Cold smoking in the apartment. Delicacies at any time: creating a mini-smokehouse for your apartment yourself

The costs of making a smokehouse are insignificant; you can use scrap materials and leftovers. A self-made smokehouse and a properly selected smoking mode will allow you to prepare delicacies that are unique in taste and will surprise your family and guests.

Smoked meat, fish, and even more so sausages are quite expensive if you buy it all in a store. Those who like to treat themselves to delicious food can get away with it by building a home smokehouse. At the same time, a properly equipped unit will not take up much space. Having your own home smokehouse, made using modern technologies, will allow you to prepare dishes according to new recipes even within the walls of your apartment.

Peculiarities

In order to determine the features of this device, we will analyze the methods of smoking sausages, lard or fish. Recipes suggest a hot or cold method. Experienced specialists prefer the hot smoking method. A home appliance will allow you to deliciously cook many types of meat and fish.

At the same time, the smokehouse itself has a number of advantages:

• simple configuration, so the unit is easy to make at home;
• absence of large financial costs in production;
• the ability to cook anywhere: at the dacha on a hike, at home in the kitchen;
• quick and simple smoking process;
• there is no need to further process smoked products.

When using cold smoking technology, the products need to be additionally prepared, for example, salted. Salting the products will take from one to two days depending on the volume. The smoking process itself will take a longer period of time. However, cold smoked products can be stored for a long time without refrigeration. One of the disadvantages of hot smoking is the short shelf life of the product.

The manufacture of both types of units is not particularly difficult. The designs of home smokehouses are varied. When creating it, it is important to ensure proper smoking of the product, so the unit must meet certain requirements.

The design of some successful home smokehouses makes it possible to smoke food in different ways. All visible diversity can be combined into several basic schemes.

Installations are:

• vertical type;
• horizontal;
• chamber

Homemade smokehouses can combine elements of several schemes. Before disassembling device diagrams, you need to know the principle of operation of the units. To do this, let's figure out what happens inside the devices.

Principle of operation

During smoking, products are saturated with substances, resulting in a specific taste and aroma. The action of acids contained in smoke makes products resistant to long-term storage. Moreover, it is not even recommended to freeze smoked products, since after defrosting they lose their original taste.

Smoke treatment already reduces the number of natural bacteria, which are found in all products. The development of microflora is thereby reduced, as is the content of various microorganisms in the product. Therefore, the longer the smoking method was used, the better storage results can be achieved. If we consider the internal processes occurring in the unit, we can compare them with the canning process.

Each smoking option has its own characteristics and subtleties. The taste and aroma of the finished product will be directly related to the method of processing the raw materials before smoking using one or another type of wood.

Insufficient attention to one of the stages will negate all other efforts.

The operating principles of cold and hot smoking devices are different. If the unit is a hot type, then fuel is placed at the bottom of a sealed container, and food is placed on grates above it. To prevent melted juices and fat from dripping onto the wood chips, a tray is placed under the food. The fuel is heated by an open fire or, if the smokehouse is electric, by heaters. Smoldering fuel emits smoke. The higher the temperature inside the container, the faster the food will cook.

If the device is cold smoking, then the products in it are smoked at low temperatures. The design of the smokehouse means that the smoke reaching the product must already be cooled.

The operating principle of a cold smoking device differs from a hot one. Fuel must be placed in the combustion chamber. Depending on the type of wood chosen, the aroma of the finished dish will change. It is believed that fruit wood species (apple, pear) contribute to better taste. The wood most often used is willow, alder, and linden. Coniferous wood is not recommended for use at all.

The smoke must pass into the chimney under the influence of natural draft. It partially cools in the chimney, and only then enters the chamber.

Design

The greatest variety was found in devices made of steel. A popular option is rectangular in shape with a water seal. This unit is easy to use and compact. It can be used in camping conditions, fishing, and also in apartment conditions. To reduce volume, homemade smokehouses are often cylindrical in shape. Stainless steel is used in production for automatic and electrical design options.

One of the most versatile smokehouses is the mini version. This is a sealed box with sawdust and wood chips at the bottom and a tray installed in the middle. In this case, the pan must be made of a material that does not prevent smoke from reaching the outside.

This configuration is easiest to implement yourself from a bucket, pan or similar elements. You can heat the mini smokehouse over a fire or on the stove. The inside will be at sufficient temperature for cooking. The process will take from 20 minutes to an hour.

Standard designs include the following main components:

• smoking chamber;
• smoke generator or furnace;
• chimney.

The device may be a single closed container. The smoke from the fuel envelops the food and is then released outside, like in a stove.

Modern units for apartments assume that all the smoke remains inside the device.

Self-made smokehouses for apartments can be made from a casserole or a bucket. When arranging it, it is important to consider the tightness of the lid, using rubber gaskets and screws for this. The manufacturing materials for home smokehouses can be completely different sources.

Manufacturing materials

Special requirements are placed on the properties of the smokehouse material. Usually it is stainless steel up to 3 mm thick. If you use steel with a thickness of less than 2 mm, the smoking container will be deformed and, as a result, will quickly become unusable. If you choose steel with a thickness of more than 3 mm, the functional qualities of the unit will not increase, but its weight will increase.

In general, the materials used to manufacture smokehouses must meet the following requirements:

• possibility of repeated heating;
• immunity to humidity;
• ease of cleaning;
• compliance with food safety requirements.

Stainless steel is the most suitable material for smokehouses. If the structure is made independently, then the steel must be of a grade that complies with SES standards. For any type of unit, you can safely consider steel used in medicine or in food factories. For example, type 12Х18Н10Т, GOST 5632-72 or other similar options.

