Lovers of smoked delicacies who are disappointed in purchased products definitely need their own small smokehouse. The technology of smoking itself, especially hot smoking, is no more complicated than cooking kebabs and is quite accessible to everyone. You can easily buy the device, but making it yourself will be much more practical and profitable. When choosing a smokehouse, what to buy, what to do self-production, you need to choose the right size. Not only the correctness of the smoking process depends on this, but also the number of sated people around you. For the average family, some recommended values ​​have been calculated: the length, height and width of the smokehouse for hot smoking.

Determined by the expected size of the fish that will be smoked in the future. It is recommended to choose medium size the length of the structure is ~ 450 mm.

Width

For a couple of medium-sized fish, which should lie freely and fry evenly, the recommended width of the smoking device for hot smoking is ~ 250 mm.

Height

As a rule, most smokehouses are two-tier structures and for such products the recommended height is ~ 250 mm.

As a result, it turns out that a smokehouse with dimensions of 450x250x250 mm is perfect for many smoked meat lovers.

Why is it initially necessary to choose a hot smoked smokehouse?

It has a number of advantages:

• the elementary design of many designs, which makes them easy to make even at home;
• the speed of the hot smoking process is quite high;
• no significant financial investment is required;
• mobility and versatility of such products. Smokehouses for hot smoking can function successfully in completely different conditions: in the country, at home or just in nature;
• ensuring high quality of smoked products, which clearly exceeds the quality of purchased products.

The only drawback is that hot smoking of products does not include them long-term storage.

If you decide to make it yourself, then it’s easy to find drawings of a hot smoked smokehouse of any complexity. These can be elementary structures made from suitable improvised means, and complex designs for hot smoking, for example, with a water seal. But regardless of the complexity, all smokehouses use the same principle of hot smoking, which is presented in the following sketch:

From this diagram it can be seen that the smoking process consists of hot processing of products with smoke from smoldering wood chips embedded in the structure. However, for high-quality smoking it is necessary to maintain a temperature range in the range from min = 55° to max = 150°. That's the whole principle of hot smoking.

Let's consider the most popular and successful designs that are most suitable for making with your own hands.

Homemade devices

The following homemade smokehouse made from sheet metal turned out to be very popular.

Rectangular with welding

The proposed rectangular design is quite compact, easy to repeat and very effective.

To manufacture it, you will need the bare minimum of materials and tools:

• two sheets of metal ~ 2 mm thick;
• thin wire rod reinforcement;
• welding device;
• small grinder;
• measuring tool;
• carpenter's square.

The drawing of this popular rectangular smokehouse is presented below:

The direct manufacturing process is not very complicated and boils down to the following:

• The necessary components, that is, blanks, are cut out. To do this, use a grinder.
• The smokehouse box is formed and welded together.
• The mutual perpendicularity of the walls is checked.
• The bottom is welded.
• The product cover is being made.
• Guides made of reinforcement are fixed on the inner side walls. They are welded in two levels. That is, the guides on the lower level serve as a support for the pallet, and on the upper level they are intended for the grate.
• On final stage handles are welded.

Another option for a rectangular smokehouse also deserves attention.

Rectangular collapsible

The presented rectangular smokehouse is distinguished by the fact that during its manufacture there are absolutely no welding work. And this is important for many. The components of the product itself are fastened using bolts.

Manufacturing material – stainless steel. Its thickness is:

• cover and side walls ~ 0.8 mm – 1.0 mm;
• smokehouse bottom ~ 1.5 mm.

You will also need a corner for making grating supports.

Manufacturing Features:

• The dimensions of the smokehouse can be chosen arbitrarily.
• Wall blanks are cut out, and a 2 mm mating edge is formed on one side of each wall. Two holes are drilled in the sides for mounting bolts.
• The product box is assembled and fastened with bolts or self-tapping screws.
• The thrust squares are fixed, which should be on the long side walls.
• Manufactured: lid and bottom of the smokehouse. The designs of the bottom and lid are completely similar. Their dimensions should exceed the projection area of ​​the smokehouse box by 4–6 mm.
• Next, the previously assembled box is simply inserted into the bottom structure and holes for bolts are also drilled in the places where the bottom meets the walls.
• The completed product is finally fastened and closed with a lid. A hole must be drilled in the lid to allow smoke to escape.

This collapsible design is perfect for camping conditions.

Another good smokehouse, but cylindrical in shape, will become indispensable on a hike, as this is a fairly optimal option for such cases.

Cylindrical

A cylindrical smokehouse can be welded from a rolled stainless steel sheet or from a suitable piece of pipe.

The following are considered quite suitable dimensions for such a smokehouse:

• cylinder diameter – 300 mm;
• The length of the cylindrical smokehouse is 450 mm.

The structural parts of this interesting smokehouse are: body, baking tray, guides and lid.

In addition, a cylindrical smokehouse can serve perfectly:

• a compact and efficient tent stove if you fill its cylinder with hot coals;
• convenient boat scoop;
• reliable storage for small items.

