Homemade smokehouse - manufacturing, schemes, principles, types and secrets of smoking. Do-it-yourself smokehouse: we make a design for cooking delicacies We make a smokehouse


The process of cold smoking is different in that cold smoke affects the products, the temperature of which does not exceed twenty-five degrees. Therefore, all drawings of a cold smoked smokehouse take into account the location of the firebox at some distance. While the smoke goes through the pipe and rises in the smoking chamber, it cools and is freed from soot and harmful impurities.

Do-it-yourself cold-smoked brick smokehouse. Step-by-step instruction

Before proceeding directly to construction, it is necessary to make drawing cold smoked smokehouse and mark the location of all its constituent elements on the site. The combustion chamber must be separated from the smokehouse by no less than two and a half meters. It is better to choose a place with a slope so that smoking chamber located on a hill, and the firebox - under a slope.

Cold smoked smokehouse. Operating principle

The most solid and reliable design is a cold-smoked brick smokehouse. To build it correctly, you need to take into account several points. In the step-by-step instructions for building a cold-smoked smokehouse, all the details of the process are considered.

. Stage one - laying the foundation

At the place where it will be located smoking chamber, soil is selected. The depth of the pit should be sixty centimeters. Formwork is installed in it, rising twenty-five centimeters above the edges. The space is reinforced, placed in the center ten-liter bucket to get a recess after pouring the concrete solution. At this point, smoke will come out of the chimney. Before pouring, it is necessary to lay a pipe that will bring smoke. When all the necessary elements are placed, the foundation space is filled with concrete mortar.

. Stage two - building walls

For the walls of such a smokehouse is used building brick or concrete blocks . The specific design of a cold smoked smokehouse depends on the personal wishes of the owner. It can be very small for a minimum number of products or spacious. You can equip a window in it, but it should be small. Since the sun's rays are harmful to smoked products, it should face the north side or be located so that the light does not fall on the area where the smoked meats are placed.


. Stage three - arrangement of the roof

The most economical, easy to arrange and convenient option is soft roof . To create it from a beam of small section, they construct truss system. Sheet material is laid on the rafters, for example, moisture resistant plywood or OSB boards. Elements of flexible tiles are already mounted on a flat base.

. Stage four - arrangement of the firebox

The firebox can be made of bricks or used as such metal stove. If a brick is used, then it is necessary to take refractory fireclay. You also need a refractory pipe that will remove smoke from the firebox to the smoking chamber. The diameter of the pipe must be large enough so that the smoke moves slowly, cools down and is freed from soot particles.

. Stage five - interior arrangement

Inside the smokehouse is arranged very simply. Above the smoke outlet are installed gratings and hang hooks.

After that, a cold-smoked brick smokehouse can be used.

Do-it-yourself cold smoked smokehouse. A photo

The relief of the site with slopes and terraces simplifies the installation of a cold smoked smokehouse. The presence of a terrace allows you not to deepen the firebox into the ground. It can simply be placed on the lower tier, and a smoking chamber can be installed on the upper tier. As a result, the number of works is reduced, the smokehouse is built faster, with less labor and time.

Step-by-step instructions for building a cold smoked smokehouse. Video

Do-it-yourself cold-smoked wooden smokehouse. step by step photos

To make a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands, it is not at all necessary to use a brick. Wood is also great for this purpose. Help with construction step-by-step instruction for the construction of a cold-smoked smokehouse made of natural wood.

1. They dig on the site trench for pipes, smoking and combustion chambers. The depth of the trench should be from one and a half to two bayonets of a shovel. The part intended for the pipe is located slightly higher than the smokehouse pit.



Do-it-yourself cold smoked smokehouse. A photo

2. Pit for smoking chamber dig a shovel two or three bayonets deep. When hit, the smoke lingers slightly. At this time, large particles of soot fall out of it, i.e. the smoke clears. After that, he rises to the smoking chamber.



3. The pit for the firebox is poured cement to get a solid floor. Such level ground it is necessary that the combustion chamber built of bricks does not subsequently collapse due to natural soil movements.



4. Lay in the trench for the chimney pipe. Its diameter should be sufficient so that the smoke passes freely to the smoking chamber, cooling along the way.

5. Spread combustion chamber. To do this, take a refractory brick, from which the walls of the furnace and its upper part.




6. Fix a cast iron door to the firebox, which closes securely. This will make the smoke take a longer path through the chimney and prevent it from being lost.

Step-by-step instructions for building a cold smoked smokehouse. A photo

7. For a cold smoked smokehouse made of wood, equip base. To do this, the walls of the recess under it are laid out with building bricks and they are brought to a certain height above the ground. On such a brick base, then the wooden part of the structure will be installed directly.


8. The trench with the chimney is covered with earth and carefully compacted. Land is needed for better cooling of the pipe and smoke. Moist soil is a better conductor of heat than air.


9. Create a wooden smoking chamber:

To make a cold smoked smokehouse out of wood, use wooden bars. It is advisable to take material from hardwood. The base of the future chamber is assembled from the bars.

Do-it-yourself cold smoked smokehouse. A photo

Flat boards are stuffed on the base. They should fit as tightly as possible to each other so that smoke does not escape through the cracks.

The roof is made single or gable. A door is fixed to the front so that it fits snugly and opens easily. The valve will help to avoid spontaneous opening.

A hole is left in the roof for the pipe and it is installed there. The pipe should be small in diameter so that the smoke does not come out too quickly.


The first kindling will help to check the correct operation of all parts.



Smokehouse from a barrel

If all the previous options seem complicated and expensive, then you should pay attention to a cold-smoked smokehouse from a barrel. The basis of the sneaker design will be a barrel made of wood or other material. The only exception is plastic. The bottom of the container is removed so that the smoke can pass through.

To make a cold-smoked smokehouse with your own hands, you need to dig two holes in the ground for a firebox and a smoking chamber, as well as a trench connecting them. The firebox should be about fifty centimeters in diameter and about forty centimeters deep. The bottom is covered with a sheet gland. The walls can be reinforced with bricks, but even without it, the firebox will function.

pit under smoking chamber they dig out of the barrel at a distance of about three meters. In diameter, it should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the base of the barrel, and about forty centimeters deep.

The pits connect trench to be used to hold the smoke. The depth of the trench should be about thirty centimeters. The finished trench is covered with metal sheets, covered with earth and rammed. It is not necessary to use a pipe, but it is better to compact the walls of the trench so that they do not crumble over time.

Attached to the bottom of the barrel metal grid. Smoke filter material, such as straw or burlap, will be laid out on it. The filter materials are moistened so that they better clean the smoke from large particles of combustion products. This layer makes the smoke lighter, thinner and free of soot. In addition, the grate will not allow products to fall into the depth of the pit.

At the top of the barrel is installed bars on which meat hooks will be attached. Can be installed and lattice to place products.

The resulting cold-smoked smokehouse from the barrel is covered with burlap, a wooden shield or similar material. The smokehouse is ready and can be used for its intended purpose.

So that the smoke does not get lost, does not come out from under the barrel, its foot is covered with earth. This soil around the base is carefully tamped.

Cold smoked smokehouse from an old refrigerator

In almost every household you can find an old refrigerator that has long been broken. In order not to multiply the amount of garbage, it, or rather the body, can be used to make a smokehouse.

It is not at all difficult to build a cold smoked smokehouse from an old refrigerator. For this you need to take refrigerator body(the insides are dismantled), a pipe about four meters long, heat-resistant bricks for arranging the firebox and an iron cover for it.

The firebox is equipped below the level of the smoking chamber. It is better to use a site that has a slope for convenient placement. For the firebox, they dig a hole, which they lay out heat-resistant brick. If the farm has a metal container of sufficient volume, then you can dig it in. From above, it is closed with a metal cover so that the smoke goes into the chimney.

The next element of the cold smoked smokehouse from the old refrigerator is pipe to remove smoke. It should be quite long so that the smoke passing through it has time to cool. In addition, the pipe is recommended to be buried underground. Surrounded by damp earth, it will cool better and cool the smoke to the right temperature.

The entrance of the pipe into the refrigerator body can be done in two ways. In the first case, the binding is made to the already existing holes, which served to accommodate the main working parts of the refrigerator. In this case, the entrance can be either at the top or at the bottom. The specific option depends on the model of the refrigerator.

