Beginners Introduction to Cold Smoking Meat & Food

[@MrRodrigomarcola]

I´m third gen beekeeper and we use hammer smashed corn cobs to "calm" the bees during the works, it´s not a bad smoke. I will try some pork, trout and tilapia with it, some times when available we used cedar chips, now I save the cedar to cold smoke trout and pork.

[@eatcuredmeat]

Cool, would love to hear how it goes. I've had old cobs lying around for years but never tried it!

[@Bonifaquisha]

That cutting board wants to go to heaven. Also, perfect video and intro to your channel. Ty!

[@eatcuredmeat]

Thanks really appreciate it! take alot of time so I am glad you enjoyed! Tom

[@jacklorchdesigns6327]

I’ve been on the carnivore diet for over a year and am diving deep into this. Thank you! I purchased your course and looking forward to get creative building my cure chamber and cold smoke chamber

[@eatcuredmeat]

Nice one. Many thanks, I've got a ton of ideas to share so thanks for the encouragement. Tom

[@godjhaka7376]

@jacklorchdesigns6327 what does your doctor say about your diet? Do you currently take pharmaceuticals and has that increased with the carnivore diet? Have you noticed any decrease in mental clarity, sharpness, or lower IQ?

[@JoshWharehinga]

Found your vid by fluke. I subscribed coz you're a NZer mate. Gotta support my peoples! Aotearoa represent.

[@eatcuredmeat]

Sweet as! yeah 95% if of my visitors I US/Canadian, but introduced a few kiwis to meat curing! Just finish another course ' all styles of bacon!' eatcuredmeat.podia.com/ultimate-homemade-bacon-online-course

[@cmsense8193]

Great info! I also use the vacuum method to cure large muscle meats like hams for prosciutto etc. Since I use a certain percentage of salt, and not in excess, I don’t like calling it “equilibrium” curing - but lots of people do.

[@eatcuredmeat]

Cool, yeah the equalising occurs with close contact and forced binding penetration of salts etc... too technical for me sometimes!

[@kenclarke4906]

I find if you offset the salt with equil amounts of sugars, I like the 1 cup salt 1/2 brown 1/2 white... season to liking Then allow osmosis to accure. Turkey and stripped beef, (cut 1/4" or thinner for 24 hrs. Whole pieces, steaks, roasts, ribs no longer than 48 hrs. Lightly rinse in water,..."THEN LET IT DRY"!!! I know you think the smoke will stick to better if its wet, but amazingly it's quite the opposite. When the food source is dry it acts as a sponge so to speak as the cells are still permiable allowing more obsorbtion. I think.

[@eatcuredmeat]

yes cool thanks for sharing, drying forms a pellicle, important step, - keep smokin bro!

[@ivancheneau]

Very interesting points you made. Temperature control and humidity level is the key. If I was to cold smoke outdoor at night in a place where temperatures range from 45 to 50°F throughout the year. Would it be convenient ? From what I learned so far is that smoking or drying food is a long process. It had to be done since ages in order to preserve it between hunting journeys and for others to survive winter. However the pronounced taste of preserved food smoked or dried by age somehow seems to resurface. Maybe it's a forgotten science written deep inside our DNA and we're just slowly rediscovering it !

[@eatcuredmeat]

Absolutely! We are probably hard-wired in some ways, since thousands of years is embedded. I would be very happy with temperature consistently in that range. Thanks for watching, Tom

[@TrySomethingDifferent.]

Very interested in this. I grew up in Fl but maternal grandfather and uncle lived in upstate NY and would hunt deer annually. They would cold smoke venison, I’m assuming backstrap mostly, and generously share by sending to us. My dad, brothers and I all loved the flavor. I’ve eaten some great good in my nearly 5 decades but it’s still a favorite. Unfortunately I’ve fished plenty but never hunted and those family members have passed on or gotten a bit too old to hunt. My uncle was nice enough to explain the process in general terms. I remember him saying he made a wet brine with enough salt to float a raw egg midway in a bucket, but Im hazy on length of brine and length of smoke. Although I do believe it was a rather simple recipe and the wood variety I believe was mainly hickory and apple. Anyway, I think I can procure some wild venison in the state I now live in and would like to give this a try. It’s a tradition that shouldn’t die. Glad I found your video and blog.

