The Cottage Smallholder

I think it's far more fun when you build your own simple hot smoker. Then it just takes time to learn timings, temperatures, what works and what does not work. The most fun I ever had using a barbeque was years ago when I put a rusty ancient Hinari grate into a disused wheelbarrow and laid an old fireguard on top. The BarrowBQ But it worked a treat and I used to cook joints like a leg of lamb no problem. The large surface area meant I could control cooking temperatures simply by moving the joint to different places on the fireguard.

We used to smoke bacon by hanging it in the flue of our old inglenook fireplace. It was amazing to see Fiona wriggle up there to reach the hook and hang the joint in a muslin sack. These days we use the flue of our wood burning stove in the kitchen. It has an inspection hatch at mantelpiece level that opens into a cavity between the stove flue pipe and the chimney where we place the meat on a baking rack.

Retsina mackerel. I love it!

I think the chiminea idea is brilliant if you have one. You are then simply adding extra value by smoking with it. Friends of ours have a buddy in the sheet metal fabrication line of work and he made them a metre long extension made from air con ducting material. Works a treat using it just like you do, Mark, and the added height reduces the risk of cooking the meat. They produce fantastic smoked duck breasts.

I am a fan of hot smoking. Tried cold smoked kippers once but they were very poor

Good stuff, Rob and Simon. Welcome on here by the way.

It just goes to show that hot smoking can be done really simply. I guess it takes practice to get it just right but the end result is so worthwhile when it is good. Fish can be difficult because the timings and temperature must be right for the best results, but it can be done in a biscuit tin if you know what you are doing.

That seems like a logical progression, Simon, and a useful improvement.

I know how you feel about "going professional"

Do let us know of any new discoveries and triumphs. We have not smoked at all this year since F fell ill, but home cured bacon alone is a fabulous return on very little effort so we have that every weekend.

That is a really good idea., Jude.

We have a kettle BBQ too but never thought of using it as a hot smoker.

Because one can operate it on any day, rainy and cold, or warm, you have give me a great idea for experimenting this "summer"

Let's compare notes as the weeks go by.