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

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

• Cold. Processing is carried out with smoke cooled to 20-30 ° C. Cooking time from several hours to several days. The product acquires a delicate aroma of smoke, exquisite taste. The shelf life reaches several weeks.

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

After heat treatment, the products acquire a number of properties:

• impregnated with aromatic substances that give the 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-stored are products that have been processed on a home-made cold-smoked smokehouse.

From simple to complex

A do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse can represent the simplest designs assembled from improvised means. Or show folk art devices that can compete with industrial models.

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

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

It can be seen that a do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse includes three main components:

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

Hastily

How to make a cold smoked smokehouse under conditions of limited materials:

• on a hike;
• foray 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 wrap. It is not difficult to build such a structure. The main thing is to ensure a decrease in the temperature of gases from coals.

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

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

Embers can be in a bucket or hearth. The latter is carried out in the ground in the form of a pit with an embankment. The benefits are obvious:

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

The disadvantage is constant monitoring of the focus. Open flame is not allowed, otherwise the whole structure will burn; the process can go 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 is happy to devote 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 in the presence of 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 from above and covered with a film. The advantage is the release of time, due to the reduction of constant control.

This design of cold smoking is very convenient for cooking fish caught in the nearest reservoir. 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 overall parts. This will be a home smokehouse.

Stationary smokehouse samples

Making a cold-smoked smokehouse with your own hands near the house is an opportunity to diversify the diet of households, treat guests with a delicious delicacy and prepare food for the future. The presence of their own farmstead with poultry and the maintenance of beef cattle is the creation of a mini-workshop for the processing and further sale of various smoked meats on the collective farm market.

The design of the future smoke house depends on the tasks set - how to make a smokehouse of a certain size for processing food products. It 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 ability to:

• take measurements;
• draw or read drawings;
• own locksmith tools and welding equipment;
• knowledge of electrical engineering is required.

improvised material

The design is implemented according to the scheme 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 inner diameter of at least 100 mm are used:

• sewer collector;
• penstock;
• tin ventilation duct;
• flexible corrugated pipe for a chimney from a fireplace or stove.

As a smoke generator, a hearth under a fire, arranged in a small pit, is suitable. The top is covered 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:

• it is necessary to place a cold smokehouse at a distance from wooden or other flammable materials;
• take into account the wind rose; the air flow should not clog the fire in the hearth and direct the smoke towards residential or outbuildings with pets;
• it is required to ensure the slope of the chimney to create traction;
• protect the location of the chimney and stove to prevent burns by curious children or adults.

The length of the pipe or trench under the chimney is 2-5 meters. This size determines the intensity of cooling and traction. In the winter or autumn-spring period, there will be no problems with lowering the flue gas temperature due to a significant difference between the environment and the heat flow.

More difficult in hot weather. Recall that the effect of cold smoking appears at 20-30°C. Warming up the air to 30-35°C can completely dampen the draft. Flue gases will not acquire the desired thermal background.

Making a do-it-yourself smokehouse for cold smoking begins with the implementation of a draft design, the preparation of initial components and parts. Next, the location on the site follows. The connection of units and parts is made, based on local conditions - for welding, soldering, threaded fasteners or caulking.

Examples of products created by the thought of craftsmen are presented:

Building products for smoking

The device of a smokehouse on its own site can be a stationary outbuilding made of metal, brick or wood. Hence, a home-made cold-smoked smokehouse, assembled with one's own hands, should be located in a place where smoke will not reach housing and annoy pets.

Examples of folk art:

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

• time is counted down;
• an audible signal about the end of the process is given;
• temperature control inside the product;
• a general analysis of gas formation is carried out.

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

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

The idea of ​​lowering the temperature is shown in the figure:

The figure shows that the design resembles a moonshine still. But it is not the "pervach" that is cooled, but the flue gas. In practice, the scheme is implemented in several ways.

1. Water cooling. To do this, the pipe (or part) is immersed in a bath filled with liquid from a well or well.

1. Air cooling. The flue gas is partially mixed with air from the compressor (during expansion, the temperature decreases).

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

In practice, this is the connection of 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 need knowledge of welding:

Such a 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.

Food preparation

Unlike hot smoking, cold smoked food products must be prepared in advance:

• pickle;
• marinate;
• hold in a closed container with fragrant seasonings.

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

The operation of salting-marinating has the function of bacteriological treatment. In the process of exposure to salt, dehydration of the outer flesh occurs. Bacteria in such an environment cease to develop. But the meat can not be overexposed in brine. Otherwise, it will lose a lot of moisture, become hard.

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

A cold-smoked smokehouse, designed with your own hands, is the pride of the master. Double pleasure will be delivered by a properly prepared product.

