For smoking meat and fish, installations are used, each of which has a chamber for food - a smoking cabinet. It is called that because of its external similarity: most of these designs are a rectangular container with a side door. At home, you can make a smoking cabinet with your own hands according to our drawings.
The smoking cabinet is even made of wood
Stainless steel cold smoking cabinet
The best material for a smokehouse is food-grade stainless steel sheet with a thickness of 1.2-2 mm. It is not subject to corrosion and is easy to clean.
The design of a stainless steel smoking box is similar to a smoking cabinet from a refrigerator or a metal safe and is assembled from rectangular pieces of the required size:
- two pieces 500x500 mm for the bottom and ceiling;
- two pieces 1200x500 mm for the sides of the camera;
- two pieces 500x1200 mm for the back wall and door.
The smoking cabinet is assembled with your own hands using electric welding. For a better fit of the door and installation of grilles, stainless steel corners are welded to the walls. A hole is drilled in the bottom of the box to attach a smoke generator.
The drawing shows the dimensions of such a structure.
Cold smoking cabinet
Stationary smokehouse option
Made from the body of an old refrigerator. To make it you will need an electric stove with a closed heating element.
- Make a tray according to the size of the heating area in which the smoky products will be placed.
- Also make a baking tray to size to collect liquid and fat.
- Prepare shelves for products or hooks for vertical placement.
- Remove the connection cord.
- Make a hole for the smoke to escape, preferably an adjustable one, of any design.
The work is ridiculously simple, but the taste of the prepared food makes up for all these “shortcomings.” The dimensions of the smokehouses are also not taken into account.
Sausage smoking cabinet
Homemade sausage is smoked in a suspended state, in rings. These rings are put on a wooden stick. Every hour during hot smoking and every 5-6 hours during cold smoking, these rings must be turned over. Therefore, it is more convenient to smoke sausage in a cabinet with a removable top lid.
Important! Sticks for hanging sausages should be made of hardwood and well dried.
Cabinet for smoking sausages
What you need to know
Smoking is the thermal treatment of food products with smoke, during which the specified thermal regime must be properly maintained, controlling the volume of flue gases.
This method of cooking has been relevant since ancient times due to the following advantages:
- when smoking supplies at low temperatures, the greatest number of useful vitamins and microelements is preserved;
- Parasites and bacteria harmful to the human body contained in products under the influence of smoke are effectively destroyed;
- Since smoke treatment has a preservative effect, cooked food can be stored for a long period of time.
Depending on the food you plan to smoke, it is recommended to choose the appropriate type of sawdust. Each tree, when burned, imparts a special flavor to the food. For example:
- oak is perfect for pork and beef;
- Willow is suitable for rare types of meat, such as deer, elk and even bear. It is also ideal to smoke fish caught in lakes;
- for any vegetable and meat food, alder will be used;
- It is better to cook vegetables, berries, and nuts in cherry sawdust.
Fish smoking cabinet
A smokehouse for smoking fish is no different from other similar devices, except for one feature. Fish is a delicate product; when overheated, it dries out, loses fat and becomes boiled rather than smoked.
Therefore, when smoking it, it is necessary to control the temperature in the chamber, preferably on each tier of grates, and, if necessary, reduce the heat or the processing time.
Scheme of a cabinet for smoking fish
Is it possible to turn an old gas stove into a smokehouse and how to do it
Smoked products are distinguished by a bright and rich aroma, pronounced taste and a fairly long shelf life, especially when it comes to cold smoky processing.
For lovers of smoked delicacies, it is expensive to regularly buy them in stores. Plus, the quality does not always meet expectations and cost. Therefore, in many respects the most correct decision is made. You are building your own smokehouse, and it is not necessary to build huge brick structures. If somewhere in the country or in a country house there is an old gas stove, it can be turned into a full-fledged smokehouse.
Smoking cabinet from the refrigerator
The easiest way to make a home smoker is from the refrigerator. Its design depends on what type of device the resulting device will be used for - hot or cold smoking.
Advice! It is best to use Soviet-made refrigerators with wire grilles
Cold smoked smokehouse
For a cold smoked smokehouse, smoke is produced using a smoke generator. With this type of processing, the temperature does not exceed 50°C, so all plastic parts can be left:
- Remove the shelves. It would be better if they were made of wire, like in old Soviet-made refrigerators.
- In a single-chamber device, remove the freezer and wires. In a two-chamber cooler, it takes up little space, so you can leave it.
- Seal the resulting holes. Wooden or plastic plugs are suitable for this.
- Cut a hole on the side or back at a height of 10 cm above the bottom for the incoming chimney. Place the refrigerator body on the stand so that the smoke channel slopes upward at a slight angle. Another hole for escaping smoke is made in the ceiling of the smoking cabinet.
- Place a tray at the bottom to collect fat. A disposable baking dish is suitable for this, or simply line the bottom with aluminum foil.
- Install gratings at the required height in the grooves of the housing. If desired, a hole is drilled in the housing and a thermometer is installed.
