Wooden smoking cabinet. Homemade cabinet for cold smoking

Smoking is a popular way of preparing various products, giving them a specific taste and aroma. To cook in this way, you can use various smokehouses, including those made by yourself. One of the not most popular options is a wooden structure. Note that the smokehouse can be made for both hot and cold smoking.

Advantages and disadvantages

Smokehouses made from wood have both positive and negative sides.

The advantages of such designs are much greater:

  • availability of material;
  • ease of processing of the material - a wooden structure can have any shape, size and even decorative finish;
  • ease of repair - damaged fragments of a wooden smokehouse are easy to replace;
  • opportunity internal insulation smokehouses - you can use materials that do not emit when heated harmful substances;
  • environmental friendliness;
  • ergonomics.

Due to the ease of working with wood, smokehouses can be manufactured in various designs. If desired, you can make a design that fits perfectly into the landscape design.


A wooden smokehouse also has some disadvantages. They are associated with the characteristics of the material used. The disadvantages of wood smokehouses are as follows:

  • Risk of fire - the tree can ignite, and the fire can spread to other structures, trees, dry grass. It is fair to say that fire occurs when the smokehouse is not used correctly.
  • Sensitivity to changes in temperature and humidity. This drawback can be overcome by treating the smokehouse externally, but even without this technique the structure will last quite a long time.

Design Features

A special feature of a wooden smokehouse is its design. This device is made in the form of a house with a pointed roof.

The firebox for a hot smoked smokehouse is located directly in its lower part or at a short distance from it. The firebox and cold smokehouse are mounted separately at a distance of several meters from each other and connected by a pipe.


The firebox and the pipe leading from it to the smokehouse must be sealed. This condition is necessary for fire safety– even one spark can cause a fire, especially when smoking hot, which involves maintaining a fairly high temperature.

Required tools and materials

To make a smokehouse from wood, you should choose non-resinous species. It could be:

  1. Linden;
  2. alder;
  3. cedar;
  4. aspen;
  5. birch.

Plywood can be used as a material for a wooden smokehouse ( minimum thickness 8 mm), planed boards, bars, lining, block house. The selected material should be treated with a special antiseptic.

For the manufacture of a wooden smokehouse, materials that consist of several layers and are impregnated with adhesive composition. The selected wood should also have a minimum of knots.


In addition to the selected wood, other materials and tools will be needed to make a smokehouse:

  • wood hacksaw;
  • hammer and nails or screwdriver and screws;
  • screwdriver;
  • door hinges;
  • chimney pipe;
  • thermometer;
  • metal tray for collecting fat;
  • gratings for products or fittings for their production;
  • hooks for hanging products;
  • metal corners or wooden blocks as guides for trays and gratings;
  • roofing material – the roof can be covered with slate or profile;
  • bricks or blocks for the firebox and smokehouse base;
  • cement, sand, crushed stone for the foundation;
  • for sealing joints - tow, moisture-resistant sealant.

Manufacturing a device for hot smoking

A smokehouse for hot smoking involves maintaining a fairly high temperature in the chamber. This is achieved by close proximity to the heat source. The firebox can be mounted under the smokehouse body, but this option is fire hazardous, so it should be moved outside the structure.

  • Dig a hole. The width of one side is 1 m, the depth is 0.3-0.4 m.
  • Do sand cushion and add a layer of crushed stone.
  • Install bricks or blocks around the perimeter and pour mortar.
  • Lay out a small base of bricks or blocks, installing a pipe into it at the bottom. Inside the base, it should bend upward - smoke will flow from it into the smokehouse chamber. In the chamber, the pipe should extend upward in the center, its total length is 1.5 m, diameter 0.2 m.
  • Make a small recess, the edge of which should be approached by a pipe coming out of the smokehouse body. Line the bottom and walls of the recess with bricks - the walls should rise slightly above the top edge of the pipe.
  • Install a door in the front of the firebox. Cover the top with a ceramic slab or bricks, first lining it with a sheet of iron. Coat all joints with fireproof clay.
  • Mount the smokehouse frame. It is more convenient to do this directly on the spot. It is necessary to provide transverse crossbars on the sides of the body. In the future, grates for food products will be installed on them. At the bottom of the chamber, such crossbars are needed to place a tray for collecting fat. In the upper part of the body, several recesses should be made on the crossbars - wooden crossbars or reinforcement rods will be attached to them, on which hooks with products can be hung.
  • Cover all sides of the frame with boards. The joints should be tight, all cracks should be sealed with tow.
  • The front wall of the chamber is partially covered with boards; a door should be built into it. It should be attached to strong hinges. Be sure to make a latch or latch and a comfortable handle. The door must strictly correspond to the dimensions of the opening. It is also made from tightly fitted boards or bars.
  • Do gable roof. The slope towards the firebox needs to be extended and installed on supports. Mount above the pipe wood flooring– the depth corresponds to the dimensions of the smokehouse. In the resulting space it is convenient to store a supply of firewood that will remain dry.
  • Make a hole in the roof and bring out the pipe. Be sure to mount a “mushroom” above it. To seal joints, use moisture-resistant sealant.
  • To protect against precipitation, cover the roof with suitable roofing material.
  • Install grates for smoking food. You need to leave enough space between them so that the smoke circulates well.
  • Mount a thermometer in the door or side of the smokehouse.


