Wine Barrel cold smoker with smoke daddy uds pellet mod?

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timberjet

Master of the Pit
Original poster
Jan 29, 2010
3,549
165
Waitsburg Washington
I just wondered if this has been done before by anyone on here. Here is A picture of the pellet auger box thing that is for converting your beloved UDS into A pellet smoker.


I have 3 very large wine barrels and originally thought of building standard UDS's out of them but thought maybe this idea might carry more merrit. From what I have heard from people that have built wine barrel smokers. They dry out and have to be filled with water often to swell the staves back up. This seemed like A lot of trouble to me. So I thought maybe having A dedicated cold smoker made like this would be pretty neat. Also might be good for summer sausage and such as you only need to top out at 170 and need lots of minor temperature control. Anybody have any thoughts?


I borrowed this picture A while back. nice one huh?
 
Well I too am trying to turn my 20 year old whiskey barrel into a dedicated cold smoker. I have the concept down but I am looking for a plan on the internals and layout. I have the amnps tray and can either buy or fabricate shelves. Anyone do this with tried and true results?
 
Not an expert on wooden barrel smokers, but it seems to me that using a water pan when smoking (which I always do and get great results!) should keep the barrel a bit more moist and swollen. From what I've read, as well, the drying out issue is mainly in the lid, which shouldn't be too much of a PITA to re-hydrate....just sayin"
 
 
Not an expert on wooden barrel smokers, but it seems to me that using a water pan when smoking (which I always do and get great results!) should keep the barrel a bit more moist and swollen. From what I've read, as well, the drying out issue is mainly in the lid, which shouldn't be too much of a PITA to re-hydrate....just sayin"
I am talking about cold smoking. water boils at 212 degrees. water pan would do nothing. I think I have it figured out. Just need to get some supplies to start. Like a ton of quarter inch stainless bolts and nuts to start with.
 
I was simply replying to your first post where you stated that a hot smoker would dry out and need filling with water periodically. In all actuality a cold smoker would "dry out" almost as fast as a hot smoker because of the lack of humidity in the smoke/air. Water pans have nothing to do with the boiling point of water. Your humidifier in your home doesn't boil water does it? I think you would find that using a water pan in your cold smoker would lessen the need to re-hydrate the barrel as often.
 
If it means anything, I have rebuilt my wine barrel and use it as a dedicated cold smoker. The results have been terrific. I pulled of the top and bottom by removing the first two hoops on the head and then the bottom. Cleaned up the internals and screwed it all together to keep shape after the door cuts.

I did not want a flip top as loading and checking on progress would be smokey and choky at best. I use a front loading door made from some slabs of maple I had here. Hinged that and added a speed bolt, at carriage bolt with a welded "L" and a t-nut in the back to quickly screw the door closed.

I have smoked about 20 lbs of cheese and so far EVERYONE just loves it. They have been vac sealed about 3-4 weeks so far and I think are all quite satisfied with the result. In fact so much so...I need to keep weekly smoking until the weather warms as the family is looking for more. Between my son's family and my daughter's family....it adds up. THIS has been a big hit....HEY Mr. T...........Thank you
 



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I saw the pictures of the spiffy top loader barrel smoker with the chrome stacks above and I thought I should post pictures of my Jack Daniels barrel top loader cold smoker I built 35 or so years ago.  Someone was selling them off a trailer for $20 on the corner of the Safeway parking lot.  It sure smelled good on the deck for several years.

I have three racks with 3/8 SS tubing rack holder pins that I can slide out to access the lower racks.  The smoke generator is an old metal milk box with a hinged lid with a single wall 6 in single wall metal stove pipe feeding into the bottom of the barrel.  I have a small 220 V electric cook stove element inside and at 110V it heats the small chunks of hickory placed on it, I unplug it when it seems to be getting too hot to prevent flaming.  I also have a small propane burner I can add to the bottom if I am smoking jerky to help dry it.  I use a larger wood chunk to cover the bung holes.  Yes it has dried out and leaks smoke most everywhere, but still does the job.  I try to remember to pour some water in it every once in a while.  Can’t begin to guess how many hundreds of pounds of bacon, cheese, and jerky have been smoked in it.

Doing 5 lbs of packaged bacon with extra ground pepper, 4 pounds of cheese sliced about 3/8 in sliced from bricks, and a dozen pealed eggs with hickory today. 

We are having fun and making good stuff.

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