How do you define quantity of smoke?

JerBear · Post by **JerBear** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 19:45

Many of the recipes I read state light smoke for x period of time, or medium smoke for x quantity of time.

How do you define light vs. medium vs. heavy?

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 19:57

Light smoke makes you search to see it. Medium smoke is very visible and heavy smoke you have to wait for it to clear before you can see the meat.

JerBear · Post by **JerBear** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 20:39

That makes sense. I wrote in another post that my first attempt at using my smoker was a complete failure and felt the cheese was oversmoked. Using your reference I'd say I ran super-heavy smoke for about 2 hrs.... waaaay too much.

Thanks!

Keymaster · Post by **Keymaster** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 23:19

ssorllih wrote:Light smoke makes you search to see it. Medium smoke is very visible and heavy smoke you have to wait for it to clear before you can see the meat.

Perfect answer to question asked, Nice job!!

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 09:59

My trick with smoked cheese is a very light smoking for a 6-8 hours and than vacuum packing it for for a few weeks, it gets a better smoke flavour with age. I can only do this in winter here as I live in the sub-tropics.
Regards,
Jan.

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 15:06

The smoke flavor seems to migrate into the brick with time. I just wrap with plastic wrap.

Gringo Loco · Post by **Gringo Loco** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 15:31

Thats some great info!
Thanks
GL

snagman · Post by **snagman** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 07:17

JerBear wrote:Many of the recipes I read state light smoke for x period of time, or medium smoke for x quantity of time.

How do you define light vs. medium vs. heavy?

JB,

In 1951, two scientists, Manerberger and Mirkin, researched many aspects of smoke and its effect on meats. They defined smoke quantity by stating that the density of smoke is measured by how much light is seen through it.
"smoke is thin when a 40watt globe's light can be seen through it a distance of 7 meters, and thick when from a distance of 600mm it cannot be seen"
How this can be applied to your smoker is another question. Many tasters (mostly women) might say there is too much smoke, and that is the measure by which I go by, the taste. It is also affected by the woods one uses in the first place.

Regards, Gus

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 15:06

If we wanted we could put numbers on this with a photo resistive cell and a light source.
7 meters is about 22 feet or the distance across a conference room full of people smoking tobacco. 600 mm is the length of your arm or the smoke is so thick you can't see you hand at arms length.

How do you define quantity of smoke?

Re: How do you define quantity of smoke?