It is quite natural that the best smoking results can be achieved only in stationary conditions and using brick smokehouses.

Brick

One of the possible brick structures is shown in the following figure:

Internal structure brick smokehouse is quite clear from the presented sketch and does not require any special explanation. However, such designs are expensive products, since a whole set is used various materials and constructive additions. For example, a brick smokehouse necessarily needs a foundation, the firebox is mounted in the structure itself, and so on.

As a rule, such smokehouses are built only on personal personal plots.

Surprisingly, very good results can be achieved if you use some available tools. Schemes of these simple devices for hot smoking are presented in abundance on the Internet. Let us note the most successful designs.

From a barrel

Any barrel of suitable size is quite suitable for this design. It is modernized according to the drawing and supplemented with the necessary elements. Unfortunately, such smokehouses are short-lived and burn out quite quickly. But for seasonal use, a product made from a barrel is quite acceptable.

From the bucket

Another simple solution with a hot smoker is to use a regular bucket.

Such a primitive homemade smokehouse can be an excellent training tool in mastering the basics of “smoking.” The gratings can simply be woven from wire, or you can do without them altogether. In the latter case, holes are drilled in the bucket body for metal pins with hooks, and the smoked products are simply hung on the hooks.

It only takes a few minutes to build such a smoking device, but the smoking quality is quite good.

The entire process of smoking fish, for example, in a bucket smoker takes about an hour.

Existing other diagrams and drawings of a hot smoked smokehouse are either very difficult to replicate with your own hands, or are not effective enough. Therefore, they were not considered in this review.

Smoked meat and fish are famous delicacies. The most diverse types of smoked meats can be bought in stores, but can factory-made products from a store compare with the products home production? Therefore, some summer residents and owners of private houses who breed poultry and animals, or those who are interested in hunting and fishing are thinking about purchasing a smokehouse. A serious obstacle to this may be its high cost, but almost anyone can make a smokehouse on their own. To do this, you only need a correctly selected drawing, suitable materials and some time.

Features and Benefits

Making a smokehouse is a much less complicated and time-consuming process than it might seem at first glance. Of course, it all depends on the type that the owner decides to install on his site, but some options can be made independently in just a few minutes. Homemade smokehouse in most cases it will cost much less than purchased. It can be made from scrap materials, from old things that are no longer used in the household, but have retained their properties.

A good and convenient smokehouse, corresponding in size and volume to the wishes of the summer resident, can be quickly made with your own hands directly on summer cottage.

Properly selected wood for smoking and temperature conditions allow you to create on your site delicacies that are completely unique in taste and aroma, the likes of which are very difficult to find on store shelves.

Types and purpose

There are two main types of smokers, one of which is suitable for hot smoking, and the other for cold smoking. They differ from each other mainly in the manufacturing technology of the smokehouses themselves and the temperature that is maintained in the smoking chambers. Depending on the smoking method, products will also have a slightly different taste. With equal success, these smokehouses can be used for smoking meat, game, fish, lard, and sausages.

First of all, you should consider cold smoked smokehouses. Their main feature– a long elongated chimney, which allows for complete combustion of flue gases.

Such smokehouses, in addition to the chimney, have two main blocks: a firebox and a smoking chamber. All harmful substances settle on the walls of the chimney, and the meat acquires a barely noticeable aromatic smoke. To produce a product using this method, it will take from three days to a week, and the shelf life of products produced using such smokehouses can average from three to twelve weeks.

In smokehouses designed for hot smoking, products are cooked much faster: the whole process takes from a quarter of an hour to several hours, it all depends on the size of the original product. In smokehouses of this type, it is customary to use not firewood, but special wood chips, which determines some structural features. Thus, the firebox in these smokehouses is located directly under the most sealed chamber intended for smoking. The tightness of this chamber ensures uniform heating of the entire mass of the product.

In addition, there are universal smokehouses, which are a cross between cold and hot smokehouses.

In addition to the stationary smokehouse, there are also camping or portable mini-smokehouses: in appearance they resemble a box with a lid. Such simple design very convenient: you can take it with you, for example, fishing or on a picnic.

What can you build from?

To make a smokehouse with your own hands, you can use many available tools - used ones will do. household items, which are brought to the dacha in large quantities in the hope that someday they will find use.

Suitable for smokehouse chamber wooden barrel , and the larger it is, the better, but for home small production A container with a volume of 50-100 liters is enough. However, it is important to remember that under no circumstances should you choose tree species that are resinous or tar-producing. Spruce, pine, maple and birch are definitely not suitable. The best options trees such as cherry and apple trees, oak and alder will become.

In addition to the barrel, you can use any large metal box: an old refrigerator will also do (this will allow you to combine a smoke generator and a dryer in one block). It will be possible to make a camera, for example, from gas stove. In the end, a container for a portable smokehouse can serve as an ordinary metal bucket, an old saucepan, flasks, a medical bottle or even an old fire extinguisher: two grates are inserted inside, between which there will be meat or fish, and the bottom is filled thin layer sawdust

However, using metal elements in the manufacture of a smokehouse, you should give preference to items made of “stainless steel”. Of course, this is a rather fragile and more brittle material that is more difficult to process, but it has a number of undoubted advantages: firstly, it is resistant to the chemical components carried by smoke, secondly, it does not oxidize at high temperatures and does not rusts, thirdly, it is easy to clean it from soot, soot and traces of grease.