The optimal temperature for hot smoking is 90-120°C degrees. This indicator means an increased risk of fire, so it is important to carefully seal all joints and follow fire safety rules. You should always keep a container of sand near the smokehouse - in case of a fire, you can quickly put out the fire.

The advantage of using smokehouses for hot smoking is that cooking in this way takes little time: you can smoke fish, meat or poultry within an hour. This allows the wooden structure not to be left unattended for a long time, which is good from a fire safety point of view.

Homemade design for cold smoking

The design for cold smoking is also made in the form of a house. If desired, the smokehouse can be decorated in an interesting way. The device involves the arrangement of the main body of the smokehouse and a separate firebox - the connection is made using a pipe placed in a trench.

You need to act according to the following algorithm:

  • Make two holes in the ground and connect them with a trench. The firebox should be located below the smokehouse chamber - this factor should be taken into account if the terrain on the site is uneven. Optimal length trenches - 2-2.5 m. Deepen the chamber to approximately 40 cm.
  • Compact the bottom of the pit for the smokehouse chamber, make a sand cushion (5-7 cm), add a layer of crushed stone and pour in concrete mortar.
  • Compact the bottom of the trench and lay a pipe with a smaller diameter - the trench should be 20 cm higher. The pipe should extend approximately 15 cm into the recess for the firebox.
  • Apply the solution along the length of the pipe and apply a piece of pipe with a larger diameter. Fill the remaining space with solution.
  • In the recess for the firebox, line the walls with bricks and install a door. The walls should also cover part of the pipe.
  • Cover the top of the firebox with a ceramic plate or metal sheet; it should cover both the walls of the firebox and fit on top of the door.
  • Make for a smokehouse concrete base and lay the base out of brick - the pipe coming out of the trench must be built into it. The base is laid out in 10 rows of bricks, half of them should be located above the ground. External dimensions the base must strictly correspond to the dimensions of the smokehouse chamber.
  • At this stage, you should check the operation of the structure - light a fire in the firebox and check whether smoke flows through the pipe into the base of the future smokehouse.
  • Make a smokehouse frame. They use bars 80 cm long in height, connecting them at the bottom and top with bars 35 mm long. The result should be the skeleton of a parallelepiped.


  • Do U-shaped rack and attach it on top of the main frame. This rack is necessary for the roof. Attach bars protruding beyond the frame to the upper sides of the frame. The lower parts of the roofing boards will be attached to them.
  • Cover the smokehouse body and roof with the wood of your choice. The front wall is partially sheathed, since the door will be made in it. Cover the roof with the selected roofing material.
  • Mount the door and secure it on the hinges. Make a latch or lock.
  • Make a hole in the roof with a diameter of 5-7 cm and remove ventilation pipe. A “mushroom” should be made over it to protect it from precipitation.
  • Mount the crossbars inside the body, making small recesses on top - fasten the rods from the fittings into them. They will be used for hanging products. If desired, you can make additional crossbars where you can install gratings for horizontal display of products.
  • Place the smokehouse chamber on the prepared base and fasten them with metal staples or metal strips.
  • The thermometer can be mounted in the smokehouse door or one of the side walls.


One side of the roof can be extended towards the trench and supported under the lower edge. Install on the trench wooden pallet– it can be used to store a supply of firewood – the roof on top will protect them from rain.

The design can be simplified and a firebox can be built from metal barrel. It is located next to the wooden smokehouse, and connecting pipe located above the ground.

Instead of making a wooden frame, you can use wooden barrel. The disadvantage of this option is the smaller size of the structure.

Cold smoking technology requires maintaining a low temperature in the smokehouse - no more than 35-40°C degrees. It is to comply with this condition that the firebox is installed at this distance from the main body of the smokehouse.

The attractiveness of the unit for cold smoking is that the firebox is located separately, so there is a risk of fire wooden structure because of it, it is minimal: fire sparks at such a distance simply do not reach the main structure, so only smoke gets there.


Wooden smokehouses have a number of advantages, and if the manufacturing technology and fire safety rules are followed, they are practically free of disadvantages. It is possible to make a design for both hot and cold smoking. The main difference is the distance at which the firebox is placed.

The method of preparing smoked food in stores cannot be called beneficial for the body, because preservatives, flavorings, and chemical smoke substitutes are used for this. At the same time, smoked meats prepared with your own hands are not only harmless, but also incredibly tasty. How to smoke meat or fish at home? There is a way out - to make a smoking cabinet with your own hands, which will take at most 3-4 hours, and you can use it for several years.

What to make it from?

You can make your own smoking cabinet for cold or hot smoking from various materials. For this purpose, any cabinet objects with a side and top door that can be hermetically closed are used. For cabinets made with your own hands, one of the structures presented below is suitable for cold smoking:

  • the body of an old refrigerator or freezer;
  • metal pencil case;
  • a safe designed for storing weapons;
  • gas oven;
  • old washing machine with a centrifuge;
  • rectangular oblong container;
  • large diameter pipes;
  • metal barrels.

Scheme of the future design

A unique cabinet for cold smoking can be made from wooden cuts and blocks. And, despite the simplicity of such designs, smokers made by hand are distinguished by a wide range of capabilities. In addition, smoking cabinets allow you to prepare delicious and aromatic meat, fish, seafood, vegetables and other delicacies.

