Aug 15 2008
Stovetop Smoking: A Review of The Cameron Smoker
About five years ago I decided to get really serious about learning how to cook. I started asking friends for recommendations on knives, pots and pans, and other cooking equipment.
During the course of two separate conversations, I was told that I MUST buy a Cameron Smoker, as it produced really delicious smoked meats right on one’s stovetop (or outdoor grill or campfire). I trusted both of my sources, but I admit to being somewhat skeptical: It sounded like a late-night-infomercial wonder gadget to me.
But like I said, I trusted my sources, and the Cameron Smoker didn’t cost too much, so I decided to give it a try. It turned out to be one of the best kitchen investments I have ever made.
Well-Designed and Easy to Use
The design of the Cameron Smoker is pretty simple: The unit consists of the smoker itself (with folding handles for easy storage), a removable lid, a drip pan, and a cooking rack (all dishwasher safe). To use the smoker, you take a couple of tablespoons of wood chips (several varieties come packaged with the smoker) and pour them into the bottom of the smoker. Set the drip pan on top of the chips, the rack on top of the drip pan, and your meat (or whatever you are smoking) on the rack. Replace the lid, and you are ready to smoke the meat, either on your stovetop or outdoor grill.
Tasty Food Without Extra Calories or Cooking
And how does the food taste? Incredible! Alder-smoked salmon is a particular favorite of mine: Just sprinkle some salt on salmon filets, put them in the smoker for 17 minutes, and viola. . .the best salmon ever! Smoking adds great flavor without adding calories or having to make/add separate sauces, and it is great fun to blend the wood chip varieties to create different flavors.
(One pleasant discovery was being able to use the smoker to make hot dogs taste like very different sausages indeed: Oak chips seem to work well with all types of hot dogs, but the all-beef, uncured variety really tasted fantastic after ten minutes in the smoker!)
Incidentally, the smoker can also be used as a steamer, making it a multi-purpose gadget.
Cons:
Since you are smoking food, and since the smoker isn’t completely air tight, you will get some smoke in your kitchen. Thus, I would strongly suggest disabling smoke detectors prior to using the smoker (also, be forwarned that the applewood chips produce a particularly pungent smoke that might be irritating to some people).
Be very careful if you are smoking fatty meat: Don’t try opening the smoker while it is still very hot, as you can risk starting a fire when the air hits the inside. Keep a box of baking soda on hand just in case.
Also, many users have noted that the smoker doesn’t brown meat very well. You can remedy this by searing the meat before putting it into the smoker, or by running it under a broiler for a minute or two after smoking.
Finally, the wood chips for the smoker may not be easily available at local stores, so you may need to order them through an online retailer.