First time smoke house build with pics

[SmokinEdge]

Well, i tired my hand at some salmon. I cured it 24 hours and smoked it for 4 hours. Smoking part was no problem....saltiness was out of the park too much. I followed the recipe but I should have stuck with my gut feeling that 24 hours was too long. Lesson learned.

Fast forward to yesterday. I made about 12 pounds of Chaurice sausage following two guys and a cooler Eric's recipe. I made the sausage yesterday and let it sit overnight. When I got up for work this morning, I placed them in the oven with the door open and the convection fan on and the oven off. I returned home three hours later and fired up the smoker. This would be the first time I had ever smoked a cured, raw sausage. I was able to maintain 100 degrees with no smoke for an hour. I then cranked it up to 125 with some smoke for 1 hour. Next was 135 for 1.5 hours. Then 145 for an hour to 155 for an hour. I then went to 165 for an hour but about half way through I quit the smoke. I then went to 175 until it got to 145 internal. I took them out then into an ice bath. I left them on the counter for couple hours then vac packed them and into the fridge for the next couple days.

I have to say I think I figured the box out some today. I was able to nail my temps with ease and the box stayed really consistent. I also did not have any wood flare ups. I raised the skillet up an inch or so and only used one side of the outer ring on the burner. By doing this I was able to place the wood on the other side of the pan and it just smoldered never lighting off in flames. I only used 4 small pieces of wood (oak) for the entire smoke. I have some bacon curing now and can't wait till next weekend to get it in the smoke.

Oh and I have some nice, stainless hooks coming. For now I had to make some out of TIG welding rods...lol. They worked out ok. Thanks for all those who replied with advice. I really appreciate yall.

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That’s excellent. Nice job and a great little smokehouse.
next week I’ll have 40# of bacon and about 40# of ham in mine. So nice to do bulk smokes.

 

[BigLar368]

That’s excellent. Nice job and a great little smokehouse.
next week I’ll have 40# of bacon and about 40# of ham in mine. So nice to do bulk smokes.

That's pretty much why I built one a little bigger than some. I can do a little or a lot. I think I have a handle on things now. One half of the big ring on the burner will do 180+. I don't plan on doing much BBQ but I can if I want. I will make a lid for that cast iron skillet to keep the wood from lighting up on hotter smokes. All in all it seems like it all came together today. The first few times I used that new regulator it shut off a couple times on the first two smokes. I had to reset it. Still have no clue why it did that but it did not happen today.

 

[SmokinEdge]

The first few times I used that new regulator it shut off a couple times on the first two smokes. I had to reset it. Still have no clue why it did that but it did not happen today.

Must be a safety feature? Then you reset? Does it shut the gas off?

 

[BigLar368]

Must be a safety feature? Then you reset? Does it shut the gas off?

Just shuts off. Connection is tight. Nothing out of place.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Get yourself some oak dowel about 3/4” as long as needed to span the width of the smoker. They season up nice and you can hang your sausage directly over that oak dowel.

 

[fftwarren]

Super awesome job man!!! I want to build a smokehouse very similar to this. I built one about 15 years ago. But you learn things on your first round. Biggest thing I learned is mine is way too big. One of these I’ll get #2 underway and fix all the little things I did wrong. Great job man!!

 

[SmokinEdge]

Just shuts off. Connection is tight. Nothing out of place.

That’s interesting. I know that when you connect a new bottle of propane you should keep the valve off then screw in your fitting to bottom but then unscrew it a ways to let off any pressure in the bottle plumbing. It will hiss at you sometimes and that’s pressure that can make regulators goofy.

 

[thirdeye]

You are going to have a lot of fun with the new smokehouse. And I predict a lot of new friends too.

I agree with the suggestion of a cover for the skillet, it can be as simple as a upside down pie pan, or pizza pan.

 

[BigLar368]

You are going to have a lot of fun with the new smokehouse. And I predict a lot of new friends too.

I agree with the suggestion of a cover for the skillet, it can be as simple as a upside down pie pan, or pizza pan.

Damn......that's a great idea. I can get a perforated pizza round and use that. Thanks.

 

[OldSmoke]

You certainly earned Craftsman status with your build. I think anybody would be proud to have that in their backyard. Nice looking smokes too!

 

[BigLar368]

You certainly earned Craftsman status with your build. I think anybody would be proud to have that in their backyard. Nice looking smokes too!

Thanks.