Structural elements

If you are wondering how to make a wooden cabinet with your own hands, then it will certainly not be superfluous if you know which ones. structural elements it consists.

The base of the box is a wooden frame made of beams with a cross-section of 4x4 cm. You can see detailed drawings of a cabinet for cold smoking, which you assemble yourself, in this publication.

Hull part

Regardless of which body you choose for your homemade smoking installation, it must be sheathed on 3 sides with a board 2.5 cm thick and up to 10 cm wide. For these purposes, lining made of aspen, linden, alder and others is suitable. deciduous trees. If you were unable to find lining, although this is a fairly common wooden panel, then you can use coniferous polymer.

A smoking cabinet made from boards, assembled with your own hands, must be as sealed as possible. This is a completely doable task if, when making a smokehouse, you use a sealing material like hemp rope, which must be inserted into all joints of the facing material.

Door

The door is made to fit the entire size of the front wall of the smoking unit. She is going with her own hands to wooden frame from planks 2.5x10 cm so that the covering material of the frame part fits tightly into the opening, and the protruding part of the sheathing covers the upper joint. The perimeter of the entire opening is covered with sealing food rubber, which can be any rubber with refrigeration chamber or oven. If you don’t have one in your household arsenal, you can easily make one from a felt strip.

A pair of hinges are attached to the door itself, which can be either overhead or mortise - it all depends solely on the level of your skill. The door is also equipped with a latch. The door, as well as the body itself, must be completely sealed with hemp rope or, as a last resort, tow. This is the main condition for creating an effectively working do-it-yourself cold smoking box.

Roof

The upper part of the smoking installation is usually made in a single-slope or gable version. If you want your smokehouse to have a single-slope top surface, then it must be made with a slope back, using boards 4-5 cm longer than the size of the base. Whereas when choosing the second option for arranging the roof, you will need to assemble rafter system with a slope length of 55-65 cm. The joints between the boards must be sealed.

If you want your smokehouse to stand permanently on the street, then the roof must be primed and painted any oil paint. The upper part of the smoking structure does not overheat during its operation, so there is no need to worry that the paint may peel off, and bad weather may cause high humidity painting will protect the installation the most in the best possible way.

A chimney is mounted in the upper part of the smokehouse, which is equipped with a damper and a scraper mechanism. It can be either wooden or metal. This must be done in order for the smokehouse to work as efficiently as possible, because the chimney not only removes smoke masses, but also regulates the internal temperature.

Cabinet assembly instructions

So, the mini-smoking station is assembled in the following order:

  • assembly of the frame base;
  • bottom installation;
  • arrangement of the body with wooden panels;
  • door manufacturing;
  • hanging the door;
  • arrangement of the upper part of the structure;
  • installation of functional equipment - smoke generator, heating element, thermostat, chimney system.

VIDEO: How and from what to assemble a smoking cabinet

Detailed device

To set up the smokehouse, a vertical type ejector smoke generator is used, which must be attached to back wall smoking structure. The smoke generator, in turn, is connected to the internal cavity through metal pipeØ2.5-4 cm.

To convert a cold cabinet into a hot smoking apparatus, you should equip it with a heating device, which, as a rule, uses low-power (no more than 1 kW) heating elements closed type. The heating element is installed at the bottom of the unit. And to avoid the bottom catching fire, the heating element is placed on a metal profile plate, which is located 50-100 mm above the bottom of the box. Thanks to air gap And metal frame It is possible to remove part of the thermal energy, which eliminates the possibility of fire.

A tray is installed on top of the heating element, which is designed to collect fat during smoking. Even a baking tray will work as a tray. The main condition is that it must be removable, so that after each smoking session it can be removed and cleaned.

This way you can protect the heating element from greasy drops.

You can immediately equip the device with a heating element, and if cold smoking is necessary, simply turn it off. Thus, thanks to one smoke generator, the temperature inside the smoking cabinet reaches 30-40°C.

Connecting the smoke generator

And if you want to smoke food using a hot method, then using a heating element it is possible to reach a temperature of approximately 150°C. As for the adjustment temperature regime, then a thermostat will help you with this, the sensor of which is located in the upper part of the smokehouse. You can also equip the structure with a thermometer, which greatly simplifies the work with the smoking installation.

Heating element for hot smoking

Many craftsmen equip the smokehouse with two handles located on the sides of the cabinet. This will allow you to move the smokehouse from place to place if necessary.

Of course, you can buy a smoking cabinet, but you will have to spend an average of 3 to 10 thousand on such a unit, depending on the configuration. For assembly homemade smokehouse you will spend a minimum of financial resources and effort.

VIDEO: How to assemble a smoke generator and smoking cabinet

I love cold smoked fish and meat and have long dreamed of buying or making myself a smokehouse for these purposes. I hatched these plans for about a year. Most of the smokehouses I came across were “universal” ones, for hot and cold smoking, and the price turned out to be simply astronomical. However, there remains a desire to have on the table your own smoked ribs (I mean cooked yourself, and not what you thought), fish, cheese wings, etc.

