Make a homemade smokehouse. High-quality cold smoked smokehouse: purchasing rules, homemade designs

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.

Artem Shavelsky

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The smoking chamber is made with your own hands from scrap materials - a barrel, an old refrigerator or wooden boards. Depending on the volume of the camera, there are household ones, with less performance and functionality, and for small businesses, larger volumes and with more settings.

Each smokehouse has three main parts - a smoke generator, a chimney and a smoking chamber. In cold smoking devices they are three separate units; in hot smoking devices they are assembled in one housing with a smoke generator and a smoking chamber, which is an integral part of any smokehouse.

Reference! Large enterprises use stationary units of a different type, consisting of a large number of units and assembled on site.

At home and in the country, household appliances with a volume of up to 200 liters without automatic adjustment of temperature and smoking time are mainly used.

Depending on the specific conditions and capabilities of the owner, they can be made from different materials and different sizes.

Fish smoking chamber

Fish is a more delicate product and requires more demanding cooking conditions than meat:

  • The smoke enters the cold smoking chamber when it has cooled down. Its design and operating principle are no different from the installation for cooking meat.
  • Smoke heated to a temperature of 60-120°C enters the hot smoking unit and cools inside or is formed directly in the chamber. Therefore, the distance between the upper and lower grates should not be more than 50-60 cm, otherwise the product will remain raw at the top and burn at the bottom.

The dimensions of the smokehouse depend on the size of the fish:

  • small and medium-sized fish - 45x25 and 25 cm high;
  • large fish - no less than 50x30 and a height of 25 cm.

Advice! For hot smoking fish, you can use a chamber of any height, but do not fill it completely.

A smokehouse made from an old refrigerator is easy to make. It has the main parts of the chamber - metal walls, a door and metal grates for food. This device can be used for both cold and hot smoking smokehouses.

The easiest way to use this unit for cold smoking is:

  1. in a single-compartment refrigerator, remove the freezer;
  2. seal the holes left from the tubes and wires with wooden plugs;
  3. make a hole in the wall for the chimney;
  4. install the gratings at the required level.

To use the refrigerator as a refrigerator, it must be modified:

  1. Remove the freezer, thermostat and lamp. Seal the remaining holes.
  2. Remove all plastic parts, heat insulation and sealing rubber. When heated, they release substances that impair the taste of food and are harmful to health.
  3. Instead of sealing rubber, install wooden planks of the same thickness. You can also redo the door fastenings.
  4. Bolt the corners for shelves with products to the walls. They can be replaced with steel rods, which are inserted into the drilled holes.
  5. Install an electric stove on the bottom. An old cast iron frying pan with sawdust is placed on the stove.
  6. A tray is installed above the frying pan to collect fat. Its size is 10 cm smaller than the bottom of the refrigerator.

Advice! It is better to use old Soviet-made refrigerators. They used thicker metal. The ideal option is a ZIL type refrigerator with a lock on the door.

An easy-to-make smokehouse is made from a metal barrel. It is better if it has a removable top cover, otherwise it will have to be removed. This device is used for both hot and cold smoking:

  1. Remove or remove the top cover. Wash the barrel from any remaining contents.
  2. A hole for the chimney is cut at a height of 10 cm from the bottom.
  3. 4 holes with a diameter of 12 mm are drilled in the walls at the same level for two crossbars in one row - at a height of 20 cm from the bottom for a tray collecting dripping fat and the required height for installing grates or hooks with products. The required number of steel rods or fittings with a diameter of 10 mm is cut off
  4. A pallet is installed on the bottom row of rods. Its diameter is 10 cm less than the internal diameter of the barrel. For easier removal, hooks or loops are attached to the tray and attached to the top edge of the container.
  5. Gratings are made. They can be made from steel rods, wooden sticks, or, if cold smoked, from the shelves of an old refrigerator.
  6. The assembled smokehouse is covered with the previously removed lid. If there is no cover, then a wooden shield or sheet of metal is used instead. Instead of a lid, you can simply cover it with a thick bag, and to seal it, moisten it with water.