If the smokehouse is for the owner - required attribute suburban area, then you can build a solid brick smokehouse. Its dimensions will correspond to the wishes of the owner, the main thing will be to ensure the correct flow of smoke inside the smoking chamber. For the heating source in such smokehouses, potbelly stoves are usually used, connected to the chamber by a pipe.

How to prepare drawings?

If the smokehouse should become a functional element of the decor of a suburban area, then, undoubtedly, you should complete the drawings yourself. However, if there is no need for this, then it is better to use ready-made drawings. This is especially true for non-professionals, as this will help avoid mistakes and inaccuracies. But even in this case, one should take into account the size of the container that it was decided to use for the main camera. Most likely, the scheme will still have to be slightly changed.

It is worth remembering that hot smokers are convenient due to their small size, while cold smokers are quite bulky, but they allow you to produce products with a richer taste and a longer shelf life. Mini-smokehouses are distinguished by their simplicity of design.

Accessories

Despite the variety of items from which a smokehouse can be made, each design must have several essential components to make the smoking process convenient and technologically correct. In addition, during work you should have some tools on hand - at least welding machine and Bulgarian.

There must be at least one grate in the main chamber of the smokehouse. Products for smoking will be laid out on it. Such a grid can be made from thin reinforcement.

The smoking chamber itself must be sealed. This will ensure even heating of the products and will also prevent the smoke from evaporating ahead of time. In addition, if the size of the smokehouse allows, you should provide the chamber with several hooks for smoking.

Under the grate there should be a tray for smoldering shavings and sawdust, and even lower - a box for ash. There may also be a heat source that provides smoldering for the sawdust. Third important element there turns out to be a tray onto which fats and juices will drain; it must be cleaned after each smoking session.

You can install the smokehouse on a fire, on gas, and even, if size allows, on an electric stove.

An important design detail is the smoke generator. Of course, small smokehouses operating on the principle of hot smoking have it directly in the smoking chamber: smoke production is provided by sawdust, which covers the bottom of the chamber. For cold smoked smokehouses, it will be necessary to create artificial conditions for the formation of smoke, because its total temperature should not exceed 35 degrees Celsius. Therefore, such smoke generators often use an electric heating element with a built-in thermostat and temperature sensors.

To improve the quality of smoking (in the case of a hot smokehouse), it is possible to install an additional fan or compressor into the design. They will provide additional, more powerful smoke pumping, so that smoked products will warm up and cook faster.

Sometimes a lid with a water seal is added to smokehouses: it is a small recess located around the perimeter of the smoking chamber into which water is poured. This device creates a barrier that prevents air from entering the chamber and does not allow smoke to escape from the chamber.

Assembly Instructions

The variety of items from which it is possible to make a smokehouse raises natural questions about how to properly make a smokehouse at home. In fact, knowing the general technology and processes that products undergo during the smoking process, you can independently develop not only a diagram, but also step-by-step assembly instructions. However, as an example, it is worth considering several of the most common and convenient options for making smokehouses.

The simplest design made of polyethylene film

To make such a cold smoked smokehouse, you will need two meters of very dense film, which is sewn together in the form of a bag. The best choice is a thick film used by summer residents for greenhouses and greenhouses.

Next, you will need to find a flat area approximately one square meter in size on the site. The platform is covered with tall wooden stakes to the size of the film, about two meters in height, and the stakes themselves are connected to each other by thin transverse beams to give the structure stability. Then the opposite stakes will need to be connected with diagonal bulkheads in approximately 2-3 rows. After this, the products prepared for smoking are hung on the rods so that they do not touch each other, and a prepared plastic bag is pulled over the structure - not all the way to the ground, a small space is left.

Burning coals are poured under the structure and covered with grass, after which the film is stretched to the ground and carefully clamped on all sides to make the entire structure airtight.

It will take approximately three hours for the products to be cooked in such a smokehouse, after which the bag is removed and the products are ventilated. Particularly large pieces may require re-smoking.

From the bucket

To make a similar model of smokehouse, you will need an old bucket. One or two stainless steel grates are placed inside it. If there are two grates, then the first, smaller one is installed about 10 cm from the bottom of the bucket, and the second is slightly higher. Then the bottom of the bucket is generously sprinkled with wood shavings or sawdust.

The bucket smokehouse is ready, all that remains is to place the products to be smoked on the grids, put the structure on the fire and cover with a lid.

From a barrel

The most traditional and simple option is considered to be the manufacture of a home smokehouse from wood or metal barrel. The principle of its manufacture is the same as in the case of a bucket smokehouse; the main difference is its significantly large sizes, allowing you to equip the barrel not only with grates, but also with hooks for smoking.

