Home Smoking
I have decided to start smoking!
As always, when I have a bright idea, I get very excited (thank goodness Jonathan is very understanding and supportive). It's always the same old story: I have an idea, I go and buy the bits, I loose my patience and I just want to get on with it. I can't wait to see the final product and enjoy! But alas it sounds that this hobby may take time and effort, not to mention a few mistakes along the way.
I have just bought a new BBQ (from Amazon Click here to buy one) that will allow me to hot and cold smoke and BBQ. I have also bought a cold smoker contraption that burns sawdust really slowly for ten hours.(click here to buy)
To my surprise, I thought all I needed next was a couple of chicken breasts, half a salmon and loads of garlic bulbs to smoke.
Impossible!
Show me a recipe, or some clear instructions on how to cold smoke a chicken breast! Over that past week I have found many, many smokey recipes, all of which tell me to brine but some don't say cure. One tells me to cold smoke for 1 hour, another for 4 days! And it's the same with the brine and cure process: Some say 2 hours some say 36. Who should I believe? Well, I think I just try it out and tell you what I think along the way. See the bottom of this blog for links to recipes and mishaps!
I will start with easy and safe produce. Then I will try the chicken breast. I want to start with a cure mix (done in a brine). I have just ordered curing salt ( also known as saltpeter) via the internet, as the chemist thought I was a little strange when I asked for sodium nitrite. I think it might have other uses!
So, if you fancy finding out more about cold smoking and coming with me on an rather smelly journey, click on the adventures below.
feel free to click on the words highlighted to find out what they are and how I understand them