Information! In hot smoking installations, a chimney hole is not made. Instead, sawdust is poured into the bottom of the barrel, and a small fire is built under the barrel.

Wooden cold smoking chamber

An easy-to-make smokehouse is made from wooden planks. Structurally, it is similar to a wooden box with a door. For personal use, an installation size of 1x1x1 m is sufficient.

For this you need:

  • bars for the frame 50x50 mm;
  • lining or ordinary boards for cladding walls and roofs;
  • temperature sensor (thermometer);
  • door hinges, handle and latch;
  • pipe or rod for hanging food.

Important! Lumber must be taken only from hardwood, except birch.

Before starting work, it is advisable to make a drawing of the installation. The manufacturing sequence is as follows:

  • The frame of the structure is assembled from wooden slats:
  • three sides, bottom and roof are sheathed with boards;
  • a pipe for hooks with products is fixed in the upper part;
  • on opposite walls, at the same height, slats for racks with smoked meats are fixed;
  • a door is assembled from clapboard and bars;
  • hinges, a handle and a latch are screwed to the door and it is installed in the chamber;
  • A thermometer is inserted into the drilled hole.

If the chimney is laid in the ground, then the chimney hole is cut in the bottom, and if a smoke generator is used, the chamber is installed on a stand made of bricks and the hole is cut at a height of 50-100 mm above the bottom.

Features of smoking chambers for different types of smoking

There are different types of smoking, differing in smoke temperature:

  • 20-35°C - cold;
  • 35-70°C - hot;
  • 70-120°C - baking in smoke.

For cold and hot smoking, devices of different designs are used:

  • during cold smoking, smoke is produced separately by a smoke generator and enters the smokehouse through the chimney;
  • during hot smoking and baking, smoke is produced inside the smoking chamber by heating sawdust poured onto its bottom.

The cold smoking installation consists of three main parts:

  • a smoke generator that produces smoke;
  • a chimney through which the smoke cools and is cleaned of moisture and resins;
  • the smoking chamber into which cooled smoke enters and in which the products are located.

The container must be tightly closed to achieve maximum smoke concentration.

In a smoking chamber for cold smoking, the smoke temperature does not exceed 35°C, so it can be made of any materials - metal, wood and polyethylene, stretched over a frame made of plastic or wooden slats. It is not recommended to use brick and other porous materials - they absorb moisture and resins from the smoke, which after a while begin to rot and spoil the smell of smoked meats.

Grids for storing products or hooks for hanging products are installed inside the smokehouse.

Advice! The smoked meats are placed tightly for maximum smokehouse performance, but so that they do not touch each other or the walls of the chamber.

The smoke heated to a higher temperature enters the hot smoked smokehouse. Often it is produced directly in the smoking chamber. Such a device is made from steel sheets or an old barrel:

  1. the smokehouse is installed on a stand made of bricks;
  2. sawdust and wood chips are poured onto the bottom of the chamber;
  3. Products are placed on hooks and grates, the smokehouse is closed;
  4. A fire is lit under the installation, the bottom heats up and the sawdust begins to emit smoke.
  5. Such a device can be made stationary, with brick walls and a bottom made of steel sheet.

Important! When hot smoking, fat begins to drip from meat and fish. Therefore, a mandatory element of such devices is a tray for collecting grease. It is located above the sawdust and is 5-10 cm smaller than the internal size of the installation.

Universal smoking chambers allow you to smoke products in both ways:

  • In cold smoking mode, a smoke generator is installed next to the device. The smoke produced in it cools down in the chimney and flows cold inside to the food.
  • In hot smoking mode, smoke is produced inside the housing. Sawdust is poured onto the bottom and heated by a fire or electric stove located under the smokehouse.

For such work, you can convert a regular hot smoked smokehouse. A chimney hole is made in its body, and in hot mode it is closed with a wooden stopper.

