Cold Smoke Disaster- can I get an autopsy?

[smokeclub]

So only had my #1 for 3 weeks, had pretty successful 2x brisket + pork butt thanks to the wisdom and knowledge on these forums, so decided to venture out and try cold smoking salmon using the 'sailor jerry' lox cure + a ball of mozzarella.  Don't have a temp probe but do have a thermapen that I use to check the chamber temp through the hole in the top.  Had a complete fail and wanted to get advice on cause + how to do it right next time. 

SETUP: about 4-4.5oz hickory that came with the smokeit, cold plate accessory on bottom rack, with a large roasting pan of ice on top of the cold plate.  salmon was skin down on top 2 racks and mozz was in a foil 'boat' on top rack as well.  Foil on smoke box top and lined bottom with space for vent hole. 

Process: based on some things I had read on the board, I left door open and cranked to 250.  Once i started to get some whisps of smoke i turned down the temp to 100 and closed the door.  Smoke kept coming through the top for about 30 minutes.  Once it started to fade I gingerly turned the knob a hair past 100 until the thermostat kicked back in and after 5 minutes or so a fairly large amount of heavy white smoke started flowing out the top again.  I think that while the chamber was cooling, the smoke was building inside and unable to rise out of the vent because the air was too cool, and then after I turned on the thermostat again the heat pushed out all the smoke from the chamber.  After another 10-15 minutes of smoke flow I used my thermapen to check the internal temp inside the chamber and it was about 90-100 so I turned off the unit completely and let it cool down for about an hour and a half. 

When I came back and opened the door I almost fainted from the fumes coming out of the smoker. VERY chemically-smelling.  I pulled the salmon and cheese out; everything inside was WET with some black spots and the salmon almost looked like it had been glazed.  I got some tar-like substance on my fingers that didn't come out with quick soap and water.  Temp check on the salmon showed about 90-100.  It definitely was starting to flake, as though it was 'cooking' instead of the opaque 'gelled' look you get from the salt/sugar cure.  took the skin off the salmon and tried a small piece that hadn't been exposed to the smoke but the chemical smell pretty much made it inedible (and I eat EVERYTHING so it was pretty bad).  Same for the cheese.  By now the entire kitchen smelled awfully chemical.  Had to toss everything, did some quick diagnosis from the boards and pretty sure I must have had a bad creosote burn.  Threw the racks and cold plate back in the smoker, closed the door, cranked it back to 250 to let it all burn off overnight.  Check it in the AM, SI smells fine again and just finished a decent session of chicken quarters. 

So couple questions for the more experienced folks out here:
1. Does this sound like I made a whole heap of creosote in there?
2. Is cold smoking normally supposed to make everything wet if the recommendation is to put ice on top of the cold smoke tray?
3. What is your recommended process for setting up for cold smoking?
Am I supposed to leave the door open while the unit heats up so it doesn't build the temp in the chamber and then close the door or just put it in, door closed and start it off at 170? 
4. What exactly should I be doing with the temp control to balance making the smoke and keeping the temps low in order to avoid 'cooking' the food inside? 

Any advice greatly appreciated!

 

[DivotMaker]

Nick, I think your problem was leaving the door open, and setting the dial to 100 once you saw smoke.  If it's hot outside, you also need to pre-cool the smoker box.  You can do this by putting your ice pan in above the cold smoke plate, like you did, and maybe adding a couple more pans on shelves for a couple of hours.  In the summer, box temps above 80 are hard to cold smoke in.

Once you cool the box (and I would even leave an additional ice pan on a shelf below what you are smoking), you want to keep the smoker closed and set the dial to 250.  Leave it on just until you see smoke, which should be around 15 minutes, give or take.  Once smoke is coming out of the top hole, turn the unit off and let it sit for 40-45 minutes.  Repeat this cycle 2-3 times.  The goal is to just get the wood smoking, and then turn the element off.  There is smoke present in the box, you just can't really see it.  When I turn the unit off, between cycles, I place an upside down glass over the smoke hole to keep as much in as possible.

In the fall and winter, cold smoking is much easier!

 

[smokeclub]

Thanks Tony, will do!  Hard to wait another couple months to make lox, with all the good bagels we can get in NYC... ;D

 

[DivotMaker]

Just figure out how to cool that box, Nick, and you'll be golden! 8)

 

[elkins20]

Hey Nick, also how much sun does your patio get, since you are smoking off of it. I found out that I have to put mine on my front porch where it is shaded most of the day. Those boxes get really warm in the sun. Another thought if you are going to do a cold smoke, maybe the day before bring into the apartment and let is set in the air condition and really cool down.

 

[SuperDave]

To expand on Tony's comments a bit, the open door allowed so much oxygen into the box that you had combustion when you noticed the large clouds of thick white smoke.  That was the source of the creosote.

 

[smokeclub]

Bill- thanks for those tips!  I never thought about actually bringing in the unit to cool it down.  Daytime it gets a ton of sun and this particular smoke was around dusk, so there might have still been a fair amount of residual heat.  Will remember this for future smoking..

Dave- got it- didn't realize lots of O2 can cause creosote- I thought it was the temp on the thermostat being too low and causing some kind of incomplete smolder with the wood that generated the fumes.

 

[elkins20]

Also to get rid of the creosote, you might just run it for a couple of hours or so without any wood at 250 degrees. This might get rid of the foul smell inside. I read this somewhere on this forum but cannot remember where. And really not sure if to do it with or without wood. Try first without any wood and if still has a foul odor then add some wood and do again.

 

[NDKoze]

When I cold smoke I use frozen 2 liter soda bottles. This prevents additional moisture in the box from the melting ice.

Either that or I would foil your ice pan to prevent the water from the melting ice causing excess moisture.

 

[Limey]

Like Gregg I also use frozen soda bottles. Unlike everyone else on this forum I also use an external smoke generator and comfortably and consistently cold smoke at ambient temperatures over 90 degrees.

 

[elkins20]

Hey Nick, Since you said you get a lot of sun on the patio. You might try getting a umbrella or something to shade the smoker. JMO. As that might keep it a little cooler. But, have been watching the weather news and you guys are getting the heat and rain. But, am sending you a cool front. Here last two morning have been in low 60's. House is open and air is off for now. But, is still Aug. so this will be short lived until Oct.