[@eatcuredmeat]

Cheers Aaron, yep this salt cured (wet or dry) and then dried out (with cold smoke) goes back to the Czech and german early settlers in USA. The Central and Eastern Europeans are absolute experts, I've enjoyed my experiences and learnings from there. Cheers Tom

[@saunder8107]

Great vid! I would like to cold smoke meats (steak, pork). I would like to use a Weber Smokey mountain smoker, roughly 85 degrees. Roughly 18 hour smoke time. If I have adequate oxygen in the smoker, does that mean I do not need to salt cure before smoking? Or, is it always a good idea to cure all meats (steak, pork) before cold smoking at 85 degrees for 18 hours? If salt curing is necessary I would like to try Natural (no nitrites): Sea Salt and Celery powder (or celery salt). Rub all over meats. Let dry out in salt and powder for 1 to 2.5 weeks in the refrigerator. Does the amount of salt and celery powder or celery salt matter? Then smoke 85 degrees, 18 hours. Test air flow in Smokey. Danger is if low oxygen or no oxygen. Test by placing a candle in Weber for 30 minutes. If candle stays lit, there is enough oxygen, and thus, not in danger for bacteria growth. Thoughts? Is this plan safe?

[@eatcuredmeat]

85 is a very warm..... cold smoke I prefer about 30 deg less in Fahrenheit. For cured meat recipes, defintely salt curing is the way. Here is some other articles/info that might help - eatcuredmeat.com/dry-curing/methods-on-how-to-cure-meat-with-salt-with-pictures/ eatcuredmeat.com/dry-curing/which-salt-for-meat-curing-a-full-breakdown/ kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqqVhK2hepeJp6s

[@MrClem818]

First time viewer, you have peaked my interest in cold smoking. I have been grilling and bbq'ing but it appears that cold smoking can raise my game. I will view your other videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@eatcuredmeat]

Cheers, I've got some new video tools and will be planning more vids, thanks for the encouragement!

[@jimbop4499]

Ok, good stuff. So......i want to coldsmoke/cook kielbasa sausages....this will have to be done indoors! I have a Ninja foodie which is pretty much air tight. thinking of getting a 6 inch smoke tube to drop in and hang the sausages. Now would i do this with fresh sausages or cook them first! I know if i slow cook i will have to use prague powder no 1. I'm gasping for some smoked sausages! I bought one of the 'Cameron' indoor smokers which is useless as it's stovetop and cooks too fast. Bone dry sausages.

[@jimbop4499]

Hmm, Could i do the above and try to regulate the ninja to 80c then hot smoke em?

[@eatcuredmeat]

i would say, dodgey! trying to hack it, but thats your call. cold smoking no way need air flow. hot smoking I've done hot smoking with a portable smoker on the gas hob indoor, extraction fan took away most of it. still smokey though! Those portable camerons can work, but you have to either get smoking going then dial the heat super low, then leave the slide slightly open for airflow, too much smoke makes it bitter I've found.

[@johnswinkels4383]

Hey I love my smokei, I have had 2x issues with. 1X if I leave the lid on when using, moisture builds up in the chamber and a tar builds up imparting a horrible creosote taste. with the lid off it burns like a gem problem solved. Just not sure why no one else has had this issue. I use applewood pellets. The other issue that I wish I could resolve is I am constantly adjusting the airflow to maintain a steady flow of smoke. Not a problem during the day with a beer in hand. I would like to smoke of a night with cooler temperatures as my next venture will be bacon and pancetta. I would recommend the smokei to anyone for cold smoking.

[@eatcuredmeat]

Hey John, haven't had those issues myself, it will always get some build up/residues. I emailed Tony @ smokai yr comment - he said: "it may be the brand of pellets he's using, or more likely..... not enough airflow through his smoking chamber, or a combination of a number of things. Would be good to understand the size of his chamber, what he is using and how he controls airflow." Maybe get in contact with Smokai for more info - Cheers

[@jeffwilliams5857]

thank you so very much this info was so much help for me as a new smoker.

[@eatcuredmeat]

Thanks for the thanks :-)

[@notsure7060]

damn its raining here now and im smoking in an old no 45 woodstove and a old Bremen herring barrel . works fine as long as the fish and meat are keept dry

[@eatcuredmeat]

Yep, humidity will be pretty high when it raining! Cheers T

[@Realiteon]

I'm also curious about cold-smacking beef or pig intestines. Have you ever tried it?

