Homemade Sausage Making

It seems to me that there can be some confusion about the terms used when we smoke meat. Someone please correct me if I am in error here.
1.Cold smoking is a long process that results in substantial drying.
2. Hot smoking is a shorter process that results in a product that is precooked to about 140° to about 150°.
3. smoking in a cold smoker results in a smoke flavored product that is otherwise unchanged and must be handled as before the application of smoke. Examples are cheeses and some cold cured meats and fish.
4. Products smoked in a cold smoker may be finished in the kitchen by poaching or baking or otherwise cooked..

I agree with numbers 2-4 for the most part, except that sometimes if a product is cold-smoked and cured it may not necessarily require additional "cooking" for edibility, some spreadable sausages come to mind. My only concern with 1 deals with defining "long". At this time I exclusively cold-smoke as my smoker is not set up for heat generation and I've been known to smoke as little as 2 hrs or as long as 12.

Also, I would think that dehydration would be part of that equation as shorter cold smoking, say overnight at 50-degrees F, would not substantially dehydrate the meat.

I think that the pond you're dipping your toe into is one of the most confusing things about sausage-making as so many sausages from various parts of the world defy definitions or boundaries.

Jerbear, This is why I made the distinction between cold smoking and smoking cold. Cold smoking in a farm smokehouse could continue all winter. You and I have a set-up for smoking cold but we don't keep the meat in the smokehouse for storage as was done in years past before mechanical refrigeration.

Yesterday I brined some salmon and last night I set it out to dry in my smoker. Today I have my fire smouldering with pear wood and the thermometer is reading 40°F. Sometime tonight I will let the fire go out and tomorrow wrap it for the freezer.
I think that I must call this smoking cold. I will not smoke this for several days.

Whatever it's called, it sure looks good, Ross. (...salivating) I gotta try this.

What are the two potato-like objects to the left? ...and what's on the lower rack, below them? ...secret formula? "Inquiring minds want to know." ...and all that.

Russ

The light colored objects are half wheels of Gouda. The racks are a baked goods cooling rack and the bottom rack in my grill. This is a very primitive smoker. Brine was 80° including cure#1 plus 1% sugar. 8 hours brine time ,one hour in 3 changes of fresh water. dry over night in the grill. remote smoke fire.

Smokes salmon 10 hours in pearwood smoke .smoker temperature 45° to 50° F

Those smoked salmon pieces look beautiful. When winter arrives here I certainly will try and copy what you did. How was the smoke taste, similar to the commercial stuff?
Jan.

I can't compare it with the commercial salmon because it has been about twenty years since I have had any store bought. But several people claim/declare it to be excellant. The smoke is nicely mild in flavor and not as pronounced as with hickory or oak.

ssorllih wrote:It seems to me that there can be some confusion about the terms used when we smoke meat. Someone please correct me if I am in error here.
1.Cold smoking is a long process that results in substantial drying.
2. Hot smoking is a shorter process that results in a product that is precooked to about 140° to about 150°.
3. smoking in a cold smoker results in a smoke flavored product that is otherwise unchanged and must be handled as before the application of smoke. Examples are cheeses and some cold cured meats and fish.
4. Products smoked in a cold smoker may be finished in the kitchen by poaching or baking or otherwise cooked..

There seems to be so many interpretations of what cold, warm, and hot smoking mean that I always define them in a post if that's what im talking about. I'm on several forums and everyone has different interpretations

I coldsmoked some salmon last time I could pick up some fresh salmon. Your photos, Ross, are so good, I am dribbling, with the memory of my last lot. What a glorious taste!
Ursula

Ursula. I believe that was my third effort and I came out the best in taste and appearance. Thanks.

I will be making cold smoked salmon "a la Ross" when winter arrives here.
At the moment ( summer here) I usually hot smoke salmon as our daily temperatures are in the mid 30's and 85% humidity virtually every day and beggars can't be choosers.
Regards,
Jan.

Italian custard and chocolate layered cake brings back fond memories as an Italian friend's mother used to make them quite often with about up to 5 different layers of custard/chocolate cream and flavoured with liqueur.
It was a bit different from the Zuppa cakes I googled.
Are there any members with Italian parents/relations that can recall this style of cake?
I like to make it myself.
Cheers,
Jan.

Jan that is almost hot enough to cook it without a fire. I like the barby in the summer it keeps the heat out of the house.