Important! In hot smoking mode, do not open the lid until it has cooled completely due to the risk of sawdust igniting.

Smoking chamber for small production

Smoking installations designed for small businesses differ from devices for individual use in higher productivity, operation in automatic and semi-automatic modes and the ability to carry out different types of smoking.

Manufacturers produce similar devices designed for 100 kg of products or any other quantity of products, at the request of the customer.

Such devices are produced in various configurations, with different characteristics and productivity and can prepare up to 10 tons of smoked meat per day. Loading and unloading is carried out fully automatically or manually.

In mini-smokehouses, temperature, humidity and other parameters are regulated during operation. These installations are capable of cooking meat, fish and other products in various modes, with and without smoke:

  • cooking;
  • drying;
  • roasting;
  • baking;
  • different types of smoking.

These devices are made from food-grade stainless steel and installed on personal plots and small farms, and the finished products are sold in nearby stores or among regular customers.

A heat chamber is a specialized device designed for a specific type of raw material and cooking method. The chambers are designed for heat treatment of small batches of products.

To improve the quality of products, it has a large number of sensors, regulators and additional mechanisms - heating elements, fans and others.

Blowing warm air and smoke speeds up the cooking process and allows it to be carried out automatically. The following diagram shows the direction of air movement in the heat chamber:

  1. Please double check all dimensions and construction instructions before use.
  2. Monitor the temperature of the cold smoking chamber to 40 degrees, and for hot smoking to 140 degrees.
  3. It is better to smoke in the morning, with little wind and complete absence of precipitation.
  4. It is better to place a tray at the bottom of the smokehouse to drain fat.
  5. It is better to use sawdust from fruit trees; you cannot use resinous rocks, they will not heat at the required temperature.
  6. Do not open the smoking chamber unless absolutely necessary.
  7. Don’t overdo it with sawdust, 200 grams is enough.

Smoked meat or fish is very tasty, especially when cooked in a smokehouse, and not with the help of flavorings that imitate the taste of smoked meat. The most trouble-free way to get tasty and high-quality smoked products is to smoke them yourself. To do this you will need a cold or hot smoked smokehouse. The difference between them is in the technology of processing the products.

This article will talk about a cold smoked smokehouse, with photos and illustrations, tips on how to smoke food while traveling, as well as the design of stationary smokehouses.

The essence of technology

As a result of the smoldering of wood in conditions of lack of oxygen, a large amount of smoke is released, which has a bacteriostatic effect on the products, that is, simply speaking, preserves them.

There are two types of such processing:

  • Hot smoking - the smoke in this case is heated to a temperature of 70 to 150 degrees, and the processing time of the products does not exceed 3 hours. The shelf life of hot smoked meat and fish is up to three days at room temperature.
  • Cold smoking is a longer process, and the smoke temperature does not exceed 30 degrees. Processing time ranges from 6 hours to two days. At the same time, fish and meat are saturated with the smell of smoke, and they develop a characteristic smoked flavor. The shelf life of products at room temperature is two to three weeks.


Smoking scheme

Regardless of whether the smokehouse is a masterpiece of architectural art, or something hastily assembled from scrap materials, the principle of operation and diagram are similar.

The smoking chamber is located away from the firebox and is connected to it through a smoke channel. Passing through the channel, the smoke has time to cool and thus enters the smoking chamber already cooled. Cold smoking requires more wood chips and sawdust than firewood. The specific gravity of firewood should not exceed 20% of the total fuel.

In a cold smoked smokehouse, there are thus three main components:

  • smoke source (smoke generator), or firebox;
  • smoke channel;
  • smoking chamber in which products are placed.

Hiking option

To make a camp smokehouse you will need wooden rods, plastic film and ropes or wire for attaching meat or fish. First, a fire is built in a small pit and allowed to burn to form coals.

A wigwam with a frame of twigs, over which polyethylene is thrown, is erected around the burnt fire. The smoke is generated by damp branches and leaves that are placed on hot coals.

