# Hunting > Game Cooking and Recipes >  show us your smoker

## rambo-6mmrem

show us your home built smoker and tell us how it works
mines a wine barrel I had to screw every plank on every ring its a lot of work trust me then cut the top off
then I installed a wok burner in the bottom on a brick this can heat the the barrel to 180 if required or as low as 70 for a slow smoke on fish
for the racks I installed copper pipe scrap to sit stainless cake racks on a another mate who built one of these (where I got the idea from) spent the money and got a Webber rack which fits the barrel perfectly.....

when I 1st built it the smoke was generated by a pot on the burner full of sawdust it worked well on chooks etc but when you turned it right down for fish it stopped smoking also had the problem of the woodchips catching fire if it got a wee bit too hot so I invested in a smokai smoke generator which now dose the smoke part and I just ad the required heat with the burner I keep a metal guard on the burner to make it a indirect heat

I do everything in it fish,chicken,bacon both pork and venison, roasts with and without smoke, banngers  its a bloody awesome bit of kit 

ill get some better photos tomorrow

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## veitnamcam

Looks great

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## sako75

:Cool: 
I was expecting photos from the Helensville Bong Club  :Have A Nice Day:

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## rambo-6mmrem

yeah works well though if I want to do a big run of fish I can run out of room max is 5 or 6 Kahawai or mullet depending on the size
I want to build something bigger that will do10-20 odd fish if need be which is the reason for putting this up

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## XXXDMCXXX

Will watch with interest. I've been using my Weber for bits and pieces out to 6hrs but would like a tall cold smoker for hanging fish and meat for very long periods of time.

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## veitnamcam

@mikee has one designed to take king fish fillets he might chuck up a pick of?
Don't think it would fit 20 kahawai tho.

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## Tommy

I've saved a few 205 and 60 litre drums from work for a smoker, haven't quite decided on a layout yet.

Had been thinking:

1) One 205 on end, with a 205 across the top to make a 'T' with a cut-away lid. Use the upright drum as the vessel to creat the smoke, plumbed into the top drum. I can then use this as a BBQ too by fitting burners or even using charcoal. This would be a hot to semi-hot smoker as I wouldn't be able to keep the heat down in the upper drum. 

2) Two 205l drums, upright, end on end, with the mating lid/bottoms removed to make one long drum. Smoke supplied from a 60l drum (to one side with a burner under it, chips inside), connected to the stacked 205l drums (probably with some steel tube from work). This would be a 'cold' smoker, or, by putting the chips inside the stack, a hot smoker. This tall version appeals because I can hang sossies, fish etc inside quite easily from hooks or whatever and I don't have to go buy mesh off anyone so it's free as far as materials go. Oh, and maybe a six foot, 60mm chimney for a laugh.

3) Variations on the above.

I plan on painting it with that black pot belly stove paint so it doesn't look too rangi

I work/play all day with angle grinders and mig etc so I'll knock it out in an hour or two when I decide what I want.

..and yes, I'll wash / burn the drums off before I put anything I plan to eat in there

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## mikee

> @mikee has one designed to take king fish fillets he might chuck up a pick of?
> Don't think it would fit 20 kahawai tho.







And its a bloody ripper

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## veitnamcam

> And its a bloody ripper


I thought it would be black by now  :Wink:

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## mikee

> I thought it would be black by now


It is, Those Pics were the shiny new just out of the packaging type of thing

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## veitnamcam

Bit of a bump on this thread.
I need a decent hot smoker and a cold smokerer....which I will probably make myself. @mikee what did I cock up on yours/what would you change?.....Hardly remember how it was now but I am thinking an adjustable vent in the lid would be good?
For cold smoke I am thinking some kind of cabinet/cupboard type thing?

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## mikee

> Bit of a bump on this thread.
> I need a decent hot smoker and a cold smokerer....which I will probably make myself. @mikee what did I cock up on yours/what would you change?.....Hardly remember how it was now but I am thinking an adjustable vent in the lid would be good?
> For cold smoke I am thinking some kind of cabinet/cupboard type thing?


yep, small adjustable vent in the top and a "pipe" socket  the size of down pipe in the side (with cover) if you were going to use as cold smoker so you have somewhere to pipe in the cold smoke. Also some handles on the racks (I use a couple forks jammed in each end to lift them out but this does have the risk of disaster )

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## ROKTOY

> Bit of a bump on this thread.
> I need a decent hot smoker and a cold smokerer....which I will probably make myself. @mikee what did I cock up on yours/what would you change?.....Hardly remember how it was now but I am thinking an adjustable vent in the lid would be good?
> For cold smoke I am thinking some kind of cabinet/cupboard type thing?