A barrel can make a smokehouse for both types of smoking, which can be very convenient. In the first case, the heat source - the hearth - should be located directly under the barrel. For cold smoking, the barrel is installed in a pit, to which a chimney (approximately two meters long) is drawn from the hearth.

You can make a more complex version of the smokehouse, which will require not one, but two barrels.

Most convenient option will be the use of two identical barrels with a volume of approximately 200 liters. They need to be welded together in a "T" shape. The lower barrel will serve as a container for the future firebox; an opening is cut out on the side and a door is installed. The valve at the bottom of the stove will allow you to regulate the intensity of combustion. The upper barrel will serve as the future smoking chamber: a strong grate must be tightly and rigidly fixed in it, on which the smoked products will subsequently be laid out, and it will also be possible to cook a barbecue on it. Plus, it can be used as oven, placing baking dishes or simply food wrapped in foil on the grill.

For smoking, it will be necessary to arrange a sawdust brazier in the lower firebox, and an open fire will be lit under it. Sometimes sawdust is poured directly into wood coals, but this is a more labor-intensive method that requires constant monitoring and attention. Otherwise, the products may burn and lose the necessary taste.

Then all that remains is to hang the food over the grill, and place a tray on it, into which the draining fat and juices will be collected. Using the same principle, smokehouses are made from an old gas cylinder.

From an old refrigerator

Many summer residents prefer not to get rid of old non-working equipment, but to take it to their country house. If you rid a non-working refrigerator of the electrical filling and other “innards”, then the remaining box can be turned into a convenient and spacious smokehouse.

It is necessary to make a small hole in the roof for the future chimney. Inside the box, at different levels, six corners should be installed in pairs, on which grates for the tray and products and hooks for smoking will subsequently be located, as well as a tray for fat draining from the products. In addition to a tray for fat, you will also need a tray for sawdust or shavings; it is installed at the very bottom of the structure.

It is also important to ensure that the refrigerator door closes as tightly as possible and does not allow excess air to enter the chamber.

Made of metal

This product already requires a more serious approach, but it is not difficult to weld it yourself. The simplest and most convenient shape for a craftsman is a rectangle, but preference is most often given as a material stainless steel: It is easy to clean, withstands high temperatures well and has a long service life. But at the same time, “stainless steel” is quite difficult to process. Another material to consider is cold rolled steel: it is quite ductile, withstanding temperatures up to 650 degrees Celsius, but is susceptible to oxidation and rust.

This design itself resembles a box, to the walls of which corners with grilles installed on them are welded.

To begin with, you will need two sheets of metal, one of which is divided into four parts, which will be identical if you plan to make a square smokehouse. You can divide the sheet using a grinder. Then, at an angle of 90 degrees (a carpenter's angle is used for this), the sheets are welded to each other, forming a box. To ensure the future smokehouse is sealed, it will also be necessary to weld the internal seams of the chamber. The bottom of the smokehouse is cut out of another metal sheet and welded to the box in the same way.

Finally, you can start making the camera cover. To do this, use a grinder to cut four identical strips of metal sheet (preferably stainless steel) with a size slightly larger than the characteristics of the outer part of the box. Then the resulting cover is welded.

The last parts will be the lower fastenings for installing a tray in which fats and juices will be collected, and the upper ones for placing hooks on which lard, meat, fish or sausages are hung. It is also worth attaching a couple of handles to the edges of the smokehouse to make it easier to carry.

An ordinary smokehouse can be used as a heat source for such a smokehouse. electric stove. If higher temperatures are needed, the smoker can just as easily be placed over a fire.

From a gas cylinder or fire extinguisher

The process of making a smokehouse from a gas cylinder is somewhat complicated, but it is quite suitable for those who have this completely unnecessary thing and wants to find at least some use for it.

To begin with, it is worthwhile, observing safety precautions, to release the remaining gas from the cylinder, and then carefully saw off the release valve. The remaining gasoline is also drained from the cylinder into any metal container and burned. Then the cylinder is washed thoroughly, a door is cut into its wall through which the products will be placed inside. The hinges on which the door will be held are welded to the cutout. Metal strips are cut off from the bottom of the cylinder and half of the bottom is sawed off to provide the future smokehouse with a firebox. Finally, from metal sheets The firebox itself is made and welded to the cylinder, after which the entire structure must be calcined over a fire.

Made of brick and stone

This smokehouse is easy to manufacture, but quite complex in its design. During construction, you will not need to use a grinder and a welding machine, however, the slightest mistake in the location of the chimney can render the finished smokehouse unusable. The advantage of this smokehouse is that it can be adapted for both cold and hot smoking: this dual-mode design turns out to be very convenient and multifunctional.

First you need to prepare the foundation for the future smokehouse. Due to the fact that brick and stone are heavy, such a structure cannot be mounted directly on the ground: the ground may settle and the structure will be destroyed. It would not be superfluous to strengthen the foundation using a grid of reinforcement.