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

Smoked meats have their own unique taste and alluring aroma. It doesn't matter if it's fish, poultry or meat delicacies. Certainly juicy, luxurious beauty products, smelling of smoke, are always a decoration of the table. They are popular during any feast. But to cook smoked ham, chicken or salmon requires not only desire, but also special equipment.

There is no shortage in the offer on the market of professional smokehouses from specialized suppliers. All of them are high-quality and reliable, of different power and excellent in volume, with a manufacturer's warranty and at a variety of prices. At the same time, you can make a smokehouse yourself, saving a lot of money.

So that the process of cooking smoked meats at home does not become a one-time action and gives pleasure, patience is required at the initial stage. In this case, the final product from a personal "fragrant workshop" can significantly surpass store-bought samples in taste. In order to start your own production of smoking masterpieces, first of all, you need a smokehouse.

First you need to clarify that there are two types of smoking: cold and hot. Cooking methods and smokehouses themselves are different. The difference is that cold smoked as well as hot smoked smokers serve the same purpose, but in different ways. The main differences are, firstly, in the cooking time, secondly, in the conditions and, thirdly, in the taste of the final product.

When smoked in a hot way, it takes from 12 hours to one day. That is why it is used when smoking at home. The temperature of the smoke with this method of smoking varies from 35 to 50 degrees. Moisture in this case practically does not evaporate from the products, being perfectly saturated with fat. The shelf life of hot smoked products is relatively short.

Cold smoking is a longer and more laborious process. Heating of products is weak, this is due to the need for a low temperature in the chamber - 18 to 25 degrees. In this regard, the smoking time can be from 2 to 3 days. Moisture with this method of smoking is removed to a greater extent from the products, and their surface dries up.

Finished products are stored much longer than products obtained by hot smoking. The taste qualities of the resulting product in the final case are very different from the samples obtained as a result of hot smoking. But the cold smoking process itself is longer and more laborious.

What is a cold smoked smoker

A cold smoker is a device in which various products are impregnated with smoke. Cold smoke of low temperature is directed towards the product. It enters the chamber during smoking evenly and continuously.

The temperature of the smoke in the smokehouse cannot exceed 25 degrees. To this end, the smokehouse has two parts: a firebox and a smoking chamber. A good distance from the oven to the chamber is considered to be at least 1.5-2 meters. They are connected by a chimney.

How the smokehouse is arranged and how it works

A smokehouse for cold smoking assumes the presence of the following components: a stove (it is also a smoke generator), a chimney (pipe or tunnel) and the smoking chamber itself. The principle of operation of the smokehouse is as follows: chips or sawdust are placed in the smoke generator. Due to the fire under them, they smolder and form smoke, which, thanks to the draft, enters the chimney.

Passing through the chimney, it cools and enters the smoking chamber. For a more complete understanding of the significance of the smoke generator, you can indicate that it is he who is responsible for the stable flow of smoke into the smoking chamber. If it works smoothly, then it remains only to put sawdust into the chamber in time.

Choice of sawdust

The main condition for smoking and choosing sawdust can be a categorical refusal to use coniferous trees. Fruit tree shavings, on the contrary, are considered the best for any smoked products. Elm, oak, walnut and beech are suitable for giving a tart taste.

An excellent option would be an apple tree, pear, cherry, apricot. You can also use sawdust of oak, alder, aspen.

When fish is smoked, willow or willow is used. At the very end of the smoking process, you can throw a sprig of juniper into the smokehouse. In the absence of sawdust prepared for smoking, it is always possible to use special briquettes and cassettes purchased at the store.

Construction of a stationary and mobile smokehouse

You will not need any specific knowledge and skills for self-construction of a cold smoked smokehouse. You need a conscious desire, a suitable place, hands capable of lifting something heavier than a TV remote control, a relatively small set of tools and materials for construction.

The first option: stationary

A cold smoked smokehouse for cooking smoked products at home requires the presence of a land plot. It is good if the site has a slope, in which case the chimney will be laid at the right angle and there will be no need to make an embankment.

A furnace (furnace) is being built in the lower part of the site. At the top is a smokehouse. A decent distance between them can be considered from 1.5 to 3-4 meters. The furnace is made of refractory bricks. It is desirable that the oven has a door.

As a floor, you can use a slab of a suitable size or bricks laid on reinforcement. It is desirable to place a sheet of iron at the bottom of the firebox. On it, the coals will smolder evenly.

The chimney is made from a pipe with a diameter of 150-200 mm recessed into the ground or a tunnel is dug and laid out with bricks. The depth of the tunnel is 30-40 cm, and the width is 25-30 cm. After that, the chimney must be closed with iron, wood or slate and covered with earth. Such care is taken to close the smoke outlet.

