How to make a smokehouse at home diagram. Smokehouse structure and design features. The secret and subtleties of cold smoking at home

Not many people are able to refuse such dishes as smoked meat, fish or poultry, since this food, as we know, simply by definition cannot be tasteless. However, you don’t always want to purchase ready-made products in stores, since you can never be completely sure of the quality of the product being sold, especially such a unique one. But in order to protect yourself from troubles and forget about shopping for your favorite dishes forever, you should consider in detail how to make a cold smoked smokehouse - a device that can turn any product into a culinary masterpiece in the shortest possible time. Therefore, to begin with, it would be more correct to understand the operating principle of this equipment.

General concept of smoking

The smoking process itself is a kind of heat treatment of food through smoke coming from smoldering wood particles. As a result, the product is imbued with a specific and beloved aroma, partially loses some of its moisture, and the shelf life increases.

There are two types of smoking: cold and hot. In the first case, smoke treatment is performed at a temperature of 20-25 °C for several days. Hot smoking involves the use of a combustion product with a temperature from 45 to 120 °C, and the product will be ready within a few hours.

It is worth noting that food prepared according to the first principle is stored much longer. However, it is more difficult to make a mechanism such as a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands. But first, you should consider the rules according to which you should prepare food directly for processing with smoke.

Preparing products for smoking

This matter must be approached with special responsibility. Meat or fish used for smoking must be rubbed with salt in advance and left in this state for 5 days. If the product is completely defrosted, it will take longer.

The main purpose of salt is to destroy any harmful bacteria. The loss of moisture caused by such treatment will invariably entail the death of all microorganisms. To get rid of excessive amounts of salt, after the required period has passed, the product should be soaked in water for several hours.

Next, the future smoked dish needs to be properly dried, for which it needs to be blotted with a cloth and left in a dry and well-ventilated room. It is important to ensure that there are no insects, especially flies. And after such processing, you can proceed directly to smoking.

The difference between hot smoking and cold smoking

As mentioned above, these two food processing technologies differ in the temperature at which the process is performed. Moreover, their difference is quite significant: the parameter for cold smoking should not exceed 350 °C, while the hot version allows values reaching 950 °C. Such a large run-up significantly affects the result of the process and is the main criterion when preparing a dish.

As a result, hot and cold smoked smokehouses are similar mechanisms, but the difference is still obvious, which, however, does not in the least prevent them from efficiently performing the tasks assigned to them.

High temperature has a special effect on cooking. With this method of processing, food is not only smoked, but also baked at the same time. Moreover, this option is distinguished by its speed, as it takes only a few hours. However, the shelf life will be significantly shorter compared to food prepared using cold smoking technology - only a few days in a cold place.

Despite the speed of work, more serious attention should be paid to the design using cold technology, since this method of food processing is more common and has more fans than the hot method.

Optimal fuel for smoking

If we talk about what kind of fuel a homemade cold smoked smokehouse should operate on, then it is, of course, wood. Moreover, it would be more correct to use deciduous species (alder, birch, oak, aspen). The smoking process can be improved by using well-dried fruit trees such as cherries, apple trees, etc.

To give the dish a more refined aroma, you can add a small amount of juniper with berries and needles.

It is strictly not recommended to use coniferous wood (pine, spruce), which will not achieve the desired effect, but will only spoil the products, giving them an unpleasant appearance. Wet firewood should also not be used, but it should not be too dry either. If there is not enough water in the material, you should try not to allow a large flame, and the fuel itself should be slightly moistened.

The principle of a cold smoked smokehouse

It is not difficult to purchase a mechanism such as a cold smoked smokehouse, a photo of which can be found from specialists in the manufacture of this equipment. However, it is much more pleasant to make this device yourself. In addition, this will save a significant portion of financial resources and relieve owners from worrying about a potentially low-quality product.

The design of a cold-smoked smokehouse is completely different from a model that operates on a hot principle. The main task of this equipment is to process food with cold smoke, the temperature of which varies around 30°C. If the products are very salted, then this figure should be even less.

The design of the cold smoked smokehouse is based on two chambers. In this case, the smoke is first in the first, and then, losing temperature, it goes through the pipes and enters the second, where the food is.

A homemade cold smoked smokehouse requires precise control over the temperature difference, since draft, which is the basis of cooking, directly depends on this parameter. The length of the chimney should be approximately 10 m; this is the distance required for the combustion product to cool properly. To ensure smooth cooling, it is also recommended to use special fans or collectors.

