We recently 'botched' together our own little hot-smoker with a couple of chocolate tins and some wire mesh on which to rest the fish. We used a mixture of charcoal and oak chippings to burn in the lower tin while we popped some mackerel and trout fillets on top. The trout turned out beautifully but the mackerel was certainly less popular!
Anyone got any suggestions for hot smoking?
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.
Never knowingly underfed
I just hang mackerel in the chimney of our Chimenea. Gut and clean them, then poke a skewer through their tails - as many as you can fit in the chimney pot. Hang the skewer across the top and leave them there until cooked (normally do this after a BBQ, and have left them there all night, it keeps the cat happy !). You can put in a smoke box with flavoured chips, or just leave it with the embers.
Don't use old bits of fruntiture though - tried it once with wood from an old oak wardrobe, which had obviously been varnished, and we ended up with Retsina Mackerel, not very pleasant ....
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
Never knowingly underfed
I put together a stove top smoker out of a new stainless steel stock pot I found in a skip. There is a thread on the ChowHound forum where I describe it with photos.
Here is the link…
My posts are under the name of Sumprat
Simon
A well fed rat is a HappyRat A smile a day keeps the psychiatrist away.
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.
Never knowingly underfed
Just a quick update to my smoker set-up.
I have just purchased this…
It is a steamer insert to replace the old rickety wire food platform that I am currently using.
This means it is easier to remove the platform for cleaning, and will be easier to clean.
However it does mean that my smoker is no longer a freebie put-together.
But I'm happy.
Simon
A well fed rat is a HappyRat A smile a day keeps the psychiatrist away.
My steamer insert arrived this morning, I was actually in when the Postie knocked on the door.
It fits perfectly, as you would expect as it is the same size.
So I have done a trial smoking of one of my friend's home made beef sausages. Only one, they are huge The sausage was great, tasted just like a Bavarian smoked sausage, I should know, as I have tasted a few. The delights of having had a Bavarian girl friend.
All I can say it is an improvement on the original set up, looks and works like a dream.
Simon
A well fed rat is a HappyRat A smile a day keeps the psychiatrist away.
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.
Never knowingly underfed
Never knowingly underfed
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