Content
- 1 Benefits of a cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel
- 2 The principle of cold smoking in a barrel
- 3 Varieties of cold smoked smoked from a barrel
- 4 Preparing the container
- 5 Classic cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel of 200 liters
- 6 How to make a cold smoked electric smokehouse from a barrel
- 7 How to make a cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel with a smoke generator
- 8 What can be smoked in a cold smoking barrel
- 9 Professional advice
- 10 Conclusion
Do-it-yourself cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel makes it possible to cook semi-finished products at low temperatures at home. Everyone can make it, the main thing is to consider in more detail all the methods of manufacturing, and follow a certain algorithm of actions.
Advantages of a cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel
Among the positive aspects of a home-made smokehouse for cold smoking products, it is worth noting the following factors:
- ease of manufacture;
- the ability to assemble with your own hands;
- cost savings;
- variety of execution options;
- high degree of efficiency of the unit;
- the ability to work at full capacity;
- the design is suitable for smoking both meat and fish;
- there is no need for additional processing of products.
The principle of cold smoking in a barrel
Unlike hot smoking, cold smoking occurs at low temperatures. In terms of duration, the process can be 2 weeks, everything will depend on the size of the semi-finished products, the method of pickling, preliminary measures, the type of products. So, for example, smoke processing of vegetables and fruits is carried out for several hours, while cooking meat and fish will take from a couple of days to 2-3 weeks.
The duration of cooking directly depends on the products used.
In the cold smoking process, it is important to control the amount of fuel. It should not be allowed that there were interruptions in cooking, breaks, it is also necessary to monitor the smoke temperature indicators. If such mistakes are made, then the products after smoking will not only taste unpleasant, but also will not acquire a pleasant aroma.
A homemade cold-smoked smokehouse from a barrel is a construction of a smoking chamber and a firebox. A chimney is used to connect them.
Varieties of cold smoked smoked from a barrel
There are several main types of cold smoked smokehouses. Each of them has its own principle of operation and manufacturing technology.
Electric
The demand for this type of smokehouse is due to the speed of preparation of semi-finished products. This happens due to the treatment with smoke and in parallel with electric waves. To make a cold smokehouse from a barrel with your own hands, you will need a set of the simplest materials and tools.
The duration of the smoking process is compensated by the high quality of the finished product
With a separate firebox
This type of unit for cold smoking of raw materials provides for the presence of free space in large sizes. To equip the firebox, a certain distance from the smoking cabinet is required. The device will be docked to the place where the smoke is generated.This is done by using a chimney - large diameter pipe / hose.
You can place the chimney above and below the ground.
With smoke generator
Unlike the design with a separate firebox, the version with a smoke generator does not require much space. The device for generating and supplying smoke is placed just below the smoking cabinet. Thanks to this, the smoke enters the inside of the smokehouse evenly, the processing of products is much more efficient.
The advantage of a smokehouse with a smoke generator is the ability to work with minimal control, using chips, sawdust for the appearance of smoke
Preparing the container
For the manufacture of a cold smoked smokehouse, you need to choose a barrel with a volume of 200 liters. Such a container is convenient to use, has a sufficient capacity of products, does not take up much space on the site. Before using it, you need to carry out a number of preparatory measures:
- clean from paint residues;
- burn from the inside;
- to fill with water;
- leave for several days;
- dry thoroughly.
If you ignore these manipulations, then the products after smoking will be bitter in taste and unpleasant in smell.
Classic cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel of 200 liters
It is not difficult to make a standard cold-smoked smokehouse with your own hands from a barrel. It is important to know how it works, and what steps to assemble it need to be done.
Principle of operation, diagrams and drawings
The unit with a separate firebox is easy to manufacture and easy to use. For high-quality processing of semi-finished products, it is necessary to monitor the firewood, they must burn without interruption during the entire smoking process.
To speed up the assembly of the smokehouse, it is recommended to decide on a diagram, drawing
There are many options, the main difference between them is in the dimensions of the structure.
Often the firebox for a smokehouse is made underground.
Tools and materials
To make a smokehouse from a 200 liter barrel of cold smoking, you will need the following materials:
- metal containers with a volume of 200 liters;
- slate / corrugated sheet;
- refractory bricks;
- small diameter pipes;
- grill for smoking products;
- small metal sheets;
- hacksaw for working with metal;
- shovel;
- welding machine;
- electric drill.
