help .....smoke genertor

[dorsetbutcher]

hi

im awaiting delivery of my smoke generator,
im planing to turn a 4x3x6ft wooden shed into a cold smoker, by building a small box for the generator to go into then pipe the smoke into the side of the shed,

will i need to cover the inside of the shed ?
how long will it take to smoke bacon?

any help welcome

thanks

[Tenpoint5]

Why not just mount the S/G on the side of the building? The heating element is only 125 watts and a building that size shouldn't be affected much by the small amount of heat that will generate.

[dorsetbutcher]

Why not just mount the S/G on the side of the building? The heating element is only 125 watts and a building that size shouldn't be affected much by the small amount of heat that will generate.

thanks , i will do that, will save making box and getting pipe for it  :)

[dorsetbutcher]

more HELP!!

received s/g today, fitted s/g into side of shed and started a smoke to see how it worked and were the s/g fits to the she shed , betwwen the genertor and the plate it fit to smoke seems to come out, not all the time just when the draft blows towards the s/g

Is this normal? do i need to worry?

the temp kept at 13oc, and the shed did fill when smoke really well (and smelt really good)

[Jim O]

That type of leakage is normal. Usually a bit more "vent" will solve the problem to a certain extent.
How 'bout some pictures of your"set-up"?

Jim O

[KyNola]

Dorset, I don't mean to contradict Jim but I would have a concern about the smoke leakage.  Smoke "backing up" in the smoke generator will eventually destroy your smoke generator.  I'm thinking your smokehouse needs more vent/draft to pull the smoke through.

I'll yield to more knowledgeable members of the forum.

[dorsetbutcher]

thanks  jim O and Kynola

will make some more vents in it tonite when i finish work, planning on smoking some cheese this weekend!!

will put some photos on here as soon as its all finished,, its not that great compared with some of the smokers that iv seen on here!

[yorkie smoker]

Hi Dorset Butcher

   I'm also a butcher. from Yorkshire I've been using a bradley smoke generator to do my bacon for the past couple of months, and had some help and advice from a smoke house I used to smoke my bacon.
It's been quite a learning curve but I'm getting excellent results. my smoker is an old large double door steel filing cabinet, which I cut a Whole in the side for the generator, but have now attached the cold smoke adapter, so the generator can sit flat on the floor, lower than the smoking box, this has helped me to stop nearly all leaks of smoke.
The whole unit sits in my shed and has a powered fan so I can clear the smoke when I open the doors to switch the bacon from top to bottom on the stainless racking shelves inside, the fan inside the cabinet is attached to hard plastic ducting with a 45 deg bend, which then go's out side like a chimney. I can up to 12 backs but at this time of year I do six. You'll find bacon smokes more evenly on racks fat side down, you will not get even smoke cover if you hang them.
As for how long to smoke if you what a good deep colour and using oak go for 12 to 18 hours, but mix with alder wood (20 minutes every 2 hours) as sometimes oak on its own can be harsh to the taste.
If you need any more help ie on if the wood feed jams etc just ask.....p.s   Brie smoked in apple wood is brill, smoke it for 4 hours rap in cling film for two days and enjoy!!!!     

[dorsetbutcher]

1st thing.... how do i insert photos???


i cold smoked some dry cured bacon today for 12 hours with oak,,,yet it didnt colour that well

can someone tell me were i went wrong??

1. dry cured loin pork in vac bag for 7 days
2. rinsed of excess salt
3. hung in my walk in fridge for 3 days in frount of fans
4. put in smoker for 12 hours

[Habanero Smoker]

Are you speaking about the exterior color or interior color. If it is exterior, was the out side of the meat tacky? If the meat is too dry, smoke will not penetrate and/or adhere as well. Some amount of moisture is needed

If it is about interior color, did you use a curing salt, or just salt to cure? If you used a curing salt, sometimes loins don't have that much myoglobin. The more myoglobin the more red color will be produced, if you used a curing salt. The shoulder end of the loin, has more myoglobin and the color will be richer.

[dorsetbutcher]

the exterior colour,
the bacon was very dry before i put it in the smoker!
that explanes why it didnt colour that well, if someone can tell me how in put photos on here ill put 1 up!
Its smells really smoky, going to slice tomorrow and try a bacon roll ;)

[Habanero Smoker]

For pictures you either have to host them on your own site, or open an account on a hosting service such as Photobucket.

Photobucket keeps changing how they set up for you to post pictures, but the below link will set you in the right direction.

Posting Pictures