About 12 months ago I bought a smoker on special at Aldi and it has just sat in the box in the spare room.

On our return the good wife was saying (read we will) she would like to move to Adelaide to be closer to the daughter and grand daughter.

So the GW has been cleaning out a large cupboard to start with and as the spare bedroom is filled with caravan and cooking gear that was my task.

This is the end result.

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So next week will fire it up and try a smoked pork shoulder and a rabbit as well.

Remember  we like progress photos 
When are you likely to move to Adelaide?
It would be good to have another member here

Hi Gromet not sure but would like to start selling this place mid year if we are going to move. Robert

Looking forward to seeing the results from your smoker. Been enjoying smoking a bit of meat lately. But I've just been using my Weber. Have looked at similar units in Bunnings, but I'm supposed to be saving money and not spending money, so I'll just continue looking for a while yet. I like the big offset smokers, would like to get one of those one day (or have a go at making one)

This one is a rebadged Hark and was under $200. Light enougth that it can be taken some where if required.

Will fire it up today to run in and then look at what I will be smoking. Photos will be shown. Robert

I do like smoked food but not as a regular thing.  Think I will stick to me little Weber for smoking for us.

Aldi regularly have these sort of things come up as a special buy.

Love smoked tucker.
Salmon, Eel and Chicken.
Love to see your results Bear.

Thanks Aart look forward to the first few tries, bought a pork shoulder roast today and have one of the rabbits we bought back from soth oz defrosting in the fridge.

Have just fired the smoker up to run her in for a hour and will pick up a couple of requirements on the coast tomorrow. Might be a friday smoke will see what the week brings.

Fired up to season smoker.

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Forgot about this thread may have to put my smoking in here from now on cheers

A fella on another unrelated forum was talking about some rump caps he has smoked recently. 

The upside is, unlike say a brisket or even a tri-tip which can take 5,6 or 10 hours, a rump cap is done a dusted in under two.

I the last few weeks a new wholesale butcher has opened near by. Mrs Rabz and I had a wander through today and *somehow* a 1.3kg rump cap followed us home.

Needless to say the smoker is running with the cap taking pride of place.

Hickory chunk in the wood pan and bay leaves in the water pan. Running at 110°C.

One hour in and the internal temp is 39°.  Target is 70° on the thermometer which reads a little high, so it will be ~67 or 68°. I will wrap and rest in foil.

Slice and a quick reheat on the grill before serving in crusty rolls and lashings of BBQ sauce.

My son smokes rump caps.  Put me onto it. I forgot I had on in the fridge, aged and in cryovac.
So I slow cooked it in the camp oven. 120c till it reached 65c inside. 
Best beef I have ever cooked
Now have to get another to smoke. 
Hickory or cherry

Well, it wasn't quite a spectacular success.

It was tender, juicy and tasty but it was very rare.

I seem to struggle with temperatures - the smoker sat at 100 to 110°C for the three hours (as measured by the in built thermometer). The internal temp got to 67°C which should have had it just between medium and well done, except it was closer to rare, even allowing for the known under reading of the thermometer.

I think I need to invest in some better thermometers, both ambient and internal.

Aart use what you like I find hickory to sharp a flavour.

If you can find olive wood it gives a similar flavour to hickory with out the sharpness. Cheers Robert

Bear wrote on Oct 4^th, 2020 at 8:34am:

Aart use what you like I find hickory to sharp a flavour. If you can find olive wood it gives a similar flavour to hickory with out the sharpness. Cheers Robert

My son also prefers cherry over hickory. Says it’s sweeter and a lighter flavoured smoke.

Aart, next time you are out our way call into Shultes Butcher. He sells all sorts of chunks and shavings for smoking. Same stuff he uses for his own small goods.

Usually a very good variety there.

I use mostly apple but plum is just as good, citrus for seafood.

Expensive to buy so I have friends keep any fruit tree trimmings for me. Getting a nice supply. Cheers

I like cherry and apple, hickory is a little strong for me.

