fish smokers

depends on how much you will use it, its a bit like these fondue sets, smoothie makers etc, will you soon get bored with `everything` smoked and it sits in the cupboard for a few years before being offered on freecycle ;)
 
If you really like smoked food - go get one!
I've had mine for years and have been smoking fish - Makerel are delish' smoked - so are trout.
I have also been curing & smoking my own bacon - totally different from the watery mush you get from the supermarkets. Smoked duck is another treat as is smoked ham. Me mouth's watering just thinking about it.
Anyway, the one I have is electric and American made - Jensen Lhur - I think the manufacturer is named - got it from some internet fishing tackle outlet - can't remember the shop name though.
It's basically an aluminium box about 18"x !8"x 18" with a ventilated lid and 3 x horizontal shelves in an internal rack. It has, what looks like, an old kettle electrical element in the bottom and a small pan for the wood chippings sits on top of it - as simple as that - but does the bizz.
 
I made one withe a couple of turkey tins, a rack that sits inside and a couple of bricks.
Make a hole in the top tin. Then put damp chippings in the bottom tin, put you rack on top with the food on. Put top tin over.

now sit on a couple of bricks and put a small can under full of meths. When it burns out food is cooked.

cheap and works a treat , done some mackeral, cod and chicken today..ace:)
 
Anybody got any good recommendations for one or are they just a waste of space.
dave

Iv'e got the Hardy meths one,had it for years now and use it all the time in the summer.

My favorite is smoked mackerel,fresh caught with a sprinkling of white wine,you couldn't get any better taste.
One day sailing back from isle-of-man to Kippford sw scotland at about 10pm dropped a line over and slowed down the boat...within mins had a string of mackerel,then within mins they were smoked and in between some crusty bread also a glass of wine to wash them down....nowt better:)
 
A bloke who i fished with had one on his boat. He made his from an old biscuit tin and the smoked mackerel were beautiful.
 
Ikea do a set of steel tins for £5 the largest one is ideal for a smoker, a large cake cooling rack from asda or wilkinson for a couple of quid bend it to fit inside easily about 3 inches off the bottom and you have a basic smoker. A small gap in the lid (bend it slightly with some pliers) to allow smoke out and mount it on 2 bricks. I use a disposable BBQ as a heat source and buy smoke chips off Ebay for a couple of quid. Use a piece of foil on the bottom of the tin to make cleaning it easier.

soak your chips in water for 20 minutes then squeeze them out thoroughly.

Place them in the bottom of the smoker and fire up a BBQ, place it under the smoker and wait until it just starts to smoke. put your meat/fish etc in the smoker and leave it for 30/40 mins, check it and if it's not done stick it back on for a while longer.

NB. - if your smoking fish cover it in a liberal coating of salt for 24 hours before smoking, scrape off the salt and rinse any remaining off, dry thoroughly with kitchen paper before smoking. This firms up the fish flesh and make it denser.

You can keep it in the fridge once cooked for up to 4 days or freeze it for 3 months. :)
 
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