A lot of people are very positive about smoked food. Most do not trust store products. Another thing is if the food is prepared with your own hands, then there will be complete confidence in the quality and all the preferences of the household will be taken into account.
Creating your own smokehouse is not a big deal. Skillful hands can come up with a ton of manufacturing options for their device without significant investment. For those who are not familiar with smoking technology, it is proposed to delve into these instructions and try to build a smokehouse on their own. For these purposes, often use old household appliances. One of the most popular is a refrigerator.
Cold smoked
A real smokehouse from the refrigerator can be obtained from the old unit, the times of the USSR. For example, a device of the well-known Dnepr brand will serve as an ideal option for the master. Refrigerators with a long experience are considered the most suitable for a smokehouse because their case is completely metal. Most modern models are made of plastic, including shelves. Let the new refrigerator continue to serve its primary function. And with the old one you can experiment.
Ideal for a smokehouse
A few steps to the appearance of amazingly delicious products by cold smoking:
- The choice of place has an important role. If the site allows, it is best to place the future smokehouse on a small slope. Take up to 2-3 meters under the entire structure. Another advantage in placement will be the non-blown side. In the summer, there is wind or not - it does not matter. In winter, this criterion plays a special role.
- Preparation of the refrigerator - all non-metal parts are removed, frion is pumped out. In places where holes have formed in the body, strips of tape are molded. A magnetic rubber sealant is recommended to be left in place.
Get rid of unnecessary details
- The exact location of the future smokehouse is determined - it should be at the highest point of the selected piece of land.
- Preparatory stage - two holes are cut from above and below, under the chimneys. The diameter of the hole depends on the prepared pipes. In this case, it is more rational to use a pipe about 10 cm in diameter.
- Pipe arrangement - the pipe inserted from below is laid according to the level of the slope. For this stage, a shallow trench is dug, where material will subsequently be laid. After laying the chimney, the recess is covered with earth, which will give a cooling effect for smoke. The second pipe is inserted from above - this hood is useful at the stage of kindling, after laying out the products, it closes.
Pipe placement
- Firebox construction - a hole is dug at the end of a pipe dug in the ground. Its walls are laid out with bricks. In the future, chips will melt here. Coals will be kindled below, and the firebox will be closed with a metal sheet. On top of it will be located fragrant chips.
- Product placement - meat or fish has the most convenient way. They can be placed on old metal shelves. If they have been lost or broken, there is an alternative to horizontal placement. It is proposed to arrange the product vertically, hanging on ropes or hooks.
- Starting the process - melt the contents of the furnace. How many hours smoldering lasts depends on the recipe you choose.The process is not fast, but the result is worth the wait.
Cold smoked smokehouse in action
The resulting products are saturated with the amazing smell of smoke. They have an exquisite taste and are perfectly stored. Their preparation is delayed for a long time, because the cold method of smoking can be replaced by a faster way - hot smoking.
Hot smoked
Hot-smoked products are also not difficult, but more expensive. If the craftsman has a large supply of various parts and unnecessary burners, then for him this method is very simple.
The first thing you should pay attention to is that a smoke generator is required for hot smoking. This device is easily embodied from improvised means. Why take an old frying pan with thick walls and a lid. Holes are pierced in the bottom. An armored hose crashes through the flange through the flange. For him, it is better to use material from 0.5 to 1 m long. After it is placed in the refrigerator, crashing instead of the old compressor.
Smoke generator
Naturally, as in the first method with a cold method, all unnecessary parts are removed from the unit according to the same principle. At the bottom there is a used electroten (from an old heater) with a capacity of 1000-1200 watts. They must withstand temperatures of 60-80 degrees C. They can be replaced with a conventional electric stove.
Ten placement
In the finished smokehouse the product is placed for several hours, depending on the recipe. The sliver is placed in a generator, which, in turn, is placed on a fire or tile. The shadows are activated and the process starts. A pleasant result is obtained in a matter of hours.
Home smokehouse
When you want to smoke your own production, but there is no summer house or private house, there is a home option for using a homemade smokehouse.
Making a smokehouse for the home is possible by analogy with the street method. Only it will have to be placed in places with good ventilation - on the balcony or near the hood.
The temperature level will be maintained by an ordinary electric furnace of a closed and open type. For a closed ten, you will additionally need a baking sheet or a thick frying pan. In the second case, this is not necessary.
Before starting smoking, special attention should be paid to fire safety in order to exclude the possibility of an accident. Suspended products are tied with twine to prevent their deformation. Meat or fish is placed inside. A tile is installed at the bottom of the device with chips. The door closes tightly and the oven turns on. The process is started, you just have to enjoy the result.
Smokehouse in a ventilated room
The significance of wood
In the process of preparation, it is important to pay attention to the type of chips. The aroma of the product depends on the material used for smoking.
Smoked wood chips
First of all, wet sliver is used in this process. If not, dry type should be moistened. Compliance with this paragraph will eliminate the problem of smoke emission. Wet sawdust can emit the optimum level of smoke.
From deciduous trees use:
- Cherries
- apple tree;
- pear.
Other varieties of fruit and berry chips are also ideal in the preparation of smoked meats. To improve the flavor, it is allowed to replenish the furnace with juniper. If it is decided to use birch wood for smoking, it is important to get rid of the bark.
For the formation of a golden hue, trees of a red hue are always used:
- oak;
- alder.
Summer residents can use tree trimmings from their plots, which are already several years old.
Tips of experienced smokers
A few useful tips for a novice smoker:
- do not set fire to sawdust, only smoldering will lead to the expected result;
- if the lattices of the refrigerator are metal and painted with enamel, before using them instead of shelves, smokehouses burn them;
- the end of the pipe in the cold smoking method is placed at the location of the furnace, which should be below the level of the smokehouse;
- to save sawdust, in the case of a small number of products, a reflector is placed in the chamber;
- in winter, the unit is covered with fireproof sheets or cloth.
Having tried once self-cooked smoking products, you no longer want to go to the store for analogues. The device can actually be built independently and used for pleasure for years.