Requirements for the smokehouse

It was decided to make a smokehouse for cold smoking with your own hands, but there were a number of restrictions:

  1. I have a small one country cottage area, where there is no space to place a stationary wood-burning smokehouse and dig a long trench to cool the smoke. After all, we all know that during cold smoking the smoke temperature should be in the range of 15-40°C.
  2. The smokehouse should be relatively inexpensive, for obvious reasons.
  3. At the same time, it should be mobile (it can be moved) and not too scary (I'm not a carpenter).
  4. The smokehouse should be small. I'm not going to smoke half a pork carcass or anything like that.

Smoke source for cold smokehouse

A study of information and drawings on the Internet showed that they are mainly used as a source of smoke. regular firewood. The smoke is very hot and therefore requires a long pipe or underground trench in order for it to cool sufficiently.

I used an electric stove and a pan filled with sawdust as a source of smoke. The smoldering temperature of sawdust is not so high and therefore it is easier to cool it. A flexible aluminum air duct of relatively short length is sufficient.

Then I found it on the Internet special device made of stainless steel, which is designed to smolder sawdust in it. They write that in such a smoke generator, sawdust can smolder for up to 10 hours. It must be very convenient. Found it on Amazon, but expensive.

Cold smoked smokehouse device

The body for the smokehouse was a cabinet made of plywood that I hastily knocked together. Doors were attached to the cabinet, also made of plywood, and several holes were made for ventilation. Wheels were screwed to the bottom so that the smokehouse could be moved. Unfortunately I didn't make a video or step by step photos manufacturing, but I think everything is clear from the general photograph. This design is suitable for everyone.

    • Bottom section

Here is the source of the smoke: an electric stove and a pan with sawdust or the smoke generator I described above. Just in case of fire, I lined the inside with metal sheets.


Attention: The design has not been tested in any way for fire safety, so everything is done at your own peril and risk. It didn’t cause me any concerns in this regard, because... the temperature in the lower section is relatively low, but it is better not to leave the smokehouse without control.

    • Middle section

This is a smoke cooling chamber. I placed an aluminum air duct about 4 meters long in it. I placed the sleeve vertically so that the smokehouse meets the requirements of compactness and mobility.

    • Upper section

The chamber in which the products are directly smoked. It has an adjustable hole at the top to allow smoke to escape. For your convenience, you can add shelves and hooks there, depending on what you plan to smoke.

From what is not visible in the photo: the doors have latches for locking, later a thermometer was built into the upper section, and a seal was glued around the perimeter of the door in the lower section to prevent smoke leakage.

UPDATE: If the smoke is not cold enough, you can remove the side walls of the cabinet and/or increase its height to accommodate a longer air duct.

Do with my own hands smokehouse, smoke fish or meat, try it and feel how tasty ordinary food can be after smoking!

Products during the smoking process will receive an amazing aroma and taste, and this taste will not be similar to the taste of smoked products purchased in a store. However, first you need to understand the intricacies, and only then decide how to make a smokehouse with your own hands for hot and cold smoking.

We study the features of the smoking process

The man began to smoke food out of necessity. It was noticed that after smoking they can be stored without spoiling for a longer time. To ancient man this made it possible to take some of the food with you in smoked form, rather than relying on luck while hunting or fishing during long trips.

We smoke products at home mainly to give them a different, unique taste. To do this, you can use hot or cold smoking. And the smokehouses themselves come in two types. Their design is almost no different. It is necessary to equip a fireplace, a chamber with hooks where the products will be hung and smoked, and a device for collecting fat that will be released during the smoking process. The smoking chamber must be located in a hermetically sealed housing.

What is the difference between hot and cold smoking? After all, both processes involve the presence of products located in a limited space in smoke from smoldering sawdust or shavings. The main difference is the distance separating the chamber in which the food is smoked from the hearth. For hot smoking, the smoke temperature should be high enough, for cold smoking - 35°C. Mandatory requirement- smoking cannot be carried out over an open fire.

Cold smoking

Cold smoking takes significantly longer than hot smoking. With this method, products retain their appearance and acquire an amazing taste and aroma. The cold smoking process takes place at a temperature of approximately 30°C and lasts several days. You should not rush, because at this temperature bacteria multiply well and, without completing the process, you risk getting severe poisoning instead of a tasty dish. Typically, cold smoking lasts 5-7 days, but can last several weeks.

Important ! Special attention you need to pay attention to the sawdust or wood chips that you will use. We forget about softwood sawdust; you should not use aspen sawdust. Best choice will be:

  • alder (you must first remove the bark, it produces bitterness);
  • juniper;
  • bird cherry and birch (should also be cleared of bark);
  • maple;
  • shavings and sawdust fruit trees(cherry, apple tree, sea buckthorn).

DIY cold smoked smokehouse

It should be remembered that the hearth must be located away from the cold smoking chamber. A good option There will be a dug hole in the far corner of the site; there is no natural difference in heights. A fireplace is installed in the pit, which should be connected to the chamber with a chimney. There is no need to line the fireplace with bricks; it is enough to line the walls of the fireplace.

Very important ! The length of the chimney is usually 2.5-3.0 meters. To do this, it is enough to dig a trench no more than 0.5 meters wide and 0.25-0.3 meters deep, line the walls and bottom with bricks held together with clay mortar, cover the top with a sheet of metal or slate, and sprinkle with earth. Instead of brick chimney, you can lay a chimney pipe in the trench. Provide a damper at the top of the fireplace to regulate the flow of air, the intensity of combustion and the removal of excess smoke. The flap can be cut from sheet metal. Make the junction of the chimney and the chamber (diameter 200 mm required) airtight using available means. You can use the same clay mortar. The chimney has been built.

