How Do Cold Smoke Generators Work? [EXPLAINED]

Cold smoking is a technique that uses smoke to enhance the flavor of foods and can cook them. As the name suggests, cold smoking is executed at a low temperature, not above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Mostly, the temperature for cold smoking is between 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit. So, how do cold smoke generators work to make cold smoking possible?

To effectively use a cold smoker, you need to fill the metal cylinder with the pellets of your choice, put it in your smoke box, and then light it up. The pellets will burn and produce smoke wafts through the holes that add flavor to the food. Besides adding distinctive flavor to the food, the food also goes through a curing process that inhibits the growth of bacteria.

However, it is crucial to understand that although smoking results in a distinctive and delicious smoky flavor, it has its dangers such as botulism. Therefore, even though it is a straightforward procedure that anyone can efficiently execute without strains, you need to ensure that you get it right. Read on for more refined details on cold smoking.

What Is The Purpose Of Cold Smoke?

The primary purpose of cold smoking is to impart a delicious smoky flavor to the food without cooking it thoroughly. In addition to the smoky flavor, cold smoking promotes preservation by drying. The smoke particles are also antibacterial, meaning they inhibit bacteria’s growth in the food.

Further, when you cold smoke your food, the fire producing the smoke is away from the food. Generally, the food is cured before cold smoking, which aids in drawing moisture from the food to make it easy for the smoke to penetrate. Curing also assists in elongating the lifespan of food without refrigeration.

What Is The Difference Between Cold Smoke And Hot Smoke?

There are two main methods of smoking; hot and cold smoking. While both techniques are equally popular, they have significant differences. For instance, cold smoking is best for imparting smoky flavor into your food without cooking it fully, while hot smoking is thoroughly cooking the food while at the same time infusing it with a smoky flavor. Additional differences include;

Taste

Foods cooked through cold smoking may not taste the same as those cooked through hot smoking. Hot smoking is a quick way to cook food such as fish or meat and ensure that it remains juicy and tender. Since the process is swift, it imparts a subtle smoky flavor to food.

On the other hand, cold smoking is a prolonged process. Therefore, it draws moisture from the food, making it a bit dry. Further, since it takes several hours to smoke, the food has enough time to absorb a significant amount of smoke.

Different Levels Of Temperature

Another apparent difference between the typical type of smoking is based on the temperature. In cold smoking, the food is cooked at a very low temperature, not exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Technically, food is cured before cold smoking.

In hot smoking, the temperature is a bit higher, about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the food you are cooking. The duration of hot smoking is lower compared to cold smoking resulting in tenders and juicy foods with a subtle smoky flavor.

How Long Should I Cold Smoke?

Cold smoking is a slow process that takes a long duration to complete depending on the type of food that you are smoking. In most cases, the grilling time for cold smoking is 12-24 hours, or even days, depending on the food you are cold smoking.

Since cold smoking means that you are holding your food in the temperature danger zone, rapid microbial growth can happen. Therefore, it is vital to cold smoke only those food products that have been cured, salted, or fermented. Further, you should cook cold-smoked foods until they attain an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to make them safe for consumption.

How Long Does A Cold Smoke Generator Last?

A cold smoke generator is one of the essential tools that you will need to execute a successful cold smoking process. Therefore, anytime you decide that you are going to attempt cold smoking, ensure that you invest in the best smoke generator for the best experience.

While there are different brands of smoke generators that have different longevity, a good smoke generator should be able to produce a cool smoker for up to 12 hours. In addition to being long-lasting, you should also ensure that the smoker generator is easily filled, versatile, and large enough to get the job done.

The Principles Of Cold Smoking

While cold smoking is uncomplicated and anyone can do it, failing to do it correctly can result in the food going bad. Consequently, once you decide that you want to smoke, ensure that you are well informed to avoid making costly mistakes. Here are some of the essential principles of clod smoking that you should keep in mind;

• Make sure that you are smoking fresh and good quality meat/food.
• Consider the meat’s weight before curing and work out the finished weight.
• Utilize adequate refrigeration when processing the meat to minimize the possibility of it going bad.
• Accurately salt cure or brine salt the meat before embarking on the cold smoking. This is essential as it helps in preventing the growth of bacteria.
• Carefully select your favorite woods. Avoid those woods that would be too strong and overcome the flavor of your meat.
• Purchase a long-lasting smoke generator

Cold Smoking In Details

Each step in cold smoking is essential for a successful cold smoking process.

Fully Cure The Food

First of all you must have quality and fresh meat to ensure that the entire process will bear fruits. After ensuring that the quality of your meat is perfect, the next step is to cure it. You can embrace several options, including submerging the meat into a brine liquid, dry salt curing, or salt wet brining.

Set Up Your Smoke Generator

To make cold smoking easy, you must invest in a smoke generator pump or other reasonable cold-smoking devices, such as a pellet tube smoker. Whatever device you choose, ensure that you know how to use it well and that it can make it possible to maintain a temperature lower than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Choosing The Wood

Another essential step during cold smoking is picking the right woods. Although you have a wide range of woods to choose from, not all of them will serve you right. Avoid selecting the type of wood that will overpower your food. Lighter woods such as cherry and apple are great for cold smoking. On the other hand, heavier or strong wood such as mesquite are not the best option as they create a strong flavor. However, they can work fine if you mix them.

Cold Smoking The Foods

You can use a thermometer to ensure that the temperature is between 56-85 degrees Fahrenheit for the best results. It is also necessary to keep your cold smoking out of the sun as the sun can eat up things. Always find a shady spot for a smooth cold-smoking process.

Monitor The Cold Smoking

Since cold smoking takes a lot of time to complete, you might be tempted to turn your attention to other things. However, that is not the right way to approach the cold-smoking process. You need to monitor the cold smoking regularly to be sure that everything is flowing as planned.

Refrigerate And Continue

If the smoking process takes several days, you can refrigerate it to continue the following day. Refrigerating deters not only the growth of bacteria in the food but also intensifies the flavor of the food.

Conclusion

If you want to feel the power of the delicious smoky flavor, cold smoking is the way to go. Despite being easy to follow, cold smoking does not require a lot of tools, cold smoke generators, light wood such as apple and cherry, and the meat you want to smoke. While some foods take 12-14 hours for effective smoking, some can take several days.