# Wood Smoker Ovens - Hints and advice...



## slim6y (Jul 10, 2010)

I managed to pick up a nipper kipper smoker oven for practically free - but with no metho burner with it.

I can get a metho burner (obviously) but is there alternatives....

For example I have a gas burner (like this one pictured here):







Can I use something like that underneath the smoker oven? And how low should it be turned down to?

Net question - the wood...

What wood would you recommend - I'm used to manuka and beech - I assume beech is ok over here too...? What about tea-tree?

Where do you get the wood from? 

What do you cook and what's a decent recipe?

I'd actually like to smoke chillies and capsicums as well - I love hot smoked chillies - but I've never done it and I don't have a clue where to start.

Of course the usual fish would be good to - Do you use whole fish and just pick it off the bones?

I'm not even sure of the rule of thumb for time when it comes to fish smoking... 

All eager to learn... 

Do part your knowledge 

Cheers

slim


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## Elapidae1 (Jul 10, 2010)

Firestarters I don't think you will get a low enough burn from the gas ring. Most BBQ shops ,camping shops etc sell wood shavings even Bunnings. I love smoked chicken, experiment with different marinades etc or try soaking wood shavings in red wine, or smoke strips of meat and then dehydrate them in a dehydrator. The possibility's are endless.


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## syeph8 (Jul 10, 2010)

we used to have tonnes of redwood for firewood (i know, seems like a waste) and we used that to smoke something once.. really wasnt a great outcome. dont know if it was us or the wood, but i would reccomend not doing it


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## slim6y (Jul 10, 2010)

steve1 said:


> Firestarters I don't think you will get a low enough burn from the gas ring. Most BBQ shops ,camping shops etc sell wood shavings even Bunnings. I love smoked chicken, experiment with different marinades etc or try soaking wood shavings in red wine, or smoke strips of meat and then dehydrate them in a dehydrator. The possibility's are endless.


 
I could make a meth burner from an old salsa jar, some meths and a wick... That's easy enough to do... I guess it's experimenting without the use of very expensive fish to start with.

So is the secret low heat?


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## slim6y (Jul 10, 2010)

syeph8 said:


> we used to have tonnes of redwood for firewood (i know, seems like a waste) and we used that to smoke something once.. really wasnt a great outcome. dont know if it was us or the wood, but i would reccomend not doing it


 
Thanks - recommendation noted


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## Elapidae1 (Jul 10, 2010)

Low heat is necessary as you want the wood to just smolder not burn or produce flame, however there are things that you must consider ,for example bacon is raw and recomended to be cooked to avoid the possibility of micro organisms being present, whilst on the other hand ham is a cooked smoked product and safe to eat as is, with a nipper kipper I have always found that small fish like herring and whiting have always cooked through no worries, for tailor etc I generally just smoke the fillets. So just be sure to cook it through.


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## slim6y (Jul 11, 2010)

Right - test one up...

I got a spirit burner for the nipper kipper - I got the spirits... I got some Australian bush wood dust and some hickory chips - I'm soaking them now as I speak (will tell you what in if this tastes good later).

I'm not going to smoke any animals today tho... Just veges - Chillies, capsicum, garlic and shrooms... Just as a tester to see what the flavour is like....

I'm told, if I don't like the smoke taste, the nipper kipper turns into a great damper maker - which I'm also ok with 

Experiment results will be returned


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## clouded_mind (Jul 11, 2010)

You have to try smoked moink balls (moo + oink)
Wrap some meatballs in bacon rashers and coat with your choice of spices.
Then smoke them with your choice of timber soaked in your choice of alcohol beverage.


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## slim6y (Jul 11, 2010)

clouded_mind said:


> You have to try smoked moink balls (moo + oink)
> Wrap some meatballs in bacon rashers and coat with your choice of spices.
> Then smoke them with your choice of timber soaked in your choice of alcohol beverage.


 
Sold - to the man in black....

I will so be taking this smoker camping with me... I didn't realise how hot it gets inside - but you could roast a chicken in there...

Currently smouldering away flavouring all my veges... will it be good? There's the question.... Answer later - but one thing I can tell you is - I can smell it from here where I am writing and it smells fantastic in there!


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## clouded_mind (Jul 11, 2010)

A small bit of timber goes along way.
Our first session with the smoker we used a full container of chips as we didn't know any better.
The food was nice at first but quickly became very sickening lol. We now use just a little wood and experiment with our brines to get much better flavours out of it. 

A leg of Ham is another fav of ours


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## slim6y (Jul 11, 2010)

Thanks clouded_mind.... I will remember.

It's only a small smoker this one... and I laid some dry as well as soaked wood in there - the experiment continues... 

The burner is now out...

So let's say I was doing a chicken... Do I just leave it in there till the oven cools and hope it's cooked through?


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## Elapidae1 (Jul 11, 2010)

That's part of the experimentation, as you keep using it you will get a feel for the amount of time it takes, I have smoked some things in a nipper kipper where I have had to refill the burner and kepep going. or get a meat thermometer


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## clouded_mind (Jul 11, 2010)

Keep the burners going till the meat is cooked thoroughly.
Just refill with metho & relight as needed when they extinguish.
Most store bought smokers are pretty small so you might have to do this several times during a big cook off.


