Smokehouse from a barrel

To cook various kinds of smoked meats at home, special equipment is often required. A special device called a smokehouse helps to make such products. It can run on gas or electricity. It is used for fish, meat, bacon or smoking chicken. And buying such a device is optional. You can do it yourself without much difficulty if you have basic skills, as well as certain tools at hand. Let's try to figure out from which barrel a homemade cold-smoked smokehouse can be created.

Making devices for smoking products from an old 200 liter barrel is the most suitable option that you can think of for your home. And, in principle, it is not very important what was previously in it, although it is better if it did not previously contain any oil products or paints and varnishes. The material of manufacture of the container matters.

But those who want to create a smokehouse from a plastic container run the risk of getting a low-quality device. It's just that when heated, if plastic does not melt, it will begin to release carcinogenic compounds, which can harm human health. Therefore, it is better to refrain from such a decision.

The second important component when choosing a barrel is volume. Of course, it is best to make a smoking apparatus from a two-hundred-liter barrel. A lot of products can simply fit there, it will be possible to cook all of them at once. But it's okay if you have a smaller container. You can use an analogue for 100, 60 and even 50 liters. A similar model from a small container can be placed even at home. But to prepare a large amount of food, you will need to use it several times.

Now let's say a few words about the preparation of such a container. Considering that most often the smokehouse is made from a metal barrel, its preparation requires preliminary firing. This will allow for the elimination of all harmful substances, the residues of which may be contained in it. In addition, if previously there was oil or any kind of fuel, then it will need to be very carefully wiped off.

Then the container needs to be cleaned again, but from soot, as well as from soot that has formed. And if there is a hydrodynamic type mini-sink at hand, then it is better to use it and wash the container well. But after such actions, any barrel can be used for smoking various foods.

The creation of a smoking container is possible in various ways. Each has its own pros and cons that you should know before starting work. This will find the best solution for everyone. Consider the most popular variations of containers for smoking products from a wooden barrel and others.

To create a universal version that can be used for both cold and hot smoking, you only need to take a metal barrel. Then you need to cut out the cover, which after that should be attached to the structure with hinges.

The edges of the hatch can be secured using sheet-type iron so that they slightly extend beyond the edges of the hole made. This solution will prevent the lid from falling inside the barrel. Now, on either side of the container, we make a hole where a device from pipes and fittings with a smoke generator will be inserted.

Inside the structure, guides should be welded or installed with bolts, where the grates will be mounted when smoking. For easier cleaning of the structure in the future from soot and soot, it will be necessary to create a pan where fat will accumulate. For this purpose, the installation inside the container must first be equipped with guides. You will need to put chips at the bottom. On this, the universal version of the device in question will be ready.

Here the peculiarity will be that it will be necessary to use a special heating type element, a thermostat with a temperature control function, a plug with a cable. The algorithm for creating such a model will be as follows.

• We put the container in a vertical position, after which, at a distance of 100 millimeters from the bottom, it will be necessary to make several holes around the circumference of the container of 10 mm diameter.
• From the inside, fix the heating element in the central area of ​​the housing, which will need to be connected to the thermostat. The sensor should be mounted just below the top edge of the drum. A thermometer should be mounted next to it.
• To create a container where chips will be poured, you can use an unnecessary frying pan or cast iron pan.
• In the center of the container, we create fasteners for mounting the pallet, where the fat will get.
• Above the place where the pallet is installed, we mount the fasteners for installing the grilles.
• A not very large hole should be made in the cover, where a pipe or a fitting with a flue gas outlet should be installed.

You can, if desired, equip such a device with wheels for greater mobility.

This type of construction can only be used for hot smoking. You can create it like this.

• We mount the barrel in a vertical position.
• At the bottom, you will need to make several holes so that a blow appears in the finished device.
• At the bottom of the barrel, you will need to cut a small rectangular piece and make a hatch by attaching the cut piece to the side on the hinges. Thanks to this, it will be possible to put fuel here. Free parts of the structure should be additionally secured using a small iron strip.
• From the bottom of the container, you will need to retreat somewhere 1/3 of the height and create another 1 bottom, which should have an appropriate thickness.
• A chimney made of a pipe should be installed on the side of the body. Then you need to make the appropriate hole and bring the device there.
• On top of the container, you will need to mount fasteners where the gratings will be attached.
• Now you need to make a perforated type cover from a sheet of metal or a circle of wood.

