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Indoor Smoking


Daniel

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I have this grill top smoker.. Living in an apartment, I try to get the BBQ or grill flavor.. Anyway, in efforts to prepare food using less oil and fat, smoking is a great thing..

Here is my smoker..

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I place these woodchips/dust at the bottom of the pan and it gets covered with a thin sheet or metal..

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A combo of dust and fine chips..

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Tonight I just added a little homemade dry rub to some chicken breasts.. Placed on the rack in the smoker and cooked on low until the internal temp was 145..

It does get smokey in there..

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Chicken is moist and smokey.. Ready to be added to tomorrow's salad..

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What else do people use there indoor smoker for..

Edited by Daniel (log)
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I know you are just trying to lay a guilt trip on me! :biggrin: I have the same smoker and it has not moved out of the basement since we moved to this new house.

When I got it we lived in an apartment where BBQs were forbidden. It was one of those "must-have" gadgets that I used religiously at first and had quite acceptable results. Then, once I thought I had the hang of it, decided to smoke a pork tenderloin for company and it turned out so bitter and over-smoked that I have never used it since. Now we have a BBQ so it has even less appeal but I really should break it out again and give it a chance.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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I know you are just trying to lay a guilt trip on me!  :biggrin:  I have the same smoker and it has not moved out of the basement since we moved to this new house. 

When I got it we lived in an apartment where BBQs were forbidden.  It was one of those "must-have" gadgets that I used religiously at first and had quite acceptable results.  Then, once I thought I had the hang of it, decided to smoke a pork tenderloin for company and it turned out so bitter and over-smoked that I have never used it since.  Now we have a BBQ so it has even less appeal but I really should break it out again and give it a chance.

I have owned this gadget for about 4 years... I might have used it 12 times.. Normally, just a single serving of meat or chicken.. I have yet to try fish or a large piece of meat... But bitterness is definately something I will be more aware of now..

What was your favorite thing to make in this guy..

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I first learned about the cameron's smoker at a lecture cooking course at Viking kitchen - they smoked up some portobellos and tomatoes for a sandwich with pesto mayo. darned fine inspiration (though, a little swine woulda been enticing as well). And so, I had to have it.

I've used mine in one yr about 10 - 12 times - principally for ribs (baby back and spare, rubbed 24 hrs in advance, smoked and then finished with sauce in the oven or on the grill). have tried fingerling potatoes (to mimic a mashed smoked potato that I had at marigold in phila) and it was taking too long, i was too hungry, took them out still too firm, and roasted them in the oven with a little oil and S&P - the hint of smoke was present and delightful!. I've experimented with chicken parts too and used for salad, not a main course. I recently bought a book from Amazon called Smokin'- exclusively for the stovetop smoker and have yet to try it.

I am a big fan of this gadget and while bitterness is a potential side effect, i am still willing to toil away with it. I want to know more about the different woods and their affect/match with different foods.

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....

I have owned this gadget for about 4 years... I might have used it 12 times.. Normally, just a single serving of meat or chicken.. I have yet to try fish or a large piece of meat... But bitterness is definately something I will be more aware of now..

What was your favorite thing to make in this guy..

Sorry, it's been so long but I think we did a centre cut of salmon and some chicken pieces that particularly impressed us.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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My Three Favorite things to smoke:

Cured Salmon (from Raichlen's indoor grilling book)

Jerk Pork Tenderloin (from a different Raichlen recipe)

Mashed potatoes! (the trick, from my experience, is to make the mashed potatoes, then smoke them, instead of smoking whole potatoes then mashing them).

Andrew

Edited by ariggsby (log)

Andrew Riggsby

ariggsby@mail.utexas.edu

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Green tea smoked chicken breast. Green tea, covered with a layer of brown sugar, smoke for 15 minutes only:- the tea smoke taste can get a bit overpowering. The chicken will not be cooked fully. Chill and then later slice thickly and sautee briefly in butter.

Gerhard Groenewald

www.mesamis.co.za

Wilderness

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Living in an apartment myself, I've thought about getting one of those.

Doesn't the kitchen get very smoky?

Very little smoke escapes. I can't even remember if I've had to put the fan on. I've done pulled pork by using aluminum foil with no problem. Pretty good results. Of course not like my son gets in Kansas City with his big smoker.

"Last week Uncle Vinnie came over from Sicily and we took him to the Olive Garden. The next day the family car exploded."

--Nick DePaolo

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I used to use mine a lot in the winter, but have modified my garage so I can use the Bradley pretty much year around. I love herb brined and dry spiced rub pork tenderloins done in the Cameron.

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I use mine frequently when I have to get some nice smokey flavor in a minimal amount of time. One of the nicest dishes I make with the Cameron is a Cinnamon Smoked Pork tenderloin. I start by making an easy dry rub with a little cumin, a little cinnamon, a little brown sugar and a little allspice, S and P. Then I wrap the pork tenderloins in bacon. Smoke them with a little of the Alderwood chip mixed with some crushed cinnamon sticks for about 20 minutes. Finish on the grill or in the oven. I like it over a sweet potato puree with a sprinkling of roasted root veggies.