Necessary materials for making a cold smoked smokehouse

Many consumers often wonder whether it is possible to make a device such as a cold smoked smokehouse with their own hands. The answer here is clear: it is absolutely possible, but first of all you should stock up on a certain set of tools and materials required for this work. So, their list is as follows:

sheet of tin;
barrel made of metal;
mesh made of the same material;
lattice;
a number of bolts and nuts as fasteners;
a piece of material such as burlap;
shovel.

Getting this very small set of necessary equipment will not be difficult, and if you have all the above materials, you can start assembling.

The process of making a cold smoked smokehouse

In order to properly construct this mechanism, you must first familiarize yourself with the installation diagram. Thus, the drawing of a cold smoked smokehouse provides for a clear location of all the component parts of the device and does not allow independent changes in their place, otherwise the entire design may simply not work out.

You need to start work by digging a hole for the firebox with parameters of 50x50 cm and laying a sheet of tin on its bottom. This is done to ensure that the fuel (sawdust, chips and branches) burns more evenly.

Then you need to start installing the chimney for the smokehouse. Externally, it should look like a small trench approximately 25 cm wide and about 2 m long. Next, the resulting recess must be covered with any non-flammable material (for example, slate) and sprinkled with earth on top so that the resulting structure is airtight. In order to completely protect yourself from any loss of smoke, you can line the walls of the trench with brick - this will strengthen the system and prevent heat from escaping.

After installing the chimney, you need to proceed to installing the smoking chamber. The simplest option for its construction would be an ordinary metal barrel. Its bottom needs to be disconnected, and in its place a special strong mesh should be fixed and covered with burlap. A cold-smoked smokehouse, designed with your own hands according to this principle, will filter soot much better. A tight grate that can support the filter must be attached to the bottom of the barrel.

The smokehouse structure is completed by securing the metal grate with bolts approximately 20 cm from the edge of the structure. The products intended for cooking will be placed on this element. If you want, instead of a grate, you can use rods with hooks on which you can hang, for example, fish.

Home cold smoked smokehouses created according to this principle will allow you to appreciate all their functionality and will not leave any owner indifferent.

Smoke generator device for cold smoked smokehouse

As it becomes clear, it is absolutely possible to make such a device as a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands. However, for this it is important to correctly calculate all the nuances of this work and pay special attention to such an element of the mechanism as a smoke generator. For a cold smoked smokehouse, its design is not so simple compared to models operating on a hot principle, but the main advantage of this part is ensuring a long shelf life of products and high quality of their preparation.

The complexity of installing this element is due to the fact that the smoke produced during operation must be well cooled. That is why all samples must have a special system for reducing the temperature of the combustion product obtained during operation.

It is also impossible not to mention that such a food processing process can sometimes take a long time (up to several weeks). And since it is very problematic to control the intensity of the fire all this time, you can use electric heating elements specially designed for this, which are regularly used in such a design as an automatic cold-smoked smokehouse. They greatly simplify the entire process and allow you to save yourself from the need to constantly monitor the operation of the equipment.

Semi-hot smoking as an alternative to cold smoking

When deciding how to make a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands, you can try your hand at an alternative option. The semi-hot processing method is almost identical, but the requirements for the equipment design are less stringent.

Thus, the maximum smoke temperature should not exceed 60 °C. If the pipe is not too long, the draft will be much better, and the food will need to be kept in salt not for several days, but only for a day.

In addition, the smoking period using this principle is also reduced (about 24 hours).

This type of equipment has gained great popularity among fishermen and hunters, since all provisions can be stored for a very long time. At the same time, it is not at all prohibited to experiment with the temperature of the smoke in order to achieve the most pleasant taste.

Rules for storing smoked products

Not only the preparation, but also the storage of products processed in this way should be approached with special attention. Thus, hot smoking allows you to keep food exclusively in the refrigerator for no more than 4 days, since such food is intended for quick consumption. To increase storage time, the product can be wrapped in a cloth pre-soaked in a saline solution, and then also in a sheet of thick parchment paper, which will better preserve the pleasant smell of the dish.

With cold smoking, the situation is different: food can be stored for six months, and if well treated with salt, even longer. The equipment used in production helps to process products with smoke efficiently and evenly, which further increases their shelf life.

Food prepared in a self-assembled smokehouse must be cooled, and then placed in a dark and dry room with good ventilation, for example, in the attic. In such conditions (under a roof), the shelf life of products can reach from 2 to 3 years.

It is strictly not recommended to keep food processed by smoking in rooms with high humidity, since such a microclimate is a favorable environment for the formation of mold. The main sign of food spoilage is the appearance of a white coating with an unpleasant odor. If such mold is detected, the food must be thoroughly washed with brine, cleaned of any fungus that has appeared and smoked again. But it is important to remember here: each subsequent treatment of the product with smoke dries it out even more, making it tougher.