Products made from such stainless steel will have characteristic features.

• Corrosion resistance. This property of stainless steel is especially valuable if the structure is planned to be used outdoors. For example, ferrous metals are very susceptible to moisture, and therefore are more likely to corrode. Moreover, if there is rust on the product, it will accelerate the burning of the walls.

• No carbon deposits form on the surface of the stainless steel. If we compare them with products made from ferrous metals, they will contain carbon deposits. It will create difficulties in cleaning combustion products.
• Food grade stainless steel does not emit harmful components when heated, unlike other materials.
• The external aesthetic qualities of food-grade steel can remain unchanged after several years of intensive use of the products.

Kinds

Mini smokehouses

Devices for the apartment

Devices for smoking in an apartment have a number of characteristics that eliminate inconvenience in cooking. The main feature is the smoke exhaust system. To prevent smoke from entering rooms or neighbors, a fitting is provided in the lid of the apartment smokehouse. A rubber extension is placed on it, which is brought out through the window. The design allows excess smoke to end up outside. Turning on a household hood to remove smoke is not always acceptable, as it will end up in the ventilation and then on to the neighbors.

Apartment models are equipped with a water seal. This element will prevent smoke from escaping from the device.

A water seal is a groove between the lid and the walls of the smokehouse, which is filled with liquid.

Smoke generator

This unit is designed to exhaust smoke into the smoking chamber. Its use is convenient in the process of cold smoking.

The advantages of using are the following:

• uniformity of smoke flow;
• efficiency in terms of fuel consumption;
• constancy of temperatures;
• no monitoring of the process is required.

The smoke generator device looks like an element connected to a chamber. Tubes or hoses are used as connection elements. A conventional compressor is involved in pumping smoke. The simple design forces craftsmen to take on making this element with their own hands. The efficiency of the design is quite high.

With thermometer

Devices equipped with a thermometer allow you to better control the smoking temperature. The taste of the finished product depends on this parameter. Some thermometers allow you to measure the temperature inside cooking meat or fish.

The design of the device consists of a probe inside a tube made of heat-resistant material. The probe can be inserted into the product being prepared. The temperature measurement range of factory devices is up to 400 degrees. A display remains outside the smokehouse, which can be used to determine readiness. For pork or lamb, for example, it is 75 degrees, for poultry – 90. In the process of preparing each product, the specialist develops his own secrets. In any case, such a thermometer is an indispensable attribute for the smoking chamber.

Design

People have been smoking for a long time. Both on sale and among home-made options, there are a variety of smokehouses, differing not only in the principle of operation, but also in appearance. The appearance of these devices is often associated with the area and regional traditions.

Modern manufacturers come up with new designs of smokehouses to attract buyers. However, experts advise preferring traditional types. Designer models are usually chosen for exclusive smokehouse cafes. In them, beautiful smoking devices are located in a prominent place, and the owners thus increase the interest of visitors to their establishment and menu.

Kitchen models usually do not differ in design refinements, since this factor does not affect the result of cooking. It will be a round smokehouse or a mini version, the main thing is to take into account the production chain and operating methods.

You can consider an interesting modern solution - a combined grill-smoker. The device allows you not only to smoke, but also to prepare traditional barbecue. A wide range of options for serving freshly prepared finished products is very important for a catering establishment.

Manufacturers

Positive reviews from owners are common regarding electric smokers. In their opinion, they are convenient because you don’t need to light a fire to start them. To operate the device, it is enough to place sawdust and food inside, close the device and connect to electricity.

Advantages of electric options:

• compactness;
• ease of use;
• fast cooking;
• affordability.

The advantages of a device for a gas stove are its compactness, portability and ease of use. In addition, high-quality models are safe for home use. One of the main disadvantages of such options is their small volume. However, if the equipment is intended to be used for personal purposes, then this is precisely an advantage. A small smokehouse will save time, effort, and consumables.

Automatic smokers are modern devices that allow you to cook delicious products at home. The automatic unit is a multifunctional device that allows you to smoke in different ways. The device can also be used as a regular oven. Smoking ovens can operate in a continuous mode, performing several processes simultaneously. Given the variety of types, it is worth taking a closer look at the criteria for choosing such a unit.

The best models are German and Russian made. Devices from the following manufacturers are very popular, which can be presented in the form of a small rating:

Bradley Smoker

The advantage of the models is that they are of high quality. They produce delicious homemade smoked products. The device is versatile, suitable for meat, fish and even vegetables.

Grillux

The company produces good units made of high-quality steel. Some devices require improvement. For example, the tray needs to be replaced, and many people complain about the lack of handles.

Palisad

The company's devices are suitable for use outdoors. The main range of products are combined grill-smokers. According to user reviews, all components of the units are made of high-quality materials.

"Alvin"

The company's devices are quite large and suitable for use in the country. Users note that the welded seams of the device are not very neat. However, the price-quality ratio matches their quality.

Camping World

The company offers universal devices suitable for both hot and cold smoking of various products. The units can be used both outdoors and at home.

Grinda

The advantages of units from this company are lightness, mobility and spaciousness. The company offers budget options without any frills.

Boyscout

The company is known for devices made from thick, durable iron. You can prepare a sufficient amount of food for a large company at several levels at the same time.

"Good Heat"

A domestic manufacturer that offers good devices for home use.

"Tonar"

The company offers options for devices suitable only for hot smoking. They are quite budget-friendly and do not differ in design delights. The devices of this company are suitable for use by beginners.