Then, when the foundation is ready, you can begin laying the lower chord of the walls, and after this, building a tunnel chimney. Its length is approximately two meters, and the pipe itself is well insulated to ensure the possibility of both cold and hot smoking. The insulating material can be any mineral insulation that can withstand high temperatures. For example, glass wool will do.

The structure of the future smokehouse itself should remain hollow. This can be taken into account and in the future use empty niches for storing supplies of sawdust, firewood, etc. The highest temperatures will be observed directly in the firebox and in the oven, so they will need to be made from fire bricks. The remaining parts of the smokehouse can be laid out with any other types of bricks, even decorative ones.

Finally, we can begin construction of the second brick belt. It will need to be separated from the first by an even concrete screed or concrete slab. Just as in the case of the foundation, it would be better to strengthen the layer with a steel reinforcement grid. There are two chambers, one of which will serve as a smoking chamber, and the second will become the basis for the Russian stove.

After this, the stove itself is built on. Since there will always be high temperatures here, as mentioned above, it must be built from fire-resistant bricks. The advantage of this design is its versatility: it will not only serve as a source of heat for the smokehouse, but will allow you to bake food and even barbecue.

After constructing the stove, a smoking chamber is built next to the chimney: it can do without any additional finishing. The only thing is that it will be necessary to ensure it is tight sealed door, better than wood, from hardwood trees; Cherry or apple trees are ideal.

Then, when the smoking chamber is built on, a pipe is attached to it at the top to ensure smoke removal. Adjusting the draft in the pipe will allow the owner to carry out both cold and hot smoking in one smokehouse - everything will depend on the intensity of sawdust combustion in the firebox. With low heat and a wide pipe diameter, the smoke will have time to cool enough to provide cold smoking; If you limit the draft in the pipe and increase the intensity of combustion, then hot smoking will occur.

Chimney

Construction of a chimney for a stationary smokehouse - important stage, which is worth considering separately. You should not make it from brick or other porous materials, since the brick will actively absorb harmful substances from the smoke and moisture coming through it. By accumulating these substances, over time it will acquire bad smell, which will negatively affect the quality of products prepared in the smokehouse.

Metal is best suited for a chimney, but even in this case it will need to be cleaned regularly and the soot accumulated on the walls must be removed.

​​​Many owners of home smokehouses prefer a chimney that is dug in the ground: In this way, the soil effectively cools the smoke (which is especially preferable for cold smoking), and also absorbs condensation that forms on the walls. Bacteria and microorganisms living in the soil process the dangerous carcinogens contained in this condensate.

To make a smokehouse with such a chimney, a platform with a slight slope is located or artificially poured at the dacha, which will subsequently provide natural draft for the smoke. The smokehouse firebox is placed under a slope, and a small ditch is dug on the slope itself - the future chimney. It is covered with iron sheets, on top of which a layer of soil is poured, designed to create improved thermal insulation. This chimney extends all the way to the smoking chamber.

IN next video you will see how to make a barrel smokehouse with your own hands.

Where is the best location?

It is very important to find right place for a stationary smokehouse: this is not a small one portable design, which can be stored at home or in the garage and taken out as needed.

When choosing a location, it is worth remembering that a large amount of smoke will come from the smokehouse, which should not enter the living quarters in the country house. In addition, harmful substances can harm trees and other green spaces. Therefore, pick up perfect place on the leeward side it will be quite difficult, moreover, for each house it is purely individual. The resulting products can be stored in the cellar, as long as the room is dry and cool.

A proper smokehouse must take into account three main points, and the summer resident, when constructing such a structure, must also remember them. Firstly, uniform heating and fumigation must be carried out in the smoking chamber. Secondly, the smoke itself for smoking should be very light, not carrying harmful substances and heavy breakdown products that can give the meat an unpleasant taste. Thirdly, the design must be airtight to ensure uniform penetration of smoke into all layers of meat; Additional smoke generators can serve the same purpose.

By the way, you can assemble a smoke generator yourself. A body is made from a metal can, a hole is drilled at the bottom for igniting wood chips, and upper part The lid closes tightly. The compressor can be a computer cooler. The entire structure is assembled using welding air, and then all that remains is to ignite the sawdust or wood chips and turn on the cooler. The peculiarity of the smoke generator is that the built-in cooler does not push smoke out, but pulls it in. Therefore, it must be connected to the smokehouse directly.

Traction – prerequisite for smoking. It is not enough to simply put the product into a chamber filled with smoke. Otherwise, the meat/fish will simply evaporate, as a result of which it will acquire an unpleasant aftertaste. This is critical for cold smoking; in the case of hot smoking, everything is a little different, but it’s still worth following this rule.

To give the meat a rich taste, you should pay special attention to the selection the right breeds trees whose logs will be the most fragrant when burned.

For example, you should not use only birch logs in the smokehouse, as the meat may get an undesirable bitter taste. Yes, and birch logs will first have to be cleared of bark. Also, it is strictly forbidden to use it for smoking. conifers trees. The culprit is the abundant resin content. It is best to add juniper branches and cherry leaves to the logs: they will add pleasant notes to the aroma of the meat. If there is a need to give the meat a certain color, then you can also use certain types of trees. Mahogany will give the meat a golden hue, alder and oak will give a dark yellow color, and hardwoods will give golden yellow tones.