It is strictly forbidden to eat smoked food with a musty and extremely unpleasant odor. Often, spoilage of such products begins in the middle, so in order to ensure the quality of the finished dish, you should pierce it with a knife or a wooden stick and smell it.

If you follow all the installation and storage rules described above, the cold smoked smokehouse, a photo of which you could see in the article, will last a long time and reliably and will allow its owners to regularly enjoy real culinary masterpieces.

Trade provides a wide selection of smoked products. But only home smoking in hot or cold form can give them a truly original aroma and taste that fully meets individual needs.

Your own cold-smoked smokehouse will differ from a similar home device that uses hot smoke only in the distance separating the chamber in which the smoking process takes place from the hearth with smoldering fuel.

Important! With any method, smoking over an open flame is not allowed.

Design and principle of operation of the smokehouse

The simplest smokehouse, like, indeed, any other, Among the elements of its design, it must have a hearth, a chamber in a sealed housing, equipped with hooks or a grid for hanging (laying out) products prepared for processing, a device for collecting fat inevitably released during the technological process.

Schematically, your own stationary smokehouse can be depicted as follows.

It is also possible for the stove to play the role of the hearth. In this case, the smoking chamber must be installed above the level of the chimney lining.

Choosing a location for the smokehouse

The main requirement for the location of the smokehouse – Fire safety. A long smoking process will inevitably be accompanied by a persistent smell, which neighbors in the area will not necessarily like - this is worth taking into account. The structure should not be a dissonance for the holistic aesthetics of the external appearance of a summer cottage or household plot.

Important! It is advisable to have a water tap nearby.

Required tools and materials

Determining the content of the material and technical base that will be needed for the construction of a home (country) smokehouse is preceded by the choice of its intended design. The reverse order is also possible: the type of structure will be determined by the availability of actually available tools and materials.

In any case, the owner cannot do without a shovel, a metal cutting tool (preferably electric), a drill, or a fairly heavy hammer. In some cases, welding may be necessary. The presence of water, sand, cement, bricks (stone rubble), iron and iron products (hooks, rods) is required.

Making a smokehouse with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

Anyone can make a smokehouse in their country house. It is not that difficult, and there are now many recommendations on this topic.

Making a smoking chamber from a barrel

A barrel with a volume of up to 200 liters with a pre-cut top lid, properly cleaned and washed, would be preferable. Further steps are given in their sequence.

Important! A cold smoked smokehouse should not have a lid..

The result of the production process carried out in this way is clearly visible in the drawings of the smokehouse, the chamber of which is made of a barrel.

Making a smoking chamber from sheet iron

You can make a cylindrical chamber from sheets of iron - then you will again get a simple smokehouse from the same barrel, made with your own hands with great effort.

Therefore, the use of sheet iron involves searching for the most convenient form of smokehouse for placement in the country. For many, an iron cube without a top side with welded seams looks optimal.

Making a smoking chamber from brick

If home smoking has become an integral part of your life, then a barrel or just an iron chamber for a country smokehouse may not be enough. What to do in this case and make a home smokehouse with your own hands more fundamental will be suggested by a widely used building material - brick.

The brickwork is supported by a mortar of sand and clay, and the bottom of a more solid structure can again be made from the lid of a barrel or from another material suitable for such loads.

Did you know? The principle of equipping the smoking chamber is standard when using any materials.

Chimney installation

Chimney parameters are defined simply: its depth is equal to the bayonet of a shovel, and its width corresponds to its width. Smoke should not seep to the surface. Therefore, the dug chimney must be very carefully covered with slate or sheets of iron. From above, the underground structure is covered with a layer of earth.

Smoke generator (furnace) device

The classic firebox (hearth) in the overall design of smoking equipment does not require any special technical tricks in its design. However, craftsmen from the people are, as a rule, impatient to receive the result of their efforts faster than tradition provides.

Without paying attention to the factory-made smoke generators that can be purchased at the store, home inventors have created many of their own devices for producing large quantities of smoke and then feeding it into the smoking chamber.

When creating a smoke generator with your own hands, a home craftsman can start from the materials and parts that he has at hand. A can or pan is quite suitable for the body; any heat-resistant pipe is suitable for the chimney.

The essence of food preparation is the treatment with chemicals during the sublimation of wood under conditions of lack of oxygen. The colloquial name is smoking. Happens:

Hot. Food is exposed to smoke with a temperature of 70-150°C. The process is characterized by accelerated preparation of products (40-180 minutes). Stored at room temperature for no more than 1-3 days.