Another solution could be to install a “potbelly stove” stove, a chimney from a chimney pipe and install a smoking chamber above the level of the chimney laying.

We make a chamber for cold smoking from a barrel

The easiest way to make a simple smokehouse with your own hands is from a barrel. You need a barrel of 100-200 liters. The top cover is cut off, the barrel must be cleaned and washed before use. A hole for the chimney is cut in the bottom of the barrel. The barrel will be mounted on bricks or blocks, so there will be no problems with their articulation. A tray is made from a cut-off lid or other available material to collect fat that will flow out of the product during smoking. The diameter of the pan must be smaller than the diameter of the barrel to ensure the passage of smoke.

We need to make at least one grate on which the food will be smoked. This is one of the options for placing products when smoking. Or secure scraps of reinforcement to the top of the barrel. We will attach hooks to the reinforcement, and products to the hooks.

We make the grate from scrap materials. These can be willow twigs that are woven into a shape the right size. It is advisable to secure the cells with thin wire. Can be used thin wire and weave them into a lattice, and make the rim from thicker wire. To do this, a thick wire is wrapped around the barrel to determine the desired size, slightly compressed and the rim is secured.

The grille is used alone or several grilles are installed on different levels. In this case, the distance between the gratings should be about 15 cm.

To install the pallet, pieces of reinforcement are welded to the walls of the barrel, which form a cross in the center of the barrel. Tip: Provide a loop on the tray so that it can be easily removed for cleaning.

To attach the grates, you can make loops and weld them to the walls of the barrel. Or screw self-tapping screws into the walls of the barrel.

The chamber cover is made from hardwood trees. It should not be massive and several small holes should be provided in it for moisture to escape. You can limit yourself to a jute bag, which is simply thrown over the barrel during smoking. Remember that the bag must be moistened with water.

We make a chamber for cold smoking from brick

The smoking chamber can be made of brick. It will be the best solution, but it makes sense to build such a chamber only when you are constantly engaged in smoking products and have achieved the necessary skill in this matter. Otherwise, a rarely used structure of unknown purpose will appear on your site.

A brick smoking chamber is equipped in the same way as a barrel. The bottom of the brick chamber can be made from the lid of a barrel or from scrap materials. Sand-clay mortar is used for laying bricks.

We make a chamber for cold smoking from sheet iron

To make a chamber, a sheet of iron is cut, bent into the shape of a cube without one side (the top), and the seams are welded.

The smoking chamber can be built from a variety of materials and items: a bucket (this is a small barrel), an old pressure cooker or a refrigerator.

Craftsmen even make it to speed up cold smoking. In such a smokehouse, the thermal effect of the electric heater on the wood chips produces smoke. The heating element is periodically switched off, thereby achieving the desired temperature of the smoke upon entering the smoking chamber. The smoke rises through the holes, passes through the mesh of the explosive block and becomes positively charged. When smoke enters the chamber, it interacts with the products that are suspended on hooks. The hooks are connected to the negative pole of the BB block. Products attract positively charged smoke particles and these particles settle on them.

DIY hot smoked smokehouse

Hot smoking takes significantly less time because the process takes place at smoke temperatures ranging from 50°C for meat to 120°C for fish. Reduce the temperature - increase the smoking time.

Schematically, such a smokehouse looks like this: a container with sawdust or shavings is placed over an open fire or on a high temperature source (heated oven). The temperature at which the sawdust will slowly smolder is important, not the fire source itself. Smoke from sawdust penetrates into the smoking chamber where the products are placed. A tray is installed under the products to collect the fat released during smoking. Excess smoke is discharged through the chimney or holes in the chamber lid.

We make a smokehouse for hot smoking from a barrel

The difference from a cold smoking chamber will be the need to equip a firebox. The firebox can be placed directly in the barrel:

  • Several holes are cut in the bottom of the barrel through which ash will be removed and which will serve as an ash pit for the firebox.
  • A piece of the wall is cut out from the bottom of the barrel, from which the firebox door is made. A piece measuring 200x300 mm will be enough. Hinges and a latch handle are welded to the door.
  • About a third of the barrel's volume is allocated for the firebox, the rest will be the smoking chamber. The firebox and chamber are separated by a sheet of metal 4 mm thick. This sheet will serve as the bottom of the chamber. It is welded to the walls.
  • A hole is cut in the bottom of the chamber for the chimney. The diameter of this pipe must match the diameter of the chimney at the top of the chamber. Do not get carried away by the length of the chimney; excessive draft in the firebox is not needed. The chimney is welded to the wall of the barrel.

For more rational use the volume of the barrel, the firebox can be placed directly under it. In this case, it is better to make the firebox out of refractory bricks, with holes for inserting sawdust and removing excess smoke. The barrel is installed on the firebox, and the freed volume is used to place additional grates.

Advice . To control, attach a mechanical thermometer with a remote sensor to the wall of the barrel. Such a thermometer can save you from many mistakes while you gain experience. You can use the old-fashioned method and splash a few drops of water on the surface. If it doesn't hiss, there's nothing to worry about.

