The very sight of smoked food arouses the desire to taste it, but not everyone immediately starts rummaging in their wallet - is it worth running to the store or to the market? The number of people deciding to get a hand-made smokehouse is not decreasing at all. It's really quite possible to build your own smokehouse, and we will try, as far as possible, to help readers in this useful and tasty business.

The financial factor is not the only one, and perhaps not the main one, thanks to which the popularity of home smoking is by no means diminishing. To independently make a smokehouse of the correct design means to be confident in the quality of the product; if homemade smoked meats are sold - convincingly offer them to buyers. Nowadays this is not superfluous: in today's world, falsification of food, unfortunately, is widespread and legalized literally everywhere, and smoked meats are a favorite object of substitute producers.

The scale of falsification of smoked products in our time is difficult for the ignorant to imagine. For example, the WHO recommends not to exceed the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, with this muck we will encounter) in food in 0.62 μg / kg. In the Russian Federation, the content of PAHs in food is allowed up to 0.2 μg / kg; a properly built home smoker is capable of delivering a product with a PAH content of 0.1 μg / kg. And in Germany, boasting of its environmental friendliness, the content of such an infamous representative of PAHs as benzo (a) pyrene is allowed up to 1 μg / kg. In Russia, benzo (a) pyrene is recognized as a carcinogen of the first degree of danger, and in the EU, doctors consider its harmful effect on animals to be fully proven, but on humans - insufficiently proven. How can this be understood, except as a veiled recommendation to people to buy (but of course!) And there is something that a dog in its right mind will turn away from? The rats are dying, but is it okay for humans? If he is an adequate well-meaning consumer? But back to the topic.

The most important thing

Manufacturing a smokehouse does not present any technical difficulties and will be inexpensive... The design of the smokehouse is simple, flexible, easily and without compromising the quality of the finished product, it is adaptable to the available materials and possibilities. But, before proceeding further, it will be appropriate to remind: smoking is a process of food technology.

Imagine, by analogy, that someone has come up with some ideal, "correct" in all respects, a saucepan. Can a person, who until then had anything to do with cooking only as an unassuming eater, holding a cookbook in front of his eyes, cook real naval borscht in it right away? Another analogy is also appropriate: there is a cheap, stamped from thin stainless steel, frying pan and antediluvian electric stove with an open spiral. Will a skilled chef be able to cook at least an ordinary roast with this "equipment" as in his own kitchen?

The conclusion is simple: there is no single "correct" smokehouse. But there are many types of smokers in which proper smoking is possible. This is what we are going to do. At the same time, smoking itself, based on some mandatory requirements for the design of the smoking unit.

Constructive types of smokehouses

The device of successfully operating home smokers is very diverse; some samples are shown in the photo. As a rule, they try to build a smokehouse that provides the possibility of all or most types of smoking (see below). But all this apparent inconsistency fits into only 3 basic schemes of smoking installations: vertical (mine), horizontal (tunnel, trench) and chamber. Homemade smokehouses most often combine elements of 2 or all 3 schemes.

Shaft smokehouse, left on the trail. rice., the easiest way, does not require equipment space for it and is the least time consuming. Initially, it is a conical hut, chum or wigwam, in which pieces of meat are suspended at the top in reserve. In this case (conical shaft) and a semi-permeable smoke seal (green dotted line in the figure) is not necessary.

However, the mine smokehouse is not without serious drawbacks:

• Smoking by the fumigation method (see below) is impossible, because the temperature of the smoke club under the chimney mouth is always higher than that of the surrounding air.
• Simultaneous smoking in 2 ways is also impossible.
• Adjustment of the mode of smoke generation by the hearth is possible only within very small limits.
• The settling of harmful components of smoking smoke (see below) is somewhat difficult, which is why it is possible to achieve compliance with the concentration of PAHs in products with the norm only with hot or semi-hot smoking.
• With an increase in the humidity of the incoming air, from unsuitable or too damp fuel, the "acidic" zone may spread to the smoked, which is why the entire load disappears: the product becomes unbearably acidic and toxic.
• With the deterioration of the quality of fuel for the hearth (smoking material), as well as exceeding the temperature and humidity of the incoming air, the content of PAHs in the products increases rapidly.

Note: the latter factor is especially sensitive, since just like that, the excess of PAHs is imperceptible. On the contrary, their excess can enhance the pungency and piquancy of the taste and aroma of finished products.

For a tunnel smoker, in the middle in fig., a fairly large amount of earthwork is needed and, highly desirable, a suitable site on the slope: the more free (without a smoke seal) draft in the system, the easier it is to ensure a stable mode of smoke formation. Due to the location of the smoke generator in a semi-closed chamber with an adjustable cover for air access and a closed chimney, the dependence of the quality of smoking on the weather decreases: it is possible to use a tunnel smokehouse up to 75% humidity and 30 degrees of outside air temperature for up to 8-9 hours a day, in the absence of atmospheric precipitation.

Cold smoking is possible in the tunnel smokehouse if the channel length is more than 3 m; over 5 - fumigation, and over 7 m - 2-3 types of smoking at the same time. A properly built and operated tunnel smokehouse is capable of providing PAH content in finished products in the range of up to 0.2 μg / kg for all smoking modes.

Chamber smokers, on the right in the upper figure, not so ancient: tunnel smokehouse on a slope of sufficient length of 10-30 degrees, supplemented by a shaft 1.5-2 m high and approx. 1 m, see fig. on the right, this is already a chamber smokehouse: a long tunnel and a dead bottom of the mine serve as a smoke distiller; the latter works as an expansion chamber, where the deposition of the residual harmful components of the smoke is sharply increased. Modern industrial smokehouses of food industry enterprises are built exclusively according to the chamber scheme, but compact, with special air preparation units and electric smoke distillers.

What's going on in the smokehouse?

Visible smoke, i.e. unburned fuel particles and ash (mineral) inclusions, oddly enough at first glance, do not significantly affect the smoking process. They contribute to the deposition of a shiny golden crust on the product; no harm was noticed from them. And they also, by the type of smoke, make it possible to quite accurately determine its suitability for smoking.

Let's make a fire from slightly damp firewood in calm weather or in a high hut, this is the simplest smoke generator. Directly above the flame there will be a transparent zone where pyrolysis gases burn out. Above - dirty gray, possibly with a brownish tint, rather dense smoke. Even higher - a grayish, sometimes with a slight blue, and even higher - a translucent white smoke.

Now we will take samples from each zone, except for pyrolysis, and make their chemical analysis. Not at home, of course, here you have to resort to liquid chromatography and other subtle methods. In the "gray-brown" (conditionally severe) zone, the predominance of carcinogens and other substances with a significant molecular weight will be found. In the "gray", medium, sample against the background of thinned carcinogens and toxins, radicals of organic acids will appear more. The same benzo (a) pyrene with residues of formic and acetic acids (possibly malic, citric, etc.) will remain in a white haze of harm in noticeable quantities, and other light components are just those that give the smoked a unique taste, aroma and have a bacteriostatic effect, i.e. do not allow the product to deteriorate for a more or less long time, they will come to the fore in the smoke from fuel suitable for smoking.

Let's continue the series of experiments, lighting a fire from different types of firewood of varying degrees of humidity, with the addition of green leaves and herbs of different types, and each time changing the combustion mode. And it turns out that the concentration of benzo (a) pyrene and acids in white smoke changes by 2-3 orders of magnitude, and in the finished product benzo (a) pyrene is found from 0.1 to 62-65 μg / kg.

Benz (a) pyrene and acids

All PAHs are by no means harmless to humans, but benzo (a) pyrene stands out among them, firstly, by its optimal chemical activity from the point of view of poisoning: under normal conditions it is rather inert. Secondly, "meanness": once in the body, benzo (a) pyrene attaches to DNA, thus affecting heredity. Even the ancient authors knew, although the content of PAHs in the products then, of course, no one controlled in any way, that those who like to overeat with smoked, feeble-minded, frail and sick children are born much more often than among supporters of moderation. Thirdly, ubiquity: due to the peculiarities of its chemical activity, benzo (a) pyrene has a cumulative effect and accumulates in soil, plant and animal tissues, and also migrates along food chains. Fourthly, resistance: at the temperature necessary for the formation of smoking smoke, a significant part of it does not decompose, but sublimes from the wood. Fifth, by "trick": as already mentioned above, it is possible to detect an excess of benzo (a) pyrene in food only by chemical analysis; an increase in taste and aroma can be caused by other, harmless and even beneficial substances.

The fight against any evil is effective at its inception, therefore, measures to limit the content of benzo (a) pyrene in smoked meats are carried out in the following order:

1. The correct choice of wood for the smoking material is consistent not only with the desired taste and bouquet of the finished product, but also with the ability of this tree species to accumulate PAHs;
2. Harvesting wood for smoking material in ecologically clean places only from completely healthy trees: in the hyphae of molds and in the drill dust of bark beetles / woodworms, the PAH content is 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than in wood, their nutrient medium;
3. Reasonable choice of the type and mode of smoking for a given specific type of raw material;
4. Correct preparation of raw materials for smoking;
5. Correct preparation of smoking material: wood chips, shavings, sawdust, see below;
6. Technically competent construction of a smokehouse according to proven samples;
7. Correct smoke generator device;
8. Setting up the smoke generator for the selected smoking material, type of product and mode of its processing;
9. Effective control over the smoking regime.

Pp. 6 and 7 are constructive preventive measures, and items 8 and 9 are operational measures to prevent the accumulation of PAHs in smoking products. Their essence is that it is necessary to build a smokehouse in such a way as to either prevent PAHs from reaching the products, or to organize the smoking process so that PAHs, without having had time to be deposited in the smoke, flew into the chimney. Pp. 3, 4 and 9 relate to culinary technology, so further we will restrict ourselves to what relates to paragraphs. 6 and 7 and partly to paragraphs. 3, 5 and 9, how much they affect the design of the smokehouse.

As for the acids, they are, to one degree or another, involved in the creation of smoked meats. Doubts for some may be caused by formic acid, but it is also registered as a food additive E236. Its effect on the bacteriostatic properties of smoking is especially strong. You just need to remember: everything is a medicine, but everything is poison. Table salt is necessary for a person - sodium ions regulate heart activity, but if you eat half a glass or more of kitchen salt, a painful death is guaranteed due to the strong imbalance of sodium in the body. Fortunately, if the measures to limit the migration of PAHs into the product are implemented and give the proper result, then everything is in order with acids. An exception can only be found when smoking on unsuitable fuel or in a primitive smokehouse during extreme heat or bad weather.

Smoking and smoking sheds

Smoking is usually divided into cold and hot. This idea developed at a time when no one had a clue about PAHs, their migrations in nature and the impact on humans.

From the point of view of modern biochemistry, it would be better to highlight the following smoking methods:

• Fumigation (traditionally cold smoking).
• Cold (traditionally semi-cold) smoking.
• Semi-hot smoking.
• Hot smoking.
• Smoke roasting, or quick smoking.

We do not consider the last method.... First, because smoke-baked foods cannot be stored, they must be eaten fresh. And secondly, because there is no need to eat a smoky casserole: in terms of benzo (a) pyrene content, products baked in smoke are not inferior to processed liquid smoke, i.e. 100% rigged; see the end for details on liquid smoke.

Fumigation

Fumigation with smoke, cooled to room temperature 18-25 degrees (for fish - up to 22-35 degrees), lasts from 24 hours, for small fish like tulka, up to a week or more, for the leg of a wild boar or bear. So that the raw material does not deteriorate until it is smoked enough to prevent the development of bacteria, it must be salted in brine beforehand. The consistency and structure of raw materials practically do not change, migration of fat inside the piece is also almost not observed.

