Message Boards

Maybe you haven't tried the "right" smoked food sing!
What's not "fresh" about sourcing your own meat, curing it and then smoking with pure wood shavings? I know there are no antibiotics or additives in the finished product which makes me really happy.
The family also enjoy it too. It bears no resemblance to the smoked products you can presently buy.
Just because you "smoke", it doesn't mean the food is then stored around for ages to deteriorate. The worst I do is freeze.

I am really not keen on smoked food, I think its the way back. Fresh food is what I'm all about . I tried some smoked chicken recently and it was pretty awful to be honest, i hasten to add I am a really foody!

The smoker came from Westcountry Smokers
www.coldsmoker.com who are based in Devon. As it was a present I don't know the price.
A couple of years ago I had a hot smoker which produces a lovely flavour on both meat and fish. You have to brine before smoking but the process is so easy with really succulent results.

I've been thinking of making one. Our local ironmongers sells garden incinerators which resemble galvanised dustbins but with a chimney on the lid. Ought to be easy to adapt a round barbie grille to sit on top under the lid, and then hang the food to be smoked from the grille on 's' hooks.
I wish Jan all success and can't wait to read how she gets on.

Tell us more after and during the process - It is something I have thought about doing, and would love to know the success and the failures of such a venture.

Where did you get the smoker, and how much was it?

I shan't be smoking mine up the chimney! My husband bourght me a home smoker for Christmas - it's a big beast!! Sits in the garden. Good job we've got lots of space!
Don't know when the stuff will arrive. I will be waiting with anticipation. As soon as I get the process started I'll let you know how I got on. Been on the HFW site. Lots of good advice there thamks to JBT. Everyone seems to have a different way of doing it so my go will be a little bit of everyones. Watch this space!!!

Of course your reasoning is probably right Gasrtovolpe but thought the one I read just sounded nice and quirky.

Bit like me at times.

Good luck Jan. How long till the saltpetre arrives in your letterbox? It seems a huge quantity, do you use salt as well? I am looking forward to regular updates on your progress with curing. Hope it all goes well. I remember HFW doing it, he smoked his in a chimney and it turned out like parma ham I think. You could start a cottage industry ....

I seem to have opened a whole new can of worms here!
I totally agree that all recipes are based on plagurism as this is how the whole concept of how we prepare and cook food has evolved.
I am happy to say that I won my bid on eBay yesterday and am awaiting my consignment.
If it wasn't for the helpful advice given to me here, I would still be floundering.
lets hope we have some clarification soon. Thanks to you all again. Your help has been invaluable.

jan,hfw says if you cant get saltpetre just leave it out

Dear Frexy, I rather think the nickname banger comes from the tendency for sausages to burst out of their skin if they're not cooked sympathetically.
Thanks for following this thread all the same.

On a lighter note there is a "story" that sausages got the name bangers because saltpetre was used in their making and it is also a component of fireworks , particlarly bangers.

Another urban myth or a ring of truth.

Nick, thanks for your support and I endorse your sentiments wholeheartedly.
My contributions to this website have been motivated solely by my passion for food and cooking, and a desire to share my experience with like-minded people who have made the biggest step by accessing the site in the first place.
We can both see that there are novices and professionals on here, expressing their fervently held views about the preparation of food, and swapping ideas and knowledge with absolute freedom; whilst at the same time acknowledging that most cookery books have copyrights held in the author's name.
All I'm asking Ian to do is to clarify the criteria if he can so that in future I can avoid wasting my time helping someone if there's a chance my recipe will be 'pulled'. I'm not complaining. I do understand the system.
In this case in particular, Jan has made the brave decision to have a go at curing and smoking some bacon, and I have encouraged her even to the extent of finding the saltpetre she needs on eBay.
I felt pretty secure when writing the procedure for her because a) it's a process that's hundreds of years old, and b) because I believed I'd be safe describing something based on the writings of Eliza Acton whose book 'Modern Cookery for Private Families' was published in 1845. Elizabeth David called it "the greatest cookery book in our language". The only part of that book that has the protection of copyright is the modern preface to the reprinted edition of 1993 by Elizabeth Ray. I took the trouble to look and felt safe having looked.

Let's start with a legal landmine - Cooking is all about plaguerism!!!!

The majority of chefs use other people's ideas and then tweak to what they like - So I should think this would be an absolute nightmare for Ian and Co.

Let's try this scenario Ian - 60% of my recipes are my own idea from Scratch (well I was sitting in a pub and you know what it's like).

What are the problems if I gave out my own recipes? Because to be quite honest, I am more interested in people trying new things rather than who owns my recipes !!

Jan, I can commend the HFW recipe referred to by JBT. Indeed it's probably more suited to your objective of producing bacon than mine was, which favoured a ham. You'll also find expert guidance on the smoking process as well.

Ian, I'm grateful for your timely moderation and assure you that I have no wish to put UK Food in an awkward legal position. I would however appreciate your guidance on where one draws the line between recipes or methods that are essentially generic, and those which are obviously attributable to a chef or author. Much of what I know and write about on here is from memory, only referring to hard copy for quantities occasionally.
I look forward to hearing from you in order to better understand the guidelines you adhere to.

Ok. Just found it! Think I got too excited at the prospect.
He uses saltpetre as well. If I'm not successful with my eBay bid I might have to email him to find out where he gets his. This is all such a palaver! I hope the end product is worth the hassle!

I can't find it jaybeetee. Where do I look?

have a look at www.rivercottage.net Hugh Fearnley -whittingstalls gives his recipe there

Sorry- also forgot to tell you I've just been on eBay and put in my bid! Thanks. Just have to wait now until until 6.10pm to see if I've been successful.

Gastrovolpe, perhaps you could tell me "in your own words" what "you" did, cause you did do it really!!!! Didn't you!

Bear in mind that I've never attempted this, but the following recipe comes from a widely respected source.!
"[Note from moderator: The recipe posted here has been deleted due to possible breach of copyright. We apologise for the inconvenience.]"

please do!!!

Good luck Jan1347 .. let us know how you get on!

Thanks for all the info. Already tried the chemist, they looked at me as if I was stupid.
I believe that saltpetre is not only used as a colour preservative but mostly to prevent Botulism developing which is my main concern.
Will try eBay now and see whats going down.
If you can give me the correct quantities and curing times Gastrovolpe I'd be really gratful. The info I have collected seems very contradictory. It would be great to have a successful method to start with!

I don't know whether Ian will permit this to be released, but whilst trawling through eBay just now I came across someone selling a 500g quantity of potassium nitrate. If you search for KNO3 you should find it!