I am new to jerky making and I am wondering if the community can recommend a preservative I can add in/on to my jerky that will allow me to keep my jerky for several weeks unrefridgerated. I am looking to make both slabs and snack sticks.

Hi everyone! My name is Dana and I am new to smoking & jerky making. I recently purchased both a stove top kettle smoker and a dehydrator unit. I’m hoping the community will help me navigate these processess and maybe give me some ideas along the way. I look forward to interacting with the community.

I am new to cold smoking and could use a little help. I’m trying to cold smoke salmon for lox. I am using Cameron’s extra fine premium wood chips in a cold smoke generator inserted inside a stove top smoker.

I bought a cold smoke generator for use with my Nordic Ware stove top kettle smoker. The cold smoke generator sits underneath the meat tray insert of my stove top smoker. My problem is that I can’t get the wood to ignite and stay lit in the generator even with the vent open a bit. I tried using the tea light candle the manufacturer provides but that was useless as an igniter. Then I tried using my bbq lighter but I don’t think the flame is hot enough as it took forever to get the wood to just singe. I have used this smoker numerous times with heat and it works fine but never as a cold smoker. I don’t think the problem is with the smoker itself. I’m wondering if the minimal amount of space between the cold smoker generator and the bottom of the meat tray is suppressing the heat from the wood chips and causing them to die out. There is about a 1/4-1/2 inch gap between the two and the meat tray is vented. The fish is not dripping liquid either. The generator is seated in the same area that the wood chips go in when the smoker is being used with heat so I find it hard to believe that would be the problem either. I’m going to purchase a torch to see if a hotter flame might get the wood chips started but in the mean time are there any suggestions as to how I might get the chips to ignite and more importantly stay lit for the 6-8 hours the salmon needs to smoke?

Thanks for your feedback.

Jonathon unfortunately the torch didn’t work either. The extra fine chips just won’t stay lit.

So you have an idea of the smoke generator I am using here is a link:
https://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Generator-Grill-Smoker-Chips/dp/B06Y2HCB8V/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1532460534&sr=8-7&keywords=COLD+SMOKE+GENERATOR

And here is a link to the smoker I am using:
https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-36550-Indoor-Outdoor/dp/B007ZKUVPC/ref=asc_df_B007ZKUVPC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198095708383&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12103748610601154235&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030039&hvtargid=pla-348663375737&psc=1

Do you think I could safely use the fire starters or gel in this box and smoker?