The full guide
Read straight through, or dip into the sections that matter for your next smoking session.
Use food-centre temperature and holding time to check hot-smoked food. Cooking time varies by food and equipment; this guide does not provide raw-fish curing times or cold-smoking storage periods.
Smoking kit to help at home
Home smoking essentials that make the advice easier to put into practice.
Hot-smoking times are not a safety test
The thickness of the food, starting temperature, load and equipment affect how quickly it cooks. Follow a tested recipe and the smoker manufacturer's instructions. A general minutes-per-fillet chart cannot establish that the centre is cooked.
Temperature and holding time
Check the centre of the food with a clean thermometer: the FSA gives 70°C for 2 minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds. The smoker's air temperature and elapsed cooking time are not substitutes for this check.
Measure the food centre
Use a clean food thermometer in the thickest part, avoiding bones. Check more than one piece when cooking a batch. Continue cooking if the required temperature and holding time have not been met, and clean the probe between checks.
Air temperature is a different measurement
The temperature inside the chamber does not tell you the food's centre temperature. Follow the equipment maker's operating limits and the recipe's heat settings, then check the food itself. Do not assume an arbitrary chamber setting is appropriate for every smoker.
Cold-smoking timetable withdrawn
The old table of raw salmon and bacon cures, smoke durations and cheese resting periods has been removed because it was not a validated food-safety process. Cold smoking adds flavour without cooking. Obtain a validated food-specific method and qualified advice instead of combining timings from different recipes.
Equipment and leftovers
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the exact smoker, fuel, heat source and ventilation. Use equipment indoors only if its manufacturer explicitly permits that use. Outdoor smokers and charcoal equipment must stay outdoors, not in a shed, garage or other enclosed space. Smoking does not automatically extend a use-by date. Follow supplier instructions and current FSA storage guidance.
Common questions
- Can I tell whether smoked fish is cooked from the elapsed time?
- No. Use the recipe and equipment instructions, then check the food centre and holding time with a clean thermometer.
- Does this chart provide a cold cure?
- No. The unvalidated curing and resting timetable has been withdrawn. Cold smoking does not cook the food.
