Smokehouse for the dacha: how to make a smokehouse at the dacha with your own hands for cold and hot smoking

A hot smoked smokehouse can help in preparing smoked products. The process of smoking food in such devices involves cooking food using hot air. The air temperature inside the smokehouse can reach 200 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, foods, most often meat, fish, and vegetables, are baked and imbued with the aroma of smoldering wood chips. As a result, you get incredibly tasty and unusual dishes.

Smoking options

Humanity discovered this method of preserving food as smoking many centuries ago. In any book about “Robinsons” (real and fictional) you will find a detailed description of this process. Currently, there are two main smoking methods:

1. Hot smoking. When choosing this smoking method, the products are cooked at a temperature of 90-150°C for two days. The main heat comes from the coals, and the smoke adds flavor and literally permeates the pieces of meat or fish. The products become soft and the meat more tender.

2. Cold smoking. In this case, the food is suspended high above the fire, and the heating temperature does not exceed 30°C. Cold smoking is a longer process and can take a week. At the same time, meat or fish retains its original structure and even becomes slightly denser.

It is easier to build a hot smokehouse than a cold one.

How to choose the right smokehouse?

First of all, it must be said that all smokehouses come in several types depending on the fuel used - coal, electric and gas. At home (especially in apartments), electric models are often used. The smoke here is generated using special heating elements. If you prefer just such a device, then it is best to buy a design that can smoke food at different temperatures. In gas smokehouses, heat is released from special stones of volcanic origin, which are heated by a burner. However, such a design is very rarely found on sale.

As users note, the highest quality smoking process occurs exclusively in coal models, where either coal or living wood acts as fuel. In this case, the products will acquire additional taste. Depending on the volume of production, smokehouses can be domestic or industrial. There is no fundamental difference between them - the only difference is the volume of the food chamber.

Smokehouses are also stationary and transportable. The former have significant dimensions, while the latter can be placed in a barn or in a country house; moreover, they are characterized by small overall dimensions. According to the type of smoking, models are cold, hot or semi-hot.

When using hot smoking, food is processed with hot smoke - this is the fastest technology, which takes from 40 minutes to 2 hours. Unfortunately, dishes prepared in this way do not last very long - only about two to three days. Experienced smokers do not recommend using this technology for working with fatty products, since due to exposure to high temperatures, the fat begins to melt - this negatively affects the taste of the dish.

Cold smoking is produced by smoke whose temperature ranges from 15 to 25 degrees. Its duration ranges from 10 hours to three weeks. Finished products can be edible for a long time. Smokehouses are made of cast iron, stainless or special heat-resistant steel. Cast iron is usually used for the manufacture of stationary smokehouses; heat-resistant steel is not durable, so it is best to choose a design made of stainless steel.

When we chose models to include in the review of the best smokehouses of the year, we mainly relied on all the points discussed above. In addition, we took into account user reviews and the price-quality ratio: we tried to choose not very expensive models so that you could find the smokehouse you like, and it would be within your means. Now let's move on to considering the qualities of each specific model.

How smokehouses work

Despite the fact that the main “ingredient” in the preparation of smoked dishes is smoke (only at different temperatures), there are design differences between hot and cold smokehouses, and quite serious ones. This operating principle is typical for every smokehouse.

1. Hot smoked smokehouse , like its “little sister”, consists of three main elements: a combustion chamber (in which wood burns and smoke is produced), a chimney (in a hot smokehouse it is small or there is no chimney at all, since it must be maintained inside maximum temperature) and a smoking chamber with grates for food. The smoking process in such a chamber is fast, if not instantaneous - even uncooked and raw products are bathed in hot smoke and soon reach the desired “condition”. In addition, it is easier to build a hot smokehouse at the dacha with your own hands.

2. Cold smoked smokehouse .
The main difference is a long chimney (3-5 m), through which the smoke cools and gets rid of harmful impurities and combustion products. They settle on the walls of the chimney and environmentally friendly, cool smoke enters the smoking chamber. This is the main and main advantage of a cold smokehouse. But let us remind you that the smoking process in it takes longer, and the products themselves must undergo pre-treatment.

How to make a mini smokehouse from a cold smoking pot

In order to become the owner of a home smokehouse and regularly cook delicious smoked meats, you can use a regular large saucepan.
Assembling the structure will not be difficult. Any person can easily cope with the task.

Sectional diagram

In order to make a mini-smokehouse from a saucepan require a minimum amount of time, it is worth studying the cross-sectional design diagram. You can find it on the Internet and choose the most suitable option.