Make a smokehouse with your own hands, smoke fish or meat, try it and feel how tasty ordinary food can be after smoking!

Products during the smoking process will receive an amazing aroma and taste, and this taste will not be similar to the taste of smoked products purchased in a store. However, first you need to understand the intricacies, and only then decide how to make a smokehouse with your own hands for hot and cold smoking.

We study the features of the smoking process

The man began to smoke food out of necessity. It was noticed that after smoking they can be stored without spoiling for a longer time. This allowed ancient man to take some of his provisions with him in smoked form, rather than relying on luck while hunting or fishing during long trips.

We smoke products at home mainly to give them a different, unique taste. To do this, you can use hot or cold smoking. And the smokehouses themselves come in two types. Their design is almost no different. It is necessary to equip a fireplace, a chamber with hooks where the products will be hung and smoked, and a device for collecting fat that will be released during the smoking process. The smoking chamber must be located in a hermetically sealed housing.

What is the difference between hot and cold smoking? After all, both processes involve the presence of products located in a limited space in smoke from smoldering sawdust or shavings. The main difference is the distance separating the chamber in which the food is smoked from the hearth. For hot smoking, the smoke temperature should be high enough, for cold smoking - 35°C. A mandatory requirement is that smoking cannot be carried out over an open fire.

Cold smoking

Cold smoking takes significantly longer than hot smoking. With this method, the products retain their appearance and acquire an amazing taste and aroma. The cold smoking process takes place at a temperature of approximately 30°C and lasts several days. You should not rush, because at this temperature bacteria multiply well and, without completing the process, you risk getting severe poisoning instead of a tasty dish. Typically, cold smoking lasts 5-7 days, but can last several weeks.

Important ! Particular attention should be paid to the sawdust or wood chips that you will use. We forget about softwood sawdust; you should not use aspen sawdust. The best choice would be:

• alder (you must first remove the bark, it produces bitterness);
• juniper;
• bird cherry and birch (should also be cleared of bark);
• maple;
• shavings and sawdust of fruit trees (cherry, apple, sea buckthorn).

DIY cold smoked smokehouse

It should be remembered that the hearth must be located away from the cold smoking chamber. A good option would be to dig a hole in the far corner of the site; you cannot use the natural height difference. A fireplace is installed in the pit, which should be connected to the chamber with a chimney. There is no need to line the fireplace with bricks; it is enough to line the walls of the fireplace.

Very important ! The length of the chimney is usually 2.5-3.0 meters. To do this, it is enough to dig a trench no more than 0.5 meters wide and 0.25-0.3 meters deep, line the walls and bottom with bricks held together with clay mortar, cover the top with a sheet of metal or slate, and sprinkle with earth. Instead of a brick chimney, you can lay a chimney in the trench. Provide a damper at the top of the fireplace to regulate the flow of air, the intensity of combustion and the removal of excess smoke. The damper can be cut from sheet metal. Make the junction of the chimney and the chamber (diameter 200 mm required) airtight using available means. You can use the same clay solution. The chimney has been built.

Another solution could be to install a “potbelly stove” stove, a chimney from a chimney pipe and install a smoking chamber above the level of the chimney laying.

We make a chamber for cold smoking from a barrel

The easiest way to make a simple smokehouse with your own hands is from a barrel. You need a barrel of 100-200 liters. The top cover is cut off, the barrel must be cleaned and washed before use. A hole for the chimney is cut in the bottom of the barrel. The barrel will be mounted on bricks or blocks, so there will be no problems with their articulation. A tray is made from a cut-off lid or other available material to collect fat that will flow out of the product during smoking. The diameter of the pan must be smaller than the diameter of the barrel to ensure the passage of smoke.

We need to make at least one grate on which the food will be smoked. This is one of the options for placing products when smoking. Or secure scraps of reinforcement to the top of the barrel. We will attach hooks to the reinforcement, and products to the hooks.

We make the grate from scrap materials. These can be willow twigs that are woven into a shape of the desired size. It is advisable to secure the cells with thin wire. You can use thin wire and weave it into a lattice, and make the rim from thicker wire. To do this, a thick wire is wrapped around the barrel to determine the desired size, slightly compressed and the rim is secured.

One grating is used or several gratings are installed at different levels. In this case, the distance between the gratings should be about 15 cm.

To install the pallet, pieces of reinforcement are welded to the walls of the barrel, which form a cross in the center of the barrel. Tip: Provide a loop on the tray so that it can be easily removed for cleaning.

To attach the grates, you can make loops and weld them to the walls of the barrel. Or screw self-tapping screws into the walls of the barrel.

The chamber cover is made from hardwood trees. It should not be massive and several small holes should be provided in it for moisture to escape. You can limit yourself to a jute bag, which is simply thrown over the barrel during smoking. Remember that the bag must be moistened with water.

We make a chamber for cold smoking from brick

The smoking chamber can be made of brick. This would be the best solution, but it makes sense to build such a chamber only when you are constantly engaged in smoking products and have achieved the required skill in this matter. Otherwise, a rarely used structure of unknown purpose will appear on your site.

A brick smoking chamber is equipped in the same way as a barrel. The bottom of the brick chamber can be made from the lid of a barrel or from scrap materials. Sand-clay mortar is used for laying bricks.

We make a chamber for cold smoking from sheet iron

To make a chamber, a sheet of iron is cut, bent in the shape of a cube without one side (the top), and the seams are welded.

A smoking chamber can be built from a variety of materials and items: a bucket (this is a small barrel), an old pressure cooker or a refrigerator.

