study cold smoking,

if you haven't smoked before.

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi alliecat61;

Welcome to the forum.

That question will create a lot of confusion on this forum. Technically the Bradley can be used to cold and hot smoke, but mainly we use barbecuing temperatures while applying smoke. To simplify thing, we call all our applications of the Bradley as smoking food

E-Z has given you a good description of cold smoking. Technically you can apply smoke as low as 32°F, but depending on which source you read 50°F - 80°F is ideal, and not go over 90°F. Cold smoking can also be use for vegetables, cured meats that you may want to cook later on; such as bacon and sausages, or applied to sausage that you intend to dry cure.

Hot smoking is applying smoke with temperature between 100°F - 180°F; again those ranges may very depending on the source. Many of us use hot smoking temperatures for our bacon, sausage, and fish when we want the food cooked.

Once the temperatures get into 200°F - 300°F that is considered barbecuing range.

[Quarlow]

It can be hard to keep those temps down when cold smoking as the bisquette burner can easily raise the temp to 130f. So in order to keep the temps down some of us have made a cold smoker box. This can be as simple as a cardboard box or you can make one out of metal. Here is the cardboard box one I built. It works very well. It of course is a temporary one but it will get you started.

Now this is a very cool idea one of the guys came up with. So cool in fact that I am going to get the stuff and make one.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=16207.msg194162#msg194162
And then of course Bradley makes a cold smoker attachment that is a very sweet addition to any Bradley. I just like to tinker and build things so I am making one. Well actually 2, the mailbox one I will use for now till I build my "Bradley Townhouse" which I am designing as I type. Yes men can do 2 things at once ladies. Then when I buil the Townhouse I will be building one that fits in that. I will give the mailbox one to my brother.

[Quarlow]

Oh yeah Welcome to the forum.

[TestRocket]

Alliecat61,
As you can see from above separating your heat (and heat generating smoke source) from the cabinet your food is in is the difference between hot and cold smoking. And said above you can buy an adaptor from Bradley all the way down to a card board box. I found this homemade adaptor very interesting on the forums the other day:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=16207.0

Welcome to the forums!

I see now I was a little slow!

[Quarlow]

That's ok it just shows you were on point also. And you can never have too much of a great thing.

[Hiram]

I use a large foil pan on the bottom of the smoker for water and catching the pucks. I put this pan filled to the brim with ice cubes on the second rack down and put the item to smoke on the top rack. So far it's working well just for  an hour or so smoke before putting something on the grill, if you try it be sure to keep the vent wide open.