Smoke House Build

[Mooseherder]

Very nice build Campfire.  I really like the design.   
Yesteryear village at the South Florida Fairgrounds has one close to your build with the way you built the firebox and channeled the pipe into the smokehouse.  They have a couple windows so you can see inside for demonstration.

[Sonofman]

That is a nice looking smoke house, cc. I like the design, I really like the idea of the fire barrel and how you get the smoke to the house.

I have a friend that has a smoke house right outside his house.



 

In the background is his house, in the foreground is his smokehouse. Note it is close to his house.



 

See what looks like where someone has been putting their hands on the door?



 

Another pic, a little closer. My friend lives just outside Hanes, Alaska. The hand prints are actually where Grizzlies come up at night, smell the scent of meat that is not in the smokehouse but has been, and try to get in it.

I hope you do not have the same problem, CC.

[campfire courage]

Yes, we have the same problem with Black Bears My dogs run them off. We have plenty of bear here, most times we have a cookout they showup.   Just enjoy smoking meat and such and I though many of the members here would be interested. . 

[campfire courage]

Campfire as my granddaddy would say son you gona have a smoke house you got to smoke the h--l out of it first

Goose, your granddaddy would know, old timers know everything and listing to them is always a good idea. I like a dark brown almost burnt smokebox, hemlock seasons well! 

[Ken]

Campfire courage  Great looking project. 

[reswire]

Campfire, I have to ask,,,,, have you ever tried smoking bear meat????  Had a friend who gave me some bear steak once.  Only once (all that I asked).  I didn't have a clue how to make it taste good, but he swore it was good if you knew how to cook it. 
I've got to try and build one of those, and when I do, I'll check with you for some recipes.  You should be a pro at smoking by then.   ;D ;D ;D   

[campfire courage]

Have not smoked bear although its greasy enough it might smoke well.  I've had plenty of bear, Best way I find it made is to mix half bear and half beef burger into Meatballs with some egg, onions, seasoning. Like any meatball and the after frying them, simmer in some good home made spaghetti sauce.  They will be the best spaghetti and meatballs you ever had, its the grease in the bear. kinda gives it a sweet taste. 
that's my recommendation, try and experiment, seems like each bear is a little differnt as to what they are feeding on.

Should you ever need any advice on smoking just ask, I've been smoking for a long time.         

[Buck]

Great project! Im a professional smokehouse products QC inspector. Should you need my services. ;)

[drobertson]

Nice smoker! only one draw back, I am not going to be able to enjoy the fruits of the labor ;D
david

[ely]

im glad I seen this, thank you for posting it and taking the time to do it this way... I have to have me one of those now, and I will be in touch with you learning how to use it.

[Rockn H]

That's a nice smoke house.  Would love to see a post on how to use it for us want-a-be's. ;D

[Planman1954]

What wood type would be good to use to build the smokehouse other than hemlock? We have pine, oak, hickory, pecan, for example down here in Louisiana...l.

[LeeB]

I would save the pecan and hickory for smoking with, not in. I'll probably use oak when I build, it's what I have. I don't figure cedar would be such a good choice.

[campfire courage]

  Glad you all like the project, my family and I enjoy smoking its good eating and a great way to spend some time with the family. I don't think I need my smokehouse QC inspected but if I do I'll be contacting you. I've built quite a few smokers, in my day, At one time I had a small portable smoker that I made form a wooden frame and stapled thick cardboard to the outside. Basically all you need is a firebox, a pipe to carry the smoke and a container to hold the smoke and items to be smoked. You can use your imagination. I like wood for my smokehouse as it seasons from the smoke and holds the smoke flavor.

Planman, You can use any type of wood you like I would recommend pine but I don't know anything about Pecan. Its just a wood box so when you consider smoking at high heat such as 350 degrees your fire is really burning and sparks and heat build up at the point of smoke entry. If you look at my images you'll see a heavy metal pipe cover or cap which isolates the heated pipe from the wood and dampers hot sparks. The lessons you learn, if I can help with your build just  let me know.             

[ely]

what does the pipe look like where it comes thru the floor of the house... open hole or does it have a rain cap type top on it?

[campfire courage]

I thought it was included in my images,  this is the cap I made for the floor entry point of the smoke pipe.



 

[clww]

Great build and photos, too!
Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

[LeeB]

You gonna share your recipe for kielbasa?

[Rockn H]

Campfire, we're down in the delta with mostly flat ground so all the wood fired smokers here are basically BBQ grills with a fire box on one end.   The few "walk-ins" that I've seen like yours have had the fire built inside the smoker with just a pit in the floor.  It's hard to regulate the heat or smoke that way.  Lots of opening the door.   I never built one because it didn't look like a good setup.   Your's has got me thinking about building one high enough off the ground to run the smoke stack into the floor like yours, just without the hill.  I'm thinking about 3' off the ground, on post, would be plenty.

[Raider Bill]

Campfire, does ground temperature  effect your smoke?

[Planman1954]

Planman, You can use any type of wood you like I would recommend pine       

Thanks Campfire! Pine is what I have plenty of! My late friend Jimmy Smith built one out of pine. I was just wondering if the wood in the structure has any affect on the taste of the meat.

[Wick]

Holy smoke!! That's awesome. Glad you figured out the posting thing, really enjoyed that. Thanks

[ely]

not sure I seen the size of your smokehouse, but I was wondering how big you made it, roughly.

[campfire courage]

  Ok, I'll try and answer all the questions I see here in one post.

The wood used to build the smoke house should not change the flavor, at least I have not had that experience. Once the inside of the smoker is smoked or seasoned it usually holds just a smoke flavor :}

The smoker is built 5x5 wide and 7 foot high.

I have seen them built similar to mine but like you said maybe three feet high, small set of steps going up to it and the fire box at ground level. That will work! Try and keep it about 12 to 15 feet away from the firebox depending on your climate as warm temps need it farther away. If its 70 degrees and your smoking the box temp will run high so it needs to be farther away. If its cold where you are then it can be somewhat closer, I did about 12 feet and underground so its insulated from the cold and I can run it cool like 90 degrees and I've had it as high as 350 degrees.

Ground temp will effect your smoke if its frozen or really cold, I insulated my ground with saw dust and the put a plank over it with some gravel around everything so the pipe is insulated.  Only thing I see is if it gets really hot, like if I'm smoking around 350 degrees I see the saw dust starting to smolder at the front of the pipe just behind the firebox, which is no big deal. You can customize your build anyway you think will work better. I figured using stove pipe with gravel and saw dust was pretty sufficient.

yes, I'll get you the ingredients here soon, the recipe is not as important as how long and the temps you smoke the keilbasa :}
     

[LeeB]

I've got a recipe I use and have been tweaking for a while. Almost got it where I want it. I just like to try new recipes.  You are very right on how long and what temps.