Craftsmen even make it to speed up cold smoking. In such a smokehouse, the thermal effect of the electric heater on the wood chips produces smoke. The heating element is periodically switched off, thereby achieving the desired temperature of the smoke upon entering the smoking chamber. The smoke rises through the holes, passes through the mesh of the explosive block and becomes positively charged. When smoke enters the chamber, it interacts with the products that are suspended on hooks. The hooks are connected to the negative pole of the BB block. Products attract positively charged smoke particles and these particles settle on them.

DIY hot smoked smokehouse

Hot smoking takes significantly less time because the process takes place at smoke temperatures ranging from 50°C for meat to 120°C for fish. Reduce the temperature - increase the smoking time.

Schematically, such a smokehouse looks like this: a container with sawdust or shavings is placed over an open fire or on a high temperature source (heated oven). The temperature at which the sawdust will slowly smolder is important, not the fire source itself. Smoke from sawdust penetrates into the smoking chamber where the products are placed. A tray is installed under the products to collect the fat released during smoking. Excess smoke is discharged through the chimney or holes in the chamber lid.

We make a smokehouse for hot smoking from a barrel

The difference from a cold smoking chamber will be the need to equip a firebox. The firebox can be placed directly in the barrel:

• Several holes are cut in the bottom of the barrel through which ash will be removed and which will serve as an ash pit for the firebox.
• A piece of the wall is cut out from the bottom of the barrel, from which the firebox door is made. A piece measuring 200x300 mm will be enough. Hinges and a latch handle are welded to the door.
• About a third of the barrel's volume is allocated for the firebox, the rest will be the smoking chamber. The firebox and chamber are separated by a sheet of metal 4 mm thick. This sheet will serve as the bottom of the chamber. It is welded to the walls.
• A hole is cut in the bottom of the chamber for the chimney. The diameter of this pipe must match the diameter of the chimney at the top of the chamber. Do not get carried away by the length of the chimney; excessive draft in the firebox is not needed. The chimney is welded to the wall of the barrel.

To make more efficient use of the volume of the barrel, the firebox can be placed directly under it. In this case, it is better to make the firebox out of refractory bricks, with holes for inserting sawdust and removing excess smoke. The barrel is installed on the firebox, and the freed volume is used to place additional grates.

Advice . To control, attach a mechanical thermometer with a remote sensor to the wall of the barrel. Such a thermometer can save you from many mistakes while you gain experience. You can use the old-fashioned method and splash a few drops of water on the surface. If it doesn't hiss, there's nothing to worry about.

A mini-smokehouse can be easily equipped in an ordinary metal bucket. Sawdust and shavings are poured into the bottom of the bucket, and a grate is installed on top. At the very top of the bucket, holes are made in the walls for the rods. Hooks are hung on the rods. We get two options for placing products in a small volume. In the lid of such a “smoking chamber” it is necessary to provide holes for the smoke to escape. The bucket is placed on the fire. A big fire is not needed, the sawdust should only smolder. As soon as the smoldering process begins, you can lay out and hang the products for smoking and close the lid. Smoking will take from 30 minutes to an hour.

Another option for a mini-smokehouse is a metal box with a perforated lid, which can be installed on the grate over burnt coals in the grill. We fried kebabs, sat down at the table and put the smokehouse on the grill. A good option for hiking or fishing.

Having understood the principle of operation of a hot smoker and after a series of experiments with a barrel, you can think about a more presentable design. You can weld a beautiful smokehouse from stainless steel or lay it out of brick.

An excellent option for a summer residence would be to combine a smokehouse and a barbecue on one site and in one volume.

DIY smokehouse and barbecue made of brick

The work will require time and effort, but it is worth it - the result will delight you for many years.

First, choose a suitable location on the site, remembering fire safety. For convenience, you can bring water and sewerage to this place. Develop a sketch of your structure and be sure to draw up a drawing for laying each row of bricks. You will see, such a drawing will make your work much easier.

You can do without a concrete mixer and mix the solution manually, but a little mechanization will speed up the work several times. Prepare all necessary materials and tools.

The work begins with clearing and planning the selected site and making a foundation. A brick smokehouse with a barbecue is already considered a permanent structure and a strip foundation is indispensable. A wooden formwork is installed in the dug pit, which must be covered with roofing felt. A layer of rubble stone is laid, filled with crushed stone and filled with mortar.

Important ! A day later, after the first layer has dried, the next one is done and so on. The number of layers depends on the size and weight of the structure.

The last layer is checked by level, leveled, waterproofed and left for several days until completely dry.

Instead of a rubble foundation, you can build a concrete one. Such a foundation needs to be reinforced.

For masonry, use red stove brick. Start by laying out the first row of bricks without using mortar. This will help you make markings and determine where to install the grilles.

Start laying by mixing sand-cement mortar with the addition of lime. The usual ratio is 3:1:1. Water is added in volume so that the solution looks like thick sour cream. The second and subsequent rows are laid staggered, laying bricks starting from the corners. Constantly check the horizontality of the laid out rows. The corners must be reinforced with wire.

To install the brazier, corners and fittings are installed between the walls of the oven. The firebox must be made of heat-resistant metal or cast iron.

It is easier to install the lattice if several bricks are laid protruding into the structure.

Space for firewood and various household appliances can be provided in the overall volume of the structure.

The smokehouse is made of two volumes located one above the other. This will give you a hot smoker. It can be easily converted into a smokehouse for cold smoking by placing a portable stove or hearth at the required distance and connecting it to the chamber with a chimney. So you can make a smokehouse with your own hands for hot and cold smoking.