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I use mine frequently when I have to get some nice smokey flavor in a minimal amount of time. One of the nicest dishes I make with the Cameron is a Cinnamon Smoked Pork tenderloin. I start by making an easy dry rub with a little cumin, a little cinnamon, a little brown sugar and a little allspice, S and P. Then I wrap the pork tenderloins in bacon. Smoke them with a little of the Alderwood chip mixed with some crushed cinnamon sticks for about 20 minutes. Finish on the grill or in the oven. I like it over a sweet potato puree with a sprinkling of roasted root veggies.

I am definitely going to break mine out again very soon. This sounds so good! Thanks

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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I posted this in the dinner thread.. But as I sit here eating these guys for lunch.. I need to share again.. Brined the ribs for 12 hours in salt and water..

Rubbed:

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While they were cooking a turned a couple of times and also opened it up to spray with applce cider vinegar..

I call this the Daniel Salad.

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Bite:

Juicy, smokey, spicey.. Very good, obviously in a backyard it would have been a thing of beauty.. But pretty close.. Country Style Ribs are very under rated..

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Indoor smoking is a lot better then just putting in the oven.. Even this morning as I undid the tin foil the smoke was highly present..

I have had this pork loin marinating in jerk since Saturday.. I will be tossing it in the smoker..

Edited by Daniel (log)
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I went to my kitchen supply store and inquired about these smokers.. they have the Cameron as well.. Now I'm debating what size I need..

Anyway, my question is about the woodchips. On the Cameron website they have all these different kind of wood and they claim it changes the flavor of what you smoke.. in the store today they only had one kind, big bags of something cheap, and they said it doesn't matter what kind you use.. the flavor comes from marinating, and herbs.. so I'd like to know what are your experiences, indoor-smoker-users?

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The Spouse will often add woodchips to our outdoor grill (barbecue, in Canadian talk) to impart some smoky flavour to meats.

We've never used purchased chips; instead he wraps up green trimmings from various nut and fruit trees in tin foil, pokes a few holes in the packet, and tosses it on top of the flame.

Pecan, peach, nectarine, almond...they're all good. :wub:

Jen Jensen

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I went to my kitchen supply store and inquired about these smokers.. they have the Cameron as well.. Now I'm debating what size I need..

Anyway, my question is about the woodchips. On the Cameron website they have all these different kind of wood and they claim it changes the flavor of what you smoke.. in the store today they only had one kind, big bags of something cheap, and they said it doesn't matter what kind you use.. the flavor comes from marinating, and herbs.. so I'd like to know what are your experiences, indoor-smoker-users?

I really dont know if the wood chips will really change the taste too drastically in the indoor smoker.. I just know that alder is the strongest.. Mesquite is next to me... Like an apple or cherry is a little less over powering.. But for something that smokes so quickly in an indoor, i would go mesquite or alder.. I currently bought a Mesquite and am happy with it..

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Might as well add these photos here too..

Set thermometer for 125...

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Finished product.. The stove top doesnt allow the smoke to really penetrate and give the smoke ring.. However the meat was smokey.. The smoke went well with the sweet and the spice of the jerk.. Very good..

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Int temp 138ish : It was very tastey, had a smokey flavor on the outside.. But no smoke ring..

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Edited by Daniel (log)
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Oh, you are making my mouth water. Breaking out the smoker soon! This time of year, I'm on the Weber but for speed (and according to your photos) terrific flavor, back to the indoor.

Happy eating. come share it with me sometime!

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One of the things we've sort of figured out on all of the other smoking topics (which are all outdoor smoking, not stovetop, is that we want the temp of the smoker to be as low as possible for the initial part of the smoke, and the meat should be as cold as possible when going onto the smoker, and the common agreement is that the meat quits absorbing smoke when the surface gets to about 140 (F).

And, for a long smoke, mesquite is often not the preferred as it can lend an almost bitter, too smoky taste, but I'd imagine that things are different stove top.

I have been smoking with hickory (outdoor smoker) for years, and have just come into a pick-up truck load of apple, and there is a different flavor. Slightly sweeter.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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Here's something that worked pretty well (based on something I saw Rick Bayless do on TV):

Smoked some duck breasts

Cut them pretty small with a cleaver, stir-fried briefly with diced shallots, a few toasted and chopped hazelnuts, and a little soy and mirin.

Made tacos with the result.

Probably more of a fall dish, not not bad.

Andrew

Andrew Riggsby

ariggsby@mail.utexas.edu

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Sorry no pictures ... but we made some salmon "bacon" last night during a cooking course I'm taking. Strips of belly meat, marinated in soy, ginger, fish sauce, etc and then smoked in a wok over apple, star anise, pink peppercorns and a couple other things I can't remember.

Super easy, and really quick results.

A.

oh yeah ... make sure you have a really good hood fan, or a large open window ... or at least remove the batteries from the smoke detector. :laugh:

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