Scheme of a smokehouse from a pan

Manufacturing process

To build a structure for smoking from a pan, you should first prepare two containers of the same diameter. The upper pan is inserted into the lower one. There should not be a single gap between them so that smoke does not leak into the room.

You need to make a sufficient number of holes in the bottom of the upper container through which smoke from the lower pan will pass. Fuel is poured into the lower container. The more holes you make, the more smoke will get into the food container.

A grate for food is installed a couple of centimeters from the lid. It is necessary that there is enough space between the future smoked meats and the lid. Thanks to this, the products are evenly exposed to smoke and smoked. To attach the gratings, you need to make four holes in the walls and insert pre-prepared rods through them. The grille will be attached to them.

Between the grate for food and the bottom of the upper container, a tray is installed on special fastenings into which fat will drain during the smoking process. It should not touch the walls of the structure so that the smoke can fully fill the entire mini smokehouse.

Cover upgrade

To make the design more convenient to use, you can upgrade the lid.

Handles are made or welded to ensure safe operation. You can also attach hooks to the lid on which food will be hung. This will allow you to cook a lot more smoked meats at one time.

What can a lattice be made from?

A grate for a mini smokehouse from a pan can be made from metal rods or strong and thick wire, with which a mesh with small cells is woven.

If you don’t have time to make this element yourself, then you can purchase a ready-made grille, taking into account the diameter of the selected container.

How does a smokehouse work?

The principle of the smokehouse is very simple.
Under the influence of high temperature, the wood chips inside the structure gradually begin to smolder, which leads to the appearance of smoke. It is used to process products, which ensures uniform smoking. The wood chips on the bottom of the pan should be distributed evenly so that the smoke is released consistently. Products placed on the grill should not lie close together. Otherwise, they will not smoke properly. Before starting the smoking process, the wood chips must be slightly moistened so that they smolder and not burn.

Types of smokehouses for the garden

Currently, manufacturers offer a huge number of different options for smokehouses for the garden. These include heavy forged and cast iron barbecues, electric smokehouses, and smokehouses with a water seal. Craftsmen suggest building a smokehouse from a refrigerator, barbecue, gas cylinder and even a simple bucket. But even in all this diversity, the principle of operation is the same - two adjacent chambers, one of which contains firewood, and the other contains food.

We will look at tips for installing and operating the simplest smokehouses on the site.

A simple smokehouse for a summer house in 10 minutes

Fast, fragrant... risky. If you suddenly wanted to smoke food or it just started to spoil, then a hot smokehouse will help you out in a hurry. You can build such a “unit” in just a few minutes, especially if you have just grilled kebabs and the coals are still hot. So, to create the simplest smokehouse you will need a grill, a couple of bricks and a pan with a lid. What is the risk of such smoking? This is not to say that the products will not absorb some of the harmful substances.

The main thing is to choose a suitable place. It is advisable to locate the smokehouse so that neither your house stinks of smoke nor your neighbors make complaints (since not everyone likes the aromas of smokehouses). The site should be located on a small hill. Place a sheet of metal on the grass, and install bricks or curb stones around the perimeter or at least on both sides. Place a metal box with latches or a lid, tray, etc. on top of the improvised one. You can pour sawdust onto the tray, which will be heated by the fire and imbue the food with a wonderful aroma.

Cold smokehouse - two quick options

In dacha conditions, there are two options for arranging a cold smokehouse in the dacha. The first involves the use of the terrain, and the second - improvised metal parts.

Hot smokehouse made of polyethylene

To construct such a prefabricated, simple and cheap installation, very little material is required. And it’s even easier to build:

Build a cylinder or “bag” from a piece of polyethylene 2 m wide;
on a pre-prepared area of 1x1 m, drive 4 wooden or metal rods, each 2 m long, into the ground;
connect opposite stakes with slats or wire in 2-3 rows, placing them one above the other;
hang fish or pieces of meat at different heights, placing large fish or pieces lower (closer to the fire source);
Cover the structure with a piece of polyethylene on top and sides;
pour hot coals on the ground (0.5-1 bucket), and cover them with fresh grass on top;
stretch the polyethylene shell and secure it to the ground.

The smoke screen must be maintained for at least 3-4 hours. If necessary, add grass or coals. When finished, remove the plastic and ventilate the fish. Small specimens are ready to eat almost immediately, while large fish can be re-smoked the next day.

Electric smokehouses for hot smoking at home

Alvin Eku

Universal products that are designed specifically for use in domestic conditions. With its help, you can prepare a wide variety of smoked products without leaving your home. Thanks to hot smoking technology, you can get very tasty fish, meat or lard. The versatility of the product lies in the fact that it can operate both in electric heating mode and through the use of coal or firewood. When using the device connected to the network, certain precautions should be observed - the temperature in the room should be no more than 35 degrees and no lower than -1 degree. The rated power of the equipment is 0.75 kW, but this parameter can be adjusted manually in the range from 300 to 750 W.