In general, fruit trees like apple and pear trees and cherries have the most pleasant aroma. This is especially convenient for gardeners who can use old tree branches directly from their site for a smokehouse.

Also various breeds trees are used for different types smoked meats: Even if these types of trees do not grow on your summer cottage, it will not be difficult to purchase the appropriate wood chips in the store. Thus, alder chips remain the most universal, on which almost any meat, lard, fish and even vegetables are smoked. Oak sawdust is used primarily for red meat and game. Willow and birch, which have a specific bitter taste, are used when smoking large game such as elk or bear. And cheeses, nuts, vegetables and fruits are smoked on the softest cherries and apples.

Firewood and pieces of wood added to the fireplace for aroma should not be larger than 5-10 cm in size. Larger pieces are more difficult to heat to the point that they begin to char.

Before putting the log on the fire, it’s a good idea to slightly moisten it: raw wood produces abundant smoke, which is very important for smokehouses. However, you should not overdo it with humidification: if too much steam is generated, the products will become soggy, which will significantly reduce their shelf life. In addition, in order to get good, abundant smoke, after the formation of coals in the stove, it is worth closing the pipe valve. At this moment, active combustion stops, but the sawdust that produces smoke begins to smolder.

To improve product quality, it is best to provide the fire with an active supply of oxygen. At the same time, you cannot fan the flame in the smokehouse: it is important that the wood smolder, but not burn.

It is very important to provide smoked products with a continuous supply of smoke from the beginning of cooking until its completion. This should be taken into account when placing pieces of meat or fish in the smokehouse. different sizes: small ones will be ready much earlier than large ones. For the latter, you will have to additionally pour sawdust and shavings into the tray, thus maintaining a constant temperature. However, do not forget about the danger of over-smoking products: the process must be carefully controlled and the products must be periodically checked for readiness.

Another method that significantly speeds up the smoking process is to pre-boil meat or lard in water with salt and spices.

The optimal temperature inside the smoking chamber should range from 60-90 degrees Celsius. Even without temperature sensors, adjusting the temperature is quite simple: water in a small container placed on the lid of the smoking chamber should not boil. For cold smoking, slightly lower temperatures are chosen, for hot smoking – higher temperatures, sometimes reaching 120 degrees Celsius.

By the way, you can smoke not only meat, fish, lard or sausages. Smoked nuts, vegetables and fruits have interesting tastes. Smoked cheeses are also worth mentioning. It all depends on temperature regime inside the smokehouse and sawdust and wood chips used inside.

Before the smoking procedure, it is better to place the products for some time in a separate drying cabinet, which allows you to get rid of excess moisture and thereby increase the shelf life of the product. It’s easy to make it yourself: just take a large box with a tight sealed lid, side part which the fan is inserted. Before placing the product in the cabinet, it is better to pre-salt it. It will have to spend from one to three days in the closet until completely dry.

Large stationary smokehouses can only be installed in the country house or, in the case of living in the private sector, on the territory own home. Such structures require a lot of free space, and they also produce a lot of smoke, which can harm plants, enter the house and disturb neighbors.

The taste of homemade smoked meats cannot be compared with store and market delicacies. The reason for this is that nowadays the traditional smoking technology in industrial scale used very rarely.

In pursuit of profit, producers do not bother themselves with the long process of smoke processing of meat and fish. After dipping salted foods into “liquid smoke” for a few minutes, they sell them to people at exorbitant prices.

A smokehouse for a summer house will help us return to the origins of a lost craft and remember the forgotten taste of smoked products - a simple but very useful structure.

In passing, we note that smoking meat and fish is an excellent way to extend their shelf life and is profitable. home business. These arguments are powerful incentives to become more familiar with the design of smoking installations and master the methods of thermal smoke processing of products.

What can a smokehouse be made from?

The structure of the smokehouse is so simple that for its construction you can use objects that are idle and collecting dust in the barn: an old barrel, gas cylinder, body from washing machine or refrigerator.

The main requirement for a smoking chamber is tightness and resistance to high temperatures (if we are talking about hot smoking). To construct a smoke-generating chamber, you can use ordinary brick or metal. Before considering workable design options, let's turn to theory.

There are two types of smoking: hot and cold. When hot smoking the product is affected by two factors - high temperature and smoke, so the duration of this process is several times less than the cold one. However, the shelf life of foods subjected to hot smoke treatment is short (2-3 weeks).

Cold smoking lasts from 1 to 3 days and provides lard, meat and fish with maximum preservation (from 2 to 6 months). Prunes (Hungarian plums), a valuable ingredient in confectionery and meat dishes, are also prepared using “cold” technology.

The design that a homemade smokehouse will have directly depends on the chosen method of heat treatment. Cold technology requires separating the fuel chamber from the container in which the products are located by a long channel (3-4 meters). It is needed in order to flue gases managed to cool down.

