Smoke Houses

[GLF]

Luhr Jensen smoke houses tech report.

[DangerDan]

I use an ole fridge. Sorry, no tech report to add. :D

[muskybob]

I use an ole fridge. Sorry, no tech report to add. :D
I'd really appreciate a pic of that & how you did it if you can. I've been thinking of trying something like that. Thanks!

[DangerDan]

This is a simple, usually very cheap, and easy to make smoker.

Your main piece of equipment..... just an old, simple refrigerator. It doesn't need to work, or still have the compressor. It just needs to have a door that still closes pretty tightly, (but if the door doesn't close tightly, you can still smoke meats or fish, you just need to improvise some kind of closure, such as a piece of tin and some duct tape if that's all that is available.)
Here's what needs to be done:

1. Cut a hole, about the size of your fist on one side of the refrigerator, close to the floor of the inside of the frig as possible. You can use a coping saw to start, or even a chisel. It doesn't have to be any certain shape, whatever is easiest. This will be for the draw of the smoke.

2. Cut a hole in the top of the frig, a little bit bigger than your fist. This will be the flue. (This is assuming this frig is the old style, that doesn't have a separate door freezer at the top or bottom. If it does, just make another hole in the freezer compartment floor, if it's a top freezer type, so that the smoke can flow up and out the floor. You can even take the freezer floor out completely if you want.)

3. Next, the best way to set up this smoker is if you can get a hotplate, one like you cook with on a counter top. This way you have a constant source of heat (to help "cook" the meat and to provide heat for the wood to smoke).

If you don't have access to a hot plate, then you will need to make some sort of firebox out of some type of metal. You might be able to find a small metal barrel of some type that you can fit in the bottom of the frig. Just make sure you set this firebox on some bricks or rocks, so the heat from the firebox doesn't melt the bottom of the refrigerator.

4. That's the basic setup. To use it, set a large metal pan or box on top of the hotplate or firebox, add whatever type of wood that is available to the metal pan or box, sprinkle a little water on the wood (Don't fill the pan up with water and then add the wood or wood chips).

( The smaller the pieces of wood, the better smoke you will get. We always use sawdust in our smokehouses, because it produces more smoke than wood chips.)

Next, make some sort of damper for draw (hole) in the bottom and the flue (hole) at the top of the frig. A piece of tin or wood would work for this. When you first start smoking, leave the draw opening and flue completely open. After 2 or 3 hours like this, close the draw to about one third open and the flue to one third open.

Now you are ready to start smokin'!! .

[Reel_Screamer]

Dont forget to take all the plactic and insulation out from the inside.Because if you don't your fish will taste like s*#t , not to mention it will melt....just my 2 cents........

[DangerDan]

Well, My ole fridge smoker done wore out... Time for a new one. I've been on the hunt for that perfect fridge for a spell now and by golly I think I found her. This stainless model should give me many years of service not to mention it will handle any size or quantity of meat I want to put in it. This will give me the oportunity to go much further into the smoking realm than the old elcheapo apartment sized fridge i used to use. It will also be a good cold smoker.

A vessel this size almost needs a name....:D

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/gallery/files/3/3/SSfrig002.jpg

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/gallery/files/3/3/SSfrig010.jpg

[GLF]

NOW THATS A SMOKER! :eek: Looks like you better make a few more trips on the lake to fill it.

[Lead_Lover]

Holy brutus!!