[@eatcuredmeat]

Do you meant salt cured and dired/cold smoked? yes! Pig intestines are often used for the casings, havent tried/heard of cold smoking them separated. Although, that does give me an idea to cold smoke the casings before making the salami, never heard of that! :-) Tom

[@smokindauberdoo4208]

Tripes?

[@pensadorrealista2825]

Thank you for your explanation, I was cold smoking herrings for almost 14 days because I wanted to produce a high quality red herring with strong smoke flavour but unfortunately I found too much resin on a wooden rods. So far, I am still asking my self why that? Some one can help please?

[@eatcuredmeat]

Hey, I have personally found less is more with cold smoking. I've tried longer smoker for 50+ hours. Haven't found it enhancing flavor. Sometimes a build up of resins can occur from not enough air flow. moderation is key for me, remember smoke is a carcinogen too (related to cancer etc....)

[@pensadorrealista2825]

@@eatcuredmeat thank you very much sir. I really appreciate.

[@carlokoenders2966]

Very nice video, and I learnt a lot. Would a smokerbox also work?

[@eatcuredmeat]

Hey thanks! encouraging! smoker box could be many things. I've used a heavy metal ver. on a gas grill, to try and add smoke when hot smoking. Didnt work very well, wasnt much airflow. If I still had it, I would drill lots more holes in it. For Cold Smoking, guess it could if you had enough airflow. Pellet Tube or maze or just a large round sieve push in the middle to make a donut.... Tom

[@richardtabbert9566]

I would appreciate some help if possible. I have a rec tex pellet smoker. I've been trying bacon with no good results. I think it's the pellets. I tried adding a smoke tube but still with no Hickory smoke taste added. I'm using Hickory pellets. Would you have any idea what I would need to do to have a hickory flaver added to my food.

[@eatcuredmeat]

pellicle formation maybe? hot and cold smoking have there nuances - have you seen my online bacon course? - eatcuredmeat.com/every-bacon-style-course/

[@wil318466]

Is the smoke source very close or directly under the pork belly? With a smoke tube you should absolutely be getting enough smoke flavor. Maybe change pellets.

[@danieludjiawan2432]

Hello, great information. Btw may i know its done under 30degrees Celcius, means the smoker temperature or the meat temperature? Thanks

[@eatcuredmeat]

Hey for cold smoking the smoker temp, cheers Tom. I prefer 10-20C for most cold smoking projects

[@wrenfordhylton9146]

How would you recommend I cold-smoke powdered spicies for taste?

[@eatcuredmeat]

Gently! maybe on paper>>??

[@shawnkay5462]

Can you talk about the battery operated smoke guns

[@eatcuredmeat]

Haven't used them yet, from what I know they leave a smoke smell, can't really instil the smoke flavor with them. Thanks Tom

[@minerjim1531]

Appreciate the info. Your correct on not a lot of information out there. Great video

[@eatcuredmeat]

Thanks, I've got a pile of videos I want to do, to expand on my courses and guide from the blog. Hope to share the passion. Salut! Tom

[@bjornekdahl721]

Hi! Any advice on how to cold smoke a liquid, and in that case - how long?

[@eatcuredmeat]

I've only cold smoked fresh cows cream, for a bout an hour. made a nice scalloped potato! like vege i would only go 1 to 2 hrs with good airflow, low temp!

[@jesselaa9397]

I'd like to try and do a Smoked Soy Sauce... Any tips would be GREATLY appreciated 🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾

[@eatcuredmeat]

Hey, I did some research - I can see it's a traditional Japanese product, some basic ver. liquid smoke adding would be a shortcut... I've had success cold smoking cow/milk cream, in a bowel for 1 hour. I'll try doing some cold smoking soy sauce next time the cold smoker is going I think. Thanks for the idea! Tom

[@jesselaa9397]

@@eatcuredmeat Hey Tom... I actually did some Smoked Soy Sauce this weekend... I had a batch of Char Siu Pork that I Smoked and decided to give it a try... Put it in a ceramic bowl, kept my temp right around 225° and smoked it for about 4 hours... I will DEFINITELY be doing this again!!🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾

[@eatcuredmeat]

@@jesselaa9397 I see awesome, you were actually hot smoking, anything about about 86F progresses to warming smoking (another topic Eastern European are specialists at, then from 200F it's hot smoking or low and low depending on your technique! All the best, Tom

[@LisaCallahan-e8i]

do you have a recepie for making bacon i want to use deer and try to make it taste like bacon

[@eatcuredmeat]

I would make ham instead, bacon is based on fat! wet brine! use a pork smoked ham

[@jeanettegirosky7735]

You say not to use cypress...why is that? I noticed this is used in Sichuan....I am interested in trying to make larou, and trying to find something I can substitute for cypress as there isn't any in my area.