Cold. Treatment is carried out with smoke cooled to 20-30°C. Preparation time ranges from several hours to several days. The product acquires a subtle smoky aroma and exquisite taste. The shelf life reaches several weeks.

Mixed. Flue gas temperature 40-80°C. Processing within 4-10 hours. Shelf life 3-7 days.

After heat treatment, products acquire a number of properties:

soaked in aromatic substances that give food a unique aroma and taste;
acquire a long shelf life due to the preservative properties of flue gases (bacteriostatic effect).

The most delicious and long-lasting products are those that have been processed in a homemade cold-smoked smokehouse.

From simple to complex

A cold-smoked smokehouse, made with your own hands, can represent the simplest structures assembled from improvised means. Or display folk art devices that can compete with industrial models.

The most important difference from other types of smoke exposure is the temperature of the gases. A homemade smokehouse must include a device that reduces the heat component. Scheme of cold and hot smoking:

It can be seen that the design of cold smoke generation includes an elongated channel (chimney). Moving through the pipe, gases lose part of their thermal energy. Accordingly, the temperature decreases. This effect is included in most homemade cold smoked smokehouses.

It can be seen that the cold smoked smokehouse, made by hand, includes three main components:

smoke source (smoke generator);
smoke channel (chimney);
container for food.

Hastily

How to make a cold smoked smokehouse with limited materials:

on a hike;
an outing into nature (forest, river, lake);
at the camp site;
garden plot, etc.

One option is a simple cold smoked smokehouse based on rods and plastic film. It is not difficult to build such a structure. The main thing is to ensure a decrease in the temperature of the gases from the coals.

The design is based on the principle of a tent, wigwam, tent.

The power frame is made of poles. A plastic film is thrown over the top. Fish (meat, chicken, game) is fastened with twines. The heat source is coal obtained from a previously built fire. Smoke - damp brushwood and branches with green foliage (but not grass).

The coals may be in a bucket or fireplace. The latter is performed in the ground in the form of a hole with an embankment. The advantages are obvious:

there is no need for special building material. The only imported item is plastic film;
extreme simplicity of design;
speed of installation;
the ability to visually observe the processing process.

The disadvantage is constant monitoring of the outbreak. Open flames are not allowed, otherwise the entire structure will burn; the process can turn from cold to hot. The need to provide coals and green branches during the entire cooking time. However, there is always a person in the company who happily devotes himself to the process of making a smokehouse for cold smoking with his own hands.

A more complicated option is to make a chimney. This is possible if there is a slope. The length of the ditch will be 1.5-2 meters. Depth 30-50 cm. The trench is covered with branches with foliage, spruce branches of pine or spruce. The earth is thrown on top and covered with film. The advantage is the freeing up of time due to the reduction in constant monitoring.

This cold smoking design is very convenient for cooking fish caught in the nearest body of water. Cooking time is reduced, but not at the expense of taste and quality. The finished product can be stored for several days.

More complex designs will require imported dimensional parts. This will already be a home smokehouse.

Stationary samples of smokehouses

Making a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands near your home is an opportunity to diversify the diet of your household, treat your guests to a delicious delicacy, and prepare food for future use. Having your own farmstead with poultry and keeping beef cattle means creating a mini-workshop for processing and further selling a variety of smoked meats on the collective farm market.

The design of the future smokehouse depends on the tasks set - how to make a smokehouse of a certain size for food processing. This can be a simple device assembled from ready-made components and parts. Or a more complex unit using electricity, an electronic control unit. In any case, you will need the following skills:

take measurements;
draw up or read drawings;
own metalworking tools and welding equipment;
Knowledge of electrical engineering will be required.

Material at hand

The design is implemented according to the diagram shown in the figure:

The most accessible parts are a 200-liter steel barrel, the body of an old refrigerator, an iron cabinet for tools or clothes. For the chimney, metal pipes with an internal diameter of at least 100 mm are used:

sewer;
pressure conduit;
ventilation duct made of tin;
flexible corrugated pipe for a chimney from a fireplace or stove.

A fire pit located in a small pit is suitable as a smoke generator. The top is closed with a lid. More difficult is the use of a metal furnace with separate chambers. One serves as a source of heat, the other contains sawdust to produce smoke.

Important points during design and installation:

The cold smokehouse must be located at a distance from wood or other flammable materials;
take into account the wind rose; the air flow should not clog the fire in the hearth or direct smoke towards residential or outbuildings with pets;
it is necessary to ensure the slope of the chimney to create draft;
Protect the location of the chimney and stove to avoid burns by curious children or adults.

The length of the pipe or trench under the chimney is 2-5 meters. This size determines the cooling intensity and draft. In winter or autumn-spring, problems with lowering the temperature of flue gases will not arise due to the significant difference between the environment and the heat flow.