The second way - pipe tie-in into the bottom of the body. This requires additional work, but it provides the most optimal smoke flow. It will flow from bottom to top and provide the best result as more smoke will pass through the product.

Inside the refrigerator body is equipped with all necessary devices to place products. Lattice shelves or hooks are used so that meat or fish can be hung.

At the end, a homemade smokehouse should be equipped chimney for smoke extraction. But it will be required only if the seal on the door is still effective enough and does not create gaps. In most cases, the seal on the old refrigerator leaves small gaps through which the smoke flows out.

This option for recycling an old refrigerator can be considered the most optimal, because. it will still be useful.

Cold-smoked home smokehouse "Dym Dymych"

If, considering the drawings of a cold smoked smokehouse, you understand that they are not suitable for a small personal plot, then you should pay attention to the home smokehouse Dym Dymych.

Such a household smokehouse is made of cold-rolled steel sheet, whose thickness is eight tenths of a millimeter. The smoking container has a volume of thirty-two liters. The kit includes a smoke generator and a compressor. Smoke enters the smoking chamber through a flexible hose.

AT smoke generator smokehouse laid wood chips. Smoke is emitted there, which is sent to the smoking container. The smoke output is controlled by electric compressor. Through a hose, the length of which is seventy-four centimeters, the smoke passes to the pledged products. The timing of smoking depends on several factors. Firstly, they depend on the weight and volume of the products, and secondly, on the activity of the smoke treatment. The result is a time frame ranging from five hours to fifteen.

Such a smokehouse has several advantages at once. It is compact and can be stored anywhere when not in use. You can use the device not only in a suburban area, but also in the city, for example, on a balcony or near the house. Smokehouse Dym Dymych is sold in a form that is completely ready for use. It does not need to be pre-assembled or made in-house.

With the help of a smokehouse, delicious smoked products are easily and relatively quickly made. Prolonged treatment with cold smoke creates an environment unfavorable for bacteria. As a result, the product not only gets a unique taste, but also has a much longer shelf life.

From the presented variety of devices for cold smoking, everyone can choose the best option for themselves. If there is no desire to build a smokehouse on your own, and the volumes of cooking are small, then the last option is suitable. If you want to make a special, your own smokehouse or save money, then you can choose any of the options made by yourself.

It is also worth mentioning that the products must be prepared before smoking. They are pre-salted according to a certain scheme. If this is not done, then real smoked meats will not work out of them.

Well, who among us does not like to get together with the whole family for dining table and tasty food, especially if you are relaxing outdoors.

But what to put on the table to surprise your family and friends? The answer is quite simple - you can treat guests with ham, salmon or juicy homemade sausage. But, unfortunately, prices in stores bite very strongly, and smoking in factories is not the healthiest and the right way. And just then a smokehouse will come to your aid, which you can easily build with your own hands from ordinary building bricks, and most importantly, it will not take up much space in the backyard of your house or country cottage.

Let's take a look at the whole process of laying a brick smoking oven in order.

How to lay a brick smokehouse?

Before you start building a smokehouse, you need to learn the basics and then the process of building a smokehouse will not take you much time and effort, and most importantly, you can easily build a smokehouse of any shape, type and even color.

What is needed Construction Materials for the construction and laying of a smokehouse from ordinary or special building bricks:

  1. Brick (it is best to use a special brick, as it has the best performance properties);
  2. Ordinary natural clay or clay mass with various additives and impurities;
  3. Shovel for digging a hole;
  4. A grate and ladder made of special or ordinary bricks, which you can do yourself for smoking meat and other products;
  5. Wooden door for laying products or combustion elements;
  6. Eight thick metal rods;
  7. Durable metal lid;
  8. Roulette for measuring length;
  9. Level measurement device;
  10. Plinth or plumb:
  11. Construction blade for grinding - trowel;
  12. Conclusion.

Where is the best place to place a brick smokehouse?

When choosing a place for the stove, everything must be thought through and taken into account down to the smallest detail. Since in this article we are considering exclusively brick smokehouses, then this oval design will be capital and permanent, which means that at the slightest desire it will not be possible to move or put it in another place (if you need to change the location of the smokehouse, then it will have to be disassembled and build from scratch).

And that is why the location of the smoking oven should be ideal. Such a place should be: large, comfortable, located at the same time close to your house, but also at some distance so that you do not breathe smoke and combustion elements during the smoking process. It is also important to remember that smoking smoke can harm not only your health, but also the buildings and living plants that are on the site. Therefore, the place for the furnace should be quite remote. I repeat once again - the place for the smokehouse must be chosen carefully and take into account all possible nuances.

How to prepare the site for future construction work?

The place where the construction process will take place must be thoroughly cleaned of grass, dirt, debris and everything superfluous. If you decide to build a mini smokehouse, then the foundation must be poured thirty by forty centimeters in size (depending on the size of the smokehouse, the foundation area will increase).

If you want to build a large smoking apparatus in the area where it will be located, you should dig a large pit and pour the foundation into it with the addition of reinforced concrete (for strength and reliability of the structure).

brickwork


It is important to know: there are three standard types of bricks - these are: double, one and a half and single.


Also during construction, bricks of standard M one hundred and fifty are very often used. Its dimensions are almost identically close to a double brick. How to do it can be read here.

Thickness of brickwork

  1. Laying in half a brick;
  2. Masonry in one brick;
  3. Laying one and a half bricks;
  4. Masonry in two bricks;
  5. Masonry in two and a half bricks.

As a rule, the thickness of the brickwork with your own hands is determined by a special metric system.

  • It doesn’t matter what kind of brickwork (whether it’s made by hand and at home or produced at a large manufacturing plant) occurs according to a certain construction scheme, which, without deviating, adheres to. According to these rules, the joint of two bricks of a separate, lower row must always be covered upon completion of the masonry. This is done so that in the future there are no extra seams.

This technology is called ligation of seams, and in order for you to get the right brazier with a smokehouse made of bricks, you only need to do three dressings of the seams of the smokehouse - spoon ligation, chain ligation and cross ligation.

It is important to know: before starting the construction of the smokehouse, it is necessary to lay the foundation for it and the base for the walls of the barbecue. The foundation should be no more than thirty to forty centimeters in size, but if the land on your site is very damp, then the foundation can be made several times larger.

It is best to pour the foundation from a mixture of cement and sand cleaned of impurities with building additives (crushed stone, and so on).

It is important to know: also, based on the complexity of the construction, it is necessary to determine whether it is necessary to make a flooded floor screed or you can leave the floor from the ground. In addition, you can build a small plinth to protect the smokehouse.

The process of laying the plinth

To do this, on the basis of the smokehouse (foundation) it will be necessary to apply the solution with a trowel on a pre-constructed formwork, which should be slightly more sizes spoons and poke. Next, attach the brick so that it fills all the vertical seams.

If the applied mortar has come out a little from the seam, then it must be carefully removed with a trowel so that the brick takes the correct position, it can be slightly knocked out with a hammer or the same trowel.

What are the options for sealing joints in the construction of structures made of strong, building bricks:

  1. Sewing a seam into an empty space;
  2. Sealing a visible seam by cutting it slightly;
  3. Expanded sealing of the seam with its bending inward;
  4. Extended seaming with raised elements.

If you decide to put an ordinary, stationary stove made of building bricks in the backyard of your house or country cottage, then you naturally want to decorate it properly (beautifully, neatly and unusually), but before proceeding with the design and decoration, it is very important to repair and embroider all visible seams.

What does a standard smokehouse consist of

Any smoking oven consists of:

  • gate valves;
  • Hook for hanging and fixing meat over the smoker;
  • Capacity for bookmarking products.
  • Cold smoking chamber meat products(such a chamber is available only in a universal and cold smoking apparatus);
  • Chamber for hot smoking of meat products (such a chamber is only available in a universal hot smoking apparatus);
  • Compartment for loading sawdust;
  • "Bunker" serving to collect ash, slag and other remaining harmful products after the smoking process. It is also called - ash pan:;
  • Compartment for loading dry firewood;
  • A small chimney for the correct direction of smoke on the meat;
  • Special brands or corners for overlapping.

