Building a walk in smokehouse

[.264winmag]

Want to build a badass cold smoker on the property. Purchased a book on how to and has some plans I'm throwing around. Was thinking of something along these lines but 4 times the size.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/32EAE2C8-95D4-4D5F-B0C9-4B6658C50BCE.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/32EAE2C8-95D4-4D5F-B0C9-4B6658C50BCE.jpg.html)
Any info on subject would be greatly appreciated. Recipes included;)
Don't want to break the bank building it, would be stoked to keep around $500 but $1k prolly more likely?
Also have a heavy duty campstove that could be used instead of the brick fireplace? All kinds of room to build one, was thinking of using a useless bank behind garden to have stove and run piping or why to supply smoke up to house. Main use will be for more traditional cold smoking, drying curing etc., shouldn't be hard to supply heat source to hot smoke if need be.
Thanks

[Daybreak]

What are you planning on smoking? I would think the intended use and product would dictate design.

[boxhitch]

The one in the pic looks like all the heat and smoke goes through the box , maybe not much for heat control ?
Am looking into the similar idea , am considering using metal studs and old roofing tin for the room and an old wood stove for the smoke generator.
Had thought of using a thermal switch for heat control operating a vent or louver , with a fan if needed.
Lots of ideas and plans

[Beaverhunter]

http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq4/kylepeter2/image_zps66xoh20x.jpeg (http://s428.photobucket.com/user/kylepeter2/media/image_zps66xoh20x.jpeg.html)


http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq4/kylepeter2/image_zpsdibpbirp.jpeg (http://s428.photobucket.com/user/kylepeter2/media/image_zpsdibpbirp.jpeg.html)

[Beaverhunter]

The pics I posted are of A smoker I built out of an old fridge I can cold smoke with it. Using a pid I can control my smoker temps to within 1 degree of what I set them to. This size units will do 16 sockeye. Any questions just ask.

[Stormy]

A First Nations buddy of mine has one - it must be 8ft X 8ft square and about 12 ft tall, it works really well - I think he mostly cold smokes all his fish though - (that's a big area to heat up for hot smacking)

[.264winmag]

What are you planning on smoking? I would think the intended use and product would dictate design.
Literally everything I can fit it the smokehouse. I get my 30 Chinook salmon every year, have some deer rump roast's put aside, pile of ground deer/elk meat also put away for treats. Like to raise some pork eventually and do my own hams/bacon, chickens from the neighbor, spring beat hams hopefully, cheese. Prolly some other stuff I'm forgetting but you get the picture.

[OOBuck]

Want to build a badass cold smoker on the property. Purchased a book on how to and has some plans I'm throwing around. Was thinking of something along these lines but 4 times the size.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h325/Doubleheader2/32EAE2C8-95D4-4D5F-B0C9-4B6658C50BCE.jpg (http://s1104.photobucket.com/user/Doubleheader2/media/32EAE2C8-95D4-4D5F-B0C9-4B6658C50BCE.jpg.html)
Any info on subject would be greatly appreciated. Recipes included;)
Don't want to break the bank building it, would be stoked to keep around $500 but $1k prolly more likely?
Also have a heavy duty campstove that could be used instead of the brick fireplace? All kinds of room to build one, was thinking of using a useless bank behind garden to have stove and run piping or why to supply smoke up to house. Main use will be for more traditional cold smoking, drying curing etc., shouldn't be hard to supply heat source to hot smoke if need be.
Thanks


Try the smoke meat forums on Google great place to start, I just posted my smoker build with a really slick smoke generator under frankensmoker. tried everything
and will never use anything but the new type of generator to produce smoke they work great!!

I don't know what your planning on smoking in a smoker that size but heat could also be an issue..

[.264winmag]

K thanks, will check out the generator idea!
I'm not too conserned about creating heat, more looking to get into the curing of meat not the cooking. Temps have to be kept 12-22C/52-71F for cold smoke.
Hot smoked is all good for a meal but not ideal for preservation. Still has to be frozen after for shelf life. I would think a little woodstove plumbed in seperate would heat a very large area easily to 86F/30C for hot smoking? Sure cooks the outfitter tent out in a hurry!

[OOBuck]

K thanks, will check out the generator idea!
I'm not too conserned about creating heat, more looking to get into the curing of meat not the cooking. Temps have to be kept 12-22C/52-71F for cold smoke.
Hot smoked is all good for a meal but not ideal for preservation. Still has to be frozen after for shelf life. I would think a little woodstove plumbed in seperate would heat a very large area easily to 86F/30C for hot smoking? Sure cooks the outfitter tent out in a hurry!

Most smoked sausages have to reach an internal temp of 156 and then they can be frozen again..

[.264winmag]

Most smoked sausages have to reach an internal temp of 156 and then they can be frozen again..
For hot smoke that's about right, I'm interested in the cold smoke. Meat starts to cook around 86 preventing smoke from penetrating any further. If you want a true cure you need low, cool, dry smoke and lotsa salt. You can always give em a quick shot of heat to cook through at end, sound recipes call for a quick boil. Landjager is one of my favourites that is not cooked but completely preserved not requiring refrigeration.