More difficult in hot weather. Let us remind you that the effect of cold smoking appears at 20-30°C. Warming up the air to 30-35°C can completely drown out the draft. Flue gases will not acquire the required thermal background.

Making a smokehouse with your own hands for cold smoking begins with completing a preliminary design, preparing the initial components and parts. Next comes the determination of the location on the site. The connection of components and parts is made based on local conditions - by welding, soldering, threaded fasteners or caulking.

Examples of products created by the thoughts of folk craftsmen are presented:

Construction products for smoking

The installation of a smokehouse on your own site can be a stationary outbuilding made of metal, brick or wood. Hence, a home cold smoked smokehouse, assembled with your own hands, should be located in a place where smoke will not reach the home and annoy pets.

Examples of folk art:

In addition to the solidity and substantial volumes, the difference between the designs and simple devices is the presence of a chronometer that counts the time from loading to unloading the finished product. A more advanced version is equipped with an electronic control unit:

time is counted down;
a sound signal is given indicating the end of the process;
temperature control is carried out inside the product;
a general analysis of gas formation is carried out.

A self-built unit is an opportunity to realize your entrepreneurial spirit:

But for this it is necessary to solve a number of problems. The main ones are cooling the flue gases in hot weather and creating a constant flow inside the smokehouse.

The idea of reducing temperature is shown in the figure:

From the picture you can see that the design resembles a moonshine still. But it is not the “primary fluid” that is cooled, but the flue gas. In practice, the scheme is implemented in several ways.

Cooling with water. To do this, the pipe (or part) is immersed in a bath filled with liquid from a well or borehole.

Air cooling. The flue gas is partially mixed with air from the compressor (the temperature decreases as it expands).

In any case, forced ventilation will be required. The diagram is presented:

In practice, this is connecting an aquarium pump, or a fan from a kitchen hood, or ventilation for a bathroom:

You can make a smokehouse with your own hands based on industrial designs. But for this you will need knowledge of welding:

This design will be able to implement the principle of hot and cold smoking:

An additional (or main) function is cooking meat: kebabs, steaks, chicken, etc.

Preparation of products

Unlike hot smoking, food products subjected to cold smoke processing must first be prepared:

pickle;
marinate;
keep in a closed container with fragrant seasonings.

After salting, the semi-finished product must be cleaned of salt and washed thoroughly in cold water. It is possible that such an operation will be needed to remove excess marinade (initially a lot of vinegar was added).

The salting-marination operation has the function of bacteriological treatment. When exposed to salt, the outer flesh dehydrates. Bacteria in such an environment stop developing. But meat cannot be kept in brine. Otherwise, it will lose a lot of moisture and become tough.

Complex products - sausages, as well as fish, longer than 30-40 cm should be secured with twine based on natural materials (hemp, flax). This method will allow the sausage products to retain their shape. The fish will not fall apart.

A cold smoked smokehouse, designed with your own hands, is a source of pride for the master. A properly prepared product will bring double pleasure.

There are many options for expressing your creative thoughts. Even simple designs can successfully give food an unforgettable subtle taste.

The process of cold smoking is different in that the products are exposed to cold smoke, the temperature of which does not exceed twenty-five degrees. Therefore, all drawings of a cold smoked smokehouse take into account the location of the firebox at some distance. While the smoke goes through the pipe and rises in the smoking chamber, it cools and is freed from soot and harmful impurities.

Do-it-yourself cold smoked brick smokehouse. Step-by-step instruction

Before starting construction directly, you need to do drawing cold smoked smokehouse and mark the location of all its components on the site. The combustion chamber must be no less than two and a half meters. It is better to choose a place with a slope, so that the smoking chamber itself is located on a hill, and the firebox is located on a slope.

Cold smoked smokehouse. Operating principle

The most solid and reliable design is a cold smoked smokehouse made of brick. To build it correctly, you need to take several points into account. The step-by-step instructions for building a cold smoked smokehouse cover all the details of the process.

. Stage one - laying the foundation

At the place where it will be located smoking chamber, soil is selected. The depth of the pit should be sixty centimeters. Formwork is installed in it, rising twenty-five centimeters above the edges. The space is reinforced, placed in the center ten liter bucket to create a recess after pouring the concrete solution. At this point, smoke will come out of the chimney. Before pouring, it is necessary to lay a pipe that will supply smoke. When all the necessary elements are placed, the foundation space is filled with concrete mortar.

