Content
Cooking has a lot of its secrets. This is both science and art. Men are not alone in enjoying delicious meals. Women love it when men cook. Who can refuse a smoked piece of meat or fish? But when purchasing such a product, we may not always know in what conditions it was produced and what additives were used. In order not to worry about this, it would be nice to have your own smoke generator for smoking. Which of them should you choose and can you assemble it yourself? The article is devoted to these points.
The nature of smoking
The processing of various products by smoking has been known for quite some time. Our ancestors used it when they did not have electric refrigerators, and the ice from the winter was not stored for long. That is why a method was required that would allow preserving food as long as possible. Not only meat products are smoked, but also some fruits, for example, prunes. Many people love its taste and enjoy its indescribable aroma. Smoked fish and mushrooms are also appreciated by gourmets.
Technology is moving forward, and smoking methods are not only gaining momentum, but also received a large number of interesting solutions that include the latest advances in electronics in smoke generators. Along with this, the chemical industry is also developing. Those who strive for quick profit and enrichment are trying to replace the true taste of a cold smoked product with various liquid additives. They are called liquid smoke. There is no need to talk about the harmlessness of such a product. The manufacturer does not always indicate what the product actually contains.
In the original version, smoking or smoking has two options. One assumes smoking operating temperatures in the range of 50 to 120 ° Celsius. At the same time, meat, fish and other products are cooked quite quickly. This type of smoking is preferred by those who go fishing in order to enjoy their meal as quickly as possible. But such smoking has a certain drawback. Since the temperature is high, destruction and loss of a large amount of trace elements and vitamins occurs. The feeling of satiety from products subjected to such smoking will come, but there is no need to talk about the benefits. Also, due to the high speed of this type of smoking, unbaked parts with parasites may remain. Hot smoking also has a negative effect on shelf life.
The situation with smoking with a smoke generator at lower temperatures is completely different. Cold smoking with a smoke generator allows the use of smoke up to a maximum of 30 ° Celsius. Smoking takes a longer period of time, but you won't have to complain about the quality. Large cuts of meat will take a whole week. They will have to make great efforts, but the price for such smoked products is as high as possible. For the entire smoking process, the smoke generator uses only some species of deciduous trees, which are able to impart unique properties to the product.
Technical features
Assembling any equipment independently implies a clear understanding of all the processes that take place in it.A good driver should know at least the basics of how an engine works to fix simple breakdowns on the road. This principle also applies to those who are going to make smoke generator for cold smoking do it yourself. In simple terms, the smoke generator for cold smoking consists of three modules:
- the combustion chamber
- chimney;
- smoking chamber.
If you place the smoke generator chamber for smoking directly above the combustion chamber or in the immediate vicinity, then hot smoking will occur. The smoke must cool down, so the smoke generator module is 3 meters or less away from the smoke source. The pipe should not be insulated or insulated to cool naturally. Wood chips are the source of smoke in the smoke generator. This means that for the smoking process, they should not burn, but smolder. Therefore, the intake of air into the smoke generator should be as metered as possible so that a rapid oxidation process does not occur. The smoke does not always have to flow, so the smoke generator needs a blower. For this, the cold smoking smoke generator is equipped with a compressor.
Two schemes have been developed for connecting the combustion chamber to the smoking chamber of the smoke generator:
- top;
- bottom.
In the first case, the supply of smoke to the smoking module is carried out with a fence in the upper part of the combustion chamber of the smoke generator. In it, the smoke, passing through the layer of chips, is additionally cooled and saturated. The disadvantage of this solution is that the smoke generator for cold smoking may go out and the process will be interrupted. In the lower method of placing the fence in the combustion chamber of the smoke generator, such difficulties do not arise. But you have to add sawdust more often. It is also important to make sure that the temperature of the smoke in the smoke generator does not exceed the permissible norm.
Choosing the right one
In addition to understanding how a smoke generator for cold smoking is arranged, it is important to know what technical characteristics it must meet. Here are some good quality measures:
- smoke generator performance;
- intensity;
- maximum automation of the smoke generator;
- simplicity;
- transportability of the smoke generator.