The main advantage of this smoking method is that the keeping quality of the finished product is practically limited only by its drying out until it is inedible. In a well-equipped cellar, a ham or brisket smoked by fumigation can be stored for up to 3-4 years without losing its taste, which this type of smoking provides the highest. The way to neutralize PAHs in this case is their natural precipitation in a long chimney. Acidification of products is possible as an exception, on very poor fuel or when smoking in extreme heat: acid radicals react with water vapor and condense faster than benzo (a) pyrene settles.

Note: storing products smoked in any way in the refrigerator is unacceptable - the water condensate settling on them not only spoils the taste, but also begins chemical reactions that make the product harmful. An exception is boiled-smoked sausage, stored for up to 4-7 days at a temperature of + (4-8) degrees, i.e. on the bottom shelf or in the vegetable compartment.

It is unacceptable to take breaks in smoking, as they say in the old manuals, when fumigating, according to modern concepts: cooling the load of raw materials during the break and the subsequent launch of the hearth sharply increase the concentration of PAHs in the products. The same will happen when changing the mode of fuel smoldering. Therefore, it is possible to hope to maintain the PAH content in the norm during fumigation only by using an open-type long-burning smoke generator without pressurization, see below. For the device of a smoker-fumigator, a flat slope with a suitable slope is required, see above, because Smoke generators suitable for this application operate with good natural draft.

Cold

Cold (old semi-cold) smoking takes place at a temperature of 40-50 degrees for 2-36 hours. Products smoked in this way are not inferior in taste and aroma to fumigated cooled smoke, but their keeping life does not exceed 170 hours. The raw material softens, but retains the structure. Low-melting fats migrate along the bones and layers until visible from the outside. Preparation of food - soaking in brine (fresh saturated brine) for 4-24 hours, then soaking for 1-6 hours and quick drying from the surface without heating, for example. blotting successively with 2-3 clean cotton rags.

The main danger in cold smoking is the acidification of products due to the spread of the acidic smoke zone upwards. You can avoid it by smoking only on alder or fruit chips in suitable weather. The requirements for the stability of the smoke generator mode are the same as in the previous one. case, but since the smoking time is reduced several times, it is possible to use a simple hearth.

A homemade cold-smoked smokehouse is most often built on the basis of the design of Yu.Chmyr (in the center in the figure), and he, in turn, set out to make an earthen smokehouse more accessible, on the left in the figure, which has long been known to fishermen and hunter-traders who supply production directly to the market. It is difficult to find a place for a smokehouse-dugout; the soil there must be clayey or dense loam. Punching an adit and a shaft with a total length of more than 2.5 m by hand is also not easy; the smoke from the hearth is adjusted by covering the fire with leaves of wild currants, blueberries, lingonberries, ferns, which is also a problem.

Yu. Chmyr managed to reduce the size of the smokehouse and its dependence on the nature of the soil by extending the chimney with a chamber from a 200-liter barrel and reducing the degree of its loading. Thus, an expansion volume was formed at the bottom of the shaft chamber. This, firstly, made it possible to smoke with wood containing gum and tannins, see below, and obtain products of exquisite taste. Secondly, setting up the smoke generator was reduced to changing the width of the window for air access with an additional sheet of tin or just a piece of board. Thirdly, a short internal chimney (chimney) made it possible, if necessary, to reconfigure the smokehouse for hot smoking, and when building it from bricks, smoke it simultaneously in 2 ways, but only homogeneous products (meat-meat, fish-fish).

But the main secret of Y. Chmyr's smokehouse is the way of PAH neutralization. Their molecular weight is generally greater than the substances useful for smoking, and the moistened (not soaked in water!) Burlap covering the smoking chamber creates, as it were, different cravings for different components of the smoke: the light fractions are kept in the area of ​​the smoked, and PAHs below, gradually settling and burning out in the hearth. Burlap must be natural, hemp or jute.

Note: burlap needs to be kept ready 2 cuts - a little the first dry, a fresh wet one is thrown over it, and a dry one is carefully pulled out. It is impossible to release a puff of smoke, PAHs will rush to the food.

Soon after the appearance of this smokehouse, another interesting feature of it was discovered on the pages of the MK: if you cover the mine with thin branches of willow or willow tree instead of burlap, laid in 3-4 layers crosswise at intervals, then you can beat off the natural smell of some types of game, and make old beef softer. The author of this article knew a fisherman who got the hang of smoking even coots and cormorants in this way. It was unaware that the fresh meat of these birds was unbearable with rotten fish.

Further, the smokehouse of Yu.Chmyr was independently improved by several authors at once: the chimney was slightly lengthened and made tapering to the smoking chamber, on the right in Fig. With the resulting dimensions in terms of approx. 1x3.5 m such a smokehouse can be built at a dacha of 6 acres, allotting an infertile area for it. In this case, if the soil is loose and permeable, the hearth chamber and the chimney must be coated with a layer of 5-10 cm clay. it is porous, will strongly absorb PAHs and give them back when heated; for more information on brick smokehouses, see below.

Note: The popular Finnish Apetit aboveground smokehouse-grill is arranged according to the same principle, see its dimensions in fig. Instead of a smoke seal made of burlap or twigs, this design uses a hipped roof of the smoking chamber. The solution is certainly more efficient and simplifies the maintenance of the unit, but also more time consuming.

Semi-hot and hot

These types of smoking are carried out at a temperature of 60-80 and 80-120 degrees for 1-3 and 0.5-1.5 hours, respectively. Neutralization of PAHs mainly by the "breakthrough" method: a rather dense crust is formed on the products quickly, after a few minutes, and it is easier for harmful components of smoke to fly out into the pipe than to be absorbed into the product. Light useful components through the crust and pass more easily, i.e. the raw material itself creates a protective barrier. Therefore, the requirements for the material for hot smoking are less stringent, wood with tannins and gums can be used, which gives the products a special taste.

During hot smoking, raw materials are heat treated, so the product comes out tender, with a more delicate taste and aroma. Fat is partially melted during hot smoking. The shelf life of finished products is up to 36-72 hours, depending on the product. No preliminary preparation of raw materials is required, which is good for products with an exquisite natural taste: poultry, delicious fish. In addition to the well-known mackerel, blue bream and white fish, fresh frozen (not salted!) Sea bass and shrimp herring are very good for hot smoking. Cheese and homemade sausage are also smoked only hot and semi-hot.

During hot / semi-hot smoking, burnt fat is added to possible sources of PAHs and other harmful substances, so its entry into the hearth is unacceptable. A stationary hot-smoked smokehouse must be equipped with a tray for fat in the smoking chamber or be designed in such a way that the ingress of fat into a smoke generator of any type is excluded, see below for samples of smokers.

For smoking small completely fresh fish, which will take 20-40 minutes, it is possible to use a hot-smoked smokehouse without a pallet with a closed-type smoke generator on alder chips, such as, for example. in a bucket smokehouse (see fig.) and similar structures. You should linger a little at the smokehouse-bucket, because information about it in many sources is distorted. As for stationary hot smoked smokehouses, they will be considered further in the order of sorting through the images of finished products.

First, the bucket must be made of stainless steel. The coating of the galvanized bucket will burn out very soon, but the point is not that the vessel will become unusable. Burnout of galvanized steel means zinc oxidation. Zinc oxide sublimates, i.e. sublimes without melting, and its vapors are a carcinogen and a toxin no worse than PAHs.

Secondly, it is necessary to put the nets in the smokehouse-bucket exactly at the levels according to the scheme and not lower in any way. The smallest and, most importantly, the skinny workpiece is laid out at intervals on the lower grid, and the one that is larger and fatter on the upper one.

Thirdly, putting juniper chips into a bucket and drowning them with alder, as shown here and there (let's not poke a finger), is generally nonsense. The alder flame is not very hot, if it even heats the juniper through the partition to smoldering, then the PAH content in the product will be almost lethal in the literal sense. Juniper chips, like last year's conifer cones, are conditionally suitable for fumigation in a natural draft smokehouse with a chimney at least 10 m long, and only resin-free smoking materials are suitable for hot smoking.

Do-it-yourself smoke generators

Smoke generators for smokehouses are made of open (hearths) and closed types, with pressurization and natural draft. Sometimes semi-open smoke generators are used - braziers. In the first, the heat required for the thermal decomposition of the smoking material is obtained due to its smoldering, i.e. the smoke material is also a fuel. In a closed smoke generator, smoking material is heated from an external heat source in the chamber through a metal partition; air in the chamber is pressurized or sucked in through the duct.

Supercharged smoke generators allow you to make the smoker more compact and facilitate the establishment of smoke. As a rule, pressurization is given from low-power sources: aquarium compressors or fans of 12-25 watts. However, in addition to the fact that the smokehouse becomes volatile, supercharged smoke generators have a serious drawback: the zones of deposition of harmful smoke components are shifted towards the products. Simply, the pressurization blows everything indiscriminately towards the smoked, interfering with the natural distillation of the smoke.

Hearths

The simplest smoke generator-hearth is a fire made of wood of smoking material of high humidity (40-70)%. But the smoke from it does not satisfy modern medical and sanitary requirements: the firewood dries up, flares up. The hearth has to be covered with fresh leaves, grass, turf, which will give PAHs a place to roam.

This circumstance was noticed in the old days: people who were forced to eat for a long time on smoked foods cooked on improvised material (explorers, warriors, sailors), weakened and got sick with seemingly sufficient food. Therefore, even in ancient times, through trial and error, smoking centers on sawdust were developed. It was on these that samples of smoked meats were obtained that fit into Russian standards.

The device of sawdust smoking centers for cold and hot smoking is shown in Fig. Firewood and sawdust are from the same type of wood. The secret of sawdust centers is that the thermal decomposition of smoking material occurs at a sufficiently high temperature, over 600 degrees. This is enough to "tear to shreds" and benzo (a) pyrene, and the resulting radicals are chemically active and are immediately neutralized by atmospheric oxygen and water vapor.

Some of the PAHs are formed in the layer of sawdust, slightly shifted outward, where the temperature is less than 400 degrees, but they settle in colder layers. A salvo of PAHs is observed when the sawdust jacket is almost completely decayed, but most of them slip into the pipe past the product that has already been covered with a crust. In any case, the hearth can be extinguished and a reserve one can be ignited, see below, when the sawdust shirt has not yet completely settled.

The disadvantages of open smoke generators are, firstly, high fuel consumption, and smoking materials are much more expensive than firewood from the same tree. Second, the duration of the action of the foci in Fig. higher - 1-4 hours, that is, if one person is looking after the smokehouse, he will not be able to sleep more at once, and this can continue for up to a week or more if the product is smoked by fumigation. In this case, and with cold smoking, the pit - the smoke generator chamber has to be made larger, it has to be partitioned off with a vertical partition and there is a spare hearth ready for ignition to replace the exhausted one.

You can get rid of the last drawback, if you are not too lazy and make a smoke generator for smoking from a gas cylinder (see the diagram in the figure). Household gas cylinders of different capacities provide continuous stable operation of such a device for 6-24 hours.

As you can see, this type of smoke generator for smoking is something like a long burning oven turned upside down. The perforation of the smoke collector pipe 5 begins at least 10-15 cm above the bottom of the fuel bunker 4; its bottom is mesh or perforated. Smoke filter 7 - 1-3 layers of steel mesh with mesh from 1x1 to 2.5x2.5 mm. The initial setting of the smoke is carried out by damper 2 to the maximum of its outflow. Using gate 9, the supply of smoke to the smoker is precisely regulated. Through a tee with gates, this smoke generator is capable of serving 2 smoking chambers. The dampers of the gates should have idle windows with a diameter of 3-5 mm so that the generator does not suffocate; then not only will the product spoil, but the generator will have to be restarted. its re-ignition is not possible.