A mini-smokehouse can be easily equipped in an ordinary metal bucket. Sawdust and shavings are poured into the bottom of the bucket, and a grate is installed on top. At the very top of the bucket, holes are made in the walls for the rods. Hooks are hung on the rods. We get two options for placing products in a small volume. In the lid of such a “smoking chamber” it is necessary to provide holes for the smoke to escape. The bucket is placed on the fire. A big fire is not needed, the sawdust should only smolder. As soon as the smoldering process begins, you can lay out and hang the products for smoking and close the lid. Smoking will take from 30 minutes to an hour.

Another option for a mini-smokehouse is a metal box with a perforated lid, which can be installed on the grate over burnt coals in the grill. We fried kebabs, sat down at the table and put the smokehouse on the grill. Good option for hiking or fishing.

Having understood the principle of operation of a hot smoker and after a series of experiments with a barrel, you can think about a more presentable design. You can weld a beautiful smokehouse from stainless steel or lay it out of brick.

An excellent option for a summer residence would be to combine a smokehouse and a barbecue on one site and in one volume.

DIY smokehouse and barbecue made of brick

The work will require time and effort, but it is worth it - the result will delight you for many years.

First, choose a suitable location on the site, remembering fire safety. For convenience, you can bring water and sewerage to this place. Develop a sketch of your structure and be sure to draw up a drawing for laying each row of bricks. You will see, such a drawing will make your work much easier.

You can do without a concrete mixer and mix the solution manually, but a little mechanization will speed up the work several times. Prepare everything necessary materials and tools.

The work begins with clearing and planning the selected site and making a foundation. Brick smokehouse with a barbecue is already considered a permanent structure and strip foundation not enough. A wooden formwork is installed in the dug pit, which must be covered with roofing felt. A layer of rubble stone is laid, filled with crushed stone and filled with mortar.

Important ! A day later, after the first layer has dried, the next one is done and so on. The number of layers depends on the size and weight of the structure.

The last layer is checked by level, leveled, waterproofed and left for several days until completely dry.

Instead of a rubble foundation, you can build a concrete one. Such a foundation needs to be reinforced.

Use red for masonry kiln brick. Start by laying out the first row of bricks without using mortar. This will help you make markings and determine where to install the grilles.

Start laying by kneading sand-cement mortar with the addition of lime. The usual ratio is 3:1:1. Water is added in volume so that the solution looks like thick sour cream. The second and subsequent rows are laid staggered, laying bricks starting from the corners. Constantly check the horizontality of the laid out rows. The corners must be reinforced with wire.

To install the brazier, corners and fittings are installed between the walls of the oven. The firebox must be made of heat-resistant metal or cast iron.

It is easier to install the lattice if several bricks are laid protruding into the structure.

Space for firewood and various household appliances can be provided in the overall volume of the structure.

The smokehouse is made of two volumes located one above the other. This will give you a hot smoker. It can be easily converted into a smokehouse for cold smoking by placing a portable stove or hearth at the required distance and connecting it to the chamber with a chimney. So you can make a smokehouse with your own hands for hot and cold smoking.

You choose the design style of the building and its decoration according to your taste.

These are not all the ways to make a smokehouse with your own hands for hot and cold smoking. Among them there are very cheap (option with a bucket) and quite expensive (grill-smokehouse made of bricks). It's up to you to decide, but in any case, there will now always be a place for delicious smoked products on your table.

Smoking gives the products a special taste and pleasant aroma. In addition, this method of cooking helps extend its shelf life. Therefore, many owners of houses and summer cottages decide that they simply needcold smoked smokehouse.

DIY drawings and dimensionsIt is not difficult to make such a device, but you can take advantage of the experience of smoking lovers, which they willingly share on thematic forums on the Internet.

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Differences between cold and hot smoked smokehouses

Smoked products sold in stores and markets are of dubious quality. Often for cooking large quantity For smoked products, manufacturers use strong concentrates that give the food a pleasant look and smell, but deprive it of nutrients. To have smoked meats in sufficient quantities and High Quality preparations, some want to make their own wood smokehouse. There are many ways to do this.

Attention!You can smoke not only meat, fish products and lard, but also many vegetables, nuts, fruits, berries and even cheeses. For each type of product, you need to select an individual smoking temperature and time, as well as choose the right wood for the wood chips.

Before how to make a cold smokehouse with your own hands, you need to know the difference between cold and hot smoking.

A cold smoked smokehouse is distinguished by the fact that the smoke gases burn out in it, due to which all harmful elements settle in the chimney. As a result, the smoked product receives a pleasant smoke treatment at a temperature of thirty to fifty degrees.

A product prepared using this principle can be stored from several weeks to several months, depending on its type.

Features of hot smoking

Hot smoking is characterized by high speed. Cooking can take from fifteen minutes to several hours, depending on the type of product and its size. The smoke temperature reaches one hundred degrees, which is possible thanks to the use of mainly wood chips rather than firewood.

There are also semi-hot smokers, the smoke temperature of which reaches sixty or seventy degrees. Typically, such structures are small and easy to transport, making them convenient to take on a picnic or on a hike. There are variousdrawings of cold and hot smoked smokehouses, some of them are described below.