The smokehouse can have a size from 50x50 to 80x80 cm. But it must be borne in mind that the process of burning firewood and their quantity should be within reasonable savings. The inner side of the smokehouse is sheathed with wooden blocks. There will be no fire because the temperature of the smoke is low and the source of the fire is at a safe distance. At the bottom it is better to attach a grate on which to put the filter. It will protect the food being prepared from soot and the resulting resins.

Burlap or serpyanka is excellent as a filter. A stainless steel pipe is attached to the top of the chamber on both sides. It will contain products to be smoked. They are hung on hooks or tied to a food tourniquet.

As a safety net, you can put a metal grate at the bottom. It will not allow the product to be smoked to fall to the very bottom, in case it falls down for some reason.

When building a solid and monumental home structure, it is necessary to use professionally executed drawings of cold smoked smokehouses.

Second option: fast, mobile

Many people have no idea how to make a cold smoked smokehouse, its simpler version, in a hurry. Under certain conditions, such a need may well arise. With this simpler option, you need an iron barrel, a gas cylinder or a metal box, for example, a refrigerator, in which it is enough to use an existing smoke generator.

The smokehouse can be mobile, compact, take up little space and cost little. If necessary, it can be moved to any place on its site, and in bad weather it can be stored in a utility room.

How to cool the smoke

In the event that a higher temperature than required smoke enters the smoking chamber, it must be cooled. To do this, firstly, it is necessary to lengthen the chimney. Secondly, more pipe elbows can be installed.

You need to choose a place for a smokehouse carefully. No buildings with materials that can be highly flammable should be located.

• When building, try to use clay and sand as a mortar, but not cement.
• It is advisable to ignite the finished smokehouse well.
• The best time to start smoking is in the morning.
• Bad weather is a bad helper when smoking.
• It makes no sense to look into the smoking chamber every half hour.
• The temperature in the smoker should be within the acceptable range.
• A necessary attribute in the smokehouse is a fat tray.

The amount of money, experience and effort in the creative process of how to make a cold smoked smokehouse does not take much. With the right attitude, the whole job will take one day. At the end, you will be able to make excellent products and surprise your friends and relatives with smoked meats with an unforgettable taste.

The fact that they are made by hand will give special value to delicacies. But this may not happen if you have not yet started work.

Cold smoking is a type of cooking that allows you to get gourmet dishes with a long shelf life. There are several ways to assemble this type of structure. The simplest options involve the use of improvised means. A do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse requires a preliminary drawing and a study of the assembly steps.

In hot oil lamps, meat and fish products are subjected to heat treatment. The average temperature is around 100˚C. Food that has undergone such processing has a short shelf life, which most often does not exceed a week.

Useful information! In cold devices, products are treated with smoke. The temperature in this case does not exceed 50˚C. And the lower indicator at which such smoking can be carried out is only 30˚C.

It takes quite a long time for meat and fish to be completely saturated with smoke. Therefore, the duration of cooking products in cold-type smokehouses can reach several days.
It is important to remember that cold smoking at home requires certain rules to be followed. First of all, the preliminary pickling of provisions plays an important role. It is also worth monitoring the temperature and intensity of the smoke emitted during the smoldering of wood chips.

Smoke exposed to food must be free of carbon monoxide. In order to get such smoke, a special chimney pipe is present in the design of a cold smokehouse. It must be of sufficient length. Passing through such a tube, the harmful substances contained in the smoke settle on its walls. As a result, purified smoke enters the chamber, which penetrates the meat and fish products and contributes to their cooking.

The principle of operation of a cold smoked smoker for meat and fish

The smoking of provisions occurs due to the smoldering of wood chips. The design features of cold smoked devices contribute to this process. The principle of operation of such units is that various products are processed with smoke inside them. The temperature averages 40˚C. If necessary, you can buy a cold smoked smokehouse. To save money, you can assemble it yourself at home.

Harmful substances contained in the smoke precipitate, so the finished products have a delicate, refined taste and aroma. The elimination of carcinogens occurs due to the appearance of condensate on the walls of the chimney pipe, which binds them. It occurs due to a decrease in air temperature when the smoke moves through the tube.

In the case of using a stationary smokehouse for cold smoking, it becomes possible to regulate the smoke. All that is needed for this is to release harmful smoke from the combustion chamber. Such an operation must necessarily take place before the provisions are located in the smoke tank. The descent of smoke is carried out until it acquires the properties necessary for smoking products.

It is worth noting that the chamber in which the cold processing of meat and fish takes place must have a lid. This element is necessary to delay smoke. The device of this part must be thought out at a preliminary stage and its features should be indicated in the scheme of a cold smoked smokehouse.