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## slim6y (Jul 11, 2010)

Most stuff tasted good - perhaps a bit to smoky - but good


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## Southside Morelia (Jul 11, 2010)

Well done mate....I too am going to experiment with a "true" smoker soon. I always BBQ Roast with wood chips of differing types and have them sent from the USA from a guy on eBay, awesome chips. Apricot, Apple, Peach, to name a few that we cant get in Australia unless you cut and dry them yourself. BBQ's galore dont have the same range as this guy, you name it he has it and sends me a mixed box with recommended meats to go with what wood plus different combos to use. The yanks have it down pat and hate to admit it! lol
I haven't actually "smoked" a meat yet but as mentioned am keen to do it soon.

Thanks for the update, I was reading with drooling lips...LOL


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## slim6y (Jul 11, 2010)

Southside Morelia said:


> Well done mate....I too am going to experiment with a "true" smoker soon. I always BBQ Roast with wood chips of differing types and have them sent from the USA from a guy on eBay, awesome chips. Apricot, Apple, Peach, to name a few that we cant get in Australia unless you cut and dry them yourself. BBQ's galore dont have the same range as this guy, you name it he has it and sends me a mixed box with recommended meats to go with what wood plus different combos to use. The yanks have it down pat and hate to admit it! lol
> I haven't actually "smoked" a meat yet but as mentioned am keen to do it soon.
> 
> Thanks for the update, I was reading with drooling lips...LOL


 
A couple of things:
That would be awesome to get some of these smoker products from the USA (wasn't aware we were allowed to bring them into the country) - can you link me???

Here's some recipes from the Nipper Kipper site:

Great Online Recipes - Hervey Bay Australia

Particularly want to try pork sausages!

I think I'd like to do a full chilli sauce - chipolte I believe  

The chillies and garlic were sensational - the garlic just spread on top of some beautiful rib eye steaks (rare in the middle) and topped with smoked chillies.... Yum!

Gonna do that again!

Oh - and it was Australian garlic too - none of that Chinese shi... stuff.....


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## Magpie (Jul 11, 2010)

Experiment with local woods for flavour. Using Hickory is crazy, just cause the Americans liked the flavour 200 years ago, people think it's the only option. Hardwoods are obviously best. Jarrah (WA wood) has a nice, mild flavour. I just use wood from the rainforest here when I use the Weber for smoking.
Get a cast net, catch some herrings and smoke 'em (and invite me round).


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## slim6y (Jul 11, 2010)

Magpie said:


> Experiment with local woods for flavour. Using Hickory is crazy, just cause the Americans liked the flavour 200 years ago, people think it's the only option. Hardwoods are obviously best. Jarrah (WA wood) has a nice, mild flavour. I just use wood from the rainforest here when I use the Weber for smoking.
> Get a cast net, catch some herrings and smoke 'em (and invite me round).


 
Are you still here?

You have a cast net.... I have an old bean tree stump ready for crushing up....

Also the wood mill down the road only has hardwood - can use that - wished I knew what type of wood it was!

Is there any to avoid?


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## Magpie (Jul 12, 2010)

slim6y said:


> Are you still here?
> 
> You have a cast net.... I have an old bean tree stump ready for crushing up....
> 
> ...




Avoid pine / cedar. Obviously avoid anything toxic. Apart from that, go for it. I think I wrecked my last cast net.


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## slim6y (Jul 24, 2010)

I just wanted to say I had the BEST ever chicken drums and smoked garlic aoli last night - here's my recipe (if I can recall it).

I tried it with 4 decent drum sticks.

I used hickory soaked for 3 hours in beer and juice of one lime put into a tin foil baking dish which I crushed down to fit the smoker oven and trays. I added a little extra of the beer to the foil dish as well but did not add any more dry wood.

The chicken was placed on the rack then dried chilli flakes, salt, and mixed herbs were added to the chicken. On the top rack I placed 6 or 7 unwrapped cloves of garlic and the remaining lime halves.

That was it...

Then 2 and a half meth burners full we had the most tender, moist and beautiful chicken ever.

The garlic was PERFECT (taken out after the second meth burner completely burnt out).

The garlic then put together with mayo and served on top of baked potato!

One of the easiest meals I've ever done and I rank that chicken as possibly the nicest chicken I've tried and perhaps the most perfectly cooked chicken ever!!!

I can't wait to try fish now!


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## dossy (Jul 24, 2010)

iv never smoked and foods before but i do remember my grandmother doing it afew times and she added in the skins of fruits like apple and citrus it was never very much skin added but it tasted good. as for hard woods here is a list( i do dt and had to study all of these) 
blackbutt, brush box, red gum, grey iron bark, red iron bark, jarrah, w.a karri, spotted gum, sydney blue gum, tallowood, turpentine (yes its a wood) victorian ash, rose wood, walnut and oak just to name a few. 

if you want to know what it will smell like just get some shavings or a little pice and use a lighter to set it on fire then blow out the flame once there is a red ember.


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## dreamkiller (Jul 24, 2010)

Have had a smoker for a while now. Hav tried everything from fish (whole small bream and fillets of reef fish, tailor, mackeral etc.) to sauages, lamb chops. Hav used it over gas bbq grill ( with bbq lid open) with good success. Just make sure bbq burner is on low. with fish dry it off a little with paper towel and add a little sprinkle of chilli flakes and lime or lemon juice. Give it about 15 min (should still be moist in middle) till cooked thru ( Then all is needed is jatz , a teaspoon of sour cream and a bit of the smoked fish on top. Food of kings. Oh . . . try smoking egg plant as well.


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## PimmsPythons (Jul 24, 2010)

i do nearly all our mackeral in our nipper kipper smoker.500 ml of water ,3 tablespoons of salt and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and soak the fillets for 6 or more hours. i like the rum flavor shavings from bcf the best with the fish. smokers are great and their are heaps of options to experiment with.
cheers
simon


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