Depending on the type of smokehouse, the construction period and the amount of materials that need to be spent during laying vary significantly. For example, if you are building a cold-smoked smokehouse, then its laying time will take from two to three days(depending on the skills of the master and how quickly the work process itself is performed).

Important to know: if you like not only well-smoked fish, but also very juicy, then it is better not to use a cold-smoked apparatus for seafood, because due to the fact that fat will not get directly onto the meat, the final product will turn out much harder, although they will keep for a longer time from the moment of preparation.

There is also a universal brazier with a brick smokehouse, which, thanks to laying in several rows (namely, twenty-seven brick rows), can combine both cold smoking and hot smoking. But, such masonry is more complex and will take much longer to build.

Important to know: the most important thing in laying a brick smokehouse for a novice builder is to correctly and accurately with the number of required rows and not to lose count during the construction process.

How to build a small smoke oven? A few simple but effective tips.

If you want to save your time, effort, energy, money, or you simply don’t have a place to place a large cold or hot smoker, and the desire to have your own home-made smokes is unstoppable, then a small home smokehouse would be the best option for you. Its construction, as it has already become clear, will not take much time, but it is also necessary to follow the sequence of all actions and the main building rules.

So let's get started:

  • First, you need to lay a place for installing a special chimney in the ground of your site.. Length overall cross section the whole part should at first be approximately two hundred and fifty to three hundred centimeters, a width of thirty-five centimeters, and its height of about twenty-five centimeters. It is best to use standard red, building bricks to build a chimney, since cheaper silicate bricks can release very harmful substances and fumes when heated.
  • The smoking chamber must be located at the very end of the common channel. The height of the chamber should not exceed one hundred and fifty centimeters. To build such a structure, you can use brick ribbed masonry.
  • Before you start laying the channel, you need to dig a small trench. Its depth should be exactly thirty-five centimeters, and the total width - fifty-five. Also, we must not forget to take into account that the firebox should be located slightly above the smoking chamber.
  • Next, you need to lay the walls for the future chimney. All walls must be neatly and correctly laid on a brick base. In this case brickwork also done on the edge, and the dressing of all visible wall seams must be the same (for stability and reliability of the entire structure). In the end result, the entire wall should be exactly twenty-five centimeters high, and stand slightly on edge.
  • Next, you need to block the very top of the channel(it can be easily covered with ordinary red brick).
  • After you have blocked the chimney, then at its end it is necessary to install the smoking chamber itself. This must be done very carefully and so that the channel does not go very deep into the chamber itself (no more than thirty centimeters).
  • After the chimney and smoke channel dried up it is necessary to fill everything tightly with ordinary soil to the level of the smoking chamber (this layer should be no more than fifteen centimeters in height).

The most important rules and points in construction and masonry brick stove- smokehouses:

  1. The most important thing when building a good smokehouse that will serve you for many, many years and will delight not only you, but also relatives and friends, you must use not cement to coat all wooden parts, but only clay and clay mortar with various natural additives (sand and so Further). Also, one should not forget that clay is a natural material that has excellent performance properties and, during the smoking process, emits an incredibly pleasant, natural smell, which is also transferred to meat and other products during smoking.
  2. What to do if there is no natural clay? Ways and methods of its replacement.

If you have neither clay nor the opportunity to get it, and you are in a hurry with the construction of a brick smokehouse, then clay can be replaced with ordinary earth. As already mentioned above, it is better not to use a solution of cement.

  • During laying brick walls for a smokehouse, one should not forget about strengthening with thick rods made of durable metal (exactly eight pieces are needed, a special grate will be laid on these rods). Since the first four metal rods must be installed so that they do not reach exactly twenty-five centimeters to the very top edge (twenty-five centimeters is for a smoke oven with a cold smoking function, and a little more is possible for warm smoking).
  • If you have the desire and time, you can install a special filter in a smoking oven (of any type). To do this, it is necessary to pull the usual burlap on top of the wire circle (which is located under the lowest rods). The installation of this filter must be considered even before the construction of the smokehouse is started, since four additional metal rods will be required to place it. Also, we must not forget that after installation and already during use, the filter must be slightly softened with filtered water.
  1. No matter how praised a metal chimney is and attracts you with its cheapness, reliability and durability, it is best to build a brick chimney according to the old tradition. It will not only be easier to clean it from the remnants of combustion products after smoking, but the brick chimney will last you much longer.
  2. In the smoking compartment, it is imperative to provide and make a light, removable tray so that fat and other residual products do not fall on the products, but drain. Also, in addition to the fact that without such a pallet, the meat will be fatter, they will accumulate harmful impurities and dross, which, after a few years, will cause unpleasant odors during smoking, which will surely fall on meat and other products.
  3. If you are not particularly eager and do not want to spend energy and precious time building complex and powdery structures, then perfect options there will be a construction for you, which consists of four walls, one door and several holes for installing poles in a horizontal position, and under slate roof it is necessary to leave room for the gaps in which the thrust will be installed. Next, you need to build a small blower, or you can just leave one small removable brick at the bottom finished construction in order to increase the thrust itself several times.

Conclusion

As it has already become clear, building a brick smokehouse with your own hands is not the easiest, but worthwhile. If you follow all the advice and do all the work in stages, slowly and following all the instructions and building rules, then the construction of a smoking oven will take place for you without much difficulty, and in extreme cases you can always seek advice or help from professional builders - stackers.
If you have any questions, we recommend watching the video instructions presented in the article..

If you sometimes like to taste smoked meats, you can visit the store in order to purchase such dishes there. However, you can cook them yourself, with the help of a smokehouse. Before you start building this structure, you need to understand the types of smoking, which can be two, namely hot and cold.

The first variety is quite fast way, which is most often used at home. The smoking period can last from 12 to 48 hours, while the temperature of the smoke is in the range from 35 to 50 degrees. In this case, the products do not lose moisture and are well saturated with fat. You can store such products for a short time. The dimensions of the smokehouse sometimes do not have to be chosen, since these designs, as a rule, are based on cylinders or refrigerators that are out of order. However, if you want to make such equipment for commercial purposes, then you can use metal sheets or a barrel, the volume of which can be quite impressive.

Represents a longer processing time. At the same time, the products do not heat up much, since the smoke has a temperature of 18 to 25 degrees. The smoking period can last from 2 to 3 days. This type of processing involves the removal of moisture from products whose surface dries. You can store such products for a long time, especially when compared with hot smoking. In support of the above, it can be argued that the cold process is more laborious and time consuming compared to hot smoking. Let's get to know him in more detail.

What is a cold working smokehouse?

In the process of making a cold smoked oil lamp, you will need to make a device in which cold smoke will be directed from the product to the side. The smoke must be continuous and even throughout the treatment period. Its temperature is not more than 25 degrees. In order to provide such conditions, the smokehouse must be divided into two separate parts. One of them will be a firebox, while the other will be a container. The first part should be 2 meters away from the other, and a chimney should be located between them.

The principle of operation and the device of a smokehouse for cold processing

If you are interested in the device of a cold smoked oil lamp, you should know that it consists of several elements, among them there is a chimney, a smoke generator and a smoking chamber. The structure works on following principle. The chips are placed in the smoke generator, the fuel begins to smolder, and forms smoke. In the process, a draft arises, due to which it enters the chimney, cools in it, penetrating into the smoking chamber, where the products that are intended for processing are located. The main function in this type of processing is performed by a smoke generator, which provides a continuous flow of smoke inside. This element is automated, the owner will only need to observe the volume of sawdust.

Fuel preparation

Cold smoked oil lamps must work on a certain type of sawdust. Under no circumstances should chips be used. conifers wood, namely pine, spruce, etc. This rule is due to the fact that this fuel contains resin. Fruit tree sawdust is the best solution for smoking. The best option there will be a cherry, an apple tree and a pear. In the absence of sawdust of this breed, you can replace them with shavings of alder, willow or oak. In order for the smoked meats to look very attractive after the completion of the process, on last step processing, you need to put a juniper branch in the smokehouse. For processing products by cold smoking, you can use cassettes and briquettes, which are sold in stores.