The advantages of this design are the simplicity and speed of its construction, the absence of the need for any building materials, and the ability to monitor the progress of the process. The disadvantages are the need to control the hearth to prevent the branches from burning, as well as the constant need for hot coals and green branches throughout the smoking process.

Stationary option

Compared to the scheme described above, a significantly greater investment of materials and effort will be required to equip a stationary smokehouse. As a rule, old refrigerators, barrels, or tool boxes act as a smoking chamber.

Smokehouses are often made of brick. A pipe with a diameter of at least 10 cm and a length of 2 meters or more is used as a smoke channel. The smoke generator in the smokehouse is a pit with a fire, covered with a lid on top to limit the access of oxygen.

When installing, you should adhere to the following rules:

  • locate the smokehouse away from flammable materials - trees, buildings, haystacks, etc.;
  • install the structure away from residential buildings, poultry houses, sheds, barns;
  • during installation, it is necessary to place the smoke channel at an angle to ensure draft;
  • protect the firebox and chimney with a small fence so that overly curious children and adults do not accidentally get hurt.

The length of the chimney trench is 2-5 meters. In the autumn-winter period there should be no problems with draft, since the smoke is warmer than the surrounding air.

But in the summer, when the ambient temperature is above 30 degrees and above, smoking food becomes problematic due to weak draft, as well as because the smoke is too warm.

To cool the smoke channel, you can use water cooling - the pipe is immersed in a bath filled with well water, and to improve draft - forced ventilation, for example, using a fan from the bathrooms. But these are more complex and costly options for industrial rather than household smokehouses.

Photo of a cold smoked smokehouse

Cold smoking is a type of cooking that allows you to obtain delicious dishes with a long shelf life. This type of structure can be assembled in several ways. The simplest options involve the use of improvised means. A do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse requires drawing up a preliminary drawing and studying the assembly steps.

In hot smokers, meat and fish products are subjected to heat treatment. The average temperature is approximately 100˚C. Food that has undergone such processing has a short shelf life, which most often does not exceed a week.

Helpful information! In cold devices, products are treated with smoke. The temperature in this case does not exceed 50 ˚C. And the lower value at which such smoking can be carried out is only 30 ˚C.

It takes quite a lot of time for meat and fish to be completely saturated with smoke. Therefore, the duration of cooking cold foods can reach several days.

It is important to remember that cold smoking at home requires compliance with certain rules. First of all, preliminary marinating of provisions plays an important role. It is also worth monitoring the temperature and intensity of the smoke released when the wood chips smolder.

Smoke exposed to food should not contain carbon monoxide. In order to obtain such smoke, the design of the cold smokehouse has a special chimney pipe. It must be of sufficient length. Passing through such a tube, harmful substances contained in the smoke settle on its walls. As a result, purified smoke enters the chamber, which penetrates meat and fish products and contributes to their cooking.

The operating principle of a cold smoked smokehouse for meat and fish

Smoking of provisions occurs due to the smoldering of wood chips. The design features of cold smoking devices facilitate this process. The principle of operation of such units is that inside them various products are processed with smoke. The average temperature is 40˚C. If necessary, you can buy a cold smoked smokehouse. To save money, you can assemble it yourself at home.

Harmful substances contained in smoke precipitate, so the finished products have a delicate, refined taste and aroma. The elimination of carcinogens occurs due to the appearance of condensate on the walls of the chimney tube, connecting them. It occurs due to a decrease in air temperature as smoke moves through the pipe.

When using a stationary smokehouse for cold smoking, it becomes possible to regulate the smoke. All that is needed for this is to release harmful smoke from the combustion chamber. Such an operation must necessarily take place before the provisions are placed in the smoking tank. The smoke is released until it acquires the properties necessary for smoking products.

It is worth noting that the chamber in which cold processing of meat and fish takes place must have a lid. This element is necessary to delay smoke. The design of this part must be thought through at the preliminary stage and its features must be indicated in the diagram of the cold smoked smokehouse.