With hot smoking there is no such need, so the hearth can be placed directly under the smoking chamber.

Examples of home mini-smokehouses

Before making a smoking installation, it is very useful to familiarize yourself with homemade structures, already tested in operation.

This is what a gas cylinder smokehouse looks like.

Its assembly includes several operations:

1. A part of the sidewall of the cylinder is cut out, which will serve as a lid.
2. Hinges and a handle are welded to the lid.
3. A hole is cut at the end of the cylinder into which the chimney pipe is welded.
4. Two grates are made from steel rods: on the lower one, firewood and sawdust will burn, and on the other, equipped with legs, food is placed.

This installation is intended for hot smoking, since it combines a firebox and a smoking compartment. The grate for laying out food is not placed above the firewood, but is moved towards the pipe. This is necessary so that the fat does not drip onto the hot coals, but flows into a special pan.

Another popular and simple design is a homemade smokehouse made from a barrel without a bottom or lid, mounted on bricks.

If your household has an unnecessary metal box, it can also be adapted for thermal smoke treatment of products.

Having slightly complicated the design by adding to it smoke channel from metal pipe, we will get a cold smoking installation.

Another option is to dig a trench in the ground and line its bottom and walls with red brick.

The canal is covered with the same material and covered with earth. For masonry underground pipe you can use a solution or lay it dry, since a soil backfill 15-20 cm thick covers all the cracks.

Those who are used to doing everything thoroughly and reliably will certainly like this brick grill-smokehouse.

The firebox here is located at a distance from the smoking chamber. By decreasing or increasing the amount of firewood, you can change the temperature of the gases, producing hot or cold smoke.

In the next photo we see another one interesting option combining a barbecue with a smoking chamber.

By uniting wood stove with a smoking chamber, we get a universal design for summer period. You can cook hot dishes on the stove, and use the escaping smoke to prepare homemade delicacies.

A metal housing with a door is all you need for a smoke chamber. This installation part can be borrowed from a refrigerator.

For full operation, you need to make a hole in it for the pipe, and holes for air in the door. A homemade smokehouse from an old refrigerator will work in cold smoke treatment mode if you connect a pipe to it from below from a fireplace dug into the ground.

The hot smoking process in an old refrigerator can be accomplished by removing plastic sheathing, insulation and placing a smoke generator ( metal box on legs) in the lower part.

For high-quality smoking at home, it is important not only to make a high-quality smokehouse with your own hands, but also to strictly follow the technology. In particular, sawdust should be used not from coniferous wood, but from deciduous wood (except birch) to produce smoke.

The wood of fruit trees (cherry, apple, pear) and shrubs is best suited for this purpose. There will be no problems with fuel if you have a wood chipper at your disposal.

We recommend wrapping lard, meat and fish in gauze before placing them in the smokehouse. It will retain the resinous fractions of smoke, which impart bitterness. If a barrel is used for smoking, then the top should be covered with burlap, which will trap the smoke in the container longer.

A lot of people love hot smoked meat. In addition to the fact that the cooking process itself is quite interesting, it produces many of the most delicious dishes. Of course, in order to cook delicious dish, you need to have certain culinary skills. However, this is another question. Today we will look at how to make your own smokehouse for hot food.

So, what does a smokehouse consist of? Of course, the smokehouse must have a chamber in which the meat to be smoked will be located. There must also be a combustion chamber where the fuel will burn. Most often, the smokehouse has a combined combustion chamber and space for food. Now, let's look at how to make it yourself simple smokehouses with your own hands.

Hot smoked smokehouse from a pan

You can take a regular enamel smokehouse from a saucepan. Wood chips are poured into the bottom of the pan. A mesh is placed in the middle of the pan on which the meat will be placed for smoking. If there is no grid, then you can take a dumpling maker that is no longer in use.

Hot smoked smokehouse diagram

Actually, that's all. The primitive smokehouse is ready. If everything is done correctly, then such a smokehouse will produce very tasty meat.

This is the simplest option, on the basis of which other smokehouses are made with your own hands, including.

Video: DIY smokehouse from a pan

Now we’ll tell you how to make an improved smokehouse. There will already be a special baking tray on which the fat will collect. Externally, the baking tray resembles a lid, which is located on the side. A smoker with a baking tray has the advantage of allowing you to smoke fattier meats. During the smoking process, fat can get onto the coals, which interferes with normal smoldering.

As soon as the baking sheet appears, the problem with normal smoldering coals immediately disappears.

It looks like there is nothing difficult about creating a hot smoker. As a rule, the presented options are used by tourists when hiking. But we also need to talk about those home smokehouses that can be stationary. However, the operating principle of a home stationary smokehouse is not much different from previous smokehouses.

Those smokers that are used at home may be larger in size. This is because they do not need to be moved from place to place. The most common version of the smoking chamber is a product that is created from two barrels. It is worth noting that to create such a structure you need to have skills in welding and iron processing. In order to create a smokehouse from barrels, you need to find the barrels themselves and cut them correctly with a grinder. By connecting the lid and the main part, you can get a normal smokehouse.