Do-it-yourself smokehouse manufacturing technology

If you decide to start making cold smoked oil lamps, then you do not need to have certain skills and abilities. Before starting work, you should prepare a certain set of tools and some materials. Sheets of iron should be laid at the bottom of the firebox, thanks to which the coals will smolder evenly. Now the master digs a chimney, the depth of which should be equal to the spade bayonet, while the width is equivalent to the width of the spade. After that, you need to use slate or a sheet of iron in order to close the chimney, filling it with earth. This is done to prevent smoke from escaping.

Before starting work, you need to familiarize yourself with what smokehouse designs are. This knowledge can help you in the process of manipulation. Next, you need to prepare an ordinary barrel, in the lower part of which a grate is strengthened. This is necessary for laying the filter, which will protect products from soot and resin. Burlap can act as a filter. Fixed at the top steel pipe, products for smoking will be attached to it. Highly good stuff stainless steel will act for such a pipe. When choosing a hook, you need to be guided by dimensions that should not be less than 10 millimeters. From above, the smokehouse should be covered with a sheet of iron.

Making from a box

If you will be making a homemade cold smoked smokehouse, then you can use a barrel or a box. After this element can be found, a smoke generator should be fixed to it. At this point, we can assume that the product is ready, it will be quite convenient to use it, and if necessary, it can be moved to another place. When using a smokehouse, the smoke must flow evenly, so you need to take special care of the correct manufacture of the chimney.

Work methodology

Be sure to choose the most suitable place for the smokehouse, there should not be flammable objects nearby. The master should take into account the distance from neighbors who may not like the smoke. In the process of arranging the chimney, you need to use cords and pegs. Initially, it will be necessary to carry out the markings along which the trench is dug. On the walls of the latter, you need to install bricks, putting them on the edge. In the process of work, a solution should be used, which is prepared from sand and clay.

When a cold-smoked home smoker is being run, it may be necessary to cool the smoke. This issue can be resolved in one of several ways, one of them is the extension of the hose through which smoke is supplied to the structure. The length of this element should be such that the smoke gradually cools as it passes through it. Some experts advise using running water. To do this, you will need to assemble the simplest water-based cooler, which is made of copper and brass tubes. If wood is used in the smoking process, then a pipe bend can be used to cool the smoke.

If you purchased an industrial smokehouse or made the design yourself, you should always make sure that the temperature inside is within the acceptable range. It's best to start this process since morning. In bad weather, smoking should be avoided. You should not often look into the camera, and inside the device it is necessary to install a tray in which fat will be collected.

Making a smokehouse from a gas cylinder

A smokehouse at home can be made using a gas cylinder. To carry out the work you will need a grinder, drills, welding machine, two canopies for doors, a metal rod with a diameter of 10 millimeters, as well as pipes that will form the basis of the legs. Among other things, prepare a metal corner, a forged handle in the amount of 1 piece, electrodes for welding, open end wrenches, an electric drill and, of course, an old gas bottle. If you will be running a smokehouse from a gas cylinder, then it is important to think about whether the size of the future design is suitable. To carry out these works, you can prepare a product of the required dimensions, taking care of this in advance.

At the first stage, the master must inspect the cylinder from all sides, if it is rusted, then it will not be possible to use it for work. If there is some gas inside, this indicates that the product is in working condition and is suitable for making a smokehouse. A smokehouse at home from a gas cylinder can only be made after careful preparation of the product.

To do this, you need to get rid of the remaining gas by turning the product over and unscrewing the valve. This will prevent possible ignition of the gas. Even after such a procedure, propane residues will remain in the form of condensate. It is worth considering the moment that they are dangerous. It will be quite difficult to get rid of the oily liquid that has settled on the walls. For this, water is most often used.

After it is possible to get rid of the remaining gas, it will be necessary to draw a line on the body with chalk along which the cut will be made. The balloon must be divided into two parts, which are then connected by hinges. At the next stage, you will need to install the handles, weld the legs and install the grate inside. On this we can assume that the design is ready. According to this principle, a smokehouse can be assembled from a gas cylinder, which, if necessary, can be easily transferred from one place to another.

If you decide to make stationary equipment, then you need to start work with the fact that you must retreat a certain distance from the edge. After that, a line is drawn three centimeters below the weld. This will give you two circles. Straight lines should divide the balloon in the middle. After that, the container is filled with water, which does not need to be drained when making the first cut. The water that will flow out will be able to extinguish the sparks, preventing a fire from starting. After the holes have been made, it will be possible to drain the water by continuing to cut. After one semicircle has been obtained, such work can be done on the other side. The semicircles should connect with each other. This will ensure that the finished lid is closed, which will help provide cover for the flame from the wind.

Final works

If you will be cold smoking at home, then you can make a design for this using any of the technologies described above. After completing the above manipulations, you need to check the stability of the product. If it has long legs, then it will be quite difficult to achieve reliability. Therefore, you need to install additional corners, which will be located at the bottom of the legs. After completing the work on the manufacture of the legs, you can drill several holes in the wall. Coals will wake up through them, air will penetrate inside, which will contribute to better combustion. After you can complete the basic steps, you can start painting the structure. However, quite often home masters exclude this stage.

Features of making a smokehouse from an old refrigerator

At home, you can make a smokehouse from the refrigerator. To do this, you need to remove all the elements that are located inside the household appliance, leaving only a steel box with a door. After the inner chamber with thermal insulation has been removed, the old seams will need to be removed from the special sealant, which can take a lot of time. A sufficiently large hole will be formed on the back side, where the heat exchanger is located. You can close it with a metal plate, which should be cut out of the previously removed parts. If you have a potbelly stove available, which, as a rule, is made from segments water pipe, then it can be used by installing it inside. It is important to ensure the exit of the pipe, with which the master may have certain difficulties.

When a smokehouse is made from the refrigerator, it will be necessary to draw a circle with a compass, the diameter of which is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the pipe. After that, holes should be drilled around the perimeter of the circle using a five-bit drill. This element can be brought to the desired size with a semicircular file. Stepping back from the top of the box 20 centimeters, you should install two corners that will act as holders for the grid. On this shelf there will be products for smoking. Stepping back 10 centimeters below, you need to fix two more corners that are necessary to install the pallet. It will accumulate fat. The shelf can be used from the same refrigerator, and the pallet can be borrowed from the stove.

Supply of smokehouse with additional elements

If you purchase an industrial smokehouse, then you do not have to worry about it. design features, since this device already has everything. Whereas if you yourself decide to make such equipment, you can supply it additional elements. One of them is a thermometer, which is provided in the form of a spiral. It must be extracted from the same old stove. You can decide on your own where to install this thermometer, however, experts advise placing it in the immediate vicinity of the product that is supposed to be smoked. Such a smokehouse, reviews of which are often only positive, should have small holes on the side wall for attaching a thermometer. The indicator must be placed outside. After dismantling, only a handle and a label with the name will remain on the refrigerator door. You can save yourself from manipulating the fixing of the door, in the closed position it can remain thanks to an ordinary hook.

Such smokehouses for home smoking after completion of work must be tested, for this the chamber must be ignited to eliminate odors. The stove can be heated for several hours, from time to time throwing firewood. The door does not need to be closed completely. Appearance the refrigerator case after such use may be slightly changed: the paint will come off or turn yellow. If these metamorphoses do not scare you, then the smokehouse does not need to be decorated with anything.

Of course, the price of which is about 20,000 rubles, can be purchased in a specialized department. However, many home craftsmen prefer to make such designs on their own. During operation, you will get great pleasure from using the product, and the minimum amount of money will be spent on manufacturing. Some experts do without visiting the store at all.

Conclusion

The smokehouse, admittedly, is a fairly simple design. Even an inexperienced craftsman can make it using improvised materials and tools. If there is a need for welding work, then you can always contact a specialist whose scope of work will not be too large. Therefore, you do not have to overpay, which indicates the possibility of saving. But meat and fish can be cooked as much as your heart desires. Some masters even use similar designs not only for their own needs, but also for cooking meat, which will be sold. You can ensure that the design is sized to suit your needs. It is necessary to think about this even at the time of drafting the device.

So, to begin with, let's define what should be called smoking? I must say that this is a process in which the heat treatment of meat and fish takes place. As a result, products acquire an unusual taste, are prepared and are deprived of harmful impurities.

