Cold Smoking — Salmon, Cheese, and Butter

Ingredients

• PROTEIN (skin-on salmon fillet, 500 g; hard cheese — 250 g block; cultured butter — 200 g block)
• SMOKE FUEL
• 150 g hardwood sawdust (oak, alder, or hickory; fine grade)
• EQUIPMENT
• 1 cold-smoke generator or smoking gun with ice chamber
• 1 sealed box or smoking cabinet

Method

1. 1
   Prepare protein: pat salmon skin dry; score skin in a crosshatch pattern 3 mm deep. For cheese and butter, ensure surfaces are completely dry.
2. 2
   Place ice or frozen gel packs in the generator's ice chamber; fill sawdust hopper with hardwood sawdust and ignite according to manufacturer instructions (aim for steady, cool smoke at 15–27°C).
3. 3
   Position protein on racks inside sealed smoking cabinet; direct smoke line into chamber; maintain low temperature below 27°C using ice or a secondary cooling chamber.
4. 4
   Cold-smoke for 4–6 hours for subtle smoke flavour; 8–12 hours for medium intensity; 16–24 hours for heavy smoke. Check ice levels every 2 hours.
5. 5
   Remove protein; refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours to allow smoke flavour to set.
6. 6
   Wrap and refrigerate: smoked salmon (3 weeks), smoked cheese (6 weeks), smoked butter (8 weeks). Flavour continues to develop during storage.