Note: it is unacceptable to use non-polar organic solvents (gasoline, kerosene, solvent, toluene, etc.) to ignite this smoke generator; it is best to ignite it with ethyl alcohol.

Closed

The advantage of closed smoke generators, firstly, in fuel economy: 2-4 handfuls of wood chips are enough to smoke a boiled ham or a large piece of brisket. Secondly, in greater stability of operation and less dependence on the weather: the supply air duct can be made longer and some of the heat of the heating source can be used to heat it, thus drying the incoming air. Thirdly, in the independence of the settings: by adjusting the heating and air supply separately, you can quickly and without experience get a white translucent smoke at the exit, which almost does not eat the eyes, which is required for smoking. Finally, closed smoke generators can be loaded not only with sawdust, but also shavings and wood chips.

The disadvantage of closed smoke generators is that the temperature of the smoldering smoking material does not exceed 400-450 degrees, which is not enough for the complete disintegration of PAHs released from wood. Therefore, using them for cold smoking, it is possible to keep within only the European standards. The taste of products smoked in the smoke from closed generators, according to subjective estimates, is noticeably inferior to those smoked in the smoke of the hearth.

In general, the designs of smoke generators for smoking are quite plastic, see the video below; more important is their correct setting from personal experience.

Video: homemade smoke generators for smokehouses

Braziers

In a smoke generator-brazier, the smoking material is heated by a flame through a divider, a mesh or perforated bottom of an open tray, or by electricity; then the bottom of the tray is made deaf. Smoke generators-braziers are somewhat more economical than open hearths, but otherwise they combine the disadvantages of open and closed generators, lacking the advantages of both, therefore they are rarely used, most often in electrically heated smokehouses.

In fig. for example, diagrams of the device for hot-smoked electric smoke from an old refrigerator and a gas cylinder are shown; only the steel body remains from the refrigerator. The disadvantages of both, in addition to the very mediocre quality of products - heating elements or cast-iron pancake of an electric stove burn out very quickly. Modern metal-ceramic air heating elements last longer, but if you focus on the cost of long-term operation, "cast iron" are still cheaper. But not cheaper than ready-made chips for a closed smoke generator.

Smokehouse samples

In terms of the combination of properties, the best material for a smoking chamber is solid deciduous wood. But the wooden chamber has to be periodically, and not so rarely, changed: the wood is saturated with harmful components of smoke, and with hot and semi-hot smoking it can crack faster than it is soaked. Also, the wood is impregnated with the volatile secretions of the smoked, therefore, separate boxes must be kept for meat, fish and poultry. For these reasons, smokehouses are built / made mainly of metal, brick and other mineral building materials, in whole or in various combinations.

Brick and stone

Brick, as you know, is a porous material, so a brick smokehouse is plastered inside with lime plaster on quartz sand or marble chips with the addition of vermiculite. The plaster also has to be changed, but less often: if the filler is sandy, its 5-6 mm layer is enough for 1.5-2 years, and the plaster on marble lasts up to 5 or more years. The soot from the walls of the plastered smokehouse is periodically cleaned off, and to switch to another type of product (meat, fish and poultry), the walls are passed with a stiff brush and the smokehouse is “fried”, heating for half a day at 150-200 degrees inside.

How a compact outdoor hot-smoked brick smokehouse works is shown on the left in Fig. The base is concrete, steel, stone, etc. durable impenetrable. A layer of stones (10-25 cm) on the grate serves as a grease trap and smoke filter. Stones should be taken not very porous, but with sufficient moisture absorption: limestone, dolomite, shale, sandstone. The lid is made of wood with slots. The outlet of a separate smoke generator can be introduced into the firebox, then cold smoking is possible.

Smokehouse on the right in fig. universal, homogeneous products in it can be smoked simultaneously hot and cold methods; in fact, this is a modified smokehouse by Yu. Chmyr. The bottom and walls of the hot smoking tunnel are coated with clay (if the whole smokehouse is not in greasy clay); tunnel cover - clay coating on the poles and on top of it to reduce the heat loss of the turf. The cold smoking chamber can be built of aerated concrete (not foam concrete!) D200-D400; in this case, plastering of the walls is not required, but it will last for 2-3 years or more.

Metal and stone

Channel-chamber smokehouses of joint smoking are often made welded from steel with a thickness of 2-4 mm. Labor costs in this case are much less; a welded smokehouse can be made for sale or transported from place to place. Steel conducts heat quite well, therefore, in the case of manufacturing a smokehouse with the possibility of hot smoking from metal, it is especially important to maintain a stable temperature distribution along the entire length of the working stroke: the zones of deposition of the harmful should not move either to the hot or to the cold sides. From the hot end, this is achieved by facing the tunnel with bricks, and from the cold end, by sizing the smoking chamber and arranging a tent vault on it. A less time consuming alternative is the sizing and location of the chimney. An additional measure to prevent an excess of PAH concentration in products is to separate the cold smoking chamber with a mesh bottom with a mesh from 5x5 to 12x12 mm. The grid creates micro-vortices that "squeeze" PAHs down and more evenly distributes the smoke in the chamber.

A drawing of a welded transportable combined smokehouse is given in Fig. The smoke generator is external. Hot smoking zone - the first 80 cm of the tunnel; marked with color.

Metal

All-welded are mainly smokehouses with barbecue. In fig. 2 common patterns are shown. On the left is a stationary grill with a hot smoking chamber. Its stable temperature regime is maintained, firstly, by the flow of hot smoke from below. Secondly, by the heat radiation of the grill. Thirdly, the gap between the smoking frame and the outer walls. The displacement of the zone of settling of harmful ones into the smoking zone prevents an extended exit from the smoking chamber into the chimney, but there she walks as she wants, therefore, it is impossible to smoke in a cold way in such a grill-smokehouse.

Fully universal brazier-smokehouse "5 in 1" (grill, brazier, barbecue, hot and cold smokehouse) - a well-known brazier-steam locomotive, shown on the right in fig. The main structural material is household gas cylinders of various capacities and calibers. It is possible to smoke in 2 ways at once; in this case, it is advisable to fence off the bottom with a net in the cold chamber (module 1), as in a channel-chamber smokehouse, at the level of the top of the barbecue / barbecue / hot chamber (module 2).

More metal

The construction of the smokehouse made of metal allows for the required retention of smoke in the chamber, instead of a semi-permeable cover, a water seal can be used. The quality of products from such a smokehouse can be achieved above average, but not elite. But it is possible to smoke at home on gas: so little smoke comes out that it is caught by an ordinary hood over the stove.

How a home mini-smokehouse works is shown in fig; on the right is a top view without a cover. Please note that the thermal decomposition of wood in this product is anaerobic, without air access from the outside. This rather rare way to keep PAHs within the limits of at least the European standard requires selected smoking material: alder or fruit without gum sawdust or chips of the highest quality and room dryness, up to (6-7)% moisture. When the humidity of the smoking material rises above 8%, acidification of the products is very likely!

About distilling smoke

Electric smoke cleaning is widely used in industrial smokehouses. For this, the smoked is surrounded by an electrically insulated metal mesh, to which a negative potential of approx. 20 kV; the positive pole is connected to the steel raw material hangers.

In an amateur environment, such a design is unfortunately not feasible, and it is not only about the danger of high voltage. Ions of harmful components immediately settle on the grid, which causes a leakage current. By the end of the smoking process, its value increases to 10-30 mA or more, which at a given voltage corresponds to a power of 0.2-0.3 kW; usually high-voltage installations for industrial smoking are made for a power of more than 1 kW. At a voltage of 20 kV, this is not only complex and very expensive, but without special precautions and deadly construction.

However, there is a way to clear the smoke of a homemade smokehouse. A diagram of an electric distiller for smoking smoke, available for making with your own hands, is given in Fig. In this case, the smoke generator is generally original, frictional: a spring presses a wooden chock against a steel shell of a drum that is poorly heat-conducting (in the figure - a pulley), but that is not the point.

Magneto from an old tractor or moped gives out pulses of different polarity of different amplitudes, so the mesh is often, as it were, shaken off, throwing off adhered particles of soot. Sooner or later, it still gets clogged, but the operating time of this distiller is enough for hot smoking of not very large fish or pieces of meat / poultry, respectively. size. The degree of mesh clogging is judged by the glow intensity of the neon lamp.

The motor for this installation requires a collector motor with series excitation, i.e. with a very soft external characteristic, for 200-300 watts. In the case of using an asynchronous motor, its power will have to be increased to 1.5-2 kW. Magneto produces voltage pulses with an amplitude of more than 6 kV, so the capacitors must be 20 kV. These can be found in the line scan of old color TVs - "coffins" of the era before monoblock TDKS.

Smoking materials

Much has been said about the requirements for smoking materials above in the course of the presentation. It should also be added, firstly, that smoking on cherries, oak and juniper gives the most refined taste. Contains no resins, no gums, no tannins alder, apple and pear. Oak and beech emit quite a lot of tannins, which gives the taste of products a pungency and piquancy that not everyone likes. The wood of other trees of the order of elm (maple, hornbeam, elm) is not rich in tannins, but the overall taste is so-so. As a substitute for cherries, with a slight deterioration in taste, wood of other fruit trees with gum of the order of pink is suitable: plum, cherry plum, apricot.

Sawdust for smoking is best cut with a hand-held circular saw with a pneumatic waste collector or, much more slowly, with a jigsaw on the lined film. It is impossible to rake sawdust from under the yard circular; contamination of smoking materials is unacceptable! Smoke shavings are easier, for example. on an electric plane or planer, see video:

Video: sawdust for smoking

Homemade wood chips for smoking are more complicated. There are many ways to obtain wood chips at home on the Internet, but in fact it turns out that it is intended for "ennobling" moonshine alcohol. Smoke chips, on the right in the figure, should be more or less calibrated in all 3 sizes. It's not so much about their size (chips for cold and hot smoking of different calibers), but about the fact that the pieces are needed approximately the same and not elongated in length. If not, the material will smolder unevenly, leading to a sharp increase in the PAH content.

A crushing (cutting) machine for wood chips costs somewhere from 65,000 rubles. At first glance, it seems that it can be replaced with a cheaper garden crusher, but the author of this publication, when analyzing more than 30 samples, could not find a single one that would exclude oil from the chain or gearbox from entering the wood chips.

It also seems that it is possible to crush wood chips for smoking with a grinder (angle drill), replacing the disc in it with a homemade hammer (knife) made of spring steel. However, the grinder's gearbox is not designed for long-term series of frequent and strong shock loads and also an expensive tool will not last long in this mode.

Perhaps the best way is to chop wood chips for smoking using a homemade lever cleaver made from a pair of pipes connected by a bolt, to one of which a knife is welded. In half a day, with such a device, it is possible to chop wood chips for smoking, laying raw materials up to 10 kg, and the calibration of the chips is even more accurate than in a factory by sieving through a sieve.

Last secret

In some sources claiming authority, for example. Wikipedia, smoking methods include liquid smoke treatment. Yes, the smoke is distilled before thickening, but all the same, the content of PAHs in the products processed by it goes through the roof and according to European standards. This is evidenced by a number of intra-European benzo (a) pyrene scandals in recent years. This is especially true for cold smoked products: due to the length of the process, production costs are high, high prices are justified, and falsification by unscrupulous manufacturers is very tempting. So we will tell our readers how to immediately distinguish a truly smoked product (on the left in the figure) from a “soaked in smoke” product, on the right in the same place.