Useful information! Instead of classic covers, you can use improvised means. For example, moistened burlap, which is thrown over the smoking chamber, is very popular with home craftsmen. When using it, do not forget that it dries out over time. Therefore, every two hours it is necessary to moisten the burlap.

Do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse: structural elements

All cold-type devices have a similar structure. Accordingly, the set of structural elements of these units is also the same. Smokehouses consist of the following parts:

• metal chamber;
• covers;
• reflective baffle;
• furnaces;
• chimney pipe;
• roofs;
• chimney;
• knee.

The main element of a cold smoked home smokehouse is a chamber. In it, products are processed with light smoke. And also an important component is the firebox in which the combustion of fuel (wood chips) takes place. In cold-type devices, these elements are interconnected by means of a chimney pipe. It should be long enough for the smoke to cool before entering the smoking chamber.

The tube that fits into the firebox should have a fairly large diameter. The best option is an element with a cross section of 30 cm. Such a part goes to the product tank. It is also worth noting that the do-it-yourself cold smokehouse firebox should have one more tube, which is located vertically. Its main function is to remove excess smoke from the combustion chamber. Thanks to this design, uniform processing of meat and fish products is achieved.

When assembling a homemade cold smoked smokehouse, special attention must be paid to the thrust inside the structure. It is due to it that the movement of smoke from the furnace to the food chamber occurs. If it was decided to equip such a structure in the ground, then a slope is needed to achieve the required thrust indicator. However, this method is now rarely used. This is due to the fact that you can easily purchase a smoke exhauster on the market - a device that will artificially inflate traction inside the smokehouse.

What are cold-type smokehouses: varieties

Devices in which products are processed for a long time with smoke are divided into several groups depending on the source of heating. This indicator is very important, as it determines the purpose of the unit. On this basis, designs are distinguished:

• ordinary;
• electrical.

The smoldering of chips in conventional devices occurs due to an open source of fire. In turn, cold-smoked electric smokehouses have special heating elements and operate from the mains.

Note! It is important to remember that electrical units can be small in size, which greatly increases their mobility. Therefore, if desired, they can be used in apartments.

Another indicator by which all cold devices are differentiated is versatility. Homemade do-it-yourself units are used for smoking any product. In turn, purchased oil lamps can be:

• universal;
• specialized.

The latter are used for smoking a certain type of product. Purchased universal devices are more common. In their chambers, you can smoke not only meat and fish products, but also vegetables, as well as mushrooms and cheese.

It is much more difficult to assemble a cold mini-smoker with your own hands than a hot one. This is due to the peculiarities of processing products that require a long pipe. The length of the chimney pipe in such devices must be at least 10 m.

If desired, you can make a camping-type oil lamp. This design is disposable and is used by hunters, fishermen, as well as people who went camping. To perform such a device, it is recommended to study the corresponding videos. Do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse in the soil is a simple and reliable way to get delicious dishes on the go.

The best place for such a smokehouse is a gently sloping shore. In its upper part, it is necessary to equip a smoking chamber, and dig a furnace at the bottom. They must be interconnected by a trench, which acts as a chimney.

Smokehouse for meat and fish - what you need to know when choosing fuel?

The process of cooking food, which involves the use of smoke, has its own subtleties. A very important point is the temperature inside the smokehouse. If it is not controlled, then meat, fish and other dishes can simply go bad.

Another important factor is the choice of fuel. Chips used in do-it-yourself cold smoking can be made from different tree species and, accordingly, differ in their characteristics. Depending on what fuel is used for this operation, the taste of finished products varies.

Despite the fact that wood may be different, the same requirements are put forward for it. The main one is that the chips must be dry. The presence of moisture will not allow it to smolder properly. The wood chips are located at the bottom of the firebox. Experts do not recommend scattering it all over the bottom. The best option is to build a slide.

The most common tree species from which wood chips are made are:

• Cherry;
• maple;
• alder.

In some cases, other types of trees can be used for cold smoking at home of fish and meat. For example, many note the exquisite taste of dishes that were cooked on smoke from apple and pear chips.

Note! Experienced cooks recommend smoking food in cold-type devices in winter. During this period, the ambient temperature prevents the growth of pathogenic bacteria inside the products.

It is very important to remember that wood containing resins is categorically not suitable for smoking. Coniferous trees (spruce, pine, etc.) have this characteristic. If you neglect this rule, then the food cooked in the oil lamp will be very bitter. To improve the taste, you can use one trick - add aromatic herbs used in cooking over the smoldering sawdust.

Do-it-yourself cold-smoked smoker: camera options

Devices that operate on a cold principle must have a camera. Provisions are laid out or hung in this tank. The camera can be made both according to the drawing, using metal sheets, and from improvised means. In the second case, the imagination of people is not limited by anything. The following improvised means are most often transformed into smoking chambers:

• barrel;
• fridge.