We have an older commercial dishwasher at work, its dead. Would it be a suitable cabinet for a cold smoker?
This kind of thing..

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## rambo-6mmrem

Little upgrade to the wine barrel

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## veitnamcam

> We have an older commercial dishwasher at work, its dead. Would it be a suitable cabinet for a cold smoker?
> This kind of thing..Attachment 87648


Could be a goer,whats the deal?

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## ROKTOY

> Could be a goer,whats the deal?


Come have a look at it if you like, free to a good home. I'll PM you

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## rambo-6mmrem

> Bit of a bump on this thread.
> I need a decent hot smoker and a cold smokerer....which I will probably make myself. @mikee what did I cock up on yours/what would you change?.....Hardly remember how it was now but I am thinking an adjustable vent in the lid would be good?
> For cold smoke I am thinking some kind of cabinet/cupboard type thing?


Cold smokeing for fish is abit of a sticky subject
A true cold smoke takes days these people that say they cold smoke fish and it only takes 4 or 5 hours they are smokeing at arround 65-75c which is warm hot enough to cook fish over that time same as the stuff you buy in the fish shop ...meat of any type needs to reach certain temperature to be safe to eat  or some can be dryed void of all moisture 
(Cold smoked or sun dryed) 
Check this out @veitnamcam
Simple to build something like this but watch the hole vid as its in my opinion the best way to smoke fish 
This is exactly how i smoke my fish 
My smoker is  different but temperatures and Brime and Method is the same 
https://youtu.be/WZIpfpJnj78

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## muzza

mine is a commercially made  one based on a big galv toolbox stood on its end , with a stove element in the base with auger feed for sawdust. 

Also have adapted a Smokai cold smoker to fit on as well to give me hot and cold smoke in the same unit.

I sits on a trolley in the shed and I wheel it outside to use  as and when.

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## kukuwai

Here's mine, its out of action at the moment as we are in between houses so its in storage at the folks house.

Home made out of western red cedar from the mill and some oven trays from the junk shop.  Had a ball making it.

UFO cold smoke generator bolts through the side and boom she's running. No heat but it is a long process 12 to 18 hrs or so!!

Brining the fish is the key. Heaps of good recipes on the nizzel but basically need enough salt in h2o to float a potato. Sea water is not salty enough. Can add soy sauce herbs and spices to taste. 

Put in fridge over night at least then be sure to dry before smoking, very important.

End result bloody tasty. Have only done fish in it but my mate keeps talking about borrowing it and doing some ham 

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## veitnamcam

> Here's mine, its out of action at the moment as we are in between houses so its in storage at the folks house.
> 
> Home made out of western red cedar from the mill and some oven trays from the junk shop.  Had a ball making it.
> 
> UFO cold smoke generator bolts through the side and boom she's running. No heat but it is a long process 12 to 18 hrs or so!!
> 
> Brining the fish is the key. Heaps of good recipes on the nizzel but basically need enough salt in h2o to float a potato. Sea water is not salty enough. Can add soy sauce herbs and spices to taste. 
> 
> Put in fridge over night at least then be sure to dry before smoking, very important.
> ...


Yea I like that a lot.

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## rambo-6mmrem

Smoked kahawai fresh out of the new smoker today 4 hours cold smoke followed by 5 hours warm/hot smoke

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## rambo-6mmrem

> Here's mine, its out of action at the moment as we are in between houses so its in storage at the folks house.
> 
> Home made out of western red cedar from the mill and some oven trays from the junk shop.  Had a ball making it.
> 
> UFO cold smoke generator bolts through the side and boom she's running. No heat but it is a long process 12 to 18 hrs or so!!
> 
> Brining the fish is the key. Heaps of good recipes on the nizzel but basically need enough salt in h2o to float a potato. Sea water is not salty enough. Can add soy sauce herbs and spices to taste. 
> 
> Put in fridge over night at least then be sure to dry before smoking, very important.
> ...