Features of smoking

Hot smoking occurs with smoldering coals, sawdust or straw. Cold smoking is performed for several days at a lower temperature. Despite the fact that products are stored longer than with hot smoking, it is the second type of smoking that is used.

Hot smoked products can be obtained much faster than cold smoked products. Hot smoking is most often used in the suburban area, when hiking, on picnics. We note right away that we will cook everything with our own hands. We use manufacturing guides.

Among the products that are suitable for smoking, we will name:

  • fish,
  • meat,
  • sausages,

moreover, smoking is performed both in whole and in pieces.

Before you smoke the meat, you need to process it with spices and let it brew. As soon as after running the meat with a fork it is found that there is no blood, you can begin to smoke it.

Concerning fish smoking, then you can smoke it as a whole, or cut it. If the fish is small, then smoking is done without cutting. It is best to smoke fish that is salted and slightly dried.

If the fish is too oily, then it must be wrapped in parchment. For smoking, it is best to choose fruit trees, but in principle, all types of wood are suitable. It is best to smoke on wood that is without bark, as the bark may contain resins, and this will affect the taste of the smoked dish.

Simple do-it-yourself smokehouse options

And now let's look at how to create a simple smokehouse with your own hands, without putting a lot of effort and time. The smoker itself is a simple device that is made of metal or plastic. There must be a cover. Meat or fish is laid out on the grill inside.

Pieces of food should not touch each other. As soon as the chips are placed on the bottom, they kindle it. The smoldering process begins. And the lack of oxygen in the right volume leads to the formation of thick hot smoke. There may also be a tray in the smokehouse where fat will drain.



So, the easiest option is a smokehouse for a hike. A little shavings are placed at the bottom of the container. For example, take a bucket. Set up a grid in the middle. We will place smoked products on it. The bucket must be covered with a lid and put on fire. While the fire is burning under the bottom, the lid should not open.

As soon as smoke and steam begin to come out from under the lid, it means that smoking has begun. It is worth noting that overheating the smokehouse is also not worth it. While the meat is drying, and this is a third of the time, you need to withstand medium heat. The rest of the time we kindle a bigger fire. It is very easy to determine how normal the temperature in the smokehouse is. To do this, put water on the lid. If the water evaporates without hissing, then everything is fine.

Smoking lasts no more than forty minutes. At first, you can try to remove the smokehouse from the fire and quickly try the product for readiness. Once you get used to the procedure, you will not need to try the dish for readiness.

As soon as the specified time has passed, the meat can be removed from the smokehouse from the fire. But you don’t need to get the product right away: let it brew a little. If you are on a hike, then the fat tray can be omitted.

Smokehouse with water seal for hot smoking from stainless steel

If your smokehouse will be located in a suburban area, then you should think about a more serious design. To do this, take stainless steel and weld the box.

Smokehouse with a water seal: scheme

In the lid, you can create a special tube through which smoke will come out. A smokehouse can even be placed in an apartment.

Hot smoked smokehouse with a water seal, photo

In this case, a continuation of the hose is put on the tube, which is exposed to the window. The smokehouse is filled with fuel. Now we load the meat. There must be a pan to collect fat. Now we put the structure on the gas stove, and it all starts.

Country smokehouse from the refrigerator

A great option is one that is made from the refrigerator. Of course, plastic must be removed. The hole at the back of the refrigerator is welded, and a hook is placed on the door. We put a potbelly stove inside the refrigerator. The chimney will exit through the top of the refrigerator.

Wood chips can be put on the upper part of the potbelly stove, and the stove itself is heated with any kind of fuel. Nets for meat are already ready - this is former regiments refrigerator.

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Your own smokehouse is good. It's just wonderful. Freshly caught fish, right there, still fluttering, gutted and stuffed with ferns, a wild boar ham from a billhook, which he cut off exactly under the left shoulder blade, the beast just tumbled, but smoked ... saliva flows ... You need to make some kind of smokehouse with your own hands, but purchase prices unreasonable, but everything looks simple.

Indeed, the smokehouse is very simple, and making it yourself is as easy as shelling pears. If there is a kitchen with gas and an extractor hood, you don’t need to do anything at all - bring it and smoke it. But behind the apparent simplicity lies a rather complex process. Remember the old Soviet Riga sprats - plump, bright golden, with a dense, but tender meat? Where can you find these now? And the Balts, by the way, do not spray fish with liquid smoke, they smoke honestly.

However, the gastronomic advantages are only the tip of the iceberg. That's right, old-fashioned smoked products are completely devoid of harmful properties. But in the age of consumption, in the pursuit of profitability, many of the secrets of smoking are either lost or ignored.

Therefore, in this article, we will first of all tell you what you need to know and understand in order to make a smokehouse, the product from which will receive a delicate taste with an exquisite aroma, which are simply unknown to current smoked meat lovers. And at the same time, it will be completely devoid of carcinogens, oxidants, toxins and other things that frighten connoisseurs of smoked meat. And then we turn to the description of some structures.

Similarly. Not so long ago, his good friend wanted to visit the author. And he just got hold of real Frankfurt sausages, so he decided to please. Prepared as expected, with green peas. She tried, and ... she did not eat. She seriously thinks that sausages are what they put in a hot dog in the market.

Three smoked whales

Whales are not smoked whole; title is figurative. What does it mean - three whales, on which the whole process of smoking is right, old-fashioned, primordial. Incidentally, it is quite feasible in an ordinary urban kitchen. How exactly and what to smoke - we will also touch on this, but towards the end of the article.

  1. The first is the uniformity of heating and fumigation. Both heat and smoke should evenly cover the semi-finished product from all sides. Otherwise, even along the length of a medium-sized roach or pig's ear, internal fractionation of the product components will go on, which will spoil the taste and add harm.
  2. The second is light smoke. Heavy smoke fractions must condense and precipitate before reaching the product in any smoking method, see below. The presence of pyrolysis gases is completely unacceptable, they give what doctors justifiably scare. So “light smoke” means not only white and fragrant, without fumes, but also highly diluted with atmospheric oxygen, it neutralizes pyrolysis gases.
  3. The third is gradual penetration. Proper pumping of the product bookmark requires not only time, but also a delay near it with a light haze. At the same time, all components of the smoke will evenly penetrate into the product, which gives the required quality. The scheme of smoking is as follows: the “working” smoke fumigates the bookmark until it is exhausted, then it must leave, and be replaced by fresh one. It is not difficult to provide such a cycle, because smoke produced at the same temperature is lighter and tends to go up. You just need to hold him near the product.

What is unimportant

But what has almost no meaning for the smoker is its size. All that is required to be observed during the design is gaps of at least 1-2 cm between the product and the walls and between pieces of products. An exception is small fish smoked on a grate in bulk: sprat, sprat, rudd, smelt, smelt, golden crucian carp - “penny”.

Also of great importance has no material. But here, too, there is an exception: when cold smoking bear meat and other types of game with a specific flavor on the smoking chamber (see below), it is better to put an old oak wine barrel, or, in extreme cases, from under pickles. In combination with the right firewood for smoke, a smokehouse from a barrel will give out quite edible even skua, coot or martyn gull.

Types of smoking

The most delicate, exquisite bouquets of taste and aroma, combined with a long shelf life of the finished product, gives cold smoking, at a temperature of 30-50 degrees. The ham of a domestic pig, smoked in a cold way, will sag in a cool, dry cellar for a year or more, completely retaining its taste and aroma, only shrinking a little. And in the refrigerator for a maximum of a month, it will soften or freeze.

But cold smoking lasts a long time - from 6 hours for small fish in bulk on a grill to 3 days for the thigh of a well-fed boar. And it requires, in addition, careful preparation of the product, see at the end. It will take from 1 to 5 days, with the same variation depending on the product. Despite this, just a “cold” smokehouse is the easiest to install, but it requires a small piece of land, about 2x3.5 m.

Note: smoked meats by weight should be kept suspended on steel wire, and a safety circle should be put on the hook rod, like those that sailors put on mooring lines. Rats, they really respect smoked meat. And they hear from afar.