Diagram of a cold smoked smokehouse from a refrigerator
Hot smoked smokehouse
Converting a refrigerator into a hot smoker is more difficult. This process takes place at temperatures from 50 to 120°C, so the device is subject to modification:
- it is necessary to remove all non-metallic parts - plastic sheathing, thermal insulation and sealing rubber in the door;
- seal the resulting holes in the body with wooden plugs, and replace the elastic band with a felt strip;
- Screw metal corners for grates and a tray for collecting fat to the walls at the desired height, as well as at a distance of 10 cm from the bottom;
- Place the smoking cabinet on a brick stand.
The smoking process is carried out in the same way as in other hot smoking devices:
- sawdust is poured onto the bottom;
- a tray is placed on the lower pair of corners, and food is placed on the upper racks;
- A small fire is lit under the bottom.
The fire heats the sawdust, it smokes and smokes meat and fish.
Diagram of a hot smoked smokehouse from a refrigerator
Do-it-yourself gas burner for a smokehouse
and this is not a joke, I use this gas burner to heat my garage, I just lay out a pyramid of bricks on top of the burner.
Such saunas sell for one hundred dollars, but you can do it yourself.
On the basis of the burner I made a water heater for the font. photos from the tests:
You can make a steam generator.
About gas - it seems like a good idea and mobility. But the soul of gas does not lie in smoking. I think our gas will have a “flavor” of meat. Yes, and for my nature, carrying something like that with me for mobility, in a car, for example, is not convenient. It’s simpler the old fashioned way - a ditch on a slope, covered with iron, a fire below, a bag of meat/fish at the top.
It seems that if you have access to electricity, it would be more convenient to install this tile instead of gas https://21.img.avito.st/640×480/1011601821.jpg
I'll upload the photos now..
From the photo, in principle, everything is clear: from the aquarium compressor, air is supplied to the bottom of the column (through a valve and a fitting), inside the column at the bottom there is a grate, sawdust is poured onto it). The sawdust is ignited through the “seed” hole at the bottom side of the pipe (not visible in the photo), which is plugged with a bolt. After lighting it, turn on the compressor and connect the smoke outlet to our container with future smokers))). In terms of dimensions - pipe Ф10cm, pipe height - 50cm. Aquarium compressor, 10 l/min. Cost = price of the compressor (950 rubles), because everything else was at hand.
For the photos and some “creepiness” of agrEgat, I ask you not to throw stools - it was collected “from what was there”, and in a hurry.
Source
Wooden cold smoked smokehouse cabinet
A stationary smoking cabinet can be made of wood. It is better to use deciduous wood, otherwise before starting operation you will have to dry smoke it several times, without products, so that the walls are saturated with smoke. For home use, a chamber measuring 0.5 x 0.5 x 1 meter and a smoke generator with a capacity of 3 liters is sufficient for 100 kg of products. The smoking process continues for a day. If there are no boards, then you can build a similar stationary smokehouse from brick
Structurally, such a wooden smokehouse is similar to a box with a door or a country “house of an unknown architect.” It is assembled on a frame made of 40x40 mm bars. Guides for the gratings are made from the same bars. The frame is covered with boards or plywood.
It is best to make the walls of the box from clapboard or floorboard. These lumber have grooves with which the boards are connected to each other. This connection is tight enough to prevent smoke from escaping.
If there is no lining, then it is permissible to make a smoking box with your own hands from boards. In this case, when assembling the cracks, it is necessary to seal them with tow or other sealant.
A good result is obtained by sheathing the walls with plywood. There are no cracks in the walls of this material, but under the influence of moisture the plywood warps and delaminates. Therefore, after each use, the plywood cold smoking box must be dried and the outside painted with waterproof paint.
Such a smoking cabinet can be built from logs. The resulting structure will look like a wooden hut. A sealant is laid between the logs.
On a note! In a log structure, the door is still made of planks.
The door in the box for cold smoking is made with your own hands, assembled from several longitudinal boards and two transverse ones. A plywood door is simply a piece of plywood of the required size.
The door is attached to two hinges and has a rubber or felt seal along the contour.
The roof is made of a single or double slope. Single-pitch is simpler. To make it, just bevel the top of the side walls and make the back wall smaller than the door. A chimney is installed in the roof.
The smoke generator is placed on the ground; if necessary, a chimney is laid in a recess or instead of it in the ground, at the other end of which there is a firebox, and the smoking cabinet is made without a bottom.
Wooden smokehouse cabinet
Adviсe
Additional recommendations:
- To light the smokehouse, shavings of branches left over from pruning trees or old firewood are suitable. The pleasant smell comes from the smoke from pear, cherry and apple trees.
- Large logs are needed only to obtain coals. Place the wood in the stove and light the fire. Then install the tray with shavings.
- To create thick smoke, close the valve on the pipe when coals appear. At this time, the chips will begin to smolder and smoke will appear.