[Salty]

I like the idea of building it into a bank D the design you show there would work well concrete blocks or even form and pour concrete for the part that'll be buried. Could easily plumb the fire box and pipe underground too so that a certain fire will give consistent results be it winter or a hot day in summer. Cedar would be the bomb but maybe expensive out your way.. dunno. If using cedar I wouldn't finish it let it go gray I think. Cool project bro.

Oh and good fly screen for the openings and otherwise pest proof so bugs and critters don't make a home.

[.264winmag]

Ya a bunch of plans I've seen use pvc pipe ran underground and uphill to middle of smokehouse floor around ten feet or so away. And fine screen on exhaust as well as sealed unit otherwise a must with all the damn bugs round here in summer lol

[Salty]

I've seen it done with just cheap steel stove pipe. Suppose it would rust out eventually but that'd take a while..

[randymac]

The pics I posted are of A smoker I built out of an old fridge I can cold smoke with it. Using a pid I can control my smoker temps to within 1 degree of what I set them to. This size units will do 16 sockeye. Any questions just ask. so with a pid I'm assuming electric heat? what do you use for heat? where is a good place to get the pid?

[markomoose]

I see its your birthday 264winmag?Congrats you made it this far and the rest of the way should be unforgettable? Cheers Mark

[.264winmag]

Thanks Marko
another bday spent working graveyards on the rigs. Thinking it might be time to do something with my life!

[Elkchaser]

Great thread - thanks. Hope to do same on-slope smoker now that we have made our 'last' house purchase this past fall. Be great if you post updates of project and your learnings along the way. Only comment I will add is my planned design will not use any plastics like pvc piping - all wood and metal, but not planning to only cold smoke. Buried pipe will be stainless chimney insert. Thinking that would last a long time but might still add a tin roof cap over pipe (all under ground) to drain surface water from pipe. I gotta build a dog kennel/run and a deer proof garden enclosure before tackling smoker but will make sure to make strategic extra material purchases along the way before declaring to Mrs that 'I should build a smoker with these extra materials'. Yeah I know, who am I kidding, she'll figure it out. I will post project updates when I start, hopefully next summer. Good luck.

[Gumsehwah]

Use reclaimed materials and the costs will be within your $5 hundred.

[338Schulz]

Your idea of cold smoke is a good one,I build a few in my days and found that staying away from metal works the best for cold smoke moisture is deadly and condensation builds bacteria which you don't want.The best one I had was a little square house 8x8' with a tiled floor all wood walls (fir) 2x10 vertical with 1/4"gaps between the board and fly screen covering the gaps,stainless steel beer keg cut in 1/2 lengthwise placed in the center on the floor used as a fire pit this way the smoke would just hang inside cool depending on material used to fire. I found hardwood sawdust mixed with solid hardwood worked best,the gaps between the boards would let out the smoke and let in fresh air and give you a nice clean smoky flavour without the pungent taste.These type of smoke houses have been used in the Alps for hundreds of years and are still in use today
After smoking is completed let the product in there for several weeks depending on temperature ond let the air breeze through the gaps.Fish should be taken out asap.
Good Luck
338

[.264winmag]

That's great info 338, thank you!

[Getbent]

K thanks, will check out the generator idea!
I'm not too conserned about creating heat, more looking to get into the curing of meat not the cooking. Temps have to be kept 12-22C/52-71F for cold smoke.
Hot smoked is all good for a meal but not ideal for preservation. Still has to be frozen after for shelf life. I would think a little woodstove plumbed in seperate would heat a very large area easily to 86F/30C for hot smoking? Sure cooks the outfitter tent out in a hurry!

I am in the middle of building a curing chamber to cure various ground and whole muscle meats. Humidity is a big factor as well as temp, when curing meats.
Perhaps a thought is to keep your curing and smoking in separate units?

Cant wait until I have my chamber dialed in...first thing to go in is prosciutto and then some salami...

Good luck

[wildcatter]

Your idea of cold smoke is a good one,I build a few in my days and found that staying away from metal works the best for cold smoke moisture is deadly and condensation builds bacteria which you don't want.The best one I had was a little square house 8x8' with a tiled floor all wood walls (fir) 2x10 vertical with 1/4"gaps between the board and fly screen covering the gaps,stainless steel beer keg cut in 1/2 lengthwise placed in the center on the floor used as a fire pit this way the smoke would just hang inside cool depending on material used to fire. I found hardwood sawdust mixed with solid hardwood worked best,the gaps between the boards would let out the smoke and let in fresh air and give you a nice clean smoky flavour without the pungent taste.These type of smoke houses have been used in the Alps for hundreds of years and are still in use today
After smoking is completed let the product in there for several weeks depending on temperature ond let the air breeze through the gaps.Fish should be taken out asap.
Good Luck
338


Would you have any pictures or drawings of the types you are speaking of?
Thanks

[338Schulz]

I have some pics but they are in storage as I have recently moved I do however have a picture in a book and when I copy it I will pm you and send it to you
338