Real smoked meats on the cut are closer in color to raw pink-red meat, times. The crust on it is dense, glossy, two. The cut clearly shows the natural fibrous structure of the raw material, three. Under the crust and on the cut, there are streaks of fat with a striated surface, four.

Before “smoking” meat with liquid smoke, it undergoes heat treatment, because liquid smoke has almost no bacteriostatic properties, therefore, on the cut, the product "smoked" in this way is pale, with a weakly expressed fiber. The crust is dull, soft; often sticky. Leaks of fat, if any, are barely noticeable, which distinguishes this fake from hot smoked products, as well as the smell.

But an absolutely reliable sign that allows you to immediately recognize from a distance a product "smoked" with liquid smoke is vacuum packaging. Real smoked meats are not packaged in a vacuum, they immediately suffocate. As you can see, it is not so difficult to distinguish real smoked meats from fake ones.

After the processing process, the products have a pleasant taste, unique aroma. Smoking work is available only to the person who takes into account the rules of processing, observes them.

Because of this, amateurs create a design on their own. For some people, the choice is simple: for them, making a smokehouse is considered commonplace. These are artisan people. The master's products are made from different materials: bricks, buckets, old refrigerators, barrels. Having his own plot, a rare gardener does not take advantage of the opportunity to have a smokehouse in the garden. The main thing in the construction of a structure is to create safety for the operation of the device, the ability to draw drawings correctly.

Correct smoking rules:

• smoke should flow to the product in a measured manner;
• the product must be processed on each side;
• the appearance of light smoke during the process is mandatory;
• the haze is characterized by a pleasant smell, white color.

The parameters of the structure are not considered significant indicators, more important is the correctness of smoking. The processing process is performed at 70-120 degrees. The choice of a processing device depends on the preference of the owner, the suitability of the selected container, and on the volume of processed products. Also, when making a device, their sizes are taken into account.

The smokehouse is a responsible construction. The smoke turnover in it is carried out in a short time, which is why construction requirements are so important. They smoke fish in it for 40 minutes, the process of processing meat lasts much longer.

The job is to create the best temperature for heating the chips. At the right temperature, the components will begin to smolder, a large amount of smoke will appear. The bottom of the device itself is heated to 300-350 C. This parameter will create slow smoldering of sawdust.

If the upper temperature is exceeded, the fuel will simply start burning and release carcinogens. Soot appears on the processed components, they become unsuitable for food. During the processing, the wood should not be charred, otherwise the home smokehouse will not work correctly. In containers with large dimensions, the process of smoking fish is correct.

The mass prevents the building from overheating. When smoked properly, light smoke from the fuel is considered a good sign. A large intake of smoke is considered a negative sign, it will certainly go to the wrong place. For hot smoking, the gradual flow of smoke to the product is an important indicator.

Light smoke near the fish can linger only for a certain moment, but even during this period it will pass into the product evenly. The complete enveloping of the device with smoke is a good sign: it means that the accumulation of incoming smoke is good, the fish is almost invisible, and the smoking work is done accurately.

Production

When creating a structure, you need to know how it will work in the future. Usually, two chambers are equipped inside: one is the one in which the products are placed, and the second is filled with sawdust. In many devices they are combined. At the beginning of production, you need to draw drawings, a sketch with the correct parameters, only then do the work.

Experts say that if it is made with their own hands, the products from it - meat or fish - have a special taste.

Bucket attachment

This type of mini smoker is recommended for beginners. When creating a structure, they use an ordinary metal bucket, adapt the lid to it. Lattice devices are placed on its bottom, holes are made in the upper part of the bucket, designed to insert rods with hooks. It is on these hooks that fish are hung to smoke.

Holes are made in the body of the lid so that the smoke can escape freely. Then the smoker with fuel components is set on fire. After heating, the fuel components begin to smolder little by little. At this time, the fish is suspended. Fire is required only to maintain the temperature, its large flame is prohibited. The fish is cooked for 30-40 minutes, meat requires a longer process.

Important! If the weather during the working period is cloudy, it rains, then a small flame is created.

Metal barrel attachment

If you need to process a large number of products, use a larger container - a metal barrel. The smokehouse from the barrel is a spacious structure. The manufacturing method is simple:

• first, it is fired from colorful inclusions. When burning spots, the barrel is placed on a fire, left for 60 minutes, the colorful spots are completely burned;
• the height of the placement determines the possibility of inserting the glass. If it is made of wood, the glasses are protected from overheating with an asbestos cloth;
• make a cover using pieces of plywood. For a better fit, a heavy load is placed on top.

After that, the chimney is heated for 60 minutes, this time is necessary for the combustion of sawdust. For the combustion process, a blowtorch is used, in the absence of a gas burner. Its flame is monitored, avoiding excess smoke. As soon as the barrel cools down, the food is immediately taken out. First, they are ventilated, unburned sawdust is removed, then used for food.

From the fridge

At the beginning of work, remove the plastic elements, the freezing device, leave the body, lattice shelves. The body must be solid, cracks are patched with pieces of metal cut from a solid material, inspected to check for leaks.

An electric stove is placed at the bottom of the refrigerator, its cord is plugged into an electrical outlet. After three minutes, the stove is turned off. Chips are poured onto the spiral of the tile, its layer is three centimeters. Smoking with the doors closed takes place for six hours; for meat products, a different time is used, a longer one. Meat products for smoking are placed on grates, sometimes suspended.

We build from bricks

Do-it-yourself brick construction is similar in appearance, action with an old Russian stove, only instead of covers, a wooden door is used. It is covered with a clay composition, covered with a sheet of iron so that it does not crumble. A reinforced foundation is made for the structure. The design parameters are determined in advance, the laying is performed using ceramic bricks.

The parameters of the smoking chamber depend on the volume to be processed. The chamber of a brick structure should be approximately twice as large as the firebox. Smokehouses are created only from ceramic bricks. Then a device is created for an air duct equal to 1⁄4 of the height of the brickwork, the joints are protected with a collar element.

Above the inlet of the air duct, drainage is arranged as for a firebox. The surrounding space on the ground is compacted. Prepare a metal, wood cover. Burlap is used to seal the lid. During processing, the cover is removed, fuel is placed in the device, and a fire is made. Then it is placed in place, leaving a small hole: it is intended for the flow of air masses.

The smoke in the fixture passes through the air duct. Once coal is formed from the fuel, wood chips are added. Then food is placed inside - meat, bacon or fish. As soon as the chamber is completely filled with smoke, the lid is immediately closed. Smoking is continued, and the complete process takes about 60 minutes to complete.

We use an empty bottle

If the owner uses liquefied gas in cylinders, there comes a moment when the cylinder becomes unusable for further use. The thing becomes unnecessary, but you can find a use for it.

Carefully! The gas cylinder can only be used after complete removal of the liquefied gas from the cylinder. According to the rules, only a gas specialist can release condensate from a cylinder. The condensate in the cylinder is under pressure.

In the future, the balloon is used as a metal container. Initially, an empty container is treated with soap and a brush for the presence of pressure in it. If there is no pressure inside the bottle, the soap will not bubble, the bottle is safe. Saw off the valve. It is washed well by filling with water. When the inside of the cylinder is cleaned, a device for a smokehouse is made. The sides of the balloon are cut, but not completely.

This is how the walls are formed. Hinges are welded for future doors. When they are done, the sides are cut completely. Cut 1 \ 2 of the bottom. A firebox is made using iron sheets, welded to the cylinder. A trial heating of the furnace is done, then the structure is used for its intended purpose.

Smokehouse for hiking

A big fish catch is exactly the moment when a smokehouse is required. Until the fish is spoiled, it needs to be smoked. It is easy to make a structure, it is enough to dig a hole 45 cm deep and 35 cm in diameter. It is required for the outgoing fumes. Then they dig a trench - this is the smokehouse chimney. Another hole is dug for burning fuel. The result of the adaptation is two holes connected by a trench.

The smoke from the first pit, where the fire exists, passes through the chimney to the location of the second pit, where the fish is already located. The trench is closed with branches, preferably moistened with water, a little sprinkled with soil. The hole with a change in smoke in the ground is slightly raised, in this position it will not diverge to the sides. Once the pipe for the exit pit has been created, the holes are covered with soil. The result is a great camping device.

The better to drown

The taste of the finished product completely depends on their correct selection of heating materials. Experts recommend using wood chips, sawdust from tree species: aspen, ash, alder, oak, beech. The best aroma for smoked products is created by fruit trees, bushes - cherry, pear, apricot, apple. The best aroma is created by sawdust, the chips of which are made from juniper.

Important! Birch and conifer chips are not used. The components give the products a bitter taste.

Grape branches are used as an additive to obtain the best aroma, giving the products a spicy taste. All types of components can be added after mixing. The colors of smoked meats also depend on the choice of trees. If you use different types of sawdust, wood chips, then their color will be varied.

For example:

• mahogany wood chips give the ingredients a golden color;
• alder, oak - brownish, dark yellow;
• hornbeam shavings give an unusual color, affect the taste.

Wood for the processes is used only when wet. Dried sawdust does not increase smoke, burns down slowly, soot deposits settle on smoked meats. The amount of consumed sawdust is influenced by: the parameters of the structure, the volume for processing.

Important! According to the rules, a handful of sawdust is used for three kg of product. .

This dose is sufficient to smoke the components in 15-20 minutes. It is during this period that the wood will fulfill its purpose - it will be absorbed into the smoked meats, they will acquire a unique smell. Using too much sawdust when smoking is considered harmful and increases the danger.

Like all food processing accessories, these smokers or others require some maintenance. They are kept clean if they are going to be used repeatedly. If the use of the device is not intended, dispose of in a specific place.

The greatest preference for manufacturing is stainless steel. Then comes a brick building, other metal containers. To make a structure correctly, experience, tools, drawings are required.

It is necessary to decide in advance what the design will be: portable or stationary, to determine its parameters, although they do not have any effect on the quality of cooking.

Requirements for structures - tightness, ease of use, tight-fitting lid. It should be “easy to control” so that less smoke escapes from the container when smoking. Smoked meats are prepared because of the smoke, sawdust and wood chips emit it, if they are well warmed up.

It is necessary that these ingredients do not ignite, but smolder gradually. If there are no thermometers, the master is guided by his experience. For a beginner, thermometers are a must. With constant operation, the metal is deformed, the lid loses its tightness. Since the main condition during work is compliance with the impermeability of the smoking chamber, the deformed product must either be changed or a new one must be made.

Having made a smokehouse with your own hands, you will enjoy the unique taste of aromatic products smelling of fresh smoke.

In this article I will tell you in detail how to make a homemade hot smoked smokehouse with your own hands in 5 versions. There are, of course, more models, but I chose those that can really be done on my own.

A bit of theory

Everyone knows that smoking can be hot and cold. It is believed that products cooked in a cold way have a more delicate aroma and sophisticated taste, although to be honest, this is not for everybody.

Technologies differ in that with the cold method of cooking, the product is cooked for at least 12 - 15 hours, and hot smoking lasts a maximum of 2.5 - 3 hours, and that is in the case of cooking meat or tough bacon. Fish and soft lard can be smoked in general in 30 - 40 minutes.

In addition, the temperature of cold smoking should not exceed 50 ° C. While the instructions for hot smoking prescribe to keep the temperature in the working chamber in the range from 70 to 120 ° C.