Video hot smoker from two barrels

If there is space on the site, you can build a brick smokehouse. This is already considered a professional smokehouse. This building can be built at your dacha. In addition, it should be noted that a DIY stone smokehouse will allow you to retain the heat longer. The firebox will already be located separately from the roaster.

Brick construction scheme

So to create hot smoker, you need to show not only imagination, but also certain skills.

A properly made hot smoked smokehouse will allow you to have delicious dishes on your table at any time.

Many manufacturers offer ready-made options for hot smoked smokehouses. You can buy them both online and in specialized stores.

Prices vary from 1800 to 37000 rub. But it’s much more interesting and cheaper to make such a smokehouse yourself.

We will tell you in detail how to make a hot smoked smokehouse with your own hands in our article.

Types of smoking

Depending on the temperature and smoking time, cold smoking and smoking with hot smoke are distinguished:

1. Cold smoking. The cold smoking process occurs at low temperatures within 20-22 degrees. Smoking with smoke at this temperature takes from 5 hours to a day, depending on the weight of the product. Food smoked in this way can be stored for quite a long time, since almost all the moisture evaporates from meat or fish during the smoking process. Smoked products are quite dry and well-saturated with smoke. (You can read how to do it in this article).
2. Hot smoking. The method of cooking food using hot smoke is quite common, as you can get quick results. It takes several hours to get a completely finished product.

What you need to know about hot smoking

Smoking temperature is selected depending on the weight of meat or fish of their type and further preparation.

For example, meat that will subsequently undergo heat treatment, it is recommended to smoke at a temperature from 45 to 65 degrees.

For products that are cooked during smoking, the optimal temperature will be 70-100 degrees.

Smokehouse device

It is not difficult to make a hot smoked smokehouse yourself, at home. Enough to have sealed container, preferably made of durable metal

For example, a barrel can be used as a container. This container is equipped with a hinged lid. You will also need smokehouse equipment grate and container for collecting fat.

The principle of operation of the smokehouse

At the top of the smokehouse, approximately 10 centimeters from the lid, install a grate, and food is placed on it during the smoking process.

It is important that the food on the grill does not touch each other for even smoking on all sides. Any capacity, corresponding to the size of the smokehouse.

This can be a bowl of suitable diameter or a round tray. Fat will accumulate in this bowl. Placed on the bottom of the smokehouse layer of sawdust or wood chips, which smolder under the influence of high temperature.

Choosing firewood for a smokehouse

Almost any are suitable for the smoking process, the main thing is that they do not contain resins that are undesirable for the products.

Based on this, coniferous trees don't fit for smoking because they contain resin under their bark. In order for the products to acquire a pleasant aroma, you can add juniper or alder chips.

Branches fruit trees , such as apples, pears and cherries, also work well for smoking.

Before smoking from wood It's better to remove the bark, since it contains a lot of resin. After the bark is removed, the wood is crushed into cubes, approximately 3 centimeters in size on a side.

Chopped firewood is poured to the bottom of the smokehouse and humidified to produce smoke.

Materials for production

Anything can be used as a smokehouse, from an old bucket to specially built structures. But the best option there will be a smokehouse made from metal sheets.

To make it you need to have the following tools and materials:

• metal sheets 2-3 mm thick;
• several rods of reinforcement;
• metal profile;
• Bulgarian;
• welding machine;
• tape measure and corner.

Making a smokehouse from metal corners

Following simple recommendations and by following the step-by-step instructions you can easily and quickly make a hot smoked smokehouse yourself:

1. One sheet of metal, approximately 60 centimeters by 1.5 meters, cut using a grinder into four equal parts
2. Connect sheets among themselves spot welding and using a carpenter’s angle, set the sheets at right angles
3. Seams are welded between pieces of metal
4. A second sheet of metal is used to make smokehouse bottom
5. The next step will be making a lid. They make it according to the principle of the smokehouse body, only its size should be slightly larger in order to tightly cover the smokehouse
6. Pieces of reinforcement welded inside the smokehouse body in several rows. Products will be placed on them during the smoking process. You can weld several hooks to the lid for smoking fish or lard
7. For ease of transportation to the smokehouse body, you can weld the handles.

Suitable for hot smoking almost any products, ranging from sausages to ham or whole fish.

In order for the result to amaze even gourmets, the products must be properly prepared for smoking. Meat or fish must first be add salt, add spices as desired and let the product salt.

Chicken, in order for the meat to be soft, it is advisable to marinate for several days. Large fish Before smoking, clean and remove all the insides; small ones can be cooked without processing.

The smokehouse is completely ready. You can install it either in the courtyard of your own home or in a suburban area.

Almost anything can be smoked in hot-smoked smokehouses at proper preparation and the smoking process, the products will turn out incredibly tasty and aromatic.

Advice! Since the products are not cooked for long during smoking, they remain juicy inside and practically no moisture comes out of them, so it is not recommended to store them for a long time.

You can watch detailed information on making a hot smoked smokehouse in this video: