Preferred types of wood for cold smoking
Cold smoking allows smoke to penetrate food more easily. And so, woods with a lighter smoke are generally used. Apple and cherry wood impart milder, slightly fruity smoke flavours. Maple gives off a mild, slightly sweet taste and alder is a light smoke with just a hint of sweetness.
Grill plate cleaning
- Before loading your smoker with food to cold smoke, brush off any food residue using a grill brush.
- Move the brush in the direction of the wires on the grates until you have cleaned the entire grill.
- Then, wipe the grate clean with a damp cloth.
You’ll want to keep your smoker and grill grates cool. If you prefer to clean your grates when the smoker is hot, plan to do this well in advance to give the smoker time to cool down completely before adding food for cold smoking.
Charcoal and wood setup
Charcoal brings the heat and wood brings the smoke. Since the goal is less heat and more smoke, using minimal charcoal helps to keep the temperature low. When deciding between wood chips and wood chunks, wood chips are small and require less heat to smolder, making chips the better choice. Here’s the basic set-up:
- Place three lit charcoal briquettes in the centre of the firebox.
- Place 2 cups of wood chips on top of the lit briquettes.
Temperature control
Temperature control is one of the most important factors in cold smoking. To keep smoker temperature below 43°C, open the intake damper and chimney by just half an inch. Ideally, cold smoking is better done in the fall and winter months when the air temperature is below 4°C. The cold air outside keeps it from getting too hot inside the smoker. If you can’t wait for cooler weather, smoke at night or early in the morning when temperatures are lowest. If the outside temperature is above 32°C, place a large aluminium drip pan filled with ice in the smoke chamber between the firebox and the food to keep the temperature low.
HOT TIP – Using a water pan to add moisture to the smoke chamber is optional and can increase condensation under the smoker lid. Adding spices, beer or wine to the water pan can be used to infuse an added layer of flavour into your food.