Meat+Poultry - September 2017 - 72

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

keep our houses maintained and
clean. Because this is one of the
most critical steps in the process of
making quality bacon, we do not even
walk that line. The houses have to
perform 100 percent of the time, as
if they were new, regardless of the
age of the smokehouse. Improperly
maintained smokehouses may "appear"
to be operating properly, but product
will ultimately be inconsistent or
unpredictable. Obviously, inefficiencies
and workarounds cost money and
adversely affect smokehouse reliability,
therefore, we are constantly monitoring
smokehouse operation and working to
resolve any issues as soon as possible.
Daily's operates three
processing plants and uses
wood chips exclusively
to smoke its products.

in the processes, techniques, and
expected outcomes that produce
high-quality food products. Parameters
affecting those outcomes are:
combustion temperature, combustion
quality, rate of chip feed, and product
condition when applying smoke.
M+P: Are there dangers related to
improperly maintained smokehouses
and if so, what are they?
Daily's: The most catastrophic danger
would be a smokehouse explosion.
There are safety mechanisms in place
to prevent this from happening, but it is
always in the back of your mind. Because
these houses use so much air and cause
differential pressures between inside and
outside of the houses, implosions are a
concern as well.
M+P: What is the range of size and type
of smokers used at Daily's operations?
Daily's: Daily's only uses wood chip
smokehouses and generators.
M+P: How important is the role
of the smokehouse operator in the
proper operation and maintenance of
smokehouses?

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MEAT+ POULTRY | 09.17 | www.meatpoultry.com

Daily's: It is key to have a smart and
knowledgeable smoke master. With
so many moving parts and so many
dollars at stake, they have to be able to
react appropriately to any deviations
that occur during the cycle. They
have to understand not only how the
smokehouse works, but how every
variable affects the yield and color of
the product being smoked.
M+P: What is the most common
maintenance issue that arises in typical
smokehouse operations?
Daily's: We have had several issues
with punctured door seals; it is just the
nature of using very sharp bacon combs
that can come in contact with the door
seals when loading and unloading the
smokehouses.
M+P: Talk about how an improperly
maintained smokehouse can still
achieve adequate results, but at the
cost of efficiency, wear and tear or
other types of "creep" that results in
tweaks being made as work arounds vs.
maintaining proper operations and how
those costs can add up.
Daily's: We make every attempt to

M+P: What impact does belly size
variation and smokehouse capacity
have on smokehouse performance and
maintenance concerns?
Daily's: We have seen that we have to
vary the cycles based on belly size to
still achieve desired yield results. We
have not seen any maintenance issues
arise due to belly size. But obviously,
capacity is a big factor. The difference
in 2 lbs. per belly can affect annual
throughputs of as much as 8 million lbs.
of product through our houses.

"Improperly maintained
smokehouses may
'appear' to be operating
properly, but product
will ultimately be
inconsistent or
unpredictable."
- DAILY'S PREMIUM MEATS

M+P: Discuss the roll of airflow in
smokehouses and how attention to
maintenance can ensure proper airflow
for ideal finished products. What are
some indicators of improper airflow?
Daily's: It is important to monitor the
internal temps of the product while
smoking to identify any hot and cold
spots within the house. It is also
important for even color distribution.
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Meat+Poultry - September 2017

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