Q I have read several times on how to set-up a slow cooking smoker.
But what I would really prefer is to look and watch someone else's smoker.
At
the moment the only smoking I have done is those small fish smokers.
Steve
Regents Park
Qld
A Steve, I must admit that fish smokers scare me.
They use high heat over a short period of time and a lot of them are made of
zinc-plated steel. If they get hot enough they can release enough nasties such
as zinc oxide to kill a brown dog. Only the dog won't die from stupid smokers'
syndrome. No, indeed, it will take quite a while and when the brown dog finally
does
cark it - the vet will probably say it was cancer-related.
You have been warned! If it's not 100% stainless steel, stop reading this
now, go into the shed find the rotten thing and toss it in the bin. NOW!
Before you ask - zinc/gal is not a problem for slow smokers as they simply
don't heat up enough to release vicious vapours.
Now, to your question. Steve, I don't know what you mean by watching
someone. The only slow smoker I watched being set up was a Weber water
smoker and that was nothing special - put in some pre-heated briquettes,
full up the water tray, plonk on the pork shoulder and go watch the cricket
on the box for the rest of the afternoon.
You're not going to learn much from watching someone in regard to smoking
because, like cricket, not a lot happens for vast amounts of time.
Experience, my friend, is what you need.
I learned the basic principles in my old Weber kettle. Go out and buy a
second hand one for $50 to $80 and start playing around with it. Use about a
third of the normal amount of charcoal and heap it all on one side. Put the
meat on the opposite side on the upper rack and place some pre-moistened
hardwood chips (only use ones for barbecuing) on the hot coals, leave the
top exhaust vent open and partially close the bottom vent/vents. The cheaper
Weber is actually better for slow smoking because it has a couple of
circular air intakes in the base (same as the one on the top). You can close
one of these completely and adjust the other to keep the temperature at
around 120 degrees Celsius (buy a candy thermometer and stick it through a
wine bottle cork and place in one of the holes in the top vent).
I'll soon be including a how to smoke section in the BBQ Blue that might
help you. But do give it a go with a crappy old kettle barby first - it
really is the best way to learn.
Let me know when you're ready and I'll give you some info about what to cook
and for how long.
Cheers
BBQ Blue