A method of smoking and reducing or eliminating the odor of pet treats, comprising placing one or more pet treats within an internal cavity enclosed by a housing having one or more side walls, a rear wall, a top cover, a bottom floor, and a door; introducing smoke into the internal cavity using a cold smoker connected to one or more holes in at least one of said one or more side walls, wherein the smoke has a temperature below 86 F.; and removing the one or more pet treats from the internal cavity after being exposed to the smoke for a time period in the range of 3 hours to 8 hours. An apparatus for smoking and reducing or eliminating the odor of pet treats is also disclosed.

A cooking apparatus includes a metallic shell lined with a ceramic subassembly and an aerogel insulating material interposed between the ceramic subassembly and the metallic shell, the metallic shell enclosing a cooking compartment having a door. The cooking apparatus may further include an outer metallic shell spaced apart from an exterior of the metallic shell, creating a space, and upper and lower vents allowing air to flow by convection between the metallic shell and the outer shell. The cooking apparatus may further include a substantially transparent pane of aerogel-glass composite material interposed between an interior of the first chamber and an exterior of the apparatus.

A cooking apparatus includes a metallic shell lined with a ceramic subassembly and an aerogel insulating material interposed between the ceramic subassembly and the metallic shell, the metallic shell enclosing a cooking compartment having a door. The cooking apparatus may further include an outer metallic shell spaced apart from an exterior of the metallic shell, creating a space, and upper and lower vents allowing air to flow by convection between the metallic shell and the outer shell. The cooking apparatus may further include a substantially transparent pane of aerogel-glass composite material interposed between an interior of the first chamber and an exterior of the apparatus.

Cooking devices, cooking systems, and smoke assemblies for use therewith are provided. In one embodiment, a cooking system is provided and includes a housing and a smoke assembly. The housing can have a lower base portion and an upper lid portion that together define a hollow cooking chamber. The smoke assembly can be coupled to the upper lid portion, and can be in fluid communication with the hollow cooking chamber. The smoke assembly can generate smoke during cooking operations in order to impart smoke flavor onto a food product disposed within the hollow cooking chamber.

A vertical smoker including an external housing, one or more sidewalls at least partially defining a cooking chamber within the external housing, a solid fuel combustion unit configured to combust solid fuel and produce smoke and heat, a drip tray disposed above the solid fuel combustion unit and forming a floor of the cooking chamber, the drip tray being configured to route the smoke and heat into at least one channel disposed between at least one sidewall in the one or more sidewalls and the external housing, and one or more apertures disposed in the at least one sidewall, the one or more apertures being configured to allow the smoke and heat to pass from the at least one channel into the cooking chamber.

An indoor smoker includes a smoking chamber and a smoke generating assembly for providing a flow of smoke into the smoking chamber, the smoke generating assembly comprising a smoke barrel, an auger positioned within the smoke barrel and being rotatable for selectively urging combustible material through the smoke barrel, and a smoldering heater for smoldering the combustible material as the auger advances the combustible material past the smoldering heater. The method includes receiving a command to pause a smoke generating process, turning off the smoldering heater, rotating the auger to advance smoldering combustible material off of the smoldering heater and advance fresh combustible material onto the smoldering heater, pausing for a predetermined amount of time to permit the fresh combustible material to absorb residual heat from the smoldering heater, and rotating the auger to advance the fresh combustible material off of the smoldering heater.

An indoor smoker includes a smoking chamber, a smoke generating assembly for providing a flow of smoke into the smoking chamber, a chamber heater for regulating a chamber temperature in the smoking chamber, an air handler for urging the flow of smoke from the smoking chamber, through an exhaust duct, and out of a discharge vent, and a catalytic converter for reducing emissions within the flow of smoke. A method of operation includes turning off the smoke generating assembly, switching to a cooking process where the smoke generating assembly is off and the cooking temperature is at or above a temperature threshold (e.g., 170 F.), and operating the air handler and the catalytic converter after the smoke generating assembly has been turned off and in response to determining that the cooking process is still being performed in the smoking chamber.

An indoor smoker includes comprising a smoking chamber and a smoke generating assembly for providing a flow of smoke into the smoking chamber, the smoke generating assembly including a smoke barrel for receiving combustible material, an auger positioned within the smoke barrel for selectively urging the combustible material through the smoldering chamber, and a smoldering heater in thermal communication with the smoke barrel for smoldering the combustible material as the auger advances the combustible material past the smoldering heater. A method of operation includes determining a target smoldering duration, rotating the auger to advance a first load of the combustible material onto the smoldering heater, determining that the target smoldering duration has elapsed, and rotating the auger to advance the first load of the combustible material off of the smoldering heater and advance a second load of the combustible material onto the smoldering heater.

An indoor smoker includes comprising a smoking chamber and a smoke generating assembly for providing a flow of smoke into the smoking chamber, the smoke generating assembly including a smoke barrel for receiving combustible material, an auger positioned within the smoke barrel for selectively urging the combustible material through the smoldering chamber, and a smoldering heater in thermal communication with the smoke barrel for smoldering the combustible material as the auger advances the combustible material past the smoldering heater. A method of operation includes determining a target smoldering duration, rotating the auger to advance a first load of the combustible material onto the smoldering heater, determining that the target smoldering duration has elapsed, and rotating the auger to advance the first load of the combustible material off of the smoldering heater and advance a second load of the combustible material onto the smoldering heater.

Cooking devices, cooking systems, and smoke assemblies for use therewith are provided. In one embodiment, a cooking system is provided and includes a housing and a smoke assembly. The housing can have a lower base portion and an upper lid portion that together define a hollow cooking chamber. The smoke assembly can be coupled to the upper lid portion, and can be in fluid communication with the hollow cooking chamber. The smoke assembly can generate smoke during cooking operations in order to impart smoke flavor onto a food product disposed within the hollow cooking chamber.