Ply wood for smoker

[trout]

I have some 1/4 " ply that is painted one side. Can I safely use it for a cold smoker?
The painted side will be "to the weather" of course.I'll be building it this week and then trying to snmoke some meats and cheese.
will 4" stove pipe with a damper work to adjust the smoke?
More questions to follow so bear with me.
THANKS, Trout

[Salmonsmoker]

Trout,

The 1/4 in Ply will make an excellent smoke chamber. You said "that is painted". From that, I assume that the paint is well dried and cured with no out-gasing. So long as the inside of the smoke chamber, the racks an frame are not painted, there will be no way for paint residue to contaminate the food.

A 4 in stove pipe with a damper, is certainly more than adequate for a smoke regualtor. The Brinkman smoker that I have has only a 2 in pipe with damper. I would also suggest that you make some kind of air intake vent. This will give you better control over temperature and oxygen supply to the fire.

Another suggestion, go to a garden supply store and buy a ground thermometer (normally a small round thermometer with a short probe that is used to measure soil temperature a few inces below the surface.)The temperature range on the thermometer that I use for cold smoking is 0 degrees to 130 degrees.
Drill a small hole (just large enough for the probe) and use the thermometer to monitor the temperature inside the smoke chamber. Keep in mind that cheese melts at just over 100 degrees.

Another tasty treat (works well as an appitiser for a game dinner) is smoked boiled eggs. Boil a dozen or so eggs. Peal them. Dip them in Olive Oil (without oil, the egg gets a leathery skin over it) and smoke at the same time you are doing the cheese.

Every smoker has its own characteristics. You will find some areas are warmer and some are cooler. Some have more smoke and some have less. For the first few times of use, you will need to keep track of what is going on inside the smoker and move the food around to maximize its smoking.

Unless your smoke source is removed from the smoke chamber, you will also find that it takes almost 100 degrees to create a good supply of smoke. The window is small. Much below 100 degrees = not enough smoke. Much over 100 degrees = a puddle of melted cheese in the bottom of the smoker.

With all of that I must say, IT IS WORTH THE EFFORT!

Helping each other to enjoy the preparation and eating of the wild foods is what this fourm is about.

ss

[Hunter333]

I have been wondering how you can smoke cheese.....Cold smoke....Interesting! I think I may have to rebuild the 25 year old+ Lil' Smoker that my dad gave me. The box is falling apart and the lid is gone. The coil works well so I thinkn that I will just see if I can remove it and put it in a wooden box.

[Salmonsmoker]

Hunter333,

Sounds like a plan. However, for best results, I would put the smoke generator 3 or 4 feet away from the smoke chamber. This will give you better temperature controle. For cheese you need to be sure that the internal temperature of the smoke chamber is not over 110 degrees. If it exceeds that, the cheese will melt. Most "Cold-Smoking" books recommend that the temperature not exceed 80 degrees.

I use cold smoke for many foods - smoking the food for a given period (depending on use and taste) , then adding heat to smoke cook.

The last I checked - last Sunday - Colby cheese was selling for $4.39 per pound, at Meijers. If enough people are intereste, I can buy Colby in bulk (50 lb minimum) and beat that price by at least $1.00 per pound. Shipping might be a problem. However...... Let me know.

ss