Marking and cutting the container
In order for the structure to look neat and work at full capacity, it is necessary to focus on the marking of the barrel, defining:
- places where the bottom and top are cut;
- opening for arranging a chimney.
Marking in the manufacture of a smokehouse allows you to eliminate the unevenness of the cut, make the workpiece even and neat
It is necessary to cut the container strictly according to the marking, otherwise the tightness of the smokehouse will "suffer" - the smoke will come out.
Manufacturing of handles and lids
If the barrel used is not equipped with a lid, you can do it yourself. It is enough to weld a thin metal strip to the cut off part of the container along the edges for better sealing of the smokehouse. Alternatively, a sheet of metal is suitable for these purposes, it can be used as it is, or you can make a lid of the corresponding diameter for the barrel out of it, by welding a strip along the edges.
The lid and handle on the smoker make the process of smoking food convenient and safe
For the convenience and safety of using the smokehouse, it is necessary to provide a handle on the lid. It can be made of wood or metal. Mount it through 2 through holes.
Stand
The presence of a stand for the unit allows to increase its stability, to exclude overturning during operation. For the manufacture of a reliable stand, small diameter pipes are required, docked together using a welding machine. In addition, it will be easier to run a chimney to a smokehouse raised above the ground.
Barrel stand - a simple and effective solution for the stability of the smokehouse
How to make a firebox and chimney
The process of arranging the firebox provides for the presence of a small ditch, where the firebox itself will be located at one end, and a smokehouse with semi-finished products at the other.
When a trench or pit is dug, they are covered with sheets of slate / corrugated board. But for the convenience of throwing up firewood for the firebox, a lid is made in the pit, but it should not close it tightly. So that the fire does not go out, you need air access.
If you intend to use a smokehouse for many years, then the trench should be laid out with refractory bricks.
For the chimney, it is necessary to dig a trench; the temperature of the smoke at the outlet will depend on its length. Slate / corrugated board, boards are laid on top. The chimney is brought to the barrel, where the products will be smoked.
Assembling the structure
For smoking products, you can use a ready-made grate, or made with your own hands from wire. If a sheet of metal is used, then a circle with the same diameter as that of the container (from the inside) must be cut out of it. Multiple holes must be drilled to circulate the smoke into the workpiece.
A smokehouse from a barrel for cold smoking of products with a separate firebox can also be made from a wooden container
To collect fat at the bottom of the smokehouse, mounts for the pallet are provided. It should not be installed close to the barrel, otherwise the smoke will not be able to freely penetrate into the top of the tank. Having made four holes opposite each other, they fix the rods to hold the pallet.
How to make a cold smoked electric smokehouse from a barrel
The electric version of the smokehouse wins in terms of cooking products. The process is 2-3 times faster than in a standard design.
Principle of operation
The processing of semi-finished products in the smokehouse takes place as a result of exposure not only to smoke, but also to electric waves. Due to this, they have a longer shelf life. In order for the smoking process to be successful, it is necessary to make the correct connection of the heating element, which was installed in a metal container.
Tools and materials
A heating element from an electric stove is suitable as a heating source for a home smokehouse. The main thing is that when disassembling the tile, the heating element is together with intact wires. It is enough for smoking 10 kg of semi-finished products.
The following tools will be required:
- Bulgarian;
- electric drill;
- rivets / screws with nuts.
Assembling the structure
The process of making an electric smokehouse from a barrel provides for the following algorithm of actions:
- Preparing the container. It needs to be cleaned with a metal brush and washed and dried.
- Marking for doors and their arrangement. Some will be for laying semi-finished products in the smokehouse, and the second - for cleaning coal and sawdust. It is convenient to cut openings with a grinder, first cut one side and fix it with hinges, and then refine it further.
- A chimney with a damper is mounted in the hole drilled at the top of the barrel. These can be purchased from a specialist store.
- Installation of seals. By fixing thin metal plates, a gap between the body of the smokehouse and the door is eliminated. Rivets / screws with nuts are used for fastening. Magnets are used to prevent accidental door opening.
- Installation of brackets under the grille. Several protrusions can be provided for different distances.
- Mounting for thermocouple. First you need to make a hole at the top of the barrel, and then fix the device. A mechanical thermometer can be installed nearby.
- Fastening the handle to the door.