There are other possibilities for the execution of such devices. For example, it can be created from two barrels. Then the first will be mounted vertically and be a firebox, and the second will need to be installed in a horizontal position. It is she who will be the body of the finished device. To create such a device, you will need to do the following.

• At the top barrel, you will need to cut off the top area. The parts that will protrude upwards will be better left.
• At the bottom of the container, which is located horizontally, you will need to make a hole. Then we carry out the process of welding both containers.
• In the lower area of ​​the barrel, which is located vertically, a door is made. To create it, you can cut out a square piece and hang it on the hinges.When the latch is complete, the edges will need to be secured with a small iron strip.
• In a barrel in a horizontal position, a hatch is made according to the same principle as during the creation of a horizontal smokehouse.

Specifically, this design is interesting in that here you can additionally mount a filter, where two containers are connected. It is made from burlap or a simple damp cloth.

Now let's talk directly about the manufacture of a smokehouse. Would need:

• an ordinary barrel for 200 liters, made of metal;
• steel wire for mesh;
• fittings that have a diameter of at least 6 millimeters;
• a pipe with a diameter of 100 millimeters and a length of about 100 centimeters, from which there will be a chimney;
• a metal corner that will be used to create the legs, where we will put the structure.

In addition, you will need to have the following tools and accessories:

• roulette;
• Bulgarian;
• arc-type welding with electrodes;
• disc for cutting metal.

In addition, you will need to have a drawing on hand to get everything right and get the result you want. At the very beginning of creation, you will need to cut off the lid if the container is sealed. You can create a drip pan from the cut area. Below you will need to make a furnace. Cut a rectangular hole for loading firewood. The hole should be about 300 millimeters wide and 200 millimeters high. The cut out piece should not be thrown away, because it will be possible to create a door from it. This will require:

• weld the hinges;
• mount the handle;
• make a latch that will fix the door in the closed position.

On the opposite side, you will need to make a round hole for the chimney. Longitudinal holes should now be drilled in the bottom to ensure blowing and good combustion, as well as the ability to quickly remove the ash. You don't need to make them too wide, otherwise the wood will fall out before it burns.

Then the camera is formed. To do this, at the level of 1/3 from the bottom, a sheet of iron of 4 mm thickness should be attached, which will act as the bottom of the smoking tank. We mount the chimney by welding it to a pre-made hole. If necessary, the pipe can be bent slightly.

Now you need to mount the legs. They should not be made more than 300 millimeters high - this space will be enough for the normal flow of air masses and the formation of thrust. To increase the useful volume of the device, the slab can be made of brick, and the barrel can be installed upward. The chimney is usually mounted at the back of the brick oven.

Separately, we make a baking sheet where the fat will be collected. For installation, a pair of metal spacers should be welded, and the baking sheet itself should not be welded. If it is removed, then this aspect will greatly facilitate the process of adding sawdust.

Then you need to mount the grates or hooks. Their number will depend on the height of the container - the distance between the levels should be somewhere around 150 millimeters. The more levels, the more food you can cook. It is important that you install them so that they do not interfere with the removal of the baking sheet.

To make the smoking process as simple as possible and give a high-quality result, the following recommendations should be taken into account.

• When choosing chips, it is necessary that they have the same dimensions. Otherwise, small sawdust will burn faster, which will cause the food to be processed unevenly. By the way, often because of this, the smokehouse does not pick up the temperature that is needed.
• It is better to smoke products that contain a minimum of moisture.In addition, the fish or meat that has been prepared must already be salted, otherwise the product will not taste good.
• It is also required to take into account the characteristics of the products. Large pieces of meat will take a long time to cook and you can check their readiness using cuts.
• It is not necessary to pour in a lot of fuel at once, so as not to burn the food.
• Before use, to avoid fire, it is better to moisten the wood chips a little.
• It is imperative to use trays for fat so that it does not drip onto the chips and gradually extinguish them.

For information on how to cook a smokehouse from a barrel with your own hands, see the next video.