Barrel. The capacity of such a container should not be less than 100 liters. The best option for smoking at home is to use containers with a volume of 200 liters. There are two options for the location of such a barrel: vertical and horizontal. In the first case, it is imperative to mount the legs at the bottom of the tank.

Fridge. The transformation of this household appliance into a smoker has some advantages. The refrigerator compartment itself is sealed, so no additional measures are required to prevent the penetration of air from the outside. In addition, this option is very convenient to use.

Do-it-yourself smokehouse for cold smoking can be assembled from metal. Due to the fact that inside such a smokehouse the temperature does not rise above 50 ° C, it becomes possible to mount a tank made of wood. However, in this case, it is necessary to sheathe the places located in the immediate vicinity of the chimney with metal strips. This will maximize the protection of the structure from fire.

The most time-consuming version of the smoking chamber involves its assembly from brick material. However, such designs are the most efficient and have a long service life, which can reach several tens of years. And also such oil lamps look the most attractive, organically fitting into the landscape of the site.

To save money and time, experts recommend making cold-smoked smokehouses from a barrel. This is a classic version of the transformation of an unnecessary container into a device that allows you to get gourmet dishes.

How to make a cold smoked smokehouse: making a firebox

The most budgetary way to organize a firebox is to dig a pit in the ground. It is necessary to place fuel for smoking in it. During the burning of firewood or wood chips, it is recommended to regulate the amount of smoke.

A homemade stove is made of brick material, stainless or galvanized steel or pipes. When using bricks, you must be sure of their fire resistance, otherwise they may burst from the heat.

Note! Video tutorials will help answer the question of how to make a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands.

A metal firebox assembled from stainless steel is the simplest option. It is not so difficult to make it, just purchase the necessary material and follow the instructions. The chimney can be made of both metal and brick. In the second case, it is better to place it underground. This will achieve the necessary tightness.

The chimney must go directly under the smoking chamber. The speed at which the smoke will move depends on its cross section. And also an important role is played by its length and shape. The fuel combustion chamber can be purchased at the store. As a rule, there you can find compact models designed for hiking. Cold type portable smokers are less common than their hot counterparts.

The benefits of cold smoking are obvious. The product in this design is processed at a low temperature, so it retains its fat layer. Cold units are easier to maintain, as they are not as prone to contamination as hot counterparts.

Assembling a cold smoked smokehouse at home: chimney design

The quality of smoking depends on the correct calculation of the chimney pipe. Therefore, it is recommended to approach the assembly of this design with all seriousness. The tube must not only be sufficiently long, but also airtight. Otherwise, smoke leaks await you.

If the tube is long, it will be necessary to ensure its stability. To do this, use props, which are located in the central part of the chimney. It is best to make such holders from brick material. In order to understand the principles of how to make a smokehouse at home, it is recommended to study the photos that clearly illustrate the assembly steps of this design.

When using wooden supports, it will be necessary to isolate them in those places that have direct contact with the pipe. If necessary, you can shorten the pipe, which will allow you to raise the smoking temperature to 60 ° C. As a result, the type of smoking will be semi-hot.

For a better understanding of the process, it is recommended to pay attention to the mounting photos. A do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse has a simple and understandable design, but you still need to be careful when assembling it. Sealing a chimney in a stationary structure is quite simple. To do this, it is necessary to prepare a flange, which in the future should be welded to the bottom.

Note! To enhance the sealing, special sealing gaskets are used, which are made of paronite.

How to make a cold smoked oil lamp: do-it-yourself smoke generator

The use of this device allows you to provide the necessary traction inside the smoking unit. In this case, the thrust is injected artificially (as opposed to marching structures). The smoke generator provides an uninterrupted supply of smoke necessary for the cold smoking process to the chamber.

Experts recommend considering its design at the stage of drawing up a drawing. A do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse equipped with a smoke generator does not require constant monitoring. The device provides the necessary traction and maintains it at the right level.

The device of such a device is not very complicated. Therefore, you can make it yourself at home. To assemble the smoke generator, you will need to prepare a metal can. The working tank of the device is made from improvised means (for example, a cardboard box). Thus, making a smokehouse with a smoke generator is not difficult. Consider the sequence of actions in the manufacture of this device.

How to build a smokehouse with a smoke generator? First of all, you need to take a can and cut a hole in it. It is required to attach the necessary element - a fitting with a double-sided thread. On the one hand, a compressor is attached to it. In this case, a device used in aquariums is suitable. It can be easily purchased in the market or on the Internet. A smoke outlet is attached to the second side of the fitting.

