Cold Smoking at Home

In S1E7 of America's Culinary Cup, Katie Button cold-smoked oysters rather than hot-smoking them — a subtler approach that adds smokiness without cooking. Unlike hot smoking (above 70°C), cold smoking keeps the food at under 30°C, preserving raw or delicate textures. At home you can cold smoke using a dedicated cold-smoke generator, a smoke gun, or a barbecue set up with indirect heat and a long smoke path. Ideal for oysters, salmon, cheese, butter and cocktail ingredients. Keep smoke time short — delicate proteins pick up smoke quickly. Pair with acidic elements like the grape horseradish Katie used to cut through the smokiness.