As for the design of the smokehouse itself, with the hot method, the working chamber is located directly above the firebox, which, in fact, allows you to keep the high temperature.

Of course, there are smoke generators that are installed side by side and connected to the working chamber through a pipe, but in any case, the distance does not exceed half a meter. I will talk about one of these models in this article.

In the cold method, from the smoking chamber to the firebox with a smoke generator, a pipe or channel is laid, from 2 - 3 to 10 - 12 m long, it depends on the type of construction. As a result, the smoke reaches the product already cooled.

In general, all hot-smoked smokehouses can be equipped in two ways:

• A more common and, by the way, a more economical option is considered to be a design when a firebox is installed below, in which a fire is burning. Above this firebox, a sheet is mounted on which sawdust and wood chips are smoldering. The smoke that rises from these sawdust enters the working chamber and the product is smoked;
• In the second version of the design, there is no metal sheet, the smoke rises into the working chamber directly from the smoldering coals of the furnace. Such a device is most often found in smoking barbecue grills. It's not that bad, it's just that too much fuel goes away and you need to make sure that the coals smolder, not burn.

How to assemble a hot smoked smokehouse yourself

As I already said, making a smokehouse is a creative process and each home craftsman brings something of his own into it, so there are many design options. I will tell you about the most common and, in my opinion, interesting models.

In this case, we do not take into account serial models and electric smokehouses. And such things as "smoking" meat and fish with the help of "liquid smoke" I generally consider unacceptable. It will be solely about how to make a smokehouse yourself.

Option number 1: Capital structure made of bricks

If you are an avid smoked meat lover or it is part of your business, then, of course, it is better to immediately build a capital brick structure, because such a home smokehouse will last for more than a dozen years.

• The dimensions of a smokehouse for hot smoking made of bricks are not large, we do not take into account industrial options. On average, for a large family, a meter is enough for a meter. Even the neighbors will have enough;
• Since this is a brick structure, it means that you need to lay a small foundation under it. Personally, in such cases, I lay a strip foundation up to 30 cm deep. As usual, they dug a trench, poured a sand and gravel cushion 100 mm, installed the formwork, laid the reinforcement and poured it;

• I have met recommendations when the entire structure needs to be built from solid heat-resistant bricks. If you have enough of such a brick, then you can do it this way;
• In general, only a firebox with a blower should be built from a heat-resistant material, the working chamber can be laid out with any brick. Temperature of 120 ° C is not critical for block material;

• It is not worth doing too large a furnace, the maximum width is 30 - 40 cm. Naturally, we have grate bars from below, and under them, there is a ventilation chamber, in other words, a blower;
• The photo shows an option that does not provide for a sheet above the firebox for laying out chips. The owners chose it because the height of the structure is quite large, about 2m, and so it will be easier to maintain the required temperature in the working chamber. If the structure was smaller, it would be more convenient to smoke with a sheet for wood chips;

• Almost under the very arch of the working chamber, we installed a grid for hanging the product. The bars of such a lattice should be at least 6 mm thick, ideally 8 - 10 mm;

• In order for dense smoke to constantly envelop the product on the chimney pipe, it is advisable to make a valve, it will be convenient to regulate it not only the concentration of smoke, but also the temperature in the working chamber, which is more important. If, during construction, they did not remember about the valve in time, then a piece of burlap can simply be thrown over the chimney.

Option number 2: Smokehouse from a construction bucket

It was not in vain that I mentioned the building bucket. In this case, we will build a smokehouse from large metal buckets, in which paint, putty or something similar is often sold.

For a small summer cottage, this option is just fabulous.

• For the construction, we need 2 large buckets with different diameters. The sides of the buckets must be straight (parallel). First, we will need to measure about 100 mm from the bottom of the smaller bucket, cut off this sector with a grinder or metal scissors and fill in holes in it;
• In the remaining trim of the bucket, we will cut out a square window, this will be our impromptu firebox, we will load firewood into it;

• Now we take a metal lid from a bucket of a larger diameter, turn it over and cover our firebox with this lid;

• In this case, the lid serves as the very metal sheet on which sawdust and chips will smolder. Since the temperature inside the working chamber is not regulated in this model, it is better to use large chips or even cut branches;

• Next, we need to isolate the product from smoldering chips and at the same time ensure the unhindered flow of smoke into the working chamber. To do this, we will use a cap made earlier from the bottom of the bucket with holes stuffed in it;

• But you cannot put food directly on this hood. The metal is too thin and can get very hot, plus the fat must drain somewhere, Therefore, under the product, in this case it is lard, we put a curved grate;

• Now we cover this whole structure with a bucket, while the walls of the bucket enter the grooves of the “native” lid and our smoking chamber turns out to be tightly closed. To be sure, we put an additional load on top, after which we kindle the fire and wait until it burns out for about 30 - 40 minutes.

There is one important point here. Since there is no ventilation at all in the working chamber, the smoke will be highly concentrated, which is not desirable for the product. Therefore, I advise you to wrap the bacon in a clean cotton cloth, it will take over all the fumes.

At home, you can also make a mini-smokehouse from a regular galvanized bucket.

As you know, these buckets are tapered:

• Sawdust is poured at the bottom of the bucket, then a grate is inserted, on which there will be a container for collecting fat, and another grate for the product itself is installed near the top;
• After that, the product is placed on the upper grate, the bucket is covered with a lid and put on fire.

But in such miniature structures, the temperature inside the bucket is too high and the product, in fact, is not smoked, but baked. Plus, at high temperatures, zinc begins to burn and actively evaporate, respectively, your aromatic, smoked product slowly but surely absorbs the poison.

Option number 3: If there is an ownerless barrel

If you have a barrel of 100-200 liters unused on the farm in your "Motherland's bins", then you can also easily make a smokehouse for hot smoking with your own hands from it.

As a result, it turned out even better with the sheet, so it is more convenient to put the barrel on the bricks.

• Since the welding machine was at hand, for convenience, we cut out a window with a grinder from the bottom of the barrel and welded a hinged door to it with a latch. It is convenient to load wood chips through this door and clean out rotted ash;

• 3 ordinary bricks are installed at the bottom, they will serve as a support for a container into which fat drips during smoking;

• Anything can be used as a container for collecting fat. But the burnt fat is very problematic to wash, so I recommend taking some old basin, which in case of something is not a pity to throw away;

• Of course, in the middle of our barrel, you can drill several holes and cut metal pins inside, on which it will be convenient to put a grate for lard, meat and fish. But we decided not to complicate things and just hung the product on skewers;

• To make the lid fit tightly to the edges of the barrel, we covered our barrel with a bag on top, then put the lid on it and pressed it with a load;

• The preparatory stage is over, chips are loaded further down and a fire is laid out under the barrel. Since the working container is quite large, the product will be smoked at the optimum temperature. The result will be better, but this process will take longer.

Option number 4: Smokehouse from gas cylinders

Large household gas cylinders can also be used to make a smokehouse at home. Moreover, such a design turns out to be much more technologically advanced and beautiful in terms of aesthetics.

Such a smokehouse is also good in that its operating principle allows you to smoothly regulate the temperature in the working chamber.

Plus, this is not just a smokehouse, but also a good grill.

• First, we will need to cut off the valve from the gas cylinder. Technologically, this work is not difficult, but we are dealing with an old gas cylinder and it is not a fact that there is definitely no gas left inside, so it is better to play it safe;
• For this model, we need 2 cylinders. Before grabbing a hacksaw, try unscrewing the bottle necks with a gas wrench. I will say right away that it is difficult to do this and the likelihood of unscrewing it is not great;
• If you failed to unscrew the neck, take a hacksaw for metal and slowly cut off the valve with your own hands;

Do not try to cut off the valve with a grinder or drill a closed cylinder with an electric drill. Remember that if there is gas in it, any spark can cause an explosion.

• Condensate with a specific odor may remain in the old gas cylinder. Therefore, we fill the cylinders with water and leave them for a day so that you can then wash them from the inside;

• Next, we need to cut off the bottom, while it is not necessary to drain the water, we just put the cylinder horizontally and carefully cut it off with a grinder. You should put some container under the bottom so that you can then take this dirty water away, because if it spills, your yard will stink for a long time;

• We need one cylinder in order to make a smoke generator, and the second will become a working chamber of a smokehouse and, in combination, a barbecue. First, we will deal with the smoke generator, for this we measure 30 cm from the upper edge of the cylinder (from the weld) and cut it off;

• Since this design does not have a blower, its role will be played by a ventilation valve. We will do it from below, so we immediately cut out the window;

• We cut out the exact same window in the second cylinder, the approximate dimensions of such holes are 100x100 mm;

• Next, we weld the hinges under the cover of the smoke generator, and also from the inside we weld 4 small corners for laying a removable grate on them;

• Ventilation windows on both cylinders must not be fully open. In order to be able to regulate the flow of air into the tanks, we weld guides on the sides of each window. We make the guides from a profile pipe, as a result, the ventilation becomes adjustable;

• As I said, the main working chamber is made from a second one-piece cylinder. To do this, a wide top hatch is cut into it, onto which we then weld the hinges. As in the case of a smoke generator, corners for grate bars are welded from inside the working tank;

There is one subtlety, the upper hatch on both the smoke generator and the working chamber should be reinforced so as not to be affected by the temperature. But while you weld the reinforcing tubes, the sheet can again lead. To prevent this from happening, I temporarily tighten the edges of the sheet with wire.

• But the working tank is much larger than the smoke generator, in addition, we plan to use it as a classic barbecue, so the air blowing system needs to be made more perfect;
• We solved this problem simply. We took a wide corner, drilled holes in it and welded it over the ventilation window, thereby protecting it from ash. As a result, air will flow into such a brazier along the entire length of the bottom of the tank;

Smoke generator insert - view from inside the working chamber.

• Next, we cut holes at the bottom of the working chamber and on top of the smoke generator, after which the two chambers are joined, and the joint is scalded;

• On the other side of the working chamber, in the upper part, we make a chimney. To do this, we cut off the chimney pipe itself at an angle, cut a hole in the tank for this pipe and weld these two parts of the structure together;

• In order not to cover the chimney with burlap later, we immediately weld a damper and a kind of umbrella onto the upper part of the pipe. In our case, the damper will move to the side;

• For convenience, so that the lid does not sink back when opening and does not create unnecessary stress on the hinges, we welded 2 stops in the area of ​​the hinges on the smoke generator and on the main working tank;

There is one more trifle, the lid of the working chamber is quite wide and it is better to install 2 opening handles on it, along the edges. The fact is that if you weld 1 handle in the center, when you open it, the heat from the tank can burn your hand, and so you have the opportunity to hold the lid on the edge.

• The assembly itself is, in principle, completed, now it remains to put the polish. In order for the old paint to burn, both tanks will need to be heated idle. Next, we install the nozzle with a metal cord-brush on the grinder and clean everything to pure metal, after which we degrease the surface;
• We used black and silver paint for painting, but both of these compositions should be designed for high temperature surfaces. We applied the main black paint in 2 layers, if you make one layer, it will not shine so beautifully. Serebryanka was used only to accentuate details;

Option number 5: Smokehouse-brazier made of metal sheet

Unlike the design of two gas cylinders, it is much easier to weld a smoker from metal sheets. As in the previous case, from the tool we need a grinder and a welding machine.

As for the materials, in addition to the metal sheet itself, which, by the way, needs to be taken no thinner than 3 mm, we also need a 35 mm corner, a pipe for arranging a chimney and a rod for suspensions, with a cross section of 6 mm.

