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On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Old Apr 28th 2016, 5:46 am
  #1  
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Default On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga-algarve-cold-smoker.jpg

On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga-algarve-smoke-ducting-showing-elevation.jpg

On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga-algarve-firebox-smoke-ducting.jpgAs you may know, I could NOT for love of God and country find any single species clean wood chips in Portugal. No where! And I didn't want to spend nearly 1,000E on a machine....well in the end I broke down and bought a wood-chipper. Yup, bit the bullet and forked out the dough and bought a 6.5hp chipper/shredder. And the cold-smoking is amazing. FINALLY I can smoke single species wood! Using Almond, Carob, Olive and Almond wood mixed with Rosemary and Bay Laurel. OMG such good smoke. Smoking Garlic, Salt and Mexican chiles...might segue into haddock and salmon later on but now just working on products that don't rot easily.

Built the smoker with an old weber as a fire base and a 55gal-drum and the smoker unit...lots of fun in the Munsterfan household these days.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 6:37 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

I'm quite envious.... I've seen wood chips advertised online but at silly prices & so far, my only solution has been to simply take a hand axe to an occasional piece of oak & then soak the overlarge chips for a few days........ it works OK but not great for trout & mackerel etc but I haven't tried anything like large hams etc...... Never even thought of smoking garlic but will give it a go.

Looks like a great set up.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 7:08 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Well that's taking the bull by the horns!
Good job.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 7:09 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Gosh are you serious? By hand? Oak? Bless you mfesharne! We tried that, even took turns with the hatchet but it was a pathetic result the wee little pile of chips at the feet and further afield (yes, we gathered every single precious bit of wood that went flying, for sure!) But now that we generating piles of chips, we're bagging the chips for sale down at the local market for folks who BBQ or Grill and even the rare 'smoking' aficionado. Still some manual labour to skin the bark off as bark creates bitter tasting smoke. But beer makes this easy work. But the Beer and hatchet combo is a bit suspect.

Did you say you could found chips online? Here in Portugal? or just regular global online? The pic has chips (minus the loose twigs)

No, no, no if you are cold smoking no need to soak the chips unless you are searching for a flavour such as whisky. Cold smoking garlic takes up to 48-hours at 21C-30C. Salt takes less time but much more sensitive work to be able to keep a thin tasty smoke film on the crystals .
Attached Thumbnails On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga-cold-smoker-fire-box.jpg   On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga-wood-chips-04.2016.jpg  
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 7:53 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Genie

I also collect every splinter but most of the chips I produce are much bigger than the ones you produce hence my soaking them for a couple of days to give a slower smoulder.

I found the online chips on amazon.co.uk but it's not really worth the hassle & expense but I've gotta say I wish you were nearer to me because I'd be a regular customer.

Looking at your pics, you appear to be using a gas burner? - If so, that's something else we do differently. - I start a small charcoal fire and when it's close to out, I gently place a few of my (presoaked) large oak chips on top and then close the burner & use the air inlet to control the smoulder rate.

Then top it up as necessary. - I reckon you're set up is much posher though! lol.

Last edited by mfesharne; Apr 28th 2016 at 7:59 am.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 8:08 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Well mfesharne I've ALWAYS wanted to meet you and I'm up for a drive 'n some new scenery as we've been head-2-stone the last 4-months building vegetable beds outa rock, making compost bins, the smoker, then the chips etc. PM me directions 'n we'll bring you a bag 'o chips for a meal anytime is good for us between 18 May - 1st June, then it's grandparent time as we're each having new grandbabies..
BTW: each bag (2kg or 4kg) has Carob Beans for additional sweetness.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 8:15 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Me set us is cheaply made found the barrel (after searching for a while in the debris fields of the collapsed Real Estate boom lands). We burnt the inside with a very hot fire then cleaned it well added an old weber BBQ, then dryer ducting, clamps, aluminum fire-tape and we'ze set to go! But because we are specifically 'Cold' Smoking vs Hot Smoking the smoking time can be 12+-48 hours we need a steady consistent source of fire hence the gas torch creating heat for the smoke.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 8:16 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Cost to build smoker was circa 50 euros and 2-3 hours labour
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 8:19 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

OK will do....... love the idea of added sweetness from carob beans.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 8:25 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

I've built several smokers in African bush camps but we never had the luxury or empty drums & flexi pipes etc but I love your idea and may well steal it! lol

My own set up is just a cheapo Tennessee smoker which is better as a hot smoker than a cold one but it does cold smoke if you're careful and would be even better if I move the burner further away and connect with a fiece of that flexi pipe.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 8:34 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Smoker Note: We bought extra 6m of flexi ducting to bury in the ground and to allow us to move the firebox further back from the smoking drum to keep the smoke cool during summer. STILL keeping an angle up for the smoke to flow from fire to smoker box. And you need to drill air holes in the bottom and the top of the smoker to release the condensation and reduce the buildup of creosote.

Once you are over 30C the food 'cooks' not what we want.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 8:51 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Mine already has adjustable vents top & bottom so all I'd need to do to improve the cold smoking ability would be to add the flexi pipe & move the burner further away.
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Old Apr 28th 2016, 9:10 am
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Default Re: On a roll: Finally for anyone following my smoking-woodchip Saga

Yes our 'fire-box-weber- BBQ' has vents but the smoker unit AKA 55gal drum did not.
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