- For good smoking, follow simple rules. Large pieces take longer to smoke, small pieces less. The main thing is that the smoke flows constantly while the bird or fish is cooking. Add wood chips to the tray and the temperature will remain approximately the same.
- Keep it in moderation. Long fumigation will spoil the taste of smoked dishes. Check from time to time to see if the food is ready.
- To speed up smoking, boil the lard in salted water.
Smoked meats will diversify your daily and holiday menu. Prepare delicacies yourself and surprise your guests with delicious dishes. Your friends will appreciate the piquant aroma and pleasant taste of homemade bacon or river fish.
Create a cozy atmosphere in your garden. The smoker will serve you for a long time and will work properly if you clean and wash it regularly. Experts advise making such cameras from durable materials.
Smoking cabinet with smoke generator
In cold smoking devices, smoke is not produced in the chamber, but separately, in a smoke generator. It is placed below the smoking cabinet and the smoke, passing through the chimney, is cooled.
Advice! To improve the quality of smoke, the chimney is equipped with a condensate collector, filter, refrigerator and other accessories.
Diagram of a smoking cabinet with a smoke generator
Conclusion
Household smokehouses are not replaceable in homestead conditions. The slaughter of pigs or chickens requires timely processing. If your freezer is full and you need to process meat, a smoker will come to the rescue.
For greater safety, it is better to use the cold method, so the product can be stored for about a year in the basement. Fishermen, hunters and all lovers of high-quality and tasty food did not ignore the smokehouses. Do not rush, succumb to the alluring odors, and complete smoking ahead of schedule, this is life-threatening. It is advisable to equip each product with a thermometer, paint it with fireproof paint, and decorate it.
If you don’t have the time or desire to make a smokehouse yourself, then buying a ready-made device will not be difficult. Manufacturers have tried to create entire lines of smokehouses for industrial and domestic use. In the latest models there is no need to light a fire or pull pipes; heating occurs thanks to electricity or gas. All details are thought out to the smallest detail; the build quality is difficult to replicate at home. Those who love the comfort of home and are sensitive to the adjacent area can be advised to build brick smokehouses combined with a hob, oven and open barbecue.
Heated cold smoking cabinet
The cold smoking process takes place at a temperature of 20-50°C. But if it’s cold outside, then the smoke coming into the smoking cabinet has a lower temperature. To heat the smoking chamber, an electric stove or several incandescent lamps are installed inside it at the bottom.
Advice! For a more stable temperature, the lamps are turned on via a thermostat, for example, from an incubator.
Scheme of a heated smoking cabinet
Automatic
Divided into:
- household;
- industrial.
Household ones have a small heating area and are used in food production and the restaurant business. The volume of smoked products is up to 40 kg.
Industrial ones are multifunctional devices; they prepare both hot and cold smoked products on a large scale. There is no point in talking about their design, since using them in everyday life is too expensive. But nevertheless, the principle of operation is identical to other types, the only difference is to set the program.
Electric cold smoking cabinet
Several companies produce electric smokers for homes and small businesses. In these devices, sawdust is heated in a smoke generator by electric heaters, there are built-in fans that blow smoke over smoked meats, thermostats and other devices. How to use the smokehouse is indicated in the manufacturer's instructions.
These cold smoking cabinets do not require an open fire for heating, but do need to be connected to a ~220 V network. The smoking process occurs at lower temperatures and longer than in hot smoking devices.
You can make such a household device yourself from a metal box and install it on the balcony.
All controls in an electric smokehouse are installed in the control panel, which is mounted on the wall of the smokehouse.
Components of an electric smoking cabinet
Electric smokehouse
The name speaks for itself. The use of such devices in everyday life is convenient and easy to use. It is enough to fill in the material used for smoke, place the food, and plug it into the outlet. This type of smoking has a number of advantages:
- compactness and simplicity of design;
- operation does not require special skills;
- fast cooking and control (temperature sensors, smoke sensor);
- equipped with everything necessary, including a chimney.
Universal smoking cabinet
Before choosing a smoker, you need to determine the necessary features. But there are “wide-profile” devices
They can process products in different modes, so it is equipped with an external smoke generator with a cooler, a built-in heating element at the bottom and an exhaust regulator at the top.
Different elements operate in different modes:
- Cold smoking. Smoke generator with cooler and exhaust fan.
- Hot smoking. Internal heating element on which a container with sawdust is installed.
- Drying. During normal drying, only the exhaust fan works, and during accelerated drying, a heating element is added to them.
Advice! For better performance, it is advisable to equip all electrical appliances with a power regulator and insulate the housing.
Components of a universal smoking cabinet
Schemes and drawings
To spend a minimum of time making smokehouses from old gas stoves, craftsmen should prepare in advance.
Let's start with the question of whether a stove can become a basis for smoking. Of course, it is only desirable that the structure is not outright rusty. Otherwise, restoring the tightness will be difficult and expensive.
It is not necessary to make drawings from scratch. There are many ready-made projects. It is advisable to print them out and compare them with the dimensions and design features of your old stove.
If everything fits and matches, then this item is considered completed.
