Starting a new Smoke House. Would welcome input.

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michael ricker

Newbie
Original poster
Feb 19, 2017
9
10
We just moved the cattle (angus) and hogs (berks) to our new farm.  Used to be a dairy farm, so converted the milk room to our butcher shop.  Butcher shop is pretty well set up, but have been around that aspect for awhile.  Just started to build a smoke house for sausages, hams and deer.  Main room is planned 8'x6' with an interior pit, and a exterior box for cold. Block construction with vermiculite coved with sticky stone.  Will be brick cooking area around exterior firebox.  We have an old wood insert we tore out from a demo in good shape we are going to use for cold smoke.  Looking for any ideas, tricks etc.  I have a construction company and my partner has a plumbing company so time and labor/ materials are no object.  Just want it to work great.  Thanks and appreciate any help!  
 
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... What have you done for smokehouse research? I am in works of building one this spring. Is this going to be for yourself or will you be starting a business with this? In the milkroom, Are you venting through the wall or ceiling? That big of a room, will you be using a fan of any type to circulate smoke / heat? Would be great to see pics of build and finished smokehouse, What kind of input are you looking for, Sounds like you have it pretty much thought out. Let us know how it goes....
 
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I will start uploading pics, We have block walls to 65% today, gonna vent through 3 sides on screened slide vents so we can pick, so prevailing wind does not back draft.  A fan may be a good idea, we have no electric to it.  It is close by, but I have a few old school guys (older then 65) involved.  They remember their Grandfathers smokehouses and if I mention electric they are going to laugh me out of the smokehouse. I have gone through a million plans and tried to incorporate what i thought was best from each.  Until you do it though I always feel like i am missing something that someone has already done.  I would like to know more about temperature and humidity monitoring methods.
 
Got the block finished and the roof started today.  Day 3, Making some progress.
 
Sorry about the sideways pic.  We are gonna use a reclaimed wood stove outside to feed it for cold smoke. That is the why the overhang is so big on gable end. Sorry for no major updates today.  We had to work on opening a bar deck since it is so warm here. Hopefully we can keep it moving along quickly.  Please if anyone has any ideas or input please suggest. Our farm is community thing and this is the same idea, any input is super welcome. This is our first build and I know some of you can help make it better! Please Help
 
Nice work,

if you have questions  it only takes a few mins to post some pics and sure the folks here will give you the right answer.

You have the bobcat and tools, so why not lay a cable from the cool barn in the background and run power to there. If not for a fan, but  lighting.

Is there anywhere close to keep the wood dry?
 
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