Helpful information! Instead of classic lids, you can use improvised means. For example, moistened burlap, which is thrown over the smoking chamber, is very popular among home craftsmen. When using it, do not forget that it dries out over time. Therefore, it is necessary to wet the burlap every two hours.

DIY cold smoked smokehouse: structural elements

All cold-type devices have a similar structure. Accordingly, the set of structural elements of these units is also the same. Smokehouses consist of the following parts:

  • metal chamber;
  • covers;
  • reflective partition;
  • fireboxes;
  • chimney pipe;
  • roofs;
  • chimney;
  • knee

The main element of a home cold smoked smokehouse is the chamber. In it, products are treated with light smoke. Another important component is the firebox, in which the combustion of fuel (chips) occurs. In cold-type devices, these elements are connected to each other through a chimney pipe. It must be of sufficient length to allow the smoke to cool before entering the smoking chamber.

The tube that connects to the firebox must have a fairly large diameter. The best option is an element with a cross-section of 30 cm. This part goes to the food tank. It is also worth noting that the firebox of a cold smokehouse with your own hands must have another tube, which is located vertically. Its main function is to remove excess smoke outside the combustion chamber. Thanks to this design, uniform processing of meat and fish products is achieved.

When assembling a homemade cold smoked smokehouse, special attention must be paid to the draft inside the structure. It is due to this that smoke moves from the firebox to the food chamber. If it was decided to build such a structure in the ground, then to achieve the required traction indicator, a slope is needed. However, this method is now used quite rarely. This is due to the fact that you can easily purchase a smoke exhauster on the market - a device that will artificially increase draft inside the smokehouse.

What types of cold smokehouses are there: varieties

Devices in which products are processed for a long time with smoke are divided into several groups depending on the heating source. This indicator is very important, as it determines the purpose of the unit. Based on this feature, designs are distinguished:

  • ordinary;
  • electric.

Smoldering of wood chips in conventional devices occurs due to an open fire source. In turn, cold smoked electric smokehouses have special heating elements and operate from the mains.

Note! It is important to remember that electric units can have small dimensions, which significantly increases their mobility. Therefore, if desired, they can be used in apartments.

Another indicator by which all cold devices are differentiated is versatility. Homemade units, made with your own hands, are used for smoking any products. In turn, purchased smokehouses can be:

  • universal;
  • specialized.

The latter are used for smoking a certain type of product. Purchased universal devices are more common. In their chambers you can smoke not only meat and fish products, but also vegetables, as well as mushrooms and cheese.

Assembling a cold mini-smokehouse with your own hands is much more difficult than a hot one. This is due to the peculiarities of food processing, which require a long pipe. The length of the chimney pipe in such devices must be at least 10 m.

If desired, you can make a camp-type smokehouse. This design is disposable and is used by hunters, fishermen, and also people going on hikes. To make such a device, it is recommended to study the corresponding videos. Do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse in soil is a simple and reliable way to get delicious dishes on the go.

The best place for such a smokehouse is a gently sloping bank. In its upper part it is necessary to arrange a smoking chamber, and at the bottom, dig a combustion chamber. They must be connected to each other by a trench that serves as a chimney.

Smokehouse for meat and fish – what do you need to know when choosing fuel?

The process of preparing food, which involves the use of smoke, has its own subtleties. A very important point is the temperature inside the smokehouse. If it is not controlled, then meat, fish and other dishes can simply go bad.

An equally important factor is the selection of fuel. Wood chips used for cold smoking with your own hands can be made from different types of trees and, accordingly, differ in their characteristics. Depending on what fuel is used for this operation, the taste of the finished products differs.

Despite the fact that wood may be different, the same requirements are put forward to it. The main thing is that the wood chips must be dry. The presence of moisture will not allow it to smolder properly. The wood chips are located at the bottom of the firebox. Experts do not recommend scattering it all over the bottom. The best option is to build a slide.