Hot smoking is carried out at a temperature of 70-120 degrees. Recommendations to bring the temperature up to 350 degrees (?) are taken from nowhere, it will come out not smoked meat, but a casserole. Hot smoking occurs quickly, from 15 minutes. up to 4 hours; the product fork is the same - sprat / ham. Preliminary preparation of the semi-finished product is not required.

However, in taste, smell and appetizing type, hot smoked meats are noticeably inferior to cold ones, and are stored at room temperature outdoors, usually no more than 36 hours. They freeze easily in the refrigerator, which completely destroys the gastronomic advantages. In a closed container, they easily "suffocate" and become rotten, which you need to keep in mind when taking them with you on the road.

Semi-hot smoking is carried out at a temperature of 60-70 degrees in the simplest smokehouses for cold smoking. In appearance and smell, only a connoisseur will distinguish a semi-hot product from a cold-smoked one, but in taste and keeping quality it is the same as hot smoked.

Without preparation in a semi-hot way, only completely fresh semi-finished products can be smoked: freshly caught fish, fresh meat. Therefore, semi-hot smoking is mainly used by individual hunters and fishermen, after 2-3 days of fishing they carry their prey immediately to the market, for preservation and giving it a marketable appearance.

There is another application: the homemade smokehouse described below from nothing, in the literal sense of the word, without quotes, acts in a semi-hot way. If you need to quickly prepare smoked delicacies for the holiday, and the store ones “bite” at the price, it can help out a lot. Especially if the celebration is with vodka-cognac libations: alcohol deafens the taste buds, and after the first one no one will make out the real taste, even if Lucullus himself is invited to the feast.

Cold home smokehouse

The cold smoked smokehouse, as already mentioned, is elementary simple. Its device is shown in the figure. The smoking chamber, so that it does not go through the soil that has become sour from condensate, is placed on bricks or wooden logs dug upright into the ground.

The principle of operation is as follows: the smoke, until it reaches the smoking chamber, cools down, all the harmfulness from it will precipitate and go into the ground. At the same time - and water condensate, from which the smoked product can become sour and rotten while it is being smoked. However, you need to use it wisely.

Firstly, the slate (or galvanized, it will only be hot, you can get burned) sheet farthest from the barrel - the smoking chamber is designed to adjust the smoke distribution. In the figure, it is highlighted in greyish-green. Before laying on the grate, or hanging on a hanger, a semi-finished product, it is moved until gray or blue-gray smelly smoke goes in addition to the chamber, and fragrant light smoke enters it.

Secondly, the smoke circulation and the delay in the light haze chamber are regulated by a slightly damp burlap thrown over the mouth of the smokehouse. With proper smoking, the smoke above the chamber should not be visible - its spent residues settle in the burlap, which becomes heavier and dirty. In order not to fall down and spoil the product, metal bars are welded into the mouth, or wooden bars are simply placed on it, and a loading and unloading door is made in the chamber.

As you can see, making a cold smokehouse may only require digging a hole for a fire with a chimney - if the safety grate is made of sticks at the mouth, then the door in the chamber is not needed. However, firstly, firewood for a fire must be chosen especially carefully, but more on that at the end.

Secondly, such a smokehouse needs constant supervision: as soon as the burlap dries out and wisps of smoke go through it, it must be sprayed immediately. Otherwise, the smoke will go through the duct and some of the substances necessary for taste, smell and benefit will fly out of it into the chimney.

Thirdly, the ground under a cold smokehouse from the condensate from the smoke becomes limp even in dry weather under a canopy. Before the next bookmark, the smokehouse must be allowed to dry. If this circumstance is neglected, then the earth, instead of absorbing the unnecessary from the smoke, on the contrary, will give it back. The product will become sour, acquire a vile taste, stink, i.e. - will disappear.

That is why in ordinary stores there are no delicacies smoked in a real cold way. And in which they happen - it’s better not to look there for those living on a salary for the sake of peace of mind. At any size.

Video: homemade “cold” smokehouse

Original

And now a little about the forgotten secrets. The most important thing: you can build a cold-smoked smokehouse, the products from which were eaten, rumbling and licking their lips, the old princes and boyars, you can do it yourself. And you don’t even need to look for a barrel of fuel.

  • The first secret: the smoking chamber is a round or square shell of two wattle with an interval of two palms between them. The gap is covered with earth.
  • The second secret: the smoke circulation of a light haze is regulated not by burlap, but by branches of trees or shrubs sketched on top with small, frequent leaves, but not evaporating essential oils. It is easy to determine: if the leaves themselves do not noticeably smell, and the flowers do not have a strong aroma, then it will go. Lilac, for example, will not work, but raspberries, currants, hazel - easily.
    Also, trees that emit gum, sweet juice or contain a lot of tar will not work: birch, maple. The exception is cherry. All conifers are not suitable for sure. For game with a flavor on the tire, you need willow, willow, willow, ordinary willow and reddish. Salicylic return inside, of course, will coarsen the taste, but it will also beat off the taste.
  • The third secret: the thickness of the lining of the branches of the tire - from the palm of your hand with a 12-hour smoking to 3/4 cubit (about 30 cm) with a 3-day smoke. The secret is that the upper leaves are used to judge the degree of readiness of the product without opening the chamber. Once the top leaves are dry and shriveled, it's done! At least, it is already possible to open it without the risk of knocking down the process, and check the degree of readiness. Of course, the branches must be fresh, freshly cut.
  • Fourth secret: under the chimney they cover with a half-palm layer of fresh blackcurrant leaves. Yes, yes, the very ones that go to home canning. And for the same purpose. If harsh meat is smoked (old beef, for example), currants are given in half with horseradish leaves.

marching

A cold-smoked camping smokehouse from nothing is shown in the figure. It allows you to get a product that is not inferior to that of the previous one. She has her own secrets.

The first is to dig an adit with a trunk in clay or loam. The total length of the entire shaft is 2.5–4 m.

Note: the secret is in the secret - it is convenient, so as not to dig too much and hard, to arrange one in a cliff with holes of shore swallows.

The second is that you don’t need to drag a bucket without a bottom or a barrel with you on a hike. It is also not necessary to knit wattle for the smoking chamber. If you make the shaft deeper, then its mouth can simply be expanded under the bookmark, put a couple of fallen trees on top (they will also be hangers), and fill up with branches from above, as described above.

Third - smoke generation is regulated not by a damper, but by fresh leaves of wild currant, raspberry, strawberry, hazel, laid on a fire. For a tart taste - oak, ash, elm, willow, willow. For soft - linden. If consumers are not from the category of Roman patricians, then simply meadow grass. But God forbid - birch, sage, St. John's wort, celandine and others medicinal herbs! And the requirements for firewood are the same, which are discussed below.

hot

The hot smoked smokehouse is more complicated. Because smoke circulation and the whole process are much faster, the requirements for the “three smoked whales” indicated at the beginning must be fully observed. The device of hot smokehouses is shown in the figure. What do they have in common?

First, the smoking chamber is placed in a smoke casing. It narrows at the top. This is necessary so that, as the smoke supplied to the chamber is consumed, it penetrates into it evenly through the holes in the walls.

The second is a smoking chamber with a blank bottom. The fact is that the fat dripping down during hot smoking will fall either on the fuel tab or on the bottom of the smoke casing. Which, by the way, unlike the cold smoking chamber, must have sealed seams and joints.

In the first case, the fat will burn, and the combustion products will penetrate into the smoked bookmark. Inexperienced gourmets may not determine this by the taste of the product, but chemical analysis will show exactly what competent doctors shy away from with wide eyes.

In the second - in the presence of moisture vapor, at a temperature of incoming smoke of about 150 degrees, the fat will instantly go rancid and then evaporate. By harmfulness - the result is the previous one, and a nasty sugary aftertaste may appear.

If the fat remains in the smoking chamber, then there is no excess moisture, and even that quickly disappears, because. exit from the chamber is actually free. Fat will then have to be scraped off from the bottom, unless a drain is provided, but the product will not deteriorate. The smoked fat will have to be thrown away: all the smoked "muck" has gathered in it.

The third is a thermometer with a scale of up to 250 degrees. It controls the smoking temperature. Going beyond 70-120 Celsius is fraught not only with spoilage of taste, but also with the accumulation of harmful substances in the finished product.