You choose the design style of the building and its decoration according to your taste.

These are not all the ways to make a smokehouse with your own hands for hot and cold smoking. Among them there are very cheap (option with a bucket) and quite expensive (grill-smokehouse made of bricks). It's up to you to decide, but in any case, there will now always be a place for delicious smoked products on your table.

Appetizing smoked meats are always present on the festive table. Smoked fish, balyk, brisket and other delicacies are always held in high esteem by guests. These delicacies are considered an excellent snack for homemade alcohol. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to buy naturally smoked products in retail sales. Manufacturers, in order to save time and money, resort to disruption of the technological process. Various chemistry and tricks are used to bring the raw materials to the required marketable form in a short time. But such “delicacies” not only will not please you with their taste, but sometimes they can cause great harm to your health.

Realizing this, many gourmets purchase ready-made cold and hot smoked smokehouses, and also make them themselves at home. A home smokehouse allows you to make any product much better than a store-bought one, and you will enjoy the taste of a natural delicacy and delight your family and friends.

Main types of smokehouses

Depending on the temperature of the supplied smoke, smoking is divided into two types: cold and hot. The higher the cooking temperature, the faster the fish or meat cooks in the smokehouse. Cold smoking is a very long cooking process from several hours to several days. The raw materials are treated with smoke at a temperature of 20-40C. Cold processing imparts a subtle aroma and exquisite taste to the finished dish; the meat or fish turns out to be dry and dense. As a rule, with this method of smoking, fewer carcinogens from the smoke settle on the food. The shelf life of the finished product increases.

Hot smoking is a quick treatment with smoke at a temperature of 70-100C. Smoking time ranges from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the weight of the pieces and smoke temperature. The products are fattier and softer, but the shelf life is limited to a maximum of a week, provided they are stored in the refrigerator. Accordingly, smokehouses come in hot and cold smoking.

How does a hot smoked smokehouse work?

In this type of smokehouse, the firebox is located under the smoking cabinet. Hot smoke from burning wood immediately falls on the suspended pieces for smoking. It’s easier to make a hot smoked smokehouse with your own hands from an iron box and an electric stove. The most suitable material for the box is stainless steel. The box can be placed on the grill with coals. Thus, the wood chips or sawdust at the bottom of the iron box begin to smolder. The heat from the heater evenly heats the smoke and contents. The box of such a smokehouse is made airtight, or a water seal is installed.

A tray must be placed over the wood chips to protect the wood chips from getting grease. Above the pallet, install one or two grates on which the raw materials will be placed. It is advisable to make the lid of the smokehouse in the form of a gable roof, so that the condensate during smoking does not fall on the pieces of meat, but flows into the pan. It is also advisable to install a thermometer in the lid to monitor the temperature inside the chamber and make a small hole to remove smoke.

This homemade mini hot-smoked smokehouse can even be used in the kitchen by connecting the tube to the smoke exhaust hole, and the other end out into the vent or into the hood. Use a gas stove as a heater.

Operating principle of a cold smoked smokehouse

A home cold smoked smokehouse has a more complex design. The smoking chamber in this case is located separately from the smoke source. The smoke from the fire goes through the cooling chimney and enters the smokehouse. Or a cold smoke generator is used. Before you make a smokehouse with your own hands, the main question arises - what from? There are many options, we will talk about them below.

Cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel

The simplest and most repeatable option for making a hot and cold smokehouse at home is an iron barrel. Everyone at their dacha has a couple of barrels for watering. You can also use a wooden tub for these purposes. The barrel is an almost ready-made smoking cabinet; you can install it standing or lying down, whichever is more convenient for future use. Bring smoke to the barrel through a pipe from the fire; the fire should be slightly below the level of installation of the barrel. An old bucket or pan will work as a firebox.

For more intensive cooling of smoke, the pipe can be buried in the ground. Instead of a pipe, you can generally use a dug trench, covered on top, for example, with wooden shields. The soil will cool the smoke well and absorb unnecessary resins. In winter, during operation, it is advisable to insulate the barrel with suitable, non-flammable material. Install grates or wire inside for hanging meat and fish. When smoking, cover the top of the barrel with a sheet of iron or cover it with thick burlap. So that the barrel does not spoil the appearance of the site, it can be painted with heat-resistant paint and given the proper appearance.

Smokehouse from the refrigerator

An old refrigerator is quite suitable for a smokehouse as a cabinet. Many people use it as a cabinet for storing various small items. There was virtually no plastic in old refrigerators, so it will make any type of smoker. If there is still plastic, removing it will not be difficult. The refrigerator already has a door and ready-made racks.

All that remains is to make holes for the smoke to enter and exit. Install a smokehouse thermometer. In order to make a hot smoked smokehouse with your own hands from a refrigerator, you just need to install it above the firebox. Make the firebox from refractory brick or iron box.

For cold smoking, use a smoke generator in conjunction with a refrigerator, or make a cooled chimney in the ground from the firebox, as is the case with a barrel. Using this principle, any other boxes of suitable volume can be adapted for a cold smoked smokehouse.

Wooden smokehouse

Wood is a universal material from which you can build an excellent smoking cabinet without much expense. Firstly, it is a natural, ecological material. Hardwood does not emit resin or other unpleasant odors. Bars and boards can be easily processed with metalworking tools. Affordable price. The most suitable species for building a smokehouse are alder, linden, oak, and aspen. But pine or spruce will not work, as they release resin when the temperature rises.

