Originally, smoking was a technique for preserving food. FirstBuild wants to bring this tradition up to date with its indoor smokehouse called Arden, which has been a resounding success on the participatory platform Indiegogo.
Generally, a smokehouse evokes a large building, often pyramidal in shape, in which sausages and ham are suspended above a skilfully maintained fire in order to prolong their conservation and to flavor them. However, there are smaller devices that can be used indoors, but can only process small parts such as slices of salmon. Other, larger products look like barbecues; they work with wood chips and therefore give off a lot of smoke, which makes it necessary to place them outside.
FirstBuild, an idea incubator backed by a big name in American industry (General Electric, not to name it) wants to democratize this method of preservation and flavoring with Arden, an indoor smoker that takes just a little more space than a Thermomix TM6. This device uses the architecture of a free-standing oven with an enclosure on the left, in which the food is placed to be smoked, and a control panel on the right of the door. Because the Arden is not only small, it is also packed with technology to simplify the smoking of meats. All you have to do is choose a cooking temperature and a degree of smoking using the sensor keys and a knob before placing the food in the enclosure. ad hoc. The smokehouse takes care of everything. It will be necessary, beforehand, to have loaded the tray for the wood pellets intended for smoking, as well as a water tank. FirstBuild points out that Arden’s wood requirements are much lower than those of a typical smoker.
Ease of use isn’t the only problem the FirstBuild teams have been trying to solve. As its name suggests, a smokehouse gives off a lot of smoke, which is incompatible with use in a closed living room such as a kitchen. The manufacturer was inspired by one of its earlier products, the Open Hearth Oven pizza oven, and took over the ventilation system. According to FirstBuild, the fumes are contained inside the smoker and this technology does not require any filter that should be cleaned or changed regularly. FirstBuild remains relatively silent on the method used, but it is very likely that the water tank we mentioned above has a role to play in the process, unless it is used to maintain the tenderness of meats that must be smoked.
The fundraising campaign was a real triumph; according to our colleagues from Thespoon.tech, the goal was reached in 120 seconds. While FirstBuild was aiming for €92,000, more than €530,000 has been raised since March 29, and there are still three weeks left to bring its stone to the building. However, FirstBuild only takes orders to Canada and the United States, and Arden’s final price is just over $1,000. You will have to wait for the end of the fundraising campaign to be able to request delivery worldwide.