. Stage two - erection of walls

For the walls of such a smokehouse it is used building brick or concrete blocks. The specific design of a cold smoked smokehouse depends on the personal wishes of the owner. It can be very small for a minimum amount of products or spacious. You can install a window in it, but it should be small. Since the sun's rays are harmful to smoked products, it should face the north side or be located so that the light does not fall on the area where the smoked products are placed.

. Stage three - roof arrangement

The most economical, easy to install and convenient option is soft roof. To create it, a rafter system is constructed from a small cross-section of timber. Sheet material, for example, moisture-resistant plywood or OSB boards, is laid on the rafters. The elements of flexible tiles are already mounted on a flat base.

. Stage four - arrangement of the firebox

The firebox can be made of brick or used as such metal stove. If brick is used, then you need to take fireproof fireclay. You also need a fireproof pipe that will remove smoke from the firebox to the smoking chamber. The diameter of the pipe must be large enough so that the smoke flows slowly, cools and is freed from soot particles.

. Stage five - interior arrangement

The interior of the smokehouse is very simple. Installed above the smoke exit hole gratings and are hung hooks.

After this, the cold smoked brick smokehouse can be used.

DIY cold smoked smokehouse. Photo

The terrain of the site with slopes and terraces simplifies the installation of a cold smoked smokehouse. The presence of a terrace allows you not to deepen the firebox into the ground. It can simply be placed on the lower tier, and a smoking chamber can be installed on the upper tier. As a result, the amount of work is reduced, the smokehouse is built faster, with less labor and time.

Step-by-step instructions for building a cold smoked smokehouse. Video

DIY cold smoked smokehouse made of wood. Step by step photos

To make a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands, it is not at all necessary to use brick. Wood is also excellent for this purpose. Step-by-step instructions for building a cold-smoked smokehouse from natural wood will help in construction.

1. They dig up the site trench for pipes, smoking and combustion chambers. The depth of the trench should be from one and a half to two spade bayonets. The part intended for the pipe is located slightly higher than the smokehouse pit.

DIY cold smoked smokehouse. Photo

2. Pit for smoking chamber dig two or three shovels deep. When it gets into it, the smoke is slightly delayed. At this time, large particles of soot fall out of it, i.e. the smoke clears. After that, it rises into the smoking chamber.

3. The fire pit is filled cement to create a reliable floor. Such a level base is necessary so that the combustion chamber made of brick does not subsequently collapse due to natural soil movements.

4. Place in the chimney trench pipe. Its diameter must be sufficient for the smoke to pass freely to the smoking chamber, cooling along the way.

5. Posted combustion chamber. To do this, take refractory bricks, from which the walls of the firebox and its upper part are made.

6. Attach a cast iron door to the firebox, which closes securely. This will force the smoke to take a longer path through the chimney and prevent it from being lost.

Step-by-step instructions for building a cold smoked smokehouse. Photo

7. For a cold-smoked smokehouse made of wood, a base. To do this, the walls of the recess under it are laid with building bricks and they are brought to a certain height above the ground. The wooden part of the structure will then be installed directly on such a brick base.

8. The trench with the chimney pipe is covered with earth and thoroughly compacted. Earth is needed for better cooling of the chimney and smoke. Wet soil conducts heat better than air.

9. Create a wooden smoking chamber:

To make a cold smoked smokehouse from wood, use wooden blocks. It is advisable to take material from hardwood. The base of the future chamber is assembled from the bars.

DIY cold smoked smokehouse. Photo

Smooth planks are placed on the base. They should fit as tightly as possible to each other so that smoke does not escape through the cracks.

The roof is made single or gable. The door is attached to the front so that it fits tightly and opens easily. A latch will help prevent spontaneous opening.

A hole is left in the roof for the pipe and it is installed there. The pipe should be of small diameter so that the smoke does not escape too quickly.

The first kindling will help check the correct operation of all parts.

Smokehouse from a barrel

If all the previous options seem complicated and expensive, then you should pay attention to a cold smoked smokehouse from a barrel. The basis of the design will be a barrel made of wood or other material. The only exception is plastic. The bottom of the container is removed so that the smoke can pass through.

To make a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands, you need to dig two holes in the ground for the firebox and smoking chamber, as well as a trench connecting them. The firebox should be about fifty centimeters in diameter and about forty centimeters deep. The bottom is covered with a sheet gland. The walls can be reinforced with brick, but the firebox will function even without it.

Pit under smoking chamber They dig out of the barrel at a distance of about three meters. The diameter should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the base of the barrel, and the depth should be about forty centimeters.

The pits connect trench, which will be used to hold the smoke. The depth of the trench should be about thirty centimeters. The finished trench is covered with metal sheets, covered with earth and compacted. It is not necessary to use a pipe, but it is better to compact the walls of the trench so that they do not crumble over time.