Rabbitz wrote on Oct 4^th, 2020 at 6:32am:

Well, it wasn't quite a spectacular success. It was tender, juicy and tasty but it was very rare. I seem to struggle with temperatures - the smoker sat at 100 to 110°C for the three hours (as measured by the in built thermometer). The internal temp got to 67°C which should have had it just between medium and well done, except it was closer to rare, even allowing for the known under reading of the thermometer. I think I need to invest in some better thermometers, both ambient and internal.

I thought I should add that Mrs Rabz worked a spectacular save on this dish.  She took the underdone leftovers and saved them overnight along with the resting juices.  The next morning she put the meat, juices and a large slurp of Texas style BBQ sauce in the slow cooker and ran it for about 4 hours on low.  At that time I sliced it up like you would a brisket and returned it to the slow cooker for another half hour or so.

The result was very brisket like.  Smokey and BBQ sauce flavoured, still with a very nice beef flavour.  The discussion over lunch was that we might just make that the go to recipe for smoked beef sandwiches.

There was a further upside, while we were out shopping, she bought me a Weber iGrill 2.0 thermometer.  :)

I am salivating reading your post Rabbitz.
Smoky and BBQ go so well together.

A good thermometer is on my wish list too. Can not find mine but will keep looking cheers

Not sure if any of you have an IKEA nearby but this one has been getting good reviews on BBQ sites.

https://www.ikea.com/au/en/p/fantast-meat-thermometer-timer-digital-black-10171303/

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Well IKEA is nowhere near us, but I'm sure my wife would love a trip up there. And for that price, I'll get a couple of them as mine died after having a shower in the rain. Thanks Derek

Buy on line is the easiest option.

Wingz is ready.

Ribz have a mere 4.5 hours to go.

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Looks good Rabbitz.

Certainly does Aart hoping for another cool morning so I can squeeze in some more cheese for Christmas. Only need 1 hour just may have to put some ice inside to cool the temp down. Cheers Robert

Got the cold smoker going for some bacon.
The bacon is cured in a brine and brown sugar solution over 3 days, no curing salt. It is rubbed with crushed pepper before smoking, smoked with hickory pellets at 90°f for 7 hours.

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Yum!!! I'm sure it will be excellent.

Jeff

Sound good I do all mine hot smoking it then just needs heating up and done.

You use the imperial temp and hickory are you based in the USA.

Cheers Bear

OldFrenchy wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2021 at 6:58pm:

Got the cold smoker going for some bacon. The bacon is cured in a brine and brown sugar solution over 3 days, no curing salt. It is rubbed with crushed pepper before smoking, smoked with hickory pellets at 90°f for 7 hours.

I am confused.

When you say it is cured in brine, what is in the brine if there is no salt? 

Technically a brine is based on a salted water medium.

Yes, there is a cup of salt as well, of course!

Rabbitz wrote on Apr 24^th, 2021 at 11:11am:

OldFrenchy wrote on Apr 23rd, 2021 at 6:58pm: Got the cold smoker going for some bacon. The bacon is cured in a brine and brown sugar solution over 3 days, no curing salt. It is rubbed with crushed pepper before smoking, smoked with hickory pellets at 90°f for 7 hours. I am confused. When you say it is cured in brine, what is in the brine if there is no salt?  Technically a brine is based on a salted water medium.

Key word is curing salt.  Totally different product to ordinary salt and quite dangerous in the wrong hands.  It is used to stop the growth of anaerobic bacteria during the curing process.

This is my pack of it.

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Molly mention yesterday I have to do some more bacon. With the colder weather some cheese will be in the oven for a cold smoke as well. Cheers Robert

Could not get any Jalapeños so using hot Thai chillies to see how they go. Using a couple of lumps of apple to start with then apple/cherry pellets for convenience of a low slow smoke.

Will be in the dryer when finished smoking.

1.5 kilo of chillies for the record, cheers Robert

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There in the dryer now so will see how they go.

Rest of the chillies I did 1 and 1/2 jars pickled and should get a few small jars of chillie jam.

Did a bacon today from a piece of boneless shoulder. Looks good just need to let it cool down. Will be ok to try for breakfast tomorrow.

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