Have any of you people built a smoke house?

[Guest]

The suckers should be running in a week or so,and I really need to put together a smoke house.
Has anybody built one out 2x4's and plywood for the wall and roof sheating. I dont think it wise to use OSB,not even sure about plywood. I think the glue in it may leach out onto the fish, or at least the fumes from it.

What do you guys think??

[Guest]

Best thing to use would be an old fridge...a few of my friends use them.

[Surface Tension]

If you use a fridge dont use the racks that are in it. They release a toxin. look for stainless steel racks. Plywood works fine but it will delaminate if allowed to get wet. I like old portable dish washers and apartment size frig's and freezers. Your going to need a air inlet and adjustable dampers(outlet). I use an electric element with a relay and thermostat. Your going to want a range of 90- 200 degree's. I wrap my own wood chips in tin foil to keep them from flaring up.

[Bodyman]

I tried to smoke a fish once, couldn't keep it lit up :-) But really I'm not to sure about using plywood because of the glues and treatment the wood goes thru. Alot of toxins in manafactured wood products. A old fridge with metal interior and racks works real nice. I had one in my back yard and did alot of fish in it. The fire box was a 15 gal drum connected to the fridge with stove pipe and a damper in the pipe to control the amount of heat. You need around 150 -160 degrees to kill bacteria when hot smoking. If you choose to cold smoke then you need to brine longer and stronger(saltier)and smoke around 90 degrees for a longer period of time(days) to kill the bacteria and preserve the fish. Cold smoked will last longer in the fridge. But hot smoking is safer and the fish will keep in the fridge a week safley. Mine didn't last that long.
A weber kettle works well for smaller batches and less hassle.

[Guest]

I will probably try to find a old fridge. I am hoping to get 40-60 suckers to smoke,so I will need something big enough to do about 50-60 pounds at a time.

How did you roll em?? Yes they are hard to keep lit,but not too bad when you do. LMAO

Someone else told me they use a old 265 gal fuel barrel. But I can locate one.
I was thinking of building one out of mortar and block,but dont have enough time before i need it.
Mabey I could make one sometime this summer,then it will be ready for deer meat.
Thanks for the good Ideas.

[hydro]

There are several good books on the subject, one by Stanley Hull (I think). Try the library, a book store or Gander Mountain. This book also has some good brine recipies

If you can, make the smoker out of metal to avoid the potential of a burndown. I had that happen once, very depressing. I now have a small electric smoker that works great, but is a little small sometimes. If you use a refrigerator, be careful how hot you get the process, modern fridges have plastic interiors that will melt and sag if you get them too hot, and will emit toxic fumes when they melt.

[Guest]

we built a great smoker out of an old fridge as well. Find a really old one that has the ceramic coated interior. Tear the compressor out of the bottom and put in a propane burner. Some light cutting with a saw above the burner and out the top for a stack and bang you got a smoker! we went a little over board with building custom stainless racks for fish and hangers for meat. Also drill a hole in the side where you cant put a thermometer to monitor temp