At the next stage, you need to cut a window in the can (on the side). It is necessary to access the sawdust, which will be located at the bottom of the tank. The outlet pipe is fixed to the smoking chamber, after which it remains only to set fire to the sawdust and turn on the compressor.

Cold smoking of fish, meat and other products: preparation

Before starting cold smoking, it is necessary to prepare products for this process. Not only the taste depends on it, but also the quality of the food that will be smoked.

Preparation includes two stages:

• pickling;
• soaking.

In order to properly prepare the salt solution, you must follow the instructions. Getting the marinade right is not difficult. First of all, you need to take salt and pour it into a container filled with water. Next, the mineral is stirred until completely dissolved in the liquid. This marinade is suitable for cold smoking chicken, beef, pork, and fish.

Note! When preparing such a solution, it is very important to observe the following proportions: 40 g of salt per 1 liter of water.

You can add spices such as bay leaf, black pepper (peas), etc. to this marinade. After its preparation, you can start marinating the product. It is important to remember that the salting period depends on the volume of the product and its variety. For example, a small fish should lie in such a solution for about 3 days.

Large fish and pork are left in a salt marinade for 4 days before being sent to the smokehouse. Cold smoking of fish also requires compliance with the temperature regime. And beef, which has denser fibers, must be marinated for at least 5 days.

After marinating the product, it is necessary to soak it in water. The duration of this process ranges from 6 to 24 hours. Then excess moisture is removed from the product. To do this, it must be wiped with paper towels and dried. At the next stage, you can start smoking provisions.

Cold smoking bacon has some features. This product does not need to be marinated. The preliminary step in the preparation of lard is its salting. In this case, the procedure does not differ from the usual salting. Salo is covered with salt and sent to the refrigerator or cellar for about 2 weeks. Subsequently, it will be necessary to rinse it under running water and place it in a smokehouse. The duration of smoking bacon is about 8 hours. It is very important that the temperature inside the chamber does not exceed 40°C.

Cold smoking allows you to get delicious, refined meat and fish products. The device that allows you to do this has a fairly simple design. When assembling a cold oil lamp on your own, you need to focus on the drawings, study photo and video materials on this topic.

Sometimes you want to try something delicious. One has only to look at the bright promotional photos of various smoked meats, as an appetite is instantly played out. It would seem that it is easier - you just have to go to the store and everything seems to be there. But no one knows what quality the products will come across, how they were prepared and what kind of seasonings were added there. Therefore, more and more people are trying to join clean food and organize a cold-smoked smokehouse.

Process Features

As a result of home-smoking, products have a wonderful aroma and taste. They are quite different from those sold in stores. But also the home process has its own subtleties, secrets and nuances.

In the past, mankind smoked food because of its ability to persist for a long time. Smoked foods may not spoil for weeks, months, and some properly prepared even for years. Ancient man was able to afford to stock up for long journeys or to survive the hungry season.

Modern people smoke products, mainly to give them a unique, delicate taste. "Smoky" as they say.

Smoking is of two types:

• Hotter.
• Cold.

Smokehouses for each type of smoking use the same principle, but there is a significant difference. The integral attributes of any smokehouse are a hearth with firewood, an airtight smoking chamber with hooks and a device for collecting fat. Fat always accumulates as a result of the smoking process. A prerequisite for any type of smoking is that open fire should not fall on cooked pieces of food. The temperature of the smoke for cold smoking must be maintained within the range of thirty-two to thirty-five degrees Celsius. During hot smoking, the temperature of the smoke must be very high.

Basic principles

The secret of the correct cold process is not in the heat treatment of the product, but in the uniform fumigation of the cooled and carbon monoxide-free smoke.

Only when these important conditions are met, smoked meat acquires the correct appearance and the necessary subtle taste qualities.

With proper smoking, it is necessary to ensure that carbon monoxide, together with elements harmful to humans, settles in the chimney, not reaching the smoking chamber. Therefore, the smokehouse is located at a distance of several meters from the fire. Smoke, mixing with air and making a long way through the pipe, to the end of the way, according to the composition, it is suitable for product processing.

When the smoke passes through the chamber with products, it must stay there for a while so that they can soak.

Food preparation

An important point in cooking is the preparation of future "sweets". If you just hang fish or meat, then instead of cooking, you can only spoil the food.

The list of necessary actions that you need to perform before cold smoking with your own hands:

A little about firewood

Firewood must be carefully selected, since each type of wood has its own flavor. Not all trees can be used for smoking.

The following varieties are excellent:

• Plum branches.
• Cherry with the condition that without bark.
• Pear or apple wood.
• Dogwood or apricot.

Lovers of astringent taste heat with elm or beech, oak or walnut firewood.