Now for the differences. The left smokehouse in fig. - on self-care. Fuel - exclusively special wood chips for smoking. It is on sale, and the consumption is small: two handfuls per ham. Throwing sawdust, as most RuNet sources recommend, is a gross mistake. In a dense mass of sawdust, pyrolysis will inevitably go, and pyrolysis gases from it, the “benefit” of which has been repeatedly mentioned above. It is useless to arrange pressurization, it will not blow through a bunch of sawdust through. Is it possible to supply pure oxygen, but this is for lovers of expensive and dangerous techno-exotics.

Air access to the fuel is provided by a blower, and the total smoke circulation is regulated by a moistened burlap thrown over the mouth, as described above. But the branch secrets of cold smoking, alas, will have to be abandoned: at this temperature they will have the opposite effect.

In no case should fuel be ignited by kindling, even modern “ecological” gel. The fuel is heated to the beginning of smoldering from the outside through the bottom of the casing. The methods are different: by installing a smokehouse on a household gas stove, a blowtorch, a propane burner, an electric stove with a heating element - a pancake and a thyristor regulator. Heating is given constantly all the time of smoking; its degree is regulated by the temperature in the casing.

A self-burning smokehouse has a serious drawback: moisture from the fuel inevitably enters the smoking chamber. There is no sense in drying wood chips “to gunpowder” - moisture is formed as a result of chemical combustion reactions. Therefore, the mention above of a ham for a smokehouse on self-smoldering is purely symbolic: it will become sour before it is smoked. The maximum that can be smoked in this is pieces the size of a herring 30+.

On right - hot smokehouse powered by a smoke generator. Special for smoking, not for self-diagnosis. If a cooling coil or radiator and a condensate collector with a drain are provided on the chimney from the generator, then it can also work in a cold way. More precisely, pseudo in a cold way, because smoking masterpieces obtained from a real earthen cold smokehouse will not come out of it. But the ham will still be smoked.

The highlight of this smokehouse is a lid with a serrated bent edge lowered into a water seal. This ensures a constant slight overpressure in the chamber and a quick, uniform pumping of the bookmark. The mouth can also be covered with burlap, as in the previous case, but the taste will come out harsh, and the meat, especially fish, is flabby.

Compare: everyone knows that when preparing liqueurs or homemade wine, it is wrong to put a condom or a balloon on the neck of a jar of sourdough. You need to smear a rubber tube and bring its end into a smaller jar of water to gurgle. Then you get a drink, not a badyaga.

Smoke generators

A smoke generator is essential for successful hot smoking of meat. The device of the simplest smoke generator for smoking is shown in fig. The heater is shown tentatively; he, as mentioned above, can be anything. If a bonfire or a stove, then any fuel for it. But for the generation of smoke smoke - special. What, again, further.

But boost is not conditional. A natural draft smoke generator (for this it is necessary to place the smokehouse 2-3 m above it) will fit only for pseudo-cold smoking. Real hot requires excess pressure in the chamber, and draft, as you know, gives a vacuum.

An interesting smoke generator circuit is shown in the figure below. The principle is this: a wooden block, pressed by a spring with an adjusting screw, rubs against a steel pulley until it starts to smolder and smoke. Right there, on the motor shaft, there is a fan that drives smoke into the chamber. It would seem that pure pyrolysis with all the ensuing harmfulness, but!

The other end of the engine shaft rotates a low-power magneto (even from an old Soviet "hole" moped), giving a voltage of 2-4 kV. Its plus is fed to the grid, through which smoke is driven, and the minus is fed to smoked products. The author of the article does not know whether the author of the design knows that all the harmfulness of smoke is concentrated in negative ions (anions), and all the benefits are in positive cations.

The former in this case immediately settle on the grid (which will often have to be cleaned), while the latter are forced into the smoked food with force. Without any hassle of monitoring the smoke circulation and maintaining it.

On the wiring diagram an AC commutator motor is shown, and it is correct. In this case, you will need its power of 200-300 W, because. external characteristic collector motors of sequential excitation is soft: when the power take-off shaft is braked, the torque increases. If you put the engine asynchronous with capacitor start(for such, the external characteristic is rather rigid), then in order to turn the shaft before the tree begins to smolder, it will take 1.5-2 kW.

Note: because magneto almost idling for it gives large surges of voltage pulses, then the operating voltage of the capacitors should not be 2 kV, as the author recommends, but 6.8-10 kV. Such capacitors are used in horizontal scanning circuits for kinescope televisions.

About fish

But what about a smokehouse for fish? It is smoked the most. Are there any "fishy" nuances here? For cold smoking - not the slightest. A cold smokehouse absolutely does not care what is put into it, even cucumbers.

But in hot and semi-hot (see next) for fish, it is necessary to provide for the outflow of flowing fat outside the smoke casing or its immediate removal in another way. Low-melting fish oil is endowed with all the harmful properties of flowing smoke oil in a double or even fivefold degree.

About materials

Before moving on to household homemade products from anything, we should talk about something else.

Many country restaurants, clubs, recreation centers, commercial fishing and hunting farms are acquiring their own stationary unit for preparing meat and fish delicacies. Usually it is combined in and smokehouse. A solid building immediately gives prestige to the institution, but is it worth building such a complex entirely of brick? Certainly not.

It's not so much that the brickwork of the actual multifunctional oven is complex and expensive. Moreover, the brick is porous. When smoking, smoke emanations are introduced into the masonry, and semi-finished products are laid differently, and the taste finished products it turns out unstable, but it's not so bad.

And trouble often comes with downtime in the offseason. The masonry absorbs atmospheric moisture, the organic matter that has penetrated into it earlier begins to rot. It comes to the fact that from the brand new smokehouse built by the beginning of the autumn season, by the next summer it begins to carry rotten meat. What is the prestige...

In earthen cold smokehouses, this effect is not observed. Apparently, microscopic soil microfauna, nimble, nimble and ubiquitous, manages to clear the soil passages in the intervals between two production cycles. But for suburban recreational establishments, this is not suitable - the blanks simply do not have time to be smoked before the guests leave after the weekend

Therefore, in such cases, it is better to weld a smokehouse made of sheet iron with a thickness of 4 mm or more so that it does not burn out quickly. And for the sake of appearance and respect, veneer it with decorative brick - it is cheaper than refractory and work is easier. This design has another advantage: a solid metal structure can be transported to another place. Facing will have to be sacrificed, but it is incomparably cheaper than a solid smoke-culinary brick unit.

Semi-hot

The vast majority of home-made household smokehouses are of the semi-hot type. They produce a fairly high-quality and appetizing product, and making them on your own is elementary. Therefore, we will touch on some structures in more detail.

From nothing to nothing

For the simplest home smokehouse, you don’t need to do anything extra at all. All that is required - gas stove with a hood and a steel bowl or a wide tin can cut to a height of 5-6 cm, for example. from under tomato paste. A bowl from a jar is better, because. its bottom is very thin, and the smoker immediately reacts to changes in heating. And the enameled bowl is the worst: it warms up more slowly, and spoils with smoldering wood chips forever.

The technological procedure is also elementary: smoked food is hung in the hood. Any vessel is substituted under the workpiece, fat will drip into it. A handful of smoke chips are placed in a bowl, the farthest, most low-power burner is turned on to the smallest fire, and a bowl is placed on it. They intensify the fire until the smoke goes out, and then slow it down so that there is no escaping smoke, and the whole light goes into the hood. Smoked until cooked, its degree is immediately visible.

The trick is that the smoke has time to cool enough and feel better until it reaches the hood. Fat dripping past the smoker immediately freezes, without having time to harm anywhere. The disadvantage is that you can’t accumulate much in such a device.

From an old household

Smokehouses from the refrigerator are popular, see fig. They are quite capacious, and it’s not difficult to do this: they remove the compressor with pipelines, the freezer, peel off the inner plastic lining with thermal insulation. It remains a suitable shape and size of the steel case. You yourself only have to make a smoking chamber out of galvanization (item 3 in the figure), and a chimney at the top, item 4.

Chips in the smoke generator 2 at the site of the former vegetable compartment are heated with a household electric stove 1. Air enters it through openings from pipelines.