How to make a cold smoked smokehouse

To do it yourself, you will need metalworking skills, the ability to work with a soldering iron, and read diagrams and drawings. The main task of a proper smokehouse is to give the smoke in the chamber the desired temperature. A self-made smokehouse consists of a smoking chamber, automatic equipment for maintaining temperature and a smoke generator. This wooden smokehouse works in both cold and hot smoking modes and also in drying mode. The dimensions of the smokehouse are individual for everyone, to suit their needs. To make it you will need a mechanic's tool, a screwdriver, and a soldering iron.

Materials and components:

• Wooden block 50x50 mm;
• The lining is fake;
• Pine lining;
• Hinges, handle;
• Screws, nails.
• Galvanized iron sheet;
• Heating element 220 V (2 kW);
• Automation housing;
• PID temperature controller REX C100;
• Switches, installation wires.

Step by step construction process:

1. The frame of the smoking cabinet was assembled from 50x50 timber. Metal corners were used to fasten them together. The height of the entire frame is 150 cm, the height of the chamber is 100 cm, the width is 45 cm, the depth is 40 cm. From the bottom to the place of the future door is 20 cm. Not a large volume, but quite enough for home use.
2. We cover the inside of the frame with linden clapboard; you can use aspen clapboard.
3. We assembled the door frame and also sewed up the inside with linden.
4. On the inside, we screwed 50x50 bars with screws to secure the bottom and ceiling.
   
5. Food foil is stapled into the niches of the walls, bottom and ceiling.
   
6. We lay 50 mm thick basalt insulation in the niches. It is not flammable and does not emit harmful substances at elevated temperatures.
   
7. If desired, the insulation can be covered with a vapor barrier. Then we fill the outer part of the walls and bottom with clapboard. The outer walls were covered with pine slats for economic reasons; the quality of the smoked meats is not affected by the outer cladding.
   
8. A hole for smoke exit is mounted in the upper part of the smokehouse.
   
9. The rest of the chimney with a damper is also assembled from the lining. At the top there is an iron plate for the exhaust pipe. Plastic pipe 115 mm in diameter.
   
10. We cut out and bend a pallet from a stainless steel or galvanized sheet. It is needed to protect the inside of the smokehouse from hot heating elements.
    
11. We install it in the recess under the door. It is advisable to install a non-flammable gasket between the pan and the body of the smokehouse.
    
12. We attach two kilowatt heating elements from the tiles to the drywall guides. As practice has shown, 2 kW is enough for such a volume. At an outside air temperature of +10°C, it took 20 minutes to heat up to 100°C inside the smokehouse.
    
13. We install the heating elements in a niche.
    
14. We fasten the doors with hinges to the body of the smoking chamber. We install the handle and latch. The body is coated with linseed oil to protect it from atmospheric moisture. If you plan to use the device outdoors, then we install a gable roof from any roofing material. In our case, the smokehouse is under a canopy, so there is no need for a roof.
15. A stainless steel tray is installed above the heating elements to collect fat. Below the pan there is a hole for the smoke generator pipe to enter.
    
16. The automation for the smokehouse is assembled on the REX C100 controller, purchased in the vast expanses of China. The controller provides effective regulation of the set temperature.
    
17. The installation of automation is assembled according to the diagram.
    
18. All the contents are assembled in a suitable housing, two switches are installed. One is general, the second is for turning shadows off and on. The temperature sensor is installed in the area where the raw materials for smoking are located. There are two sockets installed at the bottom to connect the smoke generator compressor and fan. A fan is needed when the cold smoker operates in drying oven or convection mode.
19. To control the readiness of sausages and meat, use a smokehouse thermometer with a remote probe.
    

So, the cold smoked smokehouse has been assembled with your own hands.

It's always nice to make something yourself rather than just buy it from a store. The call of nature lives inside a person, which is why he is drawn to hunting, fishing, and picking mushrooms in the forest. You can always do the same with your prey, or try something interesting. In this case, a smokehouse will come in handy. Now you can manage your spoils differently and try something new every time. Let this selection help you choose a device that suits your liking and pocket.

Features and varieties

The entire range is divided into two main categories, which allow you to prepare hot smoked and cold smoked dishes.

Cold smoked smokehouse

“Cold” processing of food products occurs at a temperature of +18-25°C, but moisture will be gradually removed from them. The entire preparation process can take up to 3 days. The principle of operation of such models is that the smoke, by the time it reaches the food, already has a low temperature. The design of such devices includes:

• camera;
• smoke generator or firebox;
• chimney system.

Wood shavings of various wood species are immersed in the combustion chamber to give the dish a unique aroma and taste. At the moment of combustion, a natural draft is formed in the device, due to which the smoke passes through the chimney and cools slightly. Next it goes into the smoking chamber. It is in this compartment that the main cooking process takes place.

Hot smoked smokehouse

The work of a home smokehouse is to process food with smoke at a temperature of +35-150°C. All this will take significantly less time, in contrast to the previous option - from several hours to days. In this case, the moisture does not evaporate, which leaves the product fatty and juicy.

The operating principle of this option has significant differences. Everything happens in one closed compartment. There will be shavings burning in the lower part, and a suspension with food on the upper part. In general, the operation is similar to a conventional stove. The package includes:

• capacity;
• lattice;
• chimney pipe.

The variety is divided into two main classifications according to size, type of installation and can be portable or stationary. If you have little experience in choosing smoking devices, then it is better to use the rating of the most reliable and productive smokehouses for your summer cottage or home, which have long earned the trust of buyers.

The principle of operation of such a device is to process products with smoke at temperatures up to 200°C. As a result, meat, fish or vegetables are baked and soaked in the smoke of burning wood chips. Not only is this food safe to eat, it is also incredibly tasty and juicy.