The most common tree species from which wood chips are made for smoking:

  • cherry;
  • maple;
  • alder.

In some cases, other tree species can be used for cold smoking fish and meat at home. For example, many people note the exquisite taste of dishes that were cooked with smoke from apple and pear chips.

Note! Experienced chefs recommend smoking food in cold-type devices in the winter. During this period, the ambient temperature prevents the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria inside the products.

It is very important to remember that wood containing resins is absolutely not suitable for smoking. Coniferous trees (spruce, pine, etc.) have this characteristic. If you neglect this rule, then the food cooked in the smokehouse will be very bitter. To improve the taste, you can use one trick - add aromatic herbs used in cooking on top of the smoldering sawdust.

DIY cold smoked smokehouse: chamber options

Devices that operate on a cold principle must have a camera. Provisions are laid out or hung in this tank. The camera can be made either according to a drawing, using metal sheets, or from improvised means. In the second case, people's imagination is not limited by anything. The following improvised means are most often transformed into smoking chambers:

  • barrel;
  • fridge.

Barrel. The capacity of such a container should not be less than 100 liters. The best option for smoking at home is to use containers with a volume of 200 liters. There are two options for the location of such a barrel: vertical and horizontal. In the first case, it is necessary to install legs at the bottom of the tank.

Related article:


Features of the structure of the structure. Possible design options. Algorithm for performing the manufacturing process. Brazier made from car rims.

Fridge. Transforming this household appliance into a smoker has some advantages. The refrigerator chamber itself is sealed, so no additional measures are required to prevent the penetration of air from outside. In addition, this option is very convenient to use.

You can assemble a smokehouse for cold smoking with your own hands from metal. Due to the fact that the temperature inside such a smokehouse does not rise above 50 °C, it becomes possible to install a wooden tank. However, in this case it is necessary to sheathe the areas located in the immediate vicinity of the chimney with metal strips. This will maximize the safety of the structure from fire.

The most labor-intensive version of the smoking chamber involves its assembly from brick material. However, such designs are the most effective and have a long service life, which can reach several decades. And also such smokehouses look the most attractive, organically fitting into the landscape of the site.

To save money and time, experts recommend making cold smoked smokehouses from a barrel. This is a classic option for transforming an unnecessary container into a device that allows you to get delicious dishes.

How to make a cold smoked smokehouse: making a firebox

The most budget-friendly way to organize a firebox is to dig a pit in the ground. It is necessary to place fuel for smoking in it. When burning wood or wood chips, it is recommended to regulate the amount of smoke.

A homemade stove is made of brick material, stainless or galvanized steel or pipes. When using bricks, you need to be sure they are fire resistant, otherwise they may burst from the heat.

Note! Educational video materials will help you answer the question of how to make a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands.

A metal firebox made of stainless steel is the simplest option. It’s not that difficult to make; you just need to purchase the necessary material and follow the instructions. The chimney can be made of either metal or brick. In the second case, it is better to place it underground. This will achieve the necessary tightness.

The chimney must go directly under the smoking chamber. The speed at which the smoke will move depends on its cross-section. Its length and shape also play an important role. A fuel combustion chamber can be purchased at the store. As a rule, you can find compact models designed for hiking. Portable cold smokers are less common than their hot counterparts.

The advantages of cold smoking are obvious. The product in this design is processed at a low temperature, so it retains its fat layer. Caring for cold units is easier, since they are not as prone to contamination as their hot counterparts.

Assembling a cold smoked smokehouse at home: chimney design

The quality of smoking depends on the correct calculation of the chimney. Therefore, it is recommended to approach the assembly of this structure with the utmost seriousness. The tube must not only be long enough, but also sealed. Otherwise you will experience smoke leaks.

If the tube is long, you will need to ensure its stability. To do this, use supports that are located in the central part of the chimney. It is best to make such holders from brick material. In order to understand the principles of how to make a smokehouse at home, it is recommended to study photos that clearly illustrate the stages of assembling this structure.