The device can be used without interruption for a long time without turning it off for a break. The useful volume of the working chamber is 20 liters. You can smoke not only fish in it, but also a fairly large piece of lard or meat. The overall dimensions are as follows - diameter 40 cm and height 50 cm. The result is a fairly compact product that will find a place even in a cramped kitchen.

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Advantages:

Made from very high quality materials;
During the smoking process, products do not stick to the grates;
Able to ensure uniform smoking;
Attractive appearance.

Flaws:

Certain precautions must be taken when using this machine.

Smokehouse Alvin Eku

1100 W Muurikka

Quite convenient products with horizontal loading of food products. Like the previous model, this device can be used both with and without a network connection. The overall dimensions are small, so smoking on wood will not work - you can use either small wood chips or sawdust. The internal temperature is regulated by a special rotary regulator - it is three-position, so the device can cook food using both hot and cold technology. By adjusting the temperature, you can significantly speed up the smoking process. The case is made of high-quality thin-sheet stainless steel and has a carrying handle.

For greater ease of use of the design, the device is equipped with a special ventilation valve, a thermometer and a special signal lamp. The maximum power of the equipment is 1100 W. The diameter of the smokehouse is 25 cm with a height of 50. The dimensions of the grill are 24x41.5 cm, which allows you to place quite a lot of products there.

Advantages:

You can prepare up to 2 kg of food at one time;
Excellent stability due to large metal legs;
The handle allows you to carry even a hot device;
The body is made of high-alloy stainless steel;
Several operating modes;
You can reduce the cooking time;
The height of the grille is adjustable;
The kit includes a case for storage and transportation.

Flaws:

Over time, the body becomes covered with a layer of fat, which is noticeable and difficult to wash off;
The lid has a cutout for the heating element, which can allow smoke to enter the room.

smokehouse 1100 W Muurikka

Selmash Dymok plant

High-quality and budget products from domestic manufacturers. The design is characterized by simplicity and a long period of operation. By and large, it is just a metal box with a heating element inside. This is the best option for working not only with fish or meat, but also for chicken. The useful volume is as much as 20 liters. This model operates only on electricity; loading sawdust, wood chips and other fuel into it is strictly not recommended. It does not emit smoke during cooking. It takes up very little space in the kitchen. The ergonomics are carefully thought out, so the structure is quite easy to clean. Steam will escape through a special hole made in the lid. A complete silicone hose is connected to it, through which it is diverted outside the room. The joint between the lid and the body is carefully sealed.

All the fat from the cooking products will accumulate on a special wide tray located directly under the grate. At the same time, two baking sheets with meat or fish can be placed in the housing. The bottom of the product is made of original material – hardened stainless steel, the thickness of which is 2 mm, which allows it to withstand temperatures up to 800 degrees. Depending on the product, the process takes from 30 to 90 minutes. To control the temperature in the chamber there is a bimetallic thermometer.

Advantages:

Reasonable cost;
There is no need to use firewood or other flammable materials;
Any dirt can be easily cleaned;
The heating element is carefully protected from grease.

Flaws:

There is no temperature control system in the chamber.

Selmash Dymok plant

Alvin Eku-Kombi

It can work not only with electric current, but also with wood or gas. The top cover and trays are made from high-quality stainless steel. You can use this equipment both at home and outdoors. The heating surface is flat and has high power, which greatly increases its functionality. In general, as users note, this smokehouse, in addition to its main task, can be used as a grill, barbecue, or small electric stove. The electric heating unit of the device is removable; if necessary, it can be turned off. This unit can also be used indoors if there is a non-explosive environment and the temperature ranges from -1 to +35 degrees.

The set comes with three grates for food. The diameter of the model is 40 cm, height – 50 cm and weight 12 kg. The rated power of the design is 750 W, however, this parameter can also be adjusted in the range from 300 to 750 W. The lower part of the case is protected by an additional layer of metal.

Advantages:

Quite a long power cord - 1.8 m;
Consumes only 800 W of electricity;
The product does not have to be configured in any special way for proper operation;
Excellent resistance to the occurrence and development of corrosion processes;
Small overall dimensions;
A bowl is provided to collect drained fat;
Power can be adjusted if necessary;
The user can disconnect the heating element.

Flaws:

The lid is not equipped with a handle;
Quite expensive;
There is a small distance between the gratings.

Smokehouse Alvin Eku-Combi