The principle of operation of this version of the smokehouse-barbecue is exactly the same as that of a design consisting of 2 gas cylinders. But to be honest, fiddle with sheets less than with cylinders.

As a rule, ventilation windows are not cut out here; instead, a series of holes are simply drilled in the lower part of the walls.

A hinged lid is welded on top of the barbecue. The photo shows a design with a semicircular lid, but this is not necessary, the lid can be even. The semicircular lid does not carry any functional load, it is simply more convenient to work with it.

As in the first brick version, rods are welded near the chimney for hanging the product. It is advisable to equip the chimney itself with a damper, so that later you do not have to cover it with burlap.

A few words about smoking

Whatever the design of your smokehouse, but perhaps the most important point is the choice of wood species for chips. So, preference should be given to fruit trees - cherry, apple, apricot and the like.

It is categorically impossible to use conifers and birch, with them the product will turn out with a bitter taste. And the best option is considered to be a juniper.

There are often tips on the net to make a smokehouse from an old refrigerator. This option is good, but only for a cold-smoked smokehouse. A heat insulator is embedded in the walls of the refrigerator and a high temperature is not desirable for it.

And finally, a few short recipes for smoking different products.

Smoked meat and lard can be treated in different ways, but fish, especially hot smoked mackerel, is loved by most of the population of our great power.

It's not difficult to cook it:

• Choose a good, dense mackerel, preferably large. Naturally, if it is frozen, then defrost it, rub it with salt and spices, since there are enough spices for these purposes now;
• Then leave the fish in a cool place for a day to soak, after which you can send it to the smokehouse, the smoking process lasts 20 - 30 minutes.

It is believed that the best wood for fish is alder. Plus, the fish should not just be placed on the wire rack, but apple tree twigs and currant leaves should be spread under it.

To smoke a chicken, you must first wash it well, wipe it lightly with napkins and stuff it with garlic. You just cut the carcass in different places and put the cloves of garlic into these cuts.

Next, mix salt with spices and rub the chicken inside and out with this mixture. The chicken should be marinated in a cool place for a day, but it is better to marinate it in foil. After a day, remove the foil, tie the paws and wings together and send the carcass to the smokehouse. The chicken is hot smoked for no more than an hour.

The preparation of lard and meat is exactly the same as the preparation of chicken. Only lard is desirable to stuff with garlic, and this meat is not for everybody. Naturally, you buy a mixture of spices for a specific product. And do not try to take too expensive, imported bags with spices, according to experience, they contain a preservative, which I personally do not like.

Output

For me, a hot smoked smokehouse is an opportunity to prepare a product not only with high quality, but also quickly. Which option to choose from the above, decide for yourself. In the photo and video in this article, many processes are clearly shown, and if something is not clear, write in the comments, we will talk.

Do-it-yourself hot smoked smokehouse is not only tasty and healthy, but also convenient. You will have the opportunity to smoke fish and meat at any time, using only fresh products. Note that you can smoke various products, for example, vegetables, fish, bacon, meat, chicken, etc. Making a hot-smoked smokehouse with your own hands is not as difficult as it seems, although there are certain nuances in this that need to be taken into account. We will tell you what to consider, what to look for, and also explain what is the advantage of hot smoking over cold smoking.

Sometimes it is difficult to give preference to which smoker to make - cold or hot smoked. If you want to taste perfectly cooked fish, ready to eat in just a few minutes, you should opt for hot smoking. It will take only 35-40 minutes to cook the fish in this way, while with the cold method it will be ready in a few days.

It is possible to build a smokehouse of both cold and hot smoked from scrap materials, but the construction of the first one will take much more free time and significant money costs, and the construction of the second one will require a lot of free space.

The principle of smoking is to create the optimum temperature for heating the sawdust. They will smolder. This process produces a lot of smoke. Warm up the bottom of the smokehouse to a temperature in the range of 300-3500C. At this temperature, the sawdust will slowly smolder, but if you exceed the upper threshold even by a small number of degrees, the wood will start burning, releasing dangerous carcinogens.

How to make a smokehouse for hot smoking with your own hands from different materials

First, let's get acquainted with the principle of the smokehouse and how it is made. She must have 2 cameras:

• for meat (fish);
• for wood.

As a rule, they are combined in one container. Prepare all materials and tools before starting work. The simplest option is an electric smokehouse, which can be made even without special knowledge, it is enough to follow the recommendations (see the smokehouse from the refrigerator).

From an old barrel

If you are going to smoke a lot of products, then we suggest making a hot smoked smokehouse from an unnecessary barrel with your own hands. This photo shows an example of a finished smokehouse.

To use an iron barrel, clean the paint residues from it. Put the barrel in the fire for at least 1 hour, and not even a trace of the paint will remain.

Wash and dry a wooden barrel well. After it is ready, holes need to be made in its walls, with the help of which the rods with food will be attached.

The next step is making a metal glass. For this purpose, a pipe of a suitable diameter is suitable. The glass must be inserted into the hole at the bottom of the barrel. When using a barrel made of wood, it must be protected from overheating with a special refractory asbestos cloth. You can use plywood as a cover. For your convenience, we suggest watching a video that shows and tells how to make an excellent hot smoked smokehouse. In order for the lid to fit snugly enough, a small weight is placed on it.

After the hand-made production of a hot smokehouse has come to an end, you can go directly to the smoking process. We heat the pipe for an hour with a gas burner. This time is enough for the sawdust to burn. Remember to control the magnitude of the flame. After the time has elapsed, let the smokehouse cool down, after which you need to take out the food.

Before starting to work with products, run the unit 1-2 times to see it in operation.

Brick

The process of making a stationary smokehouse can be watched in the video in order to accurately understand the sequence of actions and how the ordering goes.

We will briefly discuss the main processes.

The principle of operation of such a device does not differ from other smokehouses. It is very similar to an ordinary traditional stove, because it has a wooden door instead of a lid. For the solution, use chamotte clay and additionally fix it with an iron sheet. This is to prevent shedding. The foundation for a brick smokehouse must be strengthened.

The dimensions of the future smokehouse are determined according to the drawing:

In turn, you can change them a little as you like. Having decided on its dimensions, you need to lay out a cabinet for brick products.

Keep in mind that the chamber should be 2 times the size of the firebox itself, and the duct should be ¼ of the height of the smoker.

Protect the joint with a special collar. A brick smoker may have a lid made of wood or iron sheet. To start the smoking process, remove the lid, put in the wood and light the fire.

Install the cover so that a small opening remains, which is necessary for the penetration of air currents. The smoke will enter the smoking cabinet through the duct.

After the formation of coals, it is necessary to put fruit shavings on them. We put food in the cabinet and after filling it with smoke, close the lid. The cooking process takes about 1 hour.

This photo shows a hot smoked smokehouse, made by hand according to the previously indicated drawing:

From a used gas cylinder

Do you have an unnecessary gas cylinder that you shouldn't throw away? Make a smokehouse out of it. Before starting work, release the remaining gas from it. After that, the cylinder must be rinsed with ordinary water. The dimensions of the smokehouse, made from a cylinder, are not large, but it is quite enough for a family of four.

To put meat in it, you need a large door, so you should not cut the walls to the end and weld the hinges for the door. The bottom must be cut exactly in half. The firebox is made of thick iron, after which it is welded to the cylinder. Before using it, it is advisable to heat such a smokehouse with wood.

From the old fridge

To make a smokehouse from an old refrigerator, you need to remove all plastic parts from it, as well as the freezer. An electric stove is installed at its bottom and plugged into an outlet. A pallet with sawdust is placed above it. A hole must be made in the lid for the smoke to escape.

Smokehouse with water seal

This smoker requires a metal box of any size. It is advisable to use not too thin sheets of iron for its manufacture, but thick sheets will not be of much benefit either. Inside, it is necessary to weld strips of steel, which will serve as a support for the gratings. We leave a small distance between it and the lid.

The secret of such a do-it-yourself hot smoked fish smokehouse is the water seal. This is a special ditch that runs along the entire perimeter at the top of the smoker.

On the lid of the smokehouse, it is necessary to weld the sides, which will be directed downward. As for the size of the cover, it is necessary to choose one in which the sides fit into the groove of the water seal without any problems. In addition, a chimney is welded into the lid. It is made from a pipe.

The bottom of such a smokehouse is removable. It should have sides, like a lid, only they are bent up. The bottom is designed to collect dripping grease. Small legs must be welded on the bottom so that a small cavity forms between the bottom and the plane. The smokehouse is ready. Now you can start smoking.

How to quickly and tasty smoke food without pickling - video

To taste the aromatic smoked meats, you don't have to buy them in the store. Today, homemade smokehouses are becoming more and more popular, which are not difficult to make from improvised means. In this article, we will talk about the types of such structures and how to make them.

Peculiarities

A hot-smoked smokehouse is a construction in which products are prepared by fumigating with a large amount of smoke. Smoking is one of the most common ways to heat food, during which it acquires a specific flavor and a longer shelf life.

Smoking is carried out at a temperature of 60 degrees and above and is optimal for cooking products with low fat content. This process is fast enough and looks like smoldering sawdust or chips with products suspended from above.

Advantages and disadvantages

Undoubtedly, the advantages of this design are much more than the disadvantages. Let's analyze them point by point.

Advantages:

• the simplicity of the design allows you to make it at home from scrap materials and in a short time;
• the smokehouse can be installed anywhere, which makes it easier to comply with fire safety measures;
• mobile smokehouses can be taken with you for going out into nature;
• smoking brings food to readiness quite quickly and does not require additional processing of food.

The owners of such structures rarely find disadvantages in operation. The only thing that can be distinguished in comparison with a cold smoked smokehouse is a greater number of carcinogens during cooking and a shorter shelf life of cooked products.

If the smokehouse is made of thin metal, then its service life will be short. On the other hand, you can use the design for a couple of seasons, and then make a new one from scrap materials. It certainly won't hit the pocket.

It is worth remembering that fish treated with liquid smoke is harmful. Moreover, in the presence of a home smokehouse, the need for such a seasoning completely disappears.

Subtleties of the device

In order to make a high-quality smokehouse at home with your own hands, you need to have a good idea of ​​how it works and how it works. Perhaps the main requirement is the tightness of the structure. The lid must be made movable so that it can be easily removed and put on, and smoke practically does not leave the structure during cooking.

Let's list the main elements of a homemade smokehouse.

• Regardless of which container is chosen for the base of the smoker, it will need a stand or legs for stability.

• To secure the food inside, you need a grid or hooks for hanging (for fish or meat).
• A special tray must be placed under the grate, onto which the fat must drain. Otherwise, it will drip directly onto the wood and burn, and this can adversely affect the quality of the products.
• To maintain the required temperature regime, a thermometer is required. Also, during installation, it is necessary to ensure that the smoke envelops the products evenly from all sides.

A schematic diagram of the simplest smokehouse is shown below.

Before smoking for the first time, you should read important information about choosing products and preparing them for smoking.

• Do not forget that the meat has a rather soft texture. To prevent it from falling apart during the cooking process, each piece should be tied with twine or a special net should be used. We see a similar grid when buying smoked meat or fish.
• To make it easier for yourself to clean the tray, you can cover it with foil before cooking. So fat will not accumulate on it and burn. And the foil, in turn, will not interfere with the smoking process at all and will not affect the taste of the products, since it perfectly transmits heat. After completion of the work, the foil is simply removed and discarded. The pallet remains practically clean.
• To prepare fish for smoking, it is most often rubbed with coarse salt with the addition of spices. Fatty fish are wrapped in parchment and placed in a strong brine for a couple of hours.