Attached to the bottom of the barrel metal grate. It will be covered with smoke filtering material, such as straw or burlap. Filter materials are moistened so that they better clean the smoke from large particles of combustion products. This layer makes the smoke lighter, thinner, and free of soot. In addition, the grate will not allow food to fall into the depths of the pit.

Install at the top of the barrel rods, on which the meat hooks will be attached. You can install and grille for product placement.

The resulting cold smoked barrel smokehouse is covered with burlap, a wooden shield or similar material. The smokehouse is ready and can be used for its intended purpose.

To prevent smoke from getting lost and coming out from underneath the barrel, its base is covered with earth. This soil around the base is carefully compacted.

Cold smoked smokehouse from an old refrigerator

In almost every household you can find an old refrigerator that has long since broken down. In order not to increase the amount of garbage, it, or rather the body, can be used to make a smokehouse.

Building a cold smoked smokehouse from an old refrigerator is not at all difficult. To do this you will need to take refrigerator body(the insides are dismantled), a pipe about four meters long, heat-resistant bricks for arranging the firebox and an iron lid for it.

The firebox is installed below the level of the smoking chamber. It is better to use a site that has a slope for convenient placement. For the firebox, a hole is dug and laid out heat-resistant brick. If the farm has a metal container of sufficient volume, then you can dig it in. It is closed on top with a metal lid so that the smoke goes into the chimney.

The next element of a cold smoked smokehouse from an old refrigerator is pipe for smoke removal. It should be quite long so that the smoke passing through it has time to cool. In addition, it is recommended to bury the pipe underground. Surrounded by damp earth, it will cool down better and cool the smoke to the desired temperature.

The pipe entry into the refrigerator body can be done in two ways. In the first case, the connection is made to existing holes, which served to accommodate the main working parts of the refrigerator. In this case, the entrance can be either at the top or at the bottom. The specific option depends on the refrigerator model.

Second way - pipe insertion to the bottom of the body. This requires additional work, but provides the most optimal smoke flow. It will flow from the bottom to the top and will provide the best results as more smoke will pass through the product.

Inside, the refrigerator body is equipped with all the necessary devices for storing food. Lattice shelves or hooks are used to allow meat or fish to be hung.

Finally, the homemade smokehouse should be equipped chimney for smoke outflow. But it will only be needed if the seal on the door is still quite effective and does not create cracks. In most cases, the seal on an old refrigerator leaves small gaps through which smoke escapes.

This option for disposing of an old refrigerator can be considered the most optimal, because... it will still serve usefully.

Home cold smoked smokehouse "Dym Dymych"

If, looking at the drawings of a cold smoked smokehouse, you understand that they are not suitable for a small garden plot, then you should turn your attention to a home smokehouse Smoke Dymych.

This household smokehouse is made from cold-rolled steel sheet, the thickness of which is eight tenths of a millimeter. The smoking container has a volume of thirty-two liters. The kit includes a smoke generator and compressor. Smoke enters the smoking chamber through a flexible hose.

IN smoke generator The smokehouse is filled with wood chips. There smoke is released, which is sent to the smoking container. The smoke supply is regulated using an electric compressor. Through a hose, the length of which is seventy-four centimeters, the smoke passes to the stored products. Smoking times depend on several factors. Firstly, they depend on the weight and volume of the products, and secondly, on the activity of the smoke treatment. The result is time frames ranging from five hours to fifteen.

Such a smokehouse has several advantages. It is compact and can be stored anywhere when not in use. You can use the device not only in a suburban area, but also in the city, for example, on a balcony or near your home. Smokehouse Dym Dymych is sold in a form that is completely ready for use. It does not require pre-assembly or manufacturing in-house.

With the help of a smokehouse, delicious smoked products can be easily and relatively quickly produced. Prolonged treatment with cold smoke creates an environment unfavorable for bacteria. As a result, the product not only gets a unique taste, but is also stored much longer.

From the presented variety of devices for cold smoking, everyone can choose the best option for themselves. If you don’t want to build a smokehouse yourself, and the cooking volumes are small, then the last option is suitable. If you want to make a special, your own smokehouse or save money, then you can choose any of the options, made by yourself.

It is also worth mentioning that products must be prepared before smoking. They are pre-salted according to a certain scheme. If this is not done, then real smoked meats will not turn out from them.

Smoked fish or meat are products loved by many. Of course, this food is considered a gastronomic time bomb, as it is harmful in almost every sense. But treating yourself to a smoked delicacy from time to time is not a sin.

