Cold smoking

[Gaelceltic]

I am really quite interested in trying my hand at cold smoking at some point, and had been looking at the pro-Q. However, having a look on ebay just now saw this.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cold-Smoker-Generator-Box-Cover-Generating-Smoke-for-Grill-Barbecue-Smoking-BBQ-/140909024616?pt=Barbecues_Grills_Smokers&hash=item20ced51568

Realized that I already have something very similar in my kitchen
which is this.
www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/30011832/

Looks very similar to me, and a great deal cheaper, although whether it would work or not is another thing.
Any thoughts please?

[kipper]

hi gaelceltic.
don't know if you have a store called "the range" near you but they have something very similar for pre heating coals for the bbq reduced in price to £6.not sure if appropriate but thought it was worth mentioning.

[Gaelceltic]

Many thanks Kipper. I know that I don't here, but will check online.

Just checked, and there will be a store opening in Dundee in November, which is near my daughter in Scotland. Doubt that they will have bbq stuff on sale then. ;D

[spinal]

Thanks - may need to pop by ikea! I've been looking for a cold smoke tool, and like you was leaning towards the proq...

The cutlery stand should work - you could fashion a lid from a tomato tin cut and flattened out... basically, you want to reduce the amount of oxygen/air getting to the coals...
M.

[Gaelceltic]

Good idea for a lid Spinal, thank you. I'll have to get to Ikea too to get another one. Now I shall have to find a source for sawdust or wood shavings locally. If it doesn't work, it's not to going to break the bank.

[tonyb]

I've used the Pro Q cold smoke generator for the last 2/3 years and can recommend it without reservation. The biggest advantages it has are: simplicity, no need to supervise, low heat generation, small vol/weight of wood dust. I just fill the Pro Q up and light it using a tea light, place it in the cabinet I use for smoking, wait until it gets going, remove the tea light and 10-12 hrs later its done.

I think with the larger cold smoke generators you really need to separate the generator from the smoke box to keep temps low, and as well as with any home-made version they are not 'light and leave' you will need to keep an eye on the fire and smoke wood.

If you are a keen diyer by all means have a go but for reliable cold smoking its difficult to go wrong with the PRO Q

[Gaelceltic]

Thanks TonyB, appreciate what you are saying. I really quite fancy the ProQ, but my problem is getting a supply of their wood dust, which I cannot get here. Wouldn't fancy coughing up for the ProQ and then finding I couldn't use it, whereas a cheap container for Ikea would be ok if it turns to be a dud.

I'm not sure if I can get wood dust here, but will try to find out. I know that I can get wood chips easily enough though.

Do you use only the dust for the ProQ, or do you use another cheaper alternative? If the latter, if you can give me any hints on what I should be looking for, that would be fantastic.

Won't be doing any smoking for a good while yet, so plenty of time to do my research, and get supplies in.

[adm]

Any sawmill will be happy to give you saw dust :-) Also cabinet maker's workshops and things like that.

The thing to be careful of though, is you want hard or fruit wood - so you need to find somebody that isn't sawing pine. Oak, Cherry, Apple etc is what you want.

[umhloti]

ADM is very right

The thing to be careful of though, is you want hard or fruit wood - so you need to find somebody that isn't sawing pine. Oak, Cherry, Apple etc is what you want.[/quote]

people think that wood is wood and its not . very important to know what wood you using and where it comes from . You could also very easily used treated wood or wood with paints or plastics in and not knowing it if its dust or chips so always check the source and only from reputable people that can back up where and what it is . YOu dont want to be smoking for hours with something thats toxic

[minesamojito]

The biggest problem with a lot of wood dust is that they use oils on the saws which when burnt in smokers release nasty aromatics onto the food. You really need to make sure the dust is safe for smoking.....
Cheers
Marcus

[Gaelceltic]

Thank you all for your very sensible advice, I really appreciate it. I really will have to do some work here to find out if I can find safe dust. What I am afraid of is, that they will tell me that it is safe, but it won't be, as it might be a mix. I will make enquiries and see how I get on.

The good thing here though, that a lot of the wood is fruit, nut, olive and carob, although we do have fir trees too. No chance of getting oak. However, there is always the risk of other imported woods, and I really am only hazarding a guess at this. I really will have to look into it. However, at least now I know what I should be looking for. Thank you all.

[adm]

I would imagine that in Cyprus, you probably have easy access to some very good wood for both burning in your oven, and using for smoking.

You need to find a local artisan kind of person that cuts down or prunes older olive and fruit trees. There's probably exactly that guy sitting in a corner of you nearest bar :-)

Have a chat with the locals and explain what you are looking for. If you have already secured a source of decent wood for your oven, then it's almost definitely that same guy. The sawdust he makes when he cuts your logs is the exact thing that you want for smoking.

Good luck! Just avoid the pine and any treated wood.

[Gaelceltic]

Thank you Adm, why did I not think of that? Hadn't dawned on me to ask the chap that brings me wood. What a pillock I am! Here I am trying to think of wood working places/sawmills, which is why I was wary of mixed wood. Doh!
You are a little star, will let you know how I get on.

[bookemdanno]

How about getting yourself a Spokeshave Plane and making your own shavings from wood you already have?
You have wood, and a perfectly useful drying device the next time you fire up the oven.

Does it have to be dust?

[Gaelceltic]

Sept 14, 2013 6:52:27 GMT bookemdanno said:

How about getting yourself a Spokeshave Plane and making your own shavings from wood you already have?
You have wood, and a perfectly useful drying device the next time you fire up the oven.

Does it have to be dust?

If I end up going for the ProQ, I think that dust is needed. If the cutlery canister idea from Ikea works, wood chippings should be fine.

Am not too keen on making dust myself, if I am going down that road. I'm a right lazy beggar when it comes to what I consider hard outside graft! I'm also pretty useless with any kind of tools, apart from a screwdriver. I suppose that I could always ask a kindly wood working neighbour though...perhaps a swap with some smoked food would be a good barter. Thanks for the idea, much appreciated.