• The dorsal part of fatty fish (balyk) is also rubbed with coarse salt, wrapped in gauze, then soaked in water to get rid of excess salt. And only after that you can start the smoking process.
• For smoking, it is worth purchasing exclusively fresh fish and preparing it yourself. There are several signs, having noticed which, it is better to refrain from buying fish: sunken eyes, gray gills, swollen belly, too soft meat on the back. If, when you press on the body of the fish, a dent remains there, this indicates its staleness and such a product will not turn out to be tasty enough, no matter how professionally it is smoked.
• If you want a good result, be sure to take into account all the necessary factors. These are the quality and freshness of the product, the composition of the marinade and the time of pickling, the quality and origin of sawdust for ignition.

To get the most juicy and tasty meat without any plaque, it is worth wrapping it in wet gauze before cooking. At the end of smoking, the gauze is simply removed, and the meat is clean and juicy.

There are a few more universal rules that will help a novice smoked meat lover.

• The marinating time of the product is inversely proportional to the cooking time. This means that the longer the meat has been in the marinade, the faster it will reach full readiness.
• Food will cook even faster if it is not marinated in the refrigerator, but in a room at room temperature.

• Slivers of fruit trees added to the main fuel will give the food a special pleasant aroma.
• The service life of a smokehouse directly depends on the thickness of its walls. It is logical that a device with walls of 2 mm and more will last much longer than the same one, but with a thickness of 1 mm.
• Subject to all safety standards, smoking in a city apartment may not be inferior in quality to smoking outdoors. In the first case, it is obligatory to output the chimney through the window.
• To prevent the appearance of bitterness in the meat, you need to open the chamber from time to time and release excess smoke. This applies to any type of smoking and any construction of a smokehouse.

For some reason, many gourmets associate only fish and meat with smoking. And in vain, because you can smoke a huge amount of products. For example, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, nuts and more. The well-known and beloved prunes are just smoked-dried plums. You can also smoke potatoes, onions, carrots and beets. Combining them with meat and delicious dressing, you can prepare an unusual and delicious salad. Having made a mobile version of the smokehouse, you can cook mushrooms right in nature.

In general, having acquired a hot-smoked smokehouse, you can safely conduct gastronomic experiments and mark almost all your favorite products in the camera.

Varieties

Hot smoking can be done independently in two ways: using electrical appliances or structures located over the fire.

In the first option, you only need to lay the fuel in the form of sawdust or chips, set the desired mode.

In the second version, the cooking process is more complicated. A wood-fired smokehouse for a summer residence can be purchased ready-made or made from any metal container.

We have already talked about the features of a home-made smokehouse, now it is worth dwelling in more detail on the electric version. It will definitely be of interest to smoked meat lovers who want to smoke their favorite products right in the apartment.

The advantages of an electric smokehouse:

• The ability to quickly smoke the necessary products within the apartment.
• There is no need to make a fire, you just need to plug the device into an outlet, having previously filled in fuel and food.
• The compact design fits into any kitchen cabinet.

• In an electric smokehouse, food is cooked quickly enough. Due to the fact that the lid completely adheres to the smoking chamber, all the heat remains inside and the whole process can be kept within 30-40 minutes.
• Most models are equipped with a smoke generator and a water seal.
• The temperature can be easily controlled manually, which protects against sudden changes.
• Affordability.

As you can see, this is ideal for city dwellers. The principle of operation of such a smokehouse is similar to other types - tightness, heat source, drip tray, grill / hooks for food.

There is also such a type as automatic smokehouses. They also use electricity as a source of heat, but they differ in large volumes of loaded products (up to 200 kilograms) and are used mainly in restaurants and food industries. Such structures are often made built-in, since there is no need to move them.

The advantages of automatic smokehouses include ease of use, because such designs do not require continuous monitoring during cooking or any special skills. One has only to choose the mode, and the stationary smokehouse will prepare the desired dish itself in a very short time. The only drawback is the high price of models for household use.

Many commercial models are equipped with a water seal. When deciding on a model, it is important to understand the purpose of this part.

The odor trap is a horizontal U-shaped piece made of a metal profile. Usually it is placed with the open part upwards and does not have any partitions. The shutter itself can be welded on the outside (more often) or inside the tank. Its placement outside is considered optimal. This allows you to refill less frequently because it does not evaporate so quickly.

The lid of the smoker should fit into the groove of the shutter. Water prevents air from entering the structure. This is very important, because otherwise the sawdust can flare up very quickly. The odor trap ensures that smoke is removed only through the chimney, which is an important and convenient feature when using a smokehouse within an apartment. In addition, this part provides an additional stiffening rib, thereby reducing the risk of deformation of the chamber under the influence of high temperatures.

Now it is worth examining in detail the role of the thermometer during smoking. Indeed, the cooking time of products directly depends on the degree of incandescence of the air inside the smokehouse. It is also known that each cooking step requires a different temperature level.

For example, when preparing fish for the first 20 minutes, it must be kept at a temperature of 35-40 degrees, then kept at a temperature of 90 degrees for another half hour. And at the last stage of smoking, the temperature rises to 130 degrees. Naturally, it is impossible to control the process without a thermometer, because even a slight deviation from the temperature regime, most likely, will not have the best effect on the quality of the finished product.

In addition, simply by looking at or probing the meat, it is quite difficult to determine the degree of its readiness. And with a special thermometer, you can measure the temperature inside the piece. Beef is considered fully cooked at 75 degrees, lamb and poultry at 85 and 90 degrees, respectively.

There are special thermometers with a body of 30 centimeters for working with meat and fish. When installing it on a smokehouse, you must make sure that it is insulated from the metal. For insulation, you can use a regular wine stopper.

The range of the thermometer for the smokehouse should be up to 200 degrees. Having the necessary knowledge and skills, you can display the indicators on a separate electronic display. But often amateurs do not do this, and purchased models already have such bonuses.

Experienced smokers often purchase a special thermometer that has a long pin for immersion in meat, about 15 centimeters long and a range of up to 400 degrees.

Sometimes a thermostat is placed in smokehouses. This is a sensor with which you can adjust the heating power.

Manufacturing materials

For the equipment of the simplest smokehouse, even a special tank is not required. All you need is a gas stove, an extractor hood above it, a steel plate or a can of canned food.

The procedure is very simple: products are suspended under the hood, and a container for fat is placed under them. Next, a small amount of wood chips are taken in a metal dish and placed on the fire until a haze appears. Then you need to turn down the heat and make sure that the smoke goes into the hood. Actually, this is the whole process. True, in this way it is difficult to accumulate a lot of products.

A smokehouse made from an old refrigerator can be quite practical. Making it is quite simple: you need to get rid of the compressor, freezer and all the inner lining made of plastic. As a result, only a metal case should remain, in which the smoking chamber and chimney are mounted.

An approximate diagram of a smokehouse from a refrigerator body looks like this:

Fuel is placed at the site of the vegetable compartment and heated using an electric stove. Air access is provided through the pipeline.

This design has disadvantages that can affect the choice.

• Energy consumption. In order to warm up the chips strongly enough, you will need a powerful electric stove. Refrigerators are made of steel with low thermal conductivity.
• In such a design, it is rather difficult to regulate the amount of heat and maintain the optimum temperature.

Another option for using household appliances is to equip a smokehouse from an old washing machine. In this case, the tank will protrude into the smoking chamber. Carrying out preparatory work, you need to expand the hole from under the motor shaft (smoke will come out of it) and equip the drain hole so that fat flows through it.

A portable compact smokehouse is very useful for outdoor picnics. A detailed diagram for equipment of this design is shown in the figure below. It can be positioned over any smoke source. You can also dig up a fireplace with a chimney, it does not take much time. This design can be used for both cold and hot smoking.

The most delicious kebab, as you know, is obtained just with the help of a light haze. And in order to use this smoke again, you can equip a small smokehouse right above the barbecue. A smoking chamber equipped in this way must have a bottom, and the fat must drain separately from the grill. Mixing fat from different foods can ruin the end result.

A simple diagram for equipping a smokehouse over a barbecue.

Do not be afraid that the smoke from the kebab is involved in the smoking of other products. This will not only not spoil them, but also give them a special piquancy. Many lovers of smoked fish and vegetables prefer to cook them this way.

Often, stationary structures combine a brazier with a smokehouse.

Their main feature is the use of free space under the barbecue and, in fact, the lack of mobility. Working with such a smokehouse, you don't have to worry about uniform heating, and almost any container can be put into the smoking chamber.

Having decided to acquire such a stove, you should think about the material for its manufacture. And here is a very important piece of advice: you definitely shouldn't make the whole complex with brick. It's not even about the high cost, but about the porosity of the brick. Smoke from various products and moisture accumulate inside the masonry and over time the brick will begin to rot. As a result, after just a couple of seasons, the smokehouse can begin to emit a strong unpleasant smell.

Therefore, for such structures, the best option would be to equip a smoking chamber made of iron. And brick cladding can be done already as a decor. This option has another plus: the smoking chamber welded from metal can be moved if necessary.

Theoretically, you can build a smokehouse from any improvised household items: an old safe, a large saucepan, a bucket or a barbecue case. Also, having a few pieces of plywood and a couple of logs of dry wood, you can equip a trial smokehouse in just a couple of hours. And already based on the results of the first smoking, one can draw conclusions about how practical and interesting the equipment of a real durable smokehouse will be.

Dimensions (edit)

The design of the future smokehouse must begin with a clear definition of the goals of its operation. That is, knowing how many products will be smoked and how often, you can calculate the approximate dimensions of the structure.

For example, an average chicken carcass is 30x20x20 cm.In order for the smoke to pass freely, the distance between the products placed inside should be about 6-7 cm.Calculating the vertical dimensions of the smokehouse, it is necessary to take into account the distance from the fuel to the pallet, from the pallet to the carcasses and from carcasses to lids.

Similar calculations need to be made for fish, vegetables and any other food that you plan to cook. If in doubt, it is better to resort to the most common models - these are small rectangular vertical structures.

Based on the diagram below, you can estimate the dimensions of the finished smokehouse, taking into account all the details that it should include:

Another important factor to consider at the design stage is location. The dimensions of the structure directly depend on where it will be applied.

If the use of a smokehouse is provided within a private plot and there are no plans to use it at outdoor picnics, you can choose a volumetric design with a large weight. The standard dimensions of purchased smokehouses for a summer residence are approximately 50x30x30 cm, and the wall thickness is 2 mm.

In a design with such dimensions, it is convenient to cook both large and small fish.

When choosing a smokehouse for cooking within an apartment, it is important to pay attention to the dimensions of the hob. The parameters of a conventional stove are approximately 50x60 cm, hence it follows that a smoker of 45x25x25 cm will be optimal.It will be conveniently placed on the stove, which will facilitate the process and improve the quality of the product.

For a mobile smokehouse, the optimal dimensions are 45x25x25 cm with a wall thickness of 1.5 mm. These parameters will allow you to serve for quite a long time without adding extra mass. For a portable smokehouse, it is advisable to purchase a stand so that every time in a new area you do not waste time on installation. The stand can be included in the package, but it is not difficult to make it yourself.

If you just want to try to smoke food sometimes, for example, a couple of times a year, then you can safely take the economy version with 1 mm walls. The service life of such a smokehouse with rare use and high-quality care can be quite long. But for regular smoking, this option is not suitable.

To improve the quality, you can also install a large fan next to the heat source. This will increase the amount of hot smoke during smoking. With it, products reach readiness faster and are more abundantly saturated with a smoky aroma.

