Cold Smoking in the cold

workingpoor · Post by **workingpoor** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 16:20

I am putting this here as it relates to my fermented sausages. I am about to start another batch of pepperoni (slow version). I want to cold smoke them (I know that this is not traditional in Italy, but I am not Italian and like the taste). My question is that I see that it calls to cold smoke at 72F. Well, it is around 34F here. Will sitting at that temp for 8 hours negatively affect the microbiology in the recently fermented sausage? I know that bacertia slow down in the cold I just want to make sure I am not putting the brakes on my hungry little bacteria to much.

Also, I can't do the semi dry version right now because I have no culture.

Post by **redzed** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 18:47

Fermented products can be cold smoked any time during the dry cure process, so you have a longer window of opportunity to smoke your pepperoni. 34°F is quite cold, almost freezing, so I would not risk putting freshly fermented sausage into that environment. Can you not raise the temp in the smoker by about 10 degrees?

workingpoor · Post by **workingpoor** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 19:00

I have been using my propane hot smoker box and just putting an amaze-n smoker in it. Even on low my crappy smoker chugs along at 140

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 19:37

Hi Workingpoor,
Instead of using propane as a heat source, use a small electric hotplate on the lowest setting with a cast iron pot it acting as a heatbank to stop temperatures fluctuating to much.
A bit of trial and error required with notes taken for future use.
You should be able to raise the temp 10 degrees as Red suggest.
YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!
Cheers,
Jan.