Good Heat Cylinder

A universal stainless steel smokehouse suitable for fish and meat. You can cook directly from the comfort of your home by connecting a silicone hose to the hood, you limit the entry of smoke inside. The set includes two baking sheets, 1 tray, and a hanger. Equipped with a water seal. The ideal smokehouse for the home.

Good Heat Cylinder

Price 6750 rub.

• as a gift 0.5 kg of wood chips and a recipe book;
• ferrimagnetic bottom with temperature compensator;
• can be cooked over a fire;
• heat-resistant handles.

Hanhi

The system is suitable for any type of meat at home and outdoors. The set contains only one baking sheet. If you plan to prepare a large amount of product, you will have to purchase additional baking sheets. Made from food grade stainless steel.

Price from 6475 rub.

• suitable for all types of stoves, fires;
• an airtight lid with a thermometer prevents odors from evaporating, so you can cook in your apartment;
• The height of the fat tray is 2 cm.

The home smokehouse has a rectangular shape - it is compact, does not take up much space and weighs only 4.5 kg. Place the hose on the fitting so that the smell is taken away by the hood or simply stick it out through the window. To prevent the formation of gaps when closing, the block is equipped with special sealing latches.

Morozko Magarych

Specifications:

Cost 3890 rub.

• Two-level grille included;
• there is a tray for collecting fat;
• The lid has sealing rubber bands - you can't feel the hapakha at all.

Stainless steel construction with two grates and a tray included. A home smokehouse, with which you can also have a good time in nature, preparing freshly caught fish, meat or sausage.

Specifications:

Price 4499 rub.

• Affordable price with very high quality characteristics;
• uniform heating without deformation of the case.

Cold smoking is fundamentally different from hot smoking. With this method, products are processed for several days with smoke at a temperature not exceeding 40°C. Fish and meat are also saturated with smoke, disinfected, and will be tasty and juicy, but slightly dried.

Hanhi

The home smokehouse holds up to 0.5 kg of wood chips and is available in two sizes, with a capacity of 32 and 50 liters. Suitable for domestic use and as a smokehouse for the garden. The smoke generator is included.

Specifications:

• high-quality assembly for little money.

If you are switching to industrial production or want to make smoking your business, you cannot do without professional equipment. A cabin with a smoke generator consumes 0.8 kW/h. Cleaning is simple. The set includes 4 cages, 2 skewers, a smoke generator and a control unit.

Specifications:

Cost 139,000 rub.

• spare parts and trolley for cages;
• three- and single-phase connection;
• you can cook cheeses.

• This type of installation is not suitable for home use; it is used for preparing food for sale.

Mini cold smoked smokehouse made of 0.8 mm steel sheet. Designed to work with small portions. In apartment conditions, this comes in handy. Very mobile due to its size, you can take it with you to a country house. The set includes a smoke generator and a compressor; you can use your own container. The compressor creates draft and directs cooled smoke into the smoking compartment.

The model allows you to process products with smoke at a temperature of +19-40°C. The entire process requires the technique from 5 to 15 hours, depending on the type of product and its quantity. The compressor power reaches 2.9 W, and it operates from an electrical network of 220-240 V.

Specifications:

Price 1890 rub.

• saving space;
• high-capacity chamber (50 liters) - 15 kg of products can be placed at a time;
• very simple design.

• Cooking takes up to 15 hours.

The model reproduces smoke that has been dried and cleared of resins and tar at a temperature slightly above room temperature. Cooling occurs through a coil 6 m long, and the smoke is purified by a reflux condenser. On one refill, the model can work for up to 10 hours, which simplifies the cooking process and is considered a good indicator.

The spacious chip tank is designed for a loading volume of 8 liters. Thanks to the generator, you can independently regulate the level of performance. The price of the product is 11,000 rubles.

• snake of heating elements along the entire height;
• food grade stainless steel;
• durable grates for heavy products

This is a gift for lovers of smoky products. On the one hand, the unit has all the functions of a hot smoked smokehouse, on the other - a grill. As a result, you get the most tender, spicy meat or fish with a crispy golden crust.

Charcoal grill OBI

A steel smokehouse grill allows you to cook your favorite foods in two ways. Equipped with grilles and a stand with hangers. A good option as a smokehouse for a summer residence, because using such a device indoors is strictly prohibited.

OBI on charcoal

Specifications:

Price 14990 rub.

• 2 in 1 - smokehouse and grill;
• thermometer on the lid;
• meat, fish, vegetables, poultry;
• cast iron grate;
• complete set - grill + carrying bag.

Smokehouse grill with barbecue option. Made in the form of a solid steel structure with double walls. The heat power is regulated by a lid on which there is an upper air vent with a damper.

Specifications:

Price 17,500 rub.

• there is a fat collector, a thermometer;
• the grid moves in 3 levels;
• a special stand for a frying pan, cauldron or roaster.

The smokehouse grill consists of three cylinders and looks like a steam locomotive. The smallest cylinder is a firebox, horizontal with a grate - for barbecue or hot cooking. Vertical, in turn, with three levels of grates for cold cooking.

Specifications:

Price from 18,000 rub.

• stainless steel shelf and firewood rack, cauldron attachment;
• moves with the help of wheels;
• shish kebab, barbecue, cold/hot smoking.

The 2 in 1 model performs two functions simultaneously; it is capable of smoking and frying the product. The device weighs 6 kg, so it can be easily transported to any convenient place. Coal is used as fuel.