The first point in the characteristics of a smoke generator for smoking indicates how much of the feedstock can be processed in the shortest period of time. The higher the performance of the smoke generator, the larger the smoke supply module and the product chamber must be. Intensity describes how fast and how much smoke can be delivered. A certain edge is important here, because with its large amount, it may not have time to cool down to 25 до30 °. The process should run around the clock without interruption. This means that the chips will have to be added to the smoke generator at night. Not everyone wants to get up specifically for this, so it is worth considering whether it is possible to implement an automatic feeding system by timer or volume.
Installers and designers always try to achieve maximum strength and reliability of the structure with its simplicity. It is simplicity that allows you to reduce the cost of repair and production. Also, such products usually last longer. This principle should be based on a smoke generator for a smokehouse. Making the device stationary is a personal decision of everyone. But there is no guarantee that the site where the smoke generator is now located will not be in demand tomorrow for an economic structure. The best smoke generator for cold smoking is considered to be one that is easy to move and install in a new place.
DIY assembly
There are a huge number of variations that can be collected from improvised means. But all smoke generators are divided into:
- ejector;
- with natural discharge.
Ejectors use a compressor for a smoke generator, which feeds the smoke from the combustion chamber into the smoking chamber.The second type does not require any electrical adaptations, since everything in it occurs due to natural physical laws.
Smokehouse with compressor
One of the simplest cold smoking appliances will require:
- two pineapple cans;
- one can of peas;
- ½ "tee;
- herringbone nipple with ½ "thread and herringbone with an outer diameter of 10 mm;
- fum tape or tow;
- a copper tube with an outer diameter of 6 mm;
- flexible connecting hose for the tube;
- rubber seal;
- aquarium compressor;
- a small piece of pipe ½ "with an external thread;
- three clamps 100 mm.
The assembly process is as simple as possible. In one of the pineapple cans, you need to cut the bottom to get a through cylinder. Two cans are fastened together by means of clamps and a metal gasket. The result is a pipe with a bottom. In a jar of peas, a hole is made in the bottom. Its diameter should be such that a tee can be screwed into it. The latter is mounted in its place. A tree fitting is screwed to the tee. A small piece of copper tube is inserted into it. The tube should protrude from the tee on the other side by 5 cm. It should be well fixed in the fitting. For this, a rubber seal is used.
On the other hand, a ½ "pipe with a length of 10 cm is screwed in. This whole structure will act as an ejector. A can of peas with the entire hitch is fastened to the previous two. Holes are made for air intake from two sides of the lower can. Sawdust is poured inside the cans. Through the side opening they are ignited with a burner. The compressor is turned on. It will create a vacuum and provide draft, which will contribute to smoldering. The outlet pipe is inserted into the container where the meat is. It can be used as ordinary cardboard box.One bookmark is enough for about 2 hours. The work of such a smoke generator can be appreciated from the video.
A similar design of a smoke generator can be assembled using a small can. The components will be exactly the same. The only thing that is required is to make holes closer to the bottom of the can, so that there is a free flow of air to the smoldering sawdust. More information about the assembly process of such a smoke generator can be obtained from the video.
Smokehouse with natural blowing
If you plan to smoke meat in large quantities, then a natural draft structure can be made. It is necessary to choose an elevated place or make an artificial earth embankment. A chamber is assembled on it from bricks or other material, where the product will be located. From it, a chimney outlet is made from above, as well as doors that can close tightly. Someone uses an old refrigerator for such purposes. A thermometer can be built into the chamber door to monitor the temperature.
A hole is made in the lower part for the incoming chimney. It digs into the ground and connects to the combustion chamber. For the latter, you can use a ready-made stove stove or make a topu from sheet material. It can also be laid out of bricks or made impromptu in a dug hole. A damper is mounted in the branch pipe that goes from the firebox to the main chamber. It is necessary to control the draft and flow of smoke. Such a smoke generator is suitable for both cold and hot smoking. The only difference will be in the increased pumping and a higher smoking temperature. Below is a video example of such a design.
Conclusion
Knowing how a smoke generator for a smokehouse is made, now you do not have to spend money on finished products of dubious quality.You can always smoke exactly what you like best. It is not difficult to make a combined structure that will provide both cold and hot smoking.