When fish caught in muddy lakes are smoked, they use willow twigs, willow or willow.

In the most extreme cases, in the conditions of a hike or if firewood from fruit trees is not available, then you can smoke on:

• Lipe.
• Poplar.
• Aspen or alder.

It is strongly not recommended to use coniferous trees and those affected by various diseases: fungus and others. Moreover, all trees within a radius of fifty meters from an infected specimen are considered infected, since even a slight breath of wind spreads the pores of the fungus.

How to make a cold smoked smokehouse is of interest to many craftsmen. The figure shows cold smoking at home. The design of the smokehouse begins with a fireplace or with a chamber where the prepared tree burns. Through the chimney channel, the cooled and purified smoke enters the smokehouse with the products.

For the construction of a smokehouse, a plot of up to four meters is usually used. It is best if there is an opportunity to use a small slope. In this case, it is easy to achieve the correct angle of inclination of the chimney.

First stage

First, two holes are dug with a distance of three meters between them. The pits are connected by a shallow trench. A chimney should fit in it, which is a pipe with a diameter of one hundred and fifty to two hundred millimeters and a length of about three meters. The distance between the pits should be thirty centimeters shorter than the length of the pipe.

If there is no suitable pipe, then the chimney is laid out of red brick.

The oven should be lower than the smokehouse itself. The pit for the stove is usually fifty centimeters wide and seventy centimeters long.

The difference in height between the smokehouse and the stove is fifty to sixty centimeters. The pit for the foundation of the smokehouse has a square section with a side of sixty centimeters.

The depth of both holes should be equal to several bayonets from the location of the chimney pipe.

Foundation pouring

After the holes are dug, a pipe is laid in a long trench, and concrete is poured into the dug holes. For the stove, the floor level should be ten centimeters below the level of the pipe, and in the smokehouse a little below the chimney outlet.

When the concrete hardens, a firebox is built on it in the first pit. A layer of non-greasy clay mortar is applied to the foundation. A refractory brick is laid flat on top of the perimeter. The firebox walls are assembled from brick and clay.

The size of the firebox is adjusted to its door. Ideally, the door should be made of cast iron. After installing the door, the roof is constructed. It can be made either from a finished slab, or laid out from reinforcement covered with bricks.

After making the stove, they assemble a square base for a future smokehouse measuring fifty by fifty centimeters. The masonry is made of ordinary red brick with cement mortar.

When the solutions harden, a trial kindling is performed. If there are places where smoke passes, then they are smeared with clay or cement mortar..

Final stage

Then, a smokehouse frame with a base size of sixty by sixty centimeters is knocked together from wooden bars. The finished frame is sheathed with one layer of boards. A piece of metal pipe can serve as a chimney, which is fixed on the roof. Inside the house, bars with grooves for metal rods are sewn on the sides, on which meat and fish are hung.

On the first layer of wood, a lining assembled from coniferous wood is nailed. The lining is mounted horizontally. The door is assembled in exactly the same way. This design avoids unnecessary loss of warm smoke.

It is advisable to insert a thermometer into the door with the dial facing out. It will allow you to control the temperature inside the smokehouse.

The entire assembled house is mounted on a prepared brick foundation and, through the lower bars around the perimeter, is attached to the brick wall with dowels. The cracks are neatly and tightly smeared with a solution and after it dries, the wood is covered with a protective varnish. The roof of the smokehouse is protected with slate or corrugated board.

A metal tray is placed at the bottom of the smokehouse. It will collect grease and protect food if it is off the hook and falls down.

Thus, the question of how to make a cold smoked oil lamp has been resolved.

Smokehouse from the refrigerator

If desired, the smoking chamber is easy to assemble from improvised means. For example, a refrigerator.

Do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse from the refrigerator is done relatively quickly.

All slots of the refrigerator are sealed with adhesive tape and a pipe is connected to it, the second end of which is attached to the stove. And also the refrigerator is freed from all internal parts.

A hole is cut out on the top of the case for the release of smoke. Sometimes a small fan is also mounted there.

Grids are attached to the top of the refrigerator on which food can be placed.

A bowl is placed at the bottom of the refrigerator to collect dripping fat.

As a stove, you can use a potbelly stove or electric stove. Sawdust is laid out on the electric stove. When the sawdust begins to smoke, the tile turns off. Then it turns on again.

The length of the connecting pipe between the stove and the refrigerator-smokehouse is three to four meters.

On the first test run, it's best to prepare some food. This is required in order to determine the exact cooking time and the required amount of firewood to complete the entire process.

Various experiments with varieties of meat and fish begin to be carried out with the acquisition of a little experience.

