How to Use a Smoking Gun for Cold Smoking

By Breville | Published: 2026-10-19

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to cold smoke foods like cheese, vegetables, and cocktails at home with a smoking gun. Step-by-step instructions for safe, flavorful smoke infusion.

Quick answer

Use a smoking gun to generate cold smoke from wood chips and direct it into a covered container holding your food. The smoke infuses flavor without cooking, making it ideal for cheese, vegetables, and cocktails.

Why cold smoking works differently with a smoking gun

Unlike traditional smokers that heat wood to high temperatures, a smoking gun uses a small fan to draw smoke from smoldering chips and blow it over food. The smoke never gets hot enough to cook anything, so you get pure flavor without texture changes. This makes it perfect for delicate ingredients like soft cheese or fresh herbs.

What to keep in mind before you start

Cold smoke does not preserve food. Treat smoked items as you would the original ingredient: refrigerate cheese and vegetables, and consume cocktails within a few hours. The smoke flavor is strongest right after infusion and mellows over time, so taste as you go.

How to cold smoke with a smoking gun

Prepare your food and container: Place the food in a bowl, jar, or baking dish that can be covered tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. For cheese, cut into smaller pieces to increase surface area. For cocktails, fill a decanter or shaker. Leave enough headspace for smoke to circulate. A common mistake is using a container that is too full, which blocks smoke flow.
Load the burn chamber with wood chips: Fill the burn chamber of the smoking gun about halfway with fine wood chips. Hickory and applewood are classic choices for cheese and vegetables. Do not overfill—the chips need air to smolder. Check that the chips are dry. Damp chips produce weak smoke and may clog the chamber.
Ignite the chips and start the fan: Hold a lighter or butane torch to the chips until they begin to smolder. Turn the fan on low or medium speed. Let the smoke stream into the container for 30–60 seconds, then cover tightly. Do not let the smoke escape. Cover the container immediately after the smoke enters to trap the flavor.
Let the smoke infuse: Leave the covered container at room temperature for 3–5 minutes for cocktails or 10–15 minutes for cheese and vegetables. The smoke will settle and cling to the food. Longer infusion does not always mean stronger flavor. Over-smoking can make food taste bitter, especially with strong woods like mesquite.
Uncover and serve or store: Remove the cover in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. Serve cocktails immediately. Refrigerate cheese and vegetables in an airtight container and consume within 2–3 days. Smoked foods continue to absorb flavor after uncovering. If you want a milder taste, let the food rest uncovered for a few minutes before serving.

Product facts

the Smoking Gun® Pro: The Smoking Gun Pro features an extra large burn chamber and variable flow speed for longer smokes. You can smoke larger batches of cheese or vegetables without refilling chips, and adjust the smoke intensity to suit delicate or robust ingredients.
the Smoking Gun® Pro