When using wooden supports, you will need to insulate them in those places that have direct contact with the pipe. If necessary, you can shorten the pipe, which will increase the smoking temperature to 60 °C. The resulting smoking type will be semi-hot.

For a better understanding of the process, it is recommended to pay attention to the installation photos. The DIY cold smoked smokehouse has a simple and understandable design, but you still need to be careful when assembling it. Sealing a chimney in a stationary structure is quite simple. To do this, you need to prepare a flange, which in the future should be welded to the bottom.

Note! To enhance sealing, special sealing gaskets are used, which are made of paronite.

How to make a cold smoked smokehouse: DIY smoke generator

The use of this device allows you to provide the necessary traction inside the smoking unit. In this case, the thrust is pumped up artificially (unlike marching structures). ensures uninterrupted flow of smoke necessary for the cold smoking process into the chamber.

Experts recommend thinking through its design at the drawing stage. A do-it-yourself cold smoked smokehouse, equipped with a smoke generator, does not require constant monitoring. The device provides the necessary traction and maintains it at the desired level.

The design of such a device is not very complicated. Therefore, you can make it yourself at home. To assemble the smoke generator, you will need to prepare a metal can. The working reservoir of the device is made from available materials (for example, a cardboard box). Thus, making a smokehouse with a smoke generator is not difficult. Let's consider the sequence of actions in the manufacture of this device.

How to build a smokehouse with a smoke generator? First of all, you need to take a can and cut a hole in it. It is required to attach the necessary element - a fitting with a double-sided thread. On one side a compressor is attached to it. In this case, a device used in aquariums is suitable. It can be easily purchased at the market or on the Internet. A smoke exhaust pipe is attached to the second side of the fitting.

At the next stage, you need to cut a window (on the side) in the can. It is necessary to access the sawdust, which will be located at the bottom of the container. The outlet pipe is fixed to the smoking chamber, after which all that remains is to ignite the sawdust and turn on the compressor.

Cold smoking of fish, meat and other products: preparation

Before you start cold smoking, it is necessary to prepare the products for this process. Not only the taste, but also the quality of the food that will be smoked depends on it.

Preparation includes two stages:

  • pickling;
  • soaking.

In order to properly prepare the salt solution, you must follow the instructions. Making a marinade correctly is not difficult. First of all, you need to take salt and pour it into a container filled with water. Next, the mineral is stirred until completely dissolved in the liquid. This marinade is suitable for cold smoking chicken, beef, pork, and fish.

Note! When preparing such a solution, it is very important to observe the following proportions: 40 g of salt per 1 liter of water.

You can add spices to this marinade such as bay leaf, black pepper (peas), etc. After preparing it, you can start marinating the product. It is important to remember that the salting period depends on the volume of the product and its variety. For example, a small fish should lie in such a solution for about 3 days.

Large fish and pork are left in the salt marinade for 4 days before going into the smokehouse. Cold smoking of fish also requires compliance with the temperature regime. And beef, which has denser fibers, must be marinated for at least 5 days.

After marinating the product, you need to soak it in water. The duration of this process ranges from 6 to 24 hours. Then excess moisture is removed from the product. To do this, you need to wipe it with paper towels and dry it. At the next stage, you can start smoking your provisions.

Cold smoking of lard has some peculiarities. This product does not need to be marinated. The preliminary step in preparing lard is salting it. In this case, the procedure does not differ from ordinary salting. The lard is covered with salt and placed in the refrigerator or cellar for approximately 2 weeks. Subsequently, it will be necessary to rinse it under running water and place it in the smokehouse. The duration of smoking lard is about 8 hours. It is very important that the temperature inside the chamber does not exceed 40 °C.

Cold smoking allows you to obtain delicious, refined meat and fish products. The device that allows you to do this has a fairly simple design. When assembling a cold smokehouse yourself, you need to focus on the drawings and study photo and video materials on this topic.

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.