[@eatcuredmeat]

I did some googling, since I've never heard of cypress wood being used, maybe you read this, which talks about cypress leaf tea for smoking (some Asian cultures use tea leaves for smoking, I've tried it, very aromatic and different to other smoking woods) Cheers - songtea.com/products/cypress-smoked-small-leaf?variant=12303453028440

[@jeanettegirosky7735]

@@eatcuredmeat the tea itself is smoked with cypress...but.....that's not a bad idea as they use tea leaves to smoke poultry in various dishes. I'll talk to my tea hook ups over there.

[@giangos100]

i cant seem to find a video at all about bacon that you can eat straight after cold smoking , without cooking it. it is traditional in my county but wanted to ask you what the process is, since i cant find anybody that really knows. thankyou

[@eatcuredmeat]

Its not bacon, its dry cured pork, so the curing is thorough then the drying is to a decent weight loss - for flavor and preservation - here is another video I did on a way to do this - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqqVhK2hepeJp6s

[@giangos100]

@@eatcuredmeat thank you, so if I do the process you showed with pork belly/bacon it will be ready to eat after curing? no cooking required?

[@philrebekah4286]

Hello there, I've just come across your videos, very informative. Does cold smoking fully cured meat help with the preservation of the meat?

[@eatcuredmeat]

Heya. What I have learned is cold smoking is often drying with cold smoke. Cold smoke and its vapor has antibacterial and antifungal properties. So yep!

[@DavidSmith-wx9jg]

When cold smoke after the cure can you add a rub before smoke

[@eatcuredmeat]

a rub? like low and slow seasoning, sure. or any spices, if they stick. after cold smoking often I find the surface a bit drier. And before the cold smoking, pellicle means drier on outside of the meat

[@prubroughton2327]

Can u use walnut shells predictive text !!

[@eatcuredmeat]

Hey! I've heard of others using it, but haven't tried that nut shell. I have tried pastachio shells, I think it had an effect mixed with smoking wood. Cheers Tom

[@BadMoonRising777]

Cold smoke salt. Stocked up on meat by dry curing which will hang for years in ambient temperatures and still be nutritious and delicious. Also learn to can food. God bless

[@eatcuredmeat]

Sounds like your sorted! nice! Cheers Tom

[@normtekani4453]

Thanks for the advice.

[@eatcuredmeat]

No worries bro! :-)

[@normtekani4453]

Funny just the humidity advice. Was wondering about that and you were the first to point out. Chur bro, thanks again.

[@westcoasthillbilly1849]

Good video mate, cheers 🍻

[@eatcuredmeat]

No worries, I've gotta get back to youtube, but I've been working on a homemade bacon course! eatcuredmeat.podia.com/ultimate-homemade-bacon-online-course

[@sumitagarwal3788]

Can you give me a consultation for cold smoking cheese . Industrial scale

[@eatcuredmeat]

Hey there, I feel I am good at different types of home cold smoking project. Consultation for a commercial operation probably not your guy. Good luck Tom

[@geniuspharmacist]

There's no ebook to download.

[@eatcuredmeat]

Apologise, i change some setups - should be buttons on page now, T

[@MrJbunch1]

I just subscribed and checking your other videos you seem to have paid your dues

[@eatcuredmeat]

Cheers, I'll crank out more content, cheers Tom

[@brewingman56]

Try making it simple instead of so complicated so newbies don't get overwhelmed with so much information.

[@eatcuredmeat]

I'm a details guy, rather cover a topic well. Here is a video on cold smoking tips also that might suit you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYC9goZrm7d5p6csi=X2ykpQKuN6-ILjQ5

[@jackMeought-fr8vl]

This video is fine for anyone with an adult attention span. Don't worry, great information