Wouldnt be hard to add a little heat to that ether 
A little cast iron gas ring from mitre10 with a small hole in the side to run the gas hose through 
Or a single element electronic bench top stove
You dont need alot of heat but its handy and safer to have some 
120c will cook chicken over a few hours 70c is sweet for fish

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## veitnamcam

> Yea I like that a lot.


Also I happen to know a joiner  :Thumbsup:

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## rambo-6mmrem

> Also I happen to know a joiner


Pretty easy build 
If you can’t afford or don’t have a smoke generator you can just put a pot full of sawdust ontop of a gas or electric element in the bottom 
The nack is getting the heat right so it smokes but doesn’t burst into flames 
My mate has one of these https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/m...xoCb3kQAvD_BwE in his for heat in his 
And has a home made smoke generator 
His smoker is very similar to  @kukuwai ‘s

I used a single burner gas ring in my wine barrel 
I have gone to a double burner in the big boy
Just to help heat it gets abit form the fire but needs a bit more at times 
Like this 
https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/cam...1636026861.htm

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## veitnamcam

> Pretty easy build 
> If you can’t afford or don’t have a smoke generator you can just put a pot full of sawdust ontop of a gas or electric element in the bottom 
> The nack is getting the heat right so it smokes but doesn’t burst into flames 
> My mate has one of these https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/m...xoCb3kQAvD_BwE in his for heat in his 
> And has a home made smoke generator 
> His smoker is very similar to  @kukuwai ‘s
> 
> I used a single burner gas ring in my wine barrel 
> I have gone to a double burner in the big boy
> ...


Yea I could build one but I just dont like working with wood, it smokes too much when cut with a grinder, Threads strip out far to easily and it is a shit of a stuff to weld.
I intend to have a hot smoker using the bbq as heat source as per Mikees and a seperate cold smoker as per Kukuwais one tho maybe not quite as big as his,I am only a learner hunter gatherer at this stage.

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## stub

just do it the cheats way like me cam and buy the smoker and build a house for it

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## stub

upside down perfect

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## veitnamcam

> just do it the cheats way like me cam and buy the smoker and build a house for it Attachment 87824Attachment 87825Attachment 87826


The idea does have merit but upside down houses are hard to come by.

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## erniec

and the wife thinks her opinion of you is justified when she sees you staring at your upside down laptop.

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## kukuwai

> Wouldnt be hard to add a little heat to that ether 
> A little cast iron gas ring from mitre10 with a small hole in the side to run the gas hose through 
> Or a single element electronic bench top stove
> You dont need alot of heat but its handy and safer to have some 
> 120c will cook chicken over a few hours 70c is sweet for fish


I like the idea of putting an electric element   in mine and having a play around with that.

I guess that would mean I'd need to add a temperature gauge. Anyone know where to get one??


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## kukuwai

Cheers

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## Pengy

> Cheers
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


I noticed that the Spot (?) store in Nelson (opposite the red shed) had a few different types in stock yesterday

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## muzza

I have  a dairy thermometer that fits in a hole in the top of the cabinet. Seldom use it though as it is glass and dont want it to break- although it is an alchohol one , and not mercury...  Tend to use my digital thermometer instead

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## A330driver



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## mallard833

Not the best photos, but I made this out of a 100 gal propane tank that was past it's useful life to the gas company. 1200w electric burner connected to a temperature controller provides the heat. Smoke comes from pellets in an amaz'n stainless steel mesh pellet smoker.

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## 223nut

@mallard833 looks like you could fit half a cow in that

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## mallard833

My last smoker was too small, so I made sure I wouldn't have the same problem with this one. I believe each grate is around 22" in diameter. I think they were made for a large Weber kettle.


> @mallard833 looks like you could fit half a cow in that


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## johnd

Mine is cheapie Brinkman vertical, I have added 250mm to the top of it to allow for sausages and salami to hang

When the temp gets a bit hit and miss I turn on the heater element i robbed out of a cheap bunnings electric barby

I covered it with ply to help with keeping the heat in. Usually use heat beads or for cold smoking my own rendition of an Amazin smoker .... the older version that just uses the dust from a drop saw and burns up and down defined lanes on a stainless mesh

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