Have to share my new smoke house

[rinker312]

All,

just have to share some pics of my new smoke house that I built.  Used it for the first time last night to make a quick batch of ground jerky, and it worked out great.

I have been making venison jerky, and playing around with sausage for many years.  I would always smoke my jerky in a cold smoker that I had made of an old fridge or cinder blocks, or whatever I had at the time.  Then move it to a dehydrator to dry.  So I always wanted something that I could put it in, and cold smoke it, without worrying about cooking it too hot, then flip a switch and dehydrate it without going through the effort of moving it around.  Plus I have always wanted something that I could consistently control the temp so that I can start to get more into sausage making.  I think I finally have everything that I want.  Going to try to include som pics.

 

[rinker312]

Pictures did not seem to come through, can anyone tell me how I need to post the pics?

 

[timleo]

did you post the photos from a site like Photobucket.com?
 

 

[rinker312]

No, just trying to use the insert image button.

 

[s2k9k]

Here is an Instructional that will show you step by step how to do it.

Just so you know since you are new if you post any pics our software will probably hold the post until a moderator can approve it. Just be patient and don't double post it because you don't see it show up right away, someone will get to it! We do this to keep the spammers out and so no one posts anything inappropriate until we get to know them. This only lasts until you make about 20 posts.

I see this is your first post here, when you get a minute would you do us a favor and go to Roll Call and introduce yourself so we can get to know you and give you a proper welcome, also would you add your location to your profile, we like knowing where you are when we talk to you, Thanks!

 

[rinker312]

Here we go, now the pictures are working.  Below are some pics and descriptions.  My only problem so far is that I can't quite get the temp up high enough for sausage.  Works fine for dehydrating jerky.  I am currently using a 110 volt 1500 watt brinkman heating element.  I have a 220 volt oven element, I think tonight I am going to convert it to 220 and put that element in and see if that gets my temp where I want it.  Wiring change over should not be difficult as the PID supports 110 or 220.  Just need to change the wiring around on the blower motor since that is only 110 volt.

If anyone has any recommendations for upgrades, changes, etc... let me know and thanks to everyone on this site for all the information that I have read. 

Can't quite see it, but there is a damper in the stove pipe on top so that when I switch from smoking to dehydrating I can close it off.

IMG_0858.JPG

• rinker312
• Oct 4, 2012

Made this venturi style smoke generator.  Aquarium air pump didn't make quite enough draft so I hooked it to my air compressor and can adjust the air flow with the regulator to get the exact amount of smoke that I want, or need to keep it burning and automatically feeding.  Pellets seem to work the best, chips have a tendency to get jammed up in side and I need to shake it around. Smokes like a freight train if I turn the air way up!!

IMG_0860.JPG

• rinker312
• Oct 4, 2012

Made up this controller box with a PID so that I can controll the temperature and the switch turns on the blower when I want to dehydrate. 

IMG_0867.JPG

• rinker312
• Oct 4, 2012

Inside view, plenty of racks for jerky and can remove them and insert dowels to hang sausage on.

IMG_0865.JPG

• rinker312
• Oct 4, 2012

Back view of the blower and control box.

IMG_0857.JPG

• rinker312
• Oct 4, 2012

 

[mballi3011]

Now thats a good looking smoker it just needs to be used a lot more.

 

[daveomak]

Rinker, morning and welcome to the forum.... Cool design.... does the blower recirculate heat and smoke also ??  If you are losing heat, that aluminum flex pipe might be the heat loss zone...  Dave

 

[piaconis]

I agree with Dave.  Your recirculator may be the culprit.  Your hose could be acting as a giant heat sink.

 

[shoneyboy]

Rinker, morning and welcome to the forum.... Cool design.... does the blower recirculate heat and smoke also ??  If you are losing heat, that aluminum flex pipe might be the heat loss zone...  Dave

I had the same question ?

 

[smokinhusker]

Great lookin smoker!

 

[rinker312]

I guess I could recirculate the smoke, but I usually cold smoke everything, so I just open up the damper that is above the flex pipe in the stack on top and let the smoke flow without applying any heat.  Then when I am done smoking, I will close the damper and turn on the heat.  For Jerky dehydrating I turn on the blower, it is pretty powerful and dehydrated my batch of jerky the other night in 5 hours, but the heat did not get over 110.  So if I can get the heat up to 150 for dehydrating it should dehydrate even faster.

For sausage which I have not tried yet in this unit.  After smoking, I plan to just close the damper, and heat without the blower to obtain the proper internal temperature.

I agree that the flex pipe is probably losing a lot of heat during the dehydrating process.  As far as thermal efficiency, my design is pretty poor, plenty of places for heat to escape.  But then again for dehydrating, I think you need to lose some of that moist hot air so that it dehydrates better, and there are plenty of places for a little air to get out, around the damper and wire and smoker input holes, which I have not sealed up real good.  Last night I upgraded it to a 220 volt element, and I was able to get the heat up to 180 and I believe it could go further.  So I think my heat problems are gone, just have to be careful I don't burn it down now.  Guess my next project will be to insulate and metal line it.  But I think I will spend some time making goodies before I get to that.

I have seen many of you with nice metal lined smokers.  Do you insulate them?  if so, with what?  what do you use to metal line them, and where is a good source to get it?

Thanks

 

[woodcutter]

I have a 220 round stove element in my smoker that will bring the temp to 375. Around 275-300 degrees I started some hardwood dowels that I was storing on the top shelf brackets on fire. Just a word of warning. Nice job on your smoker!

 

[rinker312]

AAAHH yes, that is what I'm worried about, I was getting worried when it got to 180, but I guess I am probably OK to go a little higher.  Most of the sausage recipes that I am looking at require an internal temp of I believe 153.  So question for all of you who make sausage, if I set my temp to 180, will I be able to achieve an internal temp of 153 in a few hours, or will it take forever and I have to bump up the temp a bit?

Appreciate the help.

Thanks.

 

[woodcutter]

It depends on how much sausage you put in, ambient temp etc. I like to start at 130 then bump it to 165 after the sausage temps start to rise. Then leave it there until the sausage IT gets to 152 or so. Things get moving pretty slow close to finish time but I get good results. I know there are other approaches but this works with my smoker.

 

[rinker312]

I tried some snack stick this weekend, and it worked great.  I did what you mentioned and gradually brought the temp up.  I didn't do much only 10 pounds, and I had it up to 153 in no time and only had to get the smoker temp up to 165. 

This is really my first attempt at this type of sausage.  I did a pepper stick with xtra sharp cheddar.  Don't have any venison left so I just got some burger that was something like 75/25 to play around with.  taste is great but the consistency is too smooth.  not sure if it is because the buger is just ground to fine, or if it is something to do with the fat content.  But I'm happy with the results for my first try.  Once I get some deer in the freezer I can start to get serious.

Thanks.

 

[woodcutter]

Won't be long now. The whitetail are in rut central Wisconsin.
 

 

[scarbelly]

Looks like a great rig 

 

[ponderingturtle]

This is very much like what I want to build when I have the storage space(read buy a house).  Though I am wary of plywood and out gassing and plan on a simple internal low RPM fan to avoid hot spots more than for dehydrating.

 

[themule69]

nice build. thanks for sharing.