Large pieces of meat or parts of a ham are smoked until cooked for three to four days at a smoke temperature of about thirty degrees. After smoking, the finished pieces are placed in a cool place for two weeks. Only after that, the products acquire all possible flavors.

To enhance the flavors, sawdust of fruit trees is added to the stove. Prior to this, the sawdust is soaked in cold water for ten minutes.

To maintain a stable temperature regime, a lot of sawdust or wood chips are used.

At the same time, firewood makes up about twenty percent of the entire wooden mass.

The production of smoking requires compliance with long-term technologies, endurance and patience. The reward for work is a pleasant aroma, delicate taste, elastic texture and long-term storage of products.

What could be tastier than homemade smoked meats? Many craftsmen are interested in describing the principle of creating useful homemade products in the household.

Finished products are captured in the photo, cold smoked smokehouses can be made by hand. Homemade produce is a welcome treat.

Do-it-yourself design

Cold smoking is the processing of food with the help of smoke having a temperature of 32 degrees. The process must be organized correctly, so the master will need to figure out how to make a cold smoked smokehouse correctly. It is important not to make a mistake with the construction scheme.

It is necessary that the hot smoke becomes cold. To do this, use a tunnel that connects the firebox to the compartment where the products are placed. The length of the tunnel can vary between 2-7 m. This distance is taken into account to calculate the length of the chimney.

If the firebox is located at a distance of more than 7 m from the smokehouse, draft problems, as a rule, cannot be avoided.

How does the device work?

The principle of operation of a homemade smokehouse can be represented as follows. Food processing can take up to 3 days. The process can continue for several weeks.

The main thing is to ensure that the smoking process occurs evenly. Do not mix different types of food in the smoking chamber.

You have to cook food in one go. It is important to sort products by size.

More about the design of the smokehouse

To make a firebox, you need to dig a trench with dimensions of 50x50. These values ​​may be greater. Often the width with the depth of the pit is made meter.

The bottom of the firebox can be made of brick, and then covered with a tin sheet. There is no need to prepare a cement mortar. It is enough to compact the bricks close to each other. The sides are also trimmed with brick. Here, for masonry, you need a clay mortar.

When creating a drawing of a cold smoked smokehouse, it is necessary to take into account both the remoteness of individual parts of the structure and the dimensions of the materials.

A trench is specially dug under the chimney with a diameter of 25 cm. From above it must be covered with a sheet of iron. To prevent smoke infiltration, the sheet material is covered with earth.

A filter is placed at the junction of the smokehouse with the chimney. As the main element, a metal mesh with small cells is taken. A dense material is placed on the grid. The filter protects finished products from soot.

It is important to make the smokehouse durable and reliable. In this case, the structure will stand stably and will not fall if someone accidentally touches it. At the top, the smokehouse is equipped with stainless steel rods.

The indicator of their thickness varies in the range from 8 to 10 mm. They are durable, and food prepared for smoking is hung on them. Usually food is hung on special hooks. An alternative replacement is a conventional grill.

The simplest scheme

A smokehouse is considered a budget option, allowing the master to save building materials and time spent on construction.

The chamber with products is 2 m away from the firebox. A metal barrel can serve as the basis for a smokehouse.

Note!

Stages of work

Having determined for yourself the size of the smokehouse, you can begin construction. First you need to dig a hole under the furnace chamber. Its bottom is covered with a tin sheet. Thanks to this, it is possible to ensure a more uniform smoldering of chips and sawdust.

The next stage of work is the device of the chimney. The dug trench needs to be covered from above. For this purpose, only non-combustible materials are suitable.

The pit can be covered with a sheet of slate. Top of the chimney is covered with soil to ensure tightness.

The smoking chamber is arranged in a barrel with a cut off bottom. A metal mesh is mounted below, on which burlap is placed. By combining these materials, the task of filtering out soot particles is effectively solved.

At the top of the barrel, a metal grate is bolted, stepping back from the edge of 20 cm. This option is optional, you can limit yourself to rods with hooks.

Note!

To fully understand all the nuances, you need to watch the corresponding video clip.

When cold smoking, food loses moisture gradually. During the drying process, the smoke penetrates deeper into the products. The result is meat and fish delicacies with a delicious taste.

When the carcass of an old animal is smoked, its meat will remain harsh. In order not to be disappointed, at first you need to be guided by recipes that have already been tested by many. Experimenting with flavors is best left for later.

In the finished factory-made smokehouse there are several grates and a pallet. It is better to choose a product with a large capacity so that smoking is carried out more evenly.

For lovers of long hikes, you need a smokehouse made of metal with a thickness of 0.8 mm. In the country, you can install heavier options, where the thickness of the steel case is 2 mm.

Photo of a cold smoked smokehouse with your own hands

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