Prices for cold smoked smokehouse

cold smoked smokehouse

Making different types of smokehouses

Any DIY smokehouse for meat, drawingswhich you can find on the Internet, consists of the following elements:

  • fireboxes;
  • smoking chambers;
  • chimney.

The materials for their manufacture can be varied. Depending on the choice of material, the design scheme is selected.

Brick and block smokehouse


The brick smoking structure is reliable and durable. This is its advantage and at the same time disadvantage.

If you intend to use the smokehouse often, then it definitely makes sense to build it.

However, in case of rare usemeat smoking ovensshe will just take up space on personal plot and raise many questions from guests who have no idea what purposes such a structure could serve.

The walls of the chamber must be made of red bricks made of clay or fire-resistant blocks.The method of laying them is “on edge”. Glue solution A mixture of sand and clay will serve. A barrel lid or any similar material (pallet, metal mold) is placed on the bottom. It is best to build a smokehouse one and a half meters high.

Before you build walls, as in any construction, you need a foundation. To make it, you will need a reinforced concrete slab or a metal mesh filled with a solution of sand, crushed stone and concrete. Pouring the base takes place in several stages:

  1. Digging a small pit.
  2. Filling the bottom with crushed stone and sand to form a cushion.
  3. Tamping the first layer.
  4. Laying out a mesh or slab.
  5. Pouring concrete solution.

You can begin building walls only after the foundation has completely hardened.

What you need to know before you start building

Construction of a cold smoked smokehousehas a number of features that you should familiarize yourself with before starting work.

  1. You cannot be careless when choosing a place for construction, since it will be permanent. If you choose the right place, you can even connect water supply to the smokehouse and sewer system, and also build a smokehouse, which, if necessary, can serve as a barbecue.
  2. Before starting bricklaying, it would be good to think through and even draw a diagram of the construction of each row of walls.
  3. You can mix the sand-clay solution yourself. However, it will be easier to do this with a concrete mixer.
  4. When pouring the foundation, it is better to follow all the rules, for example, use wooden formwork and a concrete pad.
  5. If the structure is high, then the foundation should be poured in several layers.The filling of each successive layer must be started only after the previous one has completely dried.
  6. To make marking easier, the first row of bricks is laid out without using mortar.
  7. Laying out blocks must begin from the corners. To enhance the strength of the corners, wire should be used.
  8. A door should be built to a large smokehouse. It can be made from wood and coated with clay to increase fire resistance. When building walls, you must remember to leave a doorway.

Drawing of a cold smoked brick smokehouse.

Attention!Some complementcold smoked smokehouse drawingscompartment for storing a supply of firewood and other combustion products.

Wood is an environmentally friendly material that will not adversely affect smoked products. To build a smokehouse, you should choose wood that is dense and strong, but at the same time does not contain toxic resins. For example, it could be pear, alder, apple or oak wood.

Optimal cold smoked smokehouse sizemade of wood is 80x45x45 centimeters.Drawing home smokehouse requires the following materials for implementation:

  • Frame beams measuring 5x5 centimeters. To make them you need 800 centimeters of timber.
  • Sanded boards with a width of 10 centimeters and a thickness of up to one centimeter. It should be taken into account that the boards will be laid out in two layers to make the walls of the smokehouse airtight and impermeable to smoke. The first row is laid out vertically, and the second row horizontally.
  • It is also necessary to prepare the lining for the roof of the chamber.
  • In order to ensure the waterproofness of the smokehouse, you can install a layer of roofing that protects from moisture and water. However, this is not a necessary step; you can get by with timber.
  • For ease of use, you need to prepare the door mount and handle with a latch.
  • To build the base you will need red bricks.
  • In order to protect wooden walls chambers from combustion, the inside will require protection from heat-resistant silicate bricks.
  • To lay out the blocks you will need cement and sand.
  • The roof requires a layer of waterproofing and sealing elements for the joint and pipe.
  • Metal or ceramic refractory pipes with a diameter of 8–10 centimeters (with a length of 200–250 centimeters, and 10–12 centimeters (with a length of 50 centimeters).
  • A sheet of high-quality metal that will serve as a flooring for the firebox.

