Lowest temp setting to get smoke

[ajax]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what is the lowest temperature I could set my 1400 at and get wood chips to smoke. I'd like to smoke steaks a while to get the smoke flavor but not cook them very much so I can then throw them on a screaming hot grill to sear them while still only cooking to medium rare.

[bigwalleye]

I've done a cold smoke over the cold plate with ice on cheese and on steak as well, but for short periods, like 20 min of smoke folllowed by 40 min in the smoker with no heat. I'll check the temp in my book and add tonite when I get home.

[bigwalleye]

Here's the drill:
2 oz wood in the smokebox, apple for cheese or shrimp, cherry for beef.
Food, esp cheese at room temp
smoker set for 225
Run it empty for 15 minutes to get rid of the initial ash/bitterness
Insert cold plate in the middle slot
Tin foil tray of ice on top of it
Rack with food directly above that
Run for 20 min
Leave food inside and turn off for 40 min
On for 20 min again
Off with food inside for another 40 min
Remove food to counter in the house to cool, and if it's cheese to finish sweating. On cheese, wipe off the sweat.
Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate. A wwk or longer for cheese, at least a couple days for beef.
Grill as normal.

While I think you'd get smoke at 150, the idea is to get the wood going quickly to make smoke, but use the ice to cool it. I do this with cheese at these temps as well, so if it doesn't melt mozzarella, it's not going to cook a steak. Based on my experience, I'd suggest tthe denser and less bloody meats like filet will give a better result than something heavily marbled like a ribeye, but your mileage may vary.

[DReeves]

I've smoked ribeyes in my SmokinTex.

Maybe it's just me, but because I intend to throw them on a 400+ grill, I was not as concerned about "cooking" the steaks, per se. I think I have smoked them for 30 minutes with pecan. Came out awesome.

But like Jim said.... YMMV

[ajax]

I've smoked ribeyes in my SmokinTex.

Maybe it's just me, but because I intend to throw them on a 400+ grill, I was not as concerned about "cooking" the steaks, per se. I think I have smoked them for 30 minutes with pecan. Came out awesome.

But like Jim said.... YMMV

That's what I was trying to say. I'd like to smoke the steaks as long as possible to get the smoke but not cook them much at all or else they are already over cooked before I throw them on a screaming hot grill. I tried them at 225 for about 30 minutes and they were cooked medium inside when I pulled them out of my 1400. So when I seared them on my gas grill they were way over done for me. So I was asking about the lowest temperature at which my 1400 would create smoke so I'd get the longest exposure to smoke with the least amout of cooking of the meat.
.

[bigwalleye]

I think the cold plate is the key. While you may get smoke as low as 150, to some degree at 150 for half an hour, you're still going to get some cooking going on without the cold plate.

[DReeves]

I would agree with Jim.

I mis-read your question, my apologies.

[metronome]

replay to old thread better than no reply... LOL
Thanks bigwalleye, I'm inspired to test drive my cold smoking plate I've had for 5 years AND NEVER USED... embarrassing but true!