The design provides for the presence of three convenient shelves, which allows you to increase the volume of prepared food. There are small wheels for easy movement. The total cooking area is 47x47 cm. Price - 5300 rubles.

• convenient shelves in the amount of 3 pieces;
• place for firewood/cylinder;
• food stand;
• lattice

A water-charcoal grill-smoking apparatus is used for dry and wet smoking. But the device can also be used as a charcoal grill.

The package includes the unit itself, a lid with a reliable handle, a temperature controller, steel grates with a diameter of 480 mm, a water tank, a grate basket for coal mass, and support legs. The model weighs 22.5 kg, its dimensions are 120x50x50 cm. Price - 39,900 rubles.

• original design - a little more and a rocket;
• grate basket;
• can be installed even on an inclined plane;
• 3 in 1 - dry and wet smoking and grilling.

It is clear that there is no fundamental difference in design between “fish” and “meat” smokehouses, but fishermen prefer these three models.

Firwood

The Firwood smokehouse with stand includes a special temperature sensor that allows you to monitor the heating mode during hot smoking. Excellent for cooking fish, meat and poultry.

To eliminate the possibility of bitterness forming in the dish, there is a special tray that collects fat during cooking. The domestic device is made from stainless steel material with a thickness of 1.5 mm. The portable device has a large capacity thanks to its two-tier system. The price of a smokehouse for fish is 3,700 rubles.

Important! During cooking, close the lid tightly so that smoking does not become a banal cooking of food.

• the presence of a stand and a built-in bimetallic thermometer;
• 2 mesh shelves,
• grease tray

The entire device is made of food grade stainless steel with a thickness of 1.5 mm. A decent smokehouse for an apartment or cottage. Right after fishing, you can install it on the fire, and you don’t need to use a water seal. A storage bag is included.

Specifications:

Price 5250 rub.

• complete tightness;
• gratings: with long and short legs.

Bravo

An ideal gift for avid fishermen. Good as a fish smoker. The design allows it to be used on all types of slabs. You can fill as many as three tiers with your catch. It’s doubly pleasant to eat your own production as a snack with beer. The fitting has a curved shape, this prevents the hose from distorting its shape and breaking. A bimetallic thermometer helps monitor the temperature.

In addition to everything, there are fasteners for hanging over a fire, as well as a tight lid with a comfortable wooden handle. A collection of the best tips from experienced smokers, which comes with a smokehouse with a water seal, will help you understand the recipes.

Specifications:

Price 6390 rub.

• fish hooks;
• fat collection tray;
• you can cook game or boiled pork.

The choice of this unit depends on exactly how much meat is needed. Whether it is a mobile small structure or a cabinet with a capacity of 20-40 liters, the main thing is that there are several tiers for storing food, a tray for collecting fat and the ability to disassemble for cleaning.

SEVZAPUGOL

The design from SEVZAPUGOL LLC works equally well in any conditions. The lid is secured with a wooden handle; the latches on the sides fit tightly to the body. Wall thickness 1.5 mm. The removable tray allows for easy cleaning after use.

SEVZAPUGOL

Specifications:

Price 3190 rub.

• 2 grates;
• cheap option;
• light weight and compact size.

The smokehouse with a water seal is made in the shape of a cylinder with a wall thickness of 0.1 cm. For the cold method, you will have to purchase the Pro smoke generator of the same name.

Specifications:

Cost 5990 rub.

• fish, bird;
• for cold and hot smoking.

How to assemble a smokehouse with your own hands from wood

Smokehouses are made independently using available materials. The material used is a stainless steel barrel or an old gas cylinder. There is a whole stack of pictures and articles on this subject on the Internet. And if you have “crazy hands,” you can make it from wooden beams. To build the simplest version of a hot smoking station you need:

• Choose a level place
• Lay bricks or even stone slabs on the ground
• Place a homemade apparatus on top of them

What do you need:

1. Take a metal container suitable in size for future volumes of meat/fish
2. If it is a barrel, cut off 2 bottoms (you will get a hollow, through barrel) without removing the rim, which will serve as a stiffening rib, preventing the products from sagging and deforming the structure.
3. Select the bottom that will be on the fire. Make a window-like hole to keep an eye on the fire. Cut close to the edge of the edging.
4. Use one of the cut out bottoms to make a baking tray to catch the fat. Fold the edges in a circle. To install it, make holes around the circumference of the barrel from the side of the sawn bottom at such a height that the future fire does not touch the baking sheet with accumulated fat. Insert reinforced bolts into the holes made, tighten them from the inside with nuts (your fat collector will stand on them. To make the tray filled with juices easy to take out, you also need to insert a bolt secured with a nut into the center).
5. Drill holes along the height of the container to insert pins on which the meat will be hung. You can make holes at each level according to the height of the barrel/container.
6. Use the second bottom as a lid to cover the meat.
7. A thermometer can be attached to the structure to monitor and maintain a constant temperature.
8. Oven racks can be used as trays for meat.

How to assemble a smokehouse with your own hands from a bucket

To create your own smokehouse you will need 3 main parts:

• a bucket with a tight lid;
• two grates for food;
• stand for a bucket over the fire.

Cut circles from the lattice so that they fit comfortably into the bucket. A mesh made of stainless wire or a sheet of the same material with many small holes is ideal. Install them inside the tank at different levels, the first - at a height of 15-20 cm from the bottom, the second - 9-13 cm below the edges.

The lower grill will protect from burning, and the upper grill will protect from contact with the lid. The bucket is placed on a stand over the fire, the products are placed between the grates, and everything is covered with a lid.

VIDEO: Making a smokehouse for a summer house from a bucket