Smokers for the homestead

[Wayne02]

Thinking about building or buying a smoker to use for beef, pork, fish, etc. We have been using the heck out of our stainless costco grill and while I was in costco today I spied a stainless propane powered smoker for $400. Seemed like a nice unit of course, but I'm hesitant to drop that kind of coin on something like this until I know if I'm really going to use it that often.

Some questions for those of you who do the smoker thing.

1. How often do you us it? How many times per year? Do you generally do large batches and then eat off those batches over time, or do you do small batches and eat them right away?

2. What are the benefits and drawbacks of a propane powered smoker vs. using charcoal or wood?

3. Roughly how long does it take to smoke meat, pork, fish? I assume it is probably an all day deal or longer?

4. How long does the smoked food last? Is it kept in the fridge? Any special storage precautions like having to vacuum seal it or anything?

5. Where do you purchase the product to be used in the smoker. For example do you go to a butcher where you can buy a larger cut of meat for use in the smoker?

6. Do you smoke a variety of things or have you kind of settled on favorite?

Thanks
Wayne

[Junkmanme]

1. 2 to 4 times a week most weeks of the year (unless freezing COLD).
2. You get better flavor and a generally "cooler" smoke with wood.
3. My general "rule-of-thumb" is 1/2 hour per pound (flexible depending on quite a few things, i.e. type of meat, cut of meat, thickness, ambient temperature, etc.)
4. Doesn't last long...gets eaten TOO FAST! Keep in Fridge after putting in Zip-Lock bags.
5. either way, or go hunting.........
6. variety, but my specialty is Turkey. (I buy the frozen ones from the grocery, cheap, during the holidays and put them in the freezer.)

You can make your own smoker a lot cheaper. Think 30 or 55 gal steel drums laying horizontal, with firebox off to the end. You can find a lot of designs on the Internet by searching DIY smoker.

Your Welcome, Wayne.

Bruce

[cowgirlone]

Here is a picture of my old homemade horizontal smoker.....made out of pipe.





I use it several times a week during the summer and pretty often in the winter. We smoke anything from hams, whole hogs, venison and turkeys to smoked cheese, salt and olives.

I prefer wood for smoking. Hardwoods, fruit woods and nut woods are nice. We are able to get mesquite easy too.
I also smoke canadian bacon in it. http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sho...d.php?t=160804

Edited to add, I'm in the middle of building a small smoke house so I can cold smoke at least two hogs worth of hams and bacon at one time. Hopefully I will have it finished in a couple of weeks.

[Junkmanme]

Nice smoker, Cowgirlone !!!

[cowgirlone]

Thank you Junkmanme, it's an old one, about 18 years old now, but I still use the heck out of it.

[CJ]

Wayne, we have a small stainless steel electric smoker (Cookshack) that we use nonstop with living in our RV. It was around the same price, and worth every penny, it does an absolute fabulous job!

It's completely insulated and the temperature control is very accurate and doesn't flucuate. For farm use, I'd want one of their larger models, but do check out the CookShacks... they are awesome!

The longer we have it, the more uses I find for it. I smoke everything from meat, to macaroni and cheese, lasagna, veggies... bacon, you name it. Oh and salmon in there... is like heaven on earth.

The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box!

[T Rice]

Originally Posted by cowgirlone

I'm in the middle of building a small smoke house so I can cold smoke at least two hogs worth of hams and bacon at one time. Hopefully I will have it finished in a couple of weeks.

Can you share more details on this? Any pictures?

[cowgirlone]

Originally Posted by T Rice

Can you share more details on this? Any pictures?

T Rice, I'll send a PM to you as soon as I get my pictures.

[Wayne02]

Thanks for the replies.

How much attention or tendering does the cooking process require? Does the meat have to be turned or moved during the process? Does the smoke medium have to be replenished? Can a bed of coals or stack of wood last for half a day or even a full day.

I guess what I'm getting at is once the system is set up and the meat prepared, is the cooking process a set it and forget it type deal or does it require regular attention?

Thanks

[cowgirlone]

It needs to be tended. For meats that need to smoke low and slow, you will need to add wood or charcoal about every hour to hour and a half, depending on your smoker.

Most things will not need to be moved. Some meat will smoke quicker and will not need to be moved. When I do a whole hog I turn it half way through. (it does take all day).

The smaller the meat/food the quicker it will be ready.

[logbuilder]

Here is a link to a HT thread from back in 2004. It contains instructions on building your own smoker on the cheap as well as some good links to other sites about BBQ and smoking.

http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthr...ht=meat+smoker

[morrowsmowers]

We just bought a Weber smoker and it has worked really well, so far.

www.virtualweberbullet.com

Ken in Glassboro, NJ

[rfd]

can you make one out of an old 150 gallon propane tank, I have been thinking about this for a couple of weeks.

Thanks

[cowgirlone]

Originally Posted by rfd

can you make one out of an old 150 gallon propane tank, I have been thinking about this for a couple of weeks.

Thanks

You can, I think taking a cutting torch to one is what's tricky. I know people do make them out of propane tanks though.
Here is a link from the Kansas City BBQ site, showing some different smokers in the making.
http://www.thebbqforum.com/gallery/c...71dcfd65cbd863

[logbuilder]

Originally Posted by rfd

can you make one out of an old 150 gallon propane tanks

I'd be removing the valves on the tank and blowing it out with my air compressor several times, letting it sit for a week and repeating the blow out before I got close to it with any sort of cutting device. Might even think about filling it with water and draining to make sure all the gas was out. Get it aired out real good!

[Rickstir]

Cowgirlone, I have one very similar made by Dave Klose in Houston, TX. He makes wonderful smokers for the competition cooks and regualr folks. I use mine a couple of times a month. I am going to fire it up next weekend by special request. A friend is buying the baby back ribs and asked me to prep and smoke. I will be 3 pork butts for us and smoke them all together. We named our smoker Rufus and he is a valued member of the family!

Here is a link to our farm and smoker: http://www.ccis.edu/staff/rpowell/personal.htm

[cowgirlone]

Rufus looks great! I'm familiar with Klose pits, they are one of the best around.
I also love your gathering spot. I'd spend every evening out there if I could!