- Installation of heating elements at the bottom of the tank.
How to make a cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel with a smoke generator
The advantage of this type of smokehouse is the controlled production and supply of smoke to the smoking chamber. The smoke generator can be used ready-made from the store, or assembled by hand.
Working principle and drawings
To place a smokehouse equipped with a smoke generator does not require a lot of free space. The smoke generating device is installed next to the barrel.
In order for the process of assembling a home smokehouse to go quickly and efficiently, you need to prepare a drawing
Tools and materials
For work on the manufacture of a smokehouse with a smoke generator, you need to prepare:
- a barrel with a volume of 200 liters;
- a pipe with a diameter of 6 cm and a length of half a meter;
- coupling for thread 40-60 mm;
- grinder;
- drill;
- fasteners.
Assembly
Step-by-step instruction:
- Carry out preparatory measures by cleaning the barrel from paint residues.
- Make a glass from the pipe by narrowing one of the sides and providing a thread for the coupling. The other end of the pipe must be sealed. Dock 2 elements into one structure.
- At the bottom of the barrel, weld the sleeve on which the smoke generator will be installed.
- Drill several holes for the rods at the top of the future smokehouse.
- Attach a glass filled with sawdust for smoking to the sleeve.
- Install the grate or hang the hooks.
- Close the barrel with wet burlap, tarpaulin.
What can be smoked in a cold smoking barrel
In a smokehouse from a 200 liter barrel of cold and hot smoking, you can cook absolutely any food: meat, fish, cheese, sausages, bacon. Both fruits and vegetables can be smoked. To obtain the desired effect, it is necessary not to violate the technology of the process of processing semi-finished products with smoke, to adhere to the selected recipe.
Before you smoke fish, you need to salt it. There are many options, the most standard is the processing of raw materials with coarse salt. It is enough just to sprinkle pieces of fish with it well and keep at room temperature for 4 days. In order for the frozen semi-finished product to be salted, it is necessary to increase the time by another 1-2 days.
After that, the fish should be soaked in a container with water for 10 hours. It is important at this stage to completely remove excess salt. When the product is soaked, it is wiped off with a napkin and hung in a cool place for drying. If smoking is carried out in the summer season, it is recommended to take care of protection from flies and other unwanted "guests" in order to avoid negative consequences. Dried pieces of fish are sent to a barrel for smoking.
The temperature in the room where semi-finished products are prepared should be within +6 ° C. In warmer conditions, there is a high probability that they will deteriorate, and in cold air, the process of salting the raw materials will not work properly.
Professional advice
Everyone can cook smoked meats at home, if you follow the following recommendations:
- Control the decay process. In order for the products to be evenly processed with smoke, the sawdust should not burn, but only smolder.
- Avoid intermittent smoldering. This process must be uninterrupted, chips must be regularly poured into the firebox, smoke generator. Otherwise, such malfunctions will significantly impair the taste characteristics of the finished products.
- The filter must be periodically moistened if provided in the unit.
- For long-term retention of smoke in the smoking chamber, it must be covered with a damp burlap on top.
- It is recommended to wash the barrel after each use. Otherwise, the accumulated soot during the next laying of products will make them bitter and tasteless.
- To prevent the coals from obstructing the flow of smoke into the barrel, they must be removed periodically.
- Place a do-it-yourself smokehouse from a cold-smoking barrel under a canopy. It is both convenient and practical. You can smoke meat or fish in all weather conditions.
- The taste and aroma of finished smoked meats are strongly influenced by the type of fuel. Preference should be given to fruit wood, conifers should not be considered at all due to the abundance of resin emitted. Sawdust from cherry, apple, oak, alder have proven themselves best.Juniper will add a zest to the products, one branch is enough for one pass. If you use chips from coniferous wood, then the products will stand out with bitterness, unattractive appearance, smell. Birch branches can be used, but only after removing the bark.
- It is necessary to throw fuel into the firebox in equal portions, so it will be possible to achieve continuous smoldering and a uniform flow of smoke into the smoking chamber.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse from a barrel is easy to manufacture. The main thing is to choose a suitable metal container, decide on a design option, and clearly follow the step-by-step instructions for its manufacture. You can smoke completely different products, from meat to fruits. To simplify the assembly process, you need to decide in advance on the scheme of a cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel, select the necessary materials.
