Plans for Building a Smokehouse

[TJHarris]

I have been looking for plans for building a small smokehouse. Any suggestions for plans or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[polack]

For a good 15+ years I was using a ss refrigerator that was the size of a large beer meister. I was able to smoke around 30 rings of kielbasi at a time with no problem whatsoever. All I did was cut a six inch hole in the top and mounted some stove pipe, with a flapper, for a vent. I then cut a 2" hole in the bottom and put a vent plate in it to create a draft. Drilled about a 1" hole in the side for the bottle gas hose, and a small hole in the door for a long stemmed thermometer to be installed and I was good to go. I would start the smoker and let it get up to about 130F for an hour and then crank it up to 160F and add the wood chips. This worked perfect until I needed a bigger smoker and I went to a large ss refrig that is capable of doing 160+rings.

Polack

[TJHarris]

Thanks, Polack!

What kind of burner are you using?

[andiesenji]

Several people around here have used these plans to build regular smokehouses which are big enough for smoking hams, sides of bacon, turkeys, etc. (This is a rural areas.)

This place has plans for make a smoker out of an old refrigerator. One of my ex neighbors made one out of an old upright freezer (single large chamber unlike most fridges). It worked fine but he wanted more room so built a separate structure. They sold their home about two years ago and the new owners wanted to put in a pool so tore the smokehouse down. Actually I think they sold it and it was taken apart and trucked away in pieces. It was made with some heavy timbers.

Edited February 21, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[TJHarris]

Several people around here have used these plans to build regular smokehouses which are big enough for smoking hams, sides of bacon, turkeys, etc. (This is a rural areas.)

Thanks, Andiesenji. That looks like what I am looking for. I want a permanent installation that will be attractive as well as functional.

[iriee]

in buffalo there is a company that sells all kinds of smokehouse plans and burners. i think the name is sausage man,,,or sausage works. im sure if you google it you can find it. good luck!

[ejebud]

Here's what I use:

AHHH the lazy days of summer!!

The Smoker is a Costco special. It was a gift but I know it sold for under $200 and the results are great!!. It maintains the proper temps real well.

[andiesenji]

Several people around here have used these plans to build regular smokehouses which are big enough for smoking hams, sides of bacon, turkeys, etc. (This is a rural areas.)

Thanks, Andiesenji. That looks like what I am looking for. I want a permanent installation that will be attractive as well as functional.

←

Emil (the neighbor) built his to look like a little Swiss chalet. I think a lot of people who saw it casually thought it was a playhouse for children.

One of the farmers about a mile from me built his out near his hay shelter (big, big roof, no sides). If it ever stops raining, I will drive over and take a picture of it. It looks like the outhouse from Lil' Abner (the movie), complete with a stovepipe that has a couple of bends in it and a conical shield on top. The inner structure is sound but he used warped planks on the outside, strictly for decoration. He used to work in the movie industry, building sets, and I think he got the idea to make it look sort of cartoonish. Then again he may have made it look like this to make sure thieves wouldn't break into it, although he has some big rottweilers that patrol his place at will. When I go over there I don't get out of my van until he or his wife comes out and calls the dogs back.

In any event. They do not have to look unattractive or even utilitarian.

[polack]

Thanks, Polack!

What kind of burner are you using?

←

I picked up a dual burner stove from Cabela's for about $40. In the smaller smoker I never used two burners to hold heat, all I had to do was keep it on a low flame and it held pretty steady. Matter of fact I would go for hours at a time without having to worry about a temp. problem. The old smoker had about 1" of insulation, while the new smoker is setting with about 2". The best thing about the smoker I got was that it was free with the exception of the pipe and vent, that was about $10 to $15.

I have pictures on my daughters camera, if I can figure out how to post them I'll get them on.

Polack

[TJHarris]

Thanks, Everyone! I knew that I could count on eGulleteers to get me started in the right direction.