Smoking temperatures

Hot smoking This means that the process will take place at a temperature above 65 degrees inside the smoker. The recommended temperature is 82 degrees for sausages (as they contain a lot of fat) and 93 degrees for whole pieces of meat, but it is possible to vary according to your needs or product specificities.

If you cannot control the smoking temperature, which happens in most cases, the general rule is to keep smoking until the internal temperature of the meat is between 65 and 71 degrees. To measure the internal temperature, simply purchase a cooking thermometer and insert it into the meat from time to time to obtain the internal temperature. There are those who prefer to roast the product beforehand and then smoke it for a variable period of time just to obtain flavor, without worrying about the internal temperature, as the product is already cooked. But remember, it is important to pass the product through the brine before smoking.

Cold smoking will occur when the process is carried out at temperatures below 37 degrees. The ideal is to maintain the temperature between a minimum of 32 degrees and a maximum of 37 degrees. It is a very difficult process to control and normally requires facilities prepared for this, with areas to cool the smoke before contact with the product. Salmon, for example, is normally cold smoked. Find out more about how cold smoking is done.