Manufacturers

In this section, we will look at the most popular models of hot smoked smokehouses (cheap and not so) and highlight their main advantages and disadvantages. Based on this information, you can finally decide whether to buy a ready-made structure or still try to build it yourself.

"Alvin Eku-Combi"

This smoker has a quality heat resistant coating that does not flake off the body when heated. The design is powered by a network (220V) and includes a light indicator. The ability to adjust the power is also provided.

The smokehouse has a removable tubular electric heater, which makes it easy to remove it before lighting a fire. The rack has three levels at once - you can cook many types of food at the same time.

Advantages:

• relatively low price (up to 4000 rubles);
• heat-resistant housing and lid;
• the wire is long enough not to resort to using an extension cord;
• three levels of removable grilles;
• compactness - the dimensions of the smokehouse are only 40 by 50 centimeters;

• the volume of the used internal space - 20 liters;
• the ability to operate at the stake;
• the weight is quite small - 7 kg;
• the ability to adjust the power of smoke;
• quite economical power consumption (800 W);
• the set includes a nice bonus - a recipe book. For beginners, this will be very useful.

Disadvantages:

• with regular use, the paint can peel off;
• there is no hose to eliminate excess gas.

This model looks quite standard.

1100 W Muurikka

This smokehouse has a horizontal loading and is perfect for placement, for example, on the balcony of a residential apartment.

The food grids are arranged in 2 tiers, underneath are a large grease tray and a tubular electric heater. It will take 40 minutes to fully cook 1 kg of fish in this construction. The lid is equipped with a handle with a wooden handle, which you can safely grasp without fear of scalding.

Advantages:

• one load places about 2 kg of products;
• the structure is equipped with stable metal legs;
• the handles are placed in this way, but the smoker can be carried even in a heated state;
• compactness - dimensions are 25 by 50 cm;
• weight is only 5.5 kg;
• you can vary the arrangement of the grates inside the smokehouse, for example, make one tier in the center or two above and below;
• high power (1100 W) guarantees fast cooking of any food.

Disadvantages:

• not everyone can afford such a smokehouse: the average cost is about 12,000 rubles;
• the body quickly becomes covered with a layer of fat, it is quite difficult to wash it;
• since the outlet for the heating element is located in the lid, there is a possibility of smoke entering the room;
• because of the specific legs, the smoker can slide when standing on a smooth surface.

This smokehouse looks very original.

"Alder Smoke Profi"

In the rating of home smokers, this model can be called the best, since it is equipped with a water seal. He, in turn, allows the smoking process in the apartment without the use of fire. An ordinary kitchen stove serves as a heater.

The set includes a cover that fits into special grooves. Water can be poured along its perimeter to seal the structure and prevent smoke from entering the room. There is also a hose for exhausting smoke out the window.

Advantages:

• the body is made of steel with a thickness of 2 mm grade 430, which means that it is completely safe for cooking any food;
• compactness - dimensions of 50x30x30 cm are provided specifically for placing the smokehouse on a kitchen stove;
• a water seal protects against smoke seepage from the smokehouse;
• the presence of two steel gratings that can be placed at the same time;
• for the convenience of removing the gratings, special handles are made;
• the set includes a bag with alder.

Disadvantages:

• no stand for charcoal cooking;
• the inability to carry the smokehouse during cooking, as its handles get very hot during the process;
• not the most affordable cost - 7,000 rubles;
• not suitable for smoking small products, berries or mushrooms, because the internal grates have sparse rods and products will simply fall out of there.

But for carrying such a smokehouse, a beautiful and convenient case is provided:

Camping World Gurman

This model is ideal for outdoor picnics with a large company. It is equipped with foldable parts and a carrying case, which makes it very convenient to transport.

Advantages:

• affordable price - 4300 rubles;
• low weight of 6 kg makes the design easy to carry even by hand;
• durable waterproof cover included;
• compactness - dimensions of only 31x7.5x49 cm;
• all metal parts are made of stainless steel;
• such a smokehouse can be used as a brazier;
• the height of the assembled structure is only 20 cm;
• one bookmark can hold up to 3 kg of product.

Disadvantages:

• the handle on the lid heats up quickly;
• the walls are only 0.8 mm thick, which cannot guarantee a long service life with regular use;
• used only for hot smoking.

But with rare forays into nature, this option will justify all hopes and fulfill its main tasks.

"UZBI Dym Dymych 01 M"

This smoker is made for big lovers of smoked bacon, cheese and vegetables. The design is suitable for hot and cold smoking, includes a smoke generator and a compressor. The amount of smoke in this design can be adjusted by changing the fan power.

Advantages:

• the body of the smokehouse is covered with polymer;
• cost - only 3000 rubles;
• smoking chamber for 32 liters;
• low weight of the main structure - 3.7 kg, plus a smoke generator - 1.2 kg;
• food can be arranged in two levels.

Disadvantages:

• the plastic case and the regulator can hardly be called reliable and durable;
• insufficient body rigidity due to steel thickness of 0.8 mm;
• no stand included.

Such a smokehouse does not look like a standard home-made construction at all.

Here are the most purchased models of domestic production. If you wish, of course, you can try to order something similar in China or other countries, but this has its own inconveniences. Before the parcel arrives, the unit cannot be properly examined and all parts must be checked. When choosing, you can think about the fact that domestic manufacturers are well aware of the tastes and preferences of their people, which means they can bring all these ideas to life.

How to do it yourself?

Big limb lovers often make their own homemade smokehouse. It is quite simple to make it yourself, the more you can choose the most different materials: brick, steel sheets, a bucket or an ordinary household barrel.

Metal sheets

You will need 2 sheets of metal with a thickness of about 2 mm, measuring instruments, a welding machine, a grinder. You can make absolutely any parameters. It is much more important to provide for the impermeability of the smoking container.

First you need to cut the sheet into 4 equal parts. Then they must be welded at right angles and all the seams must be welded properly so that the structure turns out to be airtight. The bottom is then welded to this geometric structure.

After that, the lid is made. It also requires 4 steel sheets. But the size of the lid should be slightly larger than the previous box, so that it can be easily put on the body of the smokehouse. After checking the dimensions, the lid is welded to the main box.

The final step is to make the carrying handles and two levels with rods. On the first (bottom) there will be a pan on which the fat should drain. The second will house hooks for products.

The smokehouse is ready! An electric stove will serve as a heat generator here, but if you need to increase the smoking temperature, you can make a fire.

Household barrel

The smokebox is sometimes placed inside the barrel. It takes up about a third of the internal space, while the main space is reserved for the smoking chamber. These two compartments are separated by a sheet of metal about 3 mm thick, welded to the walls. The same sheet will serve as the bottom of the structure.

This diagram describes in detail the mechanism for assembling a homemade smokehouse from a barrel:

To provide air access to the firebox, the bottom of the barrel must be drilled and several holes made. Ash will come out through the same holes. The firebox door is cut at the bottom of the barrel. Typically, its dimensions vary about 20 cm by 30 cm. You also need to provide a place from where the chimney will come out.

Further actions are similar to the previous option: the device of the pallet, grate, lid and hooks for products. To always control the smoking temperature, a mechanical thermometer can be installed on the side of the barrel. This will greatly help those who are just starting to use the smokehouse and do not have enough experience. If you do not have a thermometer, you can check the temperature by spraying water droplets: at the correct temperature, it will not evaporate.

Out of the bucket

To make a home smokehouse from a bucket, you need to cover its bottom with sawdust, and place a grate above. In the widest part of the bucket, you need to drill holes and insert rods with hooks for food into them or equip a grate. The process is shown in more detail in the drawing:

Holes are also needed in the lid so that smoke can escape through them. Over medium heat, simple dishes in this design can be cooked very quickly: from 30 to 60 minutes.

Do not forget that there is no need to maintain a strong fire. Smoldering sawdust is required for cooking. When the fuel starts to smolder, it's time to place the food inside the smoker and close the lid.

Brick

According to the principle of operation, a brick smokehouse practically does not differ from the rest. Instead of a regular lid, a wooden door is often installed in it. Also, brick construction requires a solid foundation.

The size of a brick smokehouse will depend on the volume of food to be cooked. In any case, the chamber itself should be at least 2 times larger than the firebox. The soil around the brick smokehouse must be properly compacted.

An air duct is also needed, the junction of which is better protected with some kind of plate. There is an option for arranging drainage over the air duct. To preserve the tightness, you need to lay burlap under the lid.

Scheme for building a brick smokehouse:

Gas bottle

Even from a gas cylinder, making a home smokehouse is much easier than it seems.

The first and most important step is to release all the gas contained in the cylinder. To do this, you can take it out to a deserted place and disconnect the valve. To make sure that there is no gas left inside, it is enough to immerse the valve in water: in the absence of bubbles, the cylinder can be considered safe. Next, the container is washed from the inside with plain water.

Now you can start making a smokehouse from a cylinder. To do this, the walls for the equipment of the door are sawn (it should be quite large), the hinges are welded on and half of the bottom is sawn off. The source of heat in such a smokehouse is often an electric stove, above which pallets with products in several levels are placed.

A detailed diagram of the equipment of a smokehouse in a gas cylinder.

Operating tips.

• Alder and juniper are best for fuel. They produce the perfect smoke for smoking. Alternative options are oak, cherry or pear. If the choice is limited, the preference should always be given to hard rocks.
• It is not recommended to heat with coniferous wood, because it contains a large amount of resin (it is not always useful).
• Before laying, the wood must be chopped, otherwise they will not produce the necessary smoke and heat. The resulting chips (sawdust) must be evenly distributed and the combustion will be uniform throughout the entire firebox.

• The temperature in the smoking chamber should not exceed 100 degrees. If you make sure you have a mechanical thermometer in advance, it's easy to check.
• There is also a smokehouse design in the form of two containers - one is placed in the other. But the inconvenience lies in the difficulty of cleaning the bottom of the burnt fat after cooking.
• To obtain fragrant smoke, cover the smoker with smoldering sawdust with a lid and close all openings in it.
• To maintain a uniform smoking temperature, it is necessary to constantly add sawdust to the pallet.
• If birch firewood is used as fuel, the bark must be removed from it before starting the firebox. Otherwise, food may taste bitter during cooking.

• For lovers of fatty fish, it is better to use the cold smoking method, since the hot one is designed only for low-fat products. The whole process can take 5-6 days, but the result will correspond to the time spent.
• When the material for self-made smokehouse is chosen, it is worth making sure that it is not toxic and does not emit an odor when the temperature rises.
• A homemade smokehouse can be supplemented with a filter. To do this, pull the burlap over a regular wire frame and place it under the grate.
• For an even more sophisticated aroma, you can add chips of fruit trees or bushes to the main fuel. Black and red currants, cherries, pears are well suited.
• To make it easier to remove and wash the grill, you can weld several corners inside the smokehouse, on which it will be attached. An alternative option is a lattice with legs.

• When choosing a wood for kindling, you need to immediately exclude conifers: the food will have a bitter taste and tarry.
• To prevent the chips from flaring up at the slightest breath of wind, they should be slightly damp. Sawdust and wood chips can be replaced with brushwood (which, by the way, smolders longer), but it can also cause bitterness in the taste of finished products.
• To maximize the shelf life of a smoked product, you need to place it in a vacuum package or in a freezer. But it should be borne in mind that after defrosting, the taste will no longer be the same.
• You should never chill your smokehouse. This can cause the destruction process to begin.
• To check the degree of doneness of the meat, you need to cut it. If it has already smoked enough, then the color will be uniform on the cut. If in the middle of the piece the meat stands out with a different shade, this means that it needs to be placed in the smokehouse for some more time.