Smoked beef, lard, and any type of fish go well. To diversify your diet at a picnic, you can buy a ready-made dish at your own risk, or you can prepare this delicious treat yourself if you build a high-quality cold-smoked smokehouse with your own hands in your dacha or garden.

Types of smoking

What is smoking? It is a slow cooking process by simmering the raw food in the smoke that comes from smoldering wood. Thus, meat or fish does not overheat and is not exposed to open fire or high temperatures in general. Many chefs are sure that the correct choice of smoldering wood species is extremely important for imparting a particular flavor to a dish.

There are three options for cooking in a smokehouse:

Hot is the fastest way to cook the product. Meat or fish without excess fat is suspended over a source of open fire, exposed to smoke heated to 80-140 degrees. The temperature depends on the type of product being prepared.
Semi-hot. In this embodiment, the smoke is cooled using a short pipe. At the same time, the temperature of the smoke drops to 50-60 degrees. Cooking in this case takes about a day.
Cold is a variation of curing meat or fish. The raw product is cooked in smoke, which cools to 15-40 degrees. To cool the combustion waste stream to such a temperature, a special structure is constructed: a small trench is dug or a long pipe is laid between the hung products and smoldering wood. This method takes more time - at least several days, but the shelf life of the finished product increases significantly.

The smokehouse is intended not only for cooking meat or fish products, but also dairy products, as well as vegetables and fruits, which at the same time acquire new flavor notes. There are many ways to carry out the cooking process in a smokehouse.

Construction of a typical smokehouse

Thus, the design of the smoking unit will depend on the chosen method of preparing smoked meat or fish. If you want to do it, you can’t expect any difficulties - it’s quite possible to construct a decent smokehouse from any available metal object, even from an old rusty bucket. In the same case, if you decide to prepare the dish using the cold smoking method, building a smokehouse with your own hands will be somewhat more difficult. You will have to spend a little more time disassembling the device, planning and constructing the smokehouse itself. But this task is not impossible.

Like any cooking device, The cold-type smokehouse can be made in two versions:

Stationary, in which it is necessary to build an effective chimney of sufficient length that will cool the smoke to the desired temperature. But moving the product being prepared away from the flame is not enough - you need to correctly direct the smoke emanating from the firewood, which requires a good draft force. Accordingly, the chimney must have sufficient height. The type of chimney can be any: it can be built from brick, galvanized or stainless steel pipes - it all depends mostly on aesthetic preferences. Only asbestos and polymer chimneys should not be used, as they can impregnate food with toxic emissions.
Mobile option The smoking unit does not require the construction of a chimney. In this case, the transportation of smoke will be carried out by a dug ditch of sufficient depth, width and slope.

Fixed smokehouse design technology

In order to get a high-quality and durable cold-smoked smokehouse that will stand motionless on your summer cottage, You will need very few materials: several sheets of slate, durable brick, a chamber for the prepared dish (a bucket, barrel or tank, depending on the planned volume of cooking - the smokehouse can have a container made of steel or wood), as well as a metal grate.

The process of building a smokehouse with your own hands occurs in several stages:

Construction of a mobile smokehouse

To build a camping version of a smokehouse, you will need a sufficient amount of dense polyethylene film, as well as a lot of any available material: fresh tree branches, good boards, twigs. Of course, a mobile smokehouse can only be built with your own hands.

Construction of a smokehouse takes place in four simple steps:

At the resting place, a suitable area is selected: a gentle slope or the shore of a reservoir. The side to which the surface of the earth is facing should be windward so that the smoke does not fly away where it should not. As in the stationary version, a straight ditch of the same size is dug - 3 m long, 50 cm deep, the width does not matter. The ditch can slope towards the horizon, but the angle should not exceed 60 degrees.
The ditch is covered with found branches and boards and covered with earth and turf. A fire is built at the lower end of the ditch, and a smoking chamber is installed at the upper end.
In this case, assembling a solid container for cold smoking is not required; a regular frame made of boards, which should be covered with polyethylene, will do. An exhaust slit is cut at the top.
The prepared meat and fish are hung in the resulting improvised chamber. For the cooking process to begin, the lighted fire must burn out, leaving only heated smoldering coals. After all the flames have disappeared, the pit is covered with thick fabric, leaving a gap to provide traction. The width of this gap is selected so that the coals smolder well, but do not flare up.

Assembling a smoking chamber from wood

So, a cold smoked smokehouse consists of three main elements: a heat source, a chimney and a smoking chamber. And if the first two elements in any unit are similar, then when constructing the third, you can let your imagination run wild. A good option would be to construct a camera from wood with your own hands, as it is quite simple, environmentally friendly and aesthetically attractive. With high-quality assembly and decent wood processing, such a smokehouse will last a very long time.