  1. Choice suitable place for construction.
  2. Digging two pits located approximately 200 centimeters from one another. The foundation pit should be located on a small hill, its depth should reach approximately forty centimeters. The other one should be dug lower and about 25 centimeters deep.
  3. A small trench is dug between the pits, into which a smoke pipe is later installed.
  4. The pit for the firebox is well compacted. Then sand (up to a height of about six centimeters) and crushed stone are placed in it. After this, you need to pour a mixture of cement and gravel there, which will secure the first and second layers. When the concrete dries, a mesh for reinforcement is mounted on it. Then you need to fill cement-sand mixture to a height of about four centimeters.
  5. It is necessary to compact the surface of the bottom of the trench. A pipe with a smaller diameter is installed there. Its end should end earlier than the trench, about eighteen centimeters.
  6. After this, one edge of the pipe is covered with concrete, and a wider pipe is mounted on top. It should extend onto the narrow pipe by about ten centimeters. This step will allow the smoke to cool down better.
  7. The wide part of the pipe extends into the combustion chamber of the smokehouse (about fifteen centimeters). You need to place two brick blocks on both edges of the pipe. The construction of the combustion chamber begins with them. The thickness of the walls should be equal to half the brick block.
  8. The pipe needs to be covered with boards for a while, and the pit in which it is located must be filled with concrete solution.
  9. When the two rows of the combustion chamber wall are ready, you can prepare the combustion door (a small one, measuring 30x19 centimeters, will do). However, it is better to start doing this from the first row.
  10. A slab of refractory ceramic or metal is installed on top of two temporary bricks.
  11. After erecting the walls of the combustion part, you can leave it to dry and proceed to the construction of the smoking area. The foundation is being laid brick blocks. One row will require six blocks, the distance between which is one centimeter, and the total perimeter of the row will be fifty centimeters. To make the walls even, you need to use a level.
  12. The height of the plinth is approximately nine rows of bricks, more than half of which will be above the soil surface (about five rows). When walling up the pipe entering the smoking chamber, it is necessary to properly close all the holes and gaps around it in order to block the access to moisture and ground dampness.
  13. When pouring concrete into a trench with a chimney pipe, you need to leave about seven centimeters for the top layer of soil.
  14. When the solution dries, all holes and gaps that remain near the walls are filled with clay or soil and compacted tightly.
  15. The next step is to check the smoke permeability. Brushwood and paper are placed in the combustion chamber and set on fire. If smoke enters the smoking section without problems, you can finally cover it with soil and compact the trench with the pipe.
  16. The timber is cut into four parts of eighty centimeters each, as well as eight parts of 35 centimeters each, three parts of 55 centimeters each, and two parts of twenty centimeters. Installation is carried out with nails or wood screws (seven centimeters).
  17. First you need to do the front and back frame structure. Boards (35 cm) are mounted on the edge, located between the bars of 80 centimeters. This creates two frames of equal size, connected at the bottom.
  18. The frame is mounted in a vertical position and secured with a board, the size of which is 55 centimeters. The bars extend beyond the frame by about five centimeters. These projections will later be the basis for installing the roof.
  19. The upper front and rear frames define the middle. A twenty-centimeter beam is attached to it (pointing down). A third section of the board is mounted on top of them, also protruding on both sides by five centimeters.
  20. A board is nailed in the middle of the ridge beam (this must be done on both slopes). The finished frame needs to be covered with even boards that will last layer roofs.
  21. Then the walls of the building are covered with wooden boards.
  22. The doorway should be half a centimeter larger than the door itself along the entire perimeter to ensure free opening in any weather and after possible deformation of the wood due to frost or moisture.
  23. While one side wall is not stitched with a board, crossbars for smoking are mounted through it. When they are ready, you can complete the wall covering.
  24. According to the left doorway, the door is made and attached.
  25. To improve the quality and durability of the smokehouse, it is better to cover it with a layer that protects the wood from moisture.

Drawing of a cold smoked wood smokehouse.

Some also practice building a place to store firewood near the smokehouse, for example, by raising a small canopy from the roof. Using the same principle, you can createdrawing of a metal smokehouse with dimensions.

Cold smoked smokehouse options from a barrel

Cold smoked smokehouse diagramfrom a barrel is simple. The barrel should hold from one hundred to two hundred liters. You need to cut off the lid from a clean container. A hole is made at the bottom for the chimney. The lid can be used to make a container for fat. Its size must be made no smaller than the diameter of the barrel.

You also need one (or more) grate for laying out smoked products. It can be made from willow branches or wire. Another option is to install fittings at the top of the barrel on which the meat will hang on hooks. If you use several grates, you need to leave about fifteen centimeters between them.

The pallet is mounted using reinforcing bars. It needs a loop for easy removal and cleaning. The lid for the barrel can be made from wooden planks. Several small holes are left in it through which excess moisture will escape.

Smokehouse made from an old refrigerator

An old refrigerator will make a great one.do-it-yourself smokehouse for cold smoking fish. Blueprintsits simple. The entire frame is already ready, and the smoked products will be laid out on the grates. All that remains is to equip the bottom of the refrigerator as a fire chamber and make a chimney.Use old refrigerator Can also be used for smoking any other products.

Portable mini-smokehouses for semi-hot smoking

Can be made from a bucket or metal boxDIY portable smokehouse. BlueprintsIt’s also simple: you just need to install a grate for food in the container, and pour alder shavings on the bottom. The structure is placed over hot coals for a period of half an hour to a couple of hours (depending on what’s inside).

Can be done DIY cold smoking box. Blueprintswill include five sheets of metal that need to be welded and a cover for them.

Drawing of a cold smoked smokehouse made from a metal box.

Diagram of a classic smokehouse from the inside

The classic smokehouse is made according to the same scheme as the wooden smokehouse mentioned above. Two rooms are being built - one for lighting a fire, and the other for smoking food. A chimney pipe is installed between them.

To make a classic smokehouse, you can use wood, brick, metal and other fireproof materials.

Firewood and wood chips: how to choose the right one

Both for manufacturing and for the smoking process itself, resinous wood such as pine or spruce, as well as tar trees such as maple or birch, should not be used. It is better to give preference to cherry, alder, apple or oak. Then the smoked products will be of high quality, free of harmful substances and pleasant to the taste.

Smoking food with your own hands is a fun and easy process, the result of which will delight your family and friends. Therefore it makes sense to choose suitable type smokehouse and start making it.