There are two drawbacks to such a smokehouse. The first is high power consumption. A tile with a pancake through a rather thick special steel heats up the wood chips badly, and its power is needed at least 1.5 kW. The fact is that the cases of household refrigerators are made of steel with poor thermal conductivity.

The second drawback is due to the same circumstance, it is the long inertia of the heating control. Light smoke does not go and does not go, an annoyed inexperienced owner brings the heat to the maximum. Suddenly, gray acrid smoke billowed out. The tile is pulled out by the cord, the chips are quickly raked out with a spatula, but the product has managed to get bitter.

For small bookmarks, an almost perfect smokehouse is obtained from an old round washing machine. The motor with the activator and the time relay is removed. The smoking chamber serves former tank. The hole into which the motor shaft passes is expanded to the diameter of the activator, smoke will go into it, and fat will drain into the drain.

If the top cover is made of metal, I regulate the smoke flow with it. The plastic one is completely removed, and the smoke is kept in the chamber with moistened burlap, as described above.

The smoke generator can be used either outside, or arranged in a motor niche, at least a hearth of two bricks. In the same niche will fit a miniature wood chip stove of two cans. In order for it to give the correct smoking smoke, its combustion chamber is removed from the casing, filled, without stuffing tightly, with smoke chips, kindled from under the bottom with a torch, and only then inserted back into the casing. Smoke generation is regulated by fresh leaves as described above.

The smokehouse from the washing machine has two more pluses. The first is the wheels on which it is easy to roll. And let's remember the second when it comes to barbecues with a smokehouse.

Video: semi-hot smokehouse from a barrel

mobile mini

A mobile mini-smoker, which can be carried with you in the trunk, carried in a backpack or bag, is very useful on the road. Especially - to create exclusive tops of cold smoking. Here the first condition is not like the first, zero freshness of the product. Which can be small loose, and not only of animal origin, which will be discussed later.

A drawing of a smoking chamber, which can be hoisted over any suitable source of smoke, is shown in fig. On the grills, you can lay a mesh or, in cold smoking, a loose fabric. Have you ever tried cold smoked seeds or nuts? It is not joke. Digging a hearth with a chimney is a matter of half an hour or an hour, and bulk fines are smoked quickly. And at the same time, the dimensions and volume of the box allow you to accumulate up to 15-20 kg of medium-sized fish in a cold way over the weekend and the same amount of semi-hot meat or lard.

Barbecue smoker

Fire, as you know, is the enemy of barbecue, and its best friend is the very light smoke necessary for smoking. And any kebab man probably had a thought more than once: but in vain, after all, good smoke disappears!

To make sure that it does not go to waste is not at all difficult. The simplest way quite similar to that described above for a smokehouse from nothing, see fig. There is only one difference - the smoking chamber should be with a bottom and, highly desirable, with a drain for fat for the barbecue. Alien fat is also the enemy of barbecue. Especially if fish oil.

If in the pantry there is a tank from an old washer that has not yet been adapted for a shower, then this is an almost ready-made brazier-smokehouse. It remains to expand the hole for the activator shaft to the diameter of the brazier chimney, put the tank on the chimney - and the smokehouse is ready. There is no problem with fat, it will drain into the drain. Hanging for blanks - from any wires or rods, smoke adjustment - with burlap.

Note: The “meat” smoke rising from the brazier with barbecue will not spoil any product with any type of smoking. It will only add spice. Smokers of the old time kept it a secret that the best smoked fish or vegetables are obtained by smoking them over meat along the way.

Stationary

Here, for comparison, in Fig. a diagram of a stationary smokehouse combined with a barbecue is given. The highlight, and even then very relative, is only that it is used for a smokehouse free space under the grill Thermal radiation from its hearth allows you not to worry about the uniformity of heating the bookmark. Any chamber can be placed in the smoking compartment, even the box described above. That, perhaps, is all.

How to smoke?

And now it's time for a few more, but very important, smoking secrets. In general, there are only two of them: the choice with the preparation of firewood and the preparation of semi-finished products for cold smoking. Under hot preparation is not needed, and for semi-hot salting and drying time is reduced by three to four times. If the product is consumed within a day after semi-hot smoking, then preparation is not required here either.

Firewood

firewood from coniferous tree absolutely not suitable for smoking. The product will turn out not only nasty in taste, but simply poisonous. Harvesting of suitable firewood (below) is carried out with minimal sap flow in the trees, but before freezing, i.e. in autumn during leaf fall or in summer, in the very heat and dryness, but this will go already the second grade. Harvesting smoking firewood during the spring riot of greenery is strictly prohibited. Wood chips should be firewood after at least a month of air drying in clear weather.

The queen of smoking firewood is cherry, her closest nobles are fruit trees from the rose order: apple, pear, plum, apricot. Also - dogwood and medlar. Trees for smoking chips are allowed to be old, fruit-bearing, but still strong and healthy. Cherries and others that exude gum are barked to a clean sapwood.

Note: store-bought wood chips are best. Trees are already unprofitable, but not yet decrepit, i.e. just the way you need it. And the thinning of the gardens is carried out according to the results of the harvest, just at the right time.

Light, low-ash and non-tar (non-smoking) trees will come from forest trees: alder, aspen, poplar, linden. For hard or natural-flavored meat - oak, beech, walnut, elm. For fish from very muddy reservoirs - willow, willow, willow. But the taste and aroma of the product will be of the second category.

Within a radius of 30-50 m from the place of harvesting, there should not be any trees affected by tinder fungi. A perfectly healthy-looking tree may already be pierced by their hyphae, and its wood will give off harmful smoke. An indicator of the excellent smokeability of a tree is an anthill of red wood ants nearby, and for coastal trees - red earth ants. They are small, do not build heaps on the surface, are entirely bright red and bite unbearably painfully.

Special mention should be made of birch. In fact, according to the original rules, birch chips are used to smoke bear meat, elk, wading birds, i.e. especially rigid or with a natural smell products. It is necessary to debark birch logs very carefully: not only remove the birch bark to a clean sapwood, but also plan off its upper smooth layer. This is not as tiring as it might seem, because. little wood chips are required for smoking.

Training

Blanks for cold smoking are first salted in brine - a saturated solution table salt. By weight, this is 37.5 g per liter of water, but practically the brine is “pounded”, adding salt until it stops dissolving.

Salting lasts from 4 hours for sprat and smelt to 3 (ham of a domestic pig) or even 5 (bear, wild boar, beef ham) days. After salting, the workpiece is soaked from an hour to a day, respectively. Homemade pork ham - 12 hours, medium-sized fish - 4-6 hours. The degree of soaking is controlled by touch: as soon as the top layer of meat / fish begins to be easily pressed through with a finger, it is ready, soaked.

Then the workpiece is blotted with a waffle or paper towel and dried until completely dry and some stiffness of the top layer. Dried in diffused light at room temperature, in a wire cage, covered with gauze or fine window mesh without cracks and holes. One fly that has penetrated inside, having managed to lay its eggs, spoils the whole batch: at a temperature of cold smoking, maggots develop perfectly. This completes the preparation, you can smoke.

What else is being smoked?

Prunes and smoked cheese are familiar to everyone. But cold-smoked cherries are a real delicacy. Especially if it is smoked on cherry wood. The eastern rulers once considered a delicacy worthy of no less than emirs and viziers, slices of bas-olda melon (oblong, in green stripes), dried and smoked. In Russia - smoked apples of white filling.

From vegetables, boiled young potatoes are suitable for cold smoking, and for hot and semi-hot - zucchini, eggplant, squash, green peas. Seeds and hazelnuts have already been mentioned. There is no information about smoking walnuts and pine nuts.

Finally

Finally, there is no need to draw any wise conclusions: everything is said in the text. But advice can be given: arrange a real old-fashioned earthy cold smokehouse in the country and start a highly profitable individual business with zero investment and minimal labor costs.

Smoking may well be followed by a grandmother or a schoolchild, while adults are engaged in a vegetable garden. And the taste and aroma, compared even with super-elite store products, are simply amazing. If you manage to get in touch with the manager or chef of an expensive restaurant and offer to taste it, then it is very possible that they will take you under their license, and then you are a completely wealthy person.