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kjlued

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Mar 4, 2011
76
10
WNC
What's up?

My name is Kirk, I like long walks on the beach, sunsets, and......awe no I don't, I liked smoked meats and cheeses. :)

Finally decided that I wanted to try my hands at smoking as I love the tastes of smoked foods.

So, the other day, tired of paying over $10 a lb for smoked cheese decided to look in to doing it myself.

I used the simplest cheapest meathod of shoving a soldering iron in a ceramic coffee cup of wood chips, putting it in the grill just to see what results would come. Although not the ultimate results I wanted, I was still very pleased. I think more then likely I was just using the wrong wood (hickory) and will try some apple and/or cherry wood next.

I still think I might by the A-maz-n smoker for cold smoking.

I have seen the UK one also and even though it looks a little nicer, pretty does not matter and I would rather buy American. I also see a little more versatility in the A-maz-n smoker with the ability to light both ends.

Also decided to build my own hot smoker.

I like the low maintenance idea of electric and gas and since my electricity is free (for me), I don't have to go get it refilled, and I could see no benifits of gas I decided that electricity was the way to go. I thought about building a wood box first and after looking in to materials and what I would want to build if I did the cost of building it, the realizations that it was really bigger then what I needed and just coming to reality of what a beginner needs I decided to go another route. 

So then I considered buying an electric.

Of course as most of know that have looked in to it, we quickly realize the price of an electric jumps from inexpensive to life styles of the rich and famous.

Well seeing as the inexpensive does not seem to perform well nor do they seem to be something to grow in to, I just didn't want to set myself up for failure. Also seeing as I am not rich and although some may think of me as infamous, I am dfinitely not famous.

Well, the end results of a little research in to economical good results resulted in me deciding on building a clay pot smoker.

I ended up finding all the materials locally too for about the same or cheaper then online.

Bottom pot - $21.99 at Bloomfileds Dish Barn

Top bowl -$19.99 at Bloomfields Dish Barn

Single burner hot plate - $10 at Freds discount store

Pie pan to hold chips - $1.75 also at Freds

Grill grate - $10.99 at Lowes

Grill thermometer - $7.98 at lowes

Then I wanted to bring the temp control outside but wanted to make it nice and not gheto lol

So I spent another $2.20 on a metal box at Lowes , had the wire and crimps already (but if you ddn't the cost would be a couple bucks)

Total cost was roughly $75 (+tax) and the end results were this

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Right now, I am messing with the temp controll to see where to set it.

So far it looks as if I can set it a little lower then 150 degrees (of course, it is currently only 39 degrees out an I know that will change as it gets warmer) and well over over 250 degrees.

I also may attempt to drill a hole in the lid to permanently mount the thermometer instead of just setting it in the hole in the lid.

Also, this will bring it a little closer to the rack where the food sits which may not matter but can't hurt.
 
Welcome to SMF.. cool smoker build.. You can't go wrong with the a maze n smoker they work great i have done a ton of cheese with my with apple and cheery dust.. Love it
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Next you'll be saying you like pina coladas and walks in the rain!!!!  I love that terra cotta style rig!  They work great and are really stable with temps (if you don't keep peeking).  Welcome to the SMF family!
 
Welcome to the SMF. Glad to have you here. Lots of good folks, great recipes and knowledge. Looking forward to your first qview.
 
Thanks for the welcomes everyone.
 
I love that terra cotta style rig!  They work great and are really stable with temps (if you don't keep peeking). 


I noticed that on the test runs where I was checking the to see the temps.

I found it is really super stable but as soon as you open the lid, it drops drastically.

However, it doesn't take long to get right back up to temp.

But for a single guy just trying to get a little cheap smoke in his life, hopefully it will be perfect.
 
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Bought a bunch of pork and beef ribs today to throw on my little pot smoker tomorrow. 

Apparently my buddy bought some to so unfortunately some may be getting frozen (I hate freezing meet).

Can't wait.

Also bought a bunch of chease to cold smoke.

And there is always good craft beer at my house and lots of it (always a minimum of two dozen different kinds).

I think tomorrow will be a hoppy day with lots of highly hopped high gravity brews. :D

With both the cold smoker and pot smoker going off, I hope the local FD doesn't show up. lol
 
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That is a very innovative build...  Looks like it will definitely do the job...



 

Welcome to SMF, Glad to have you with us.
 


This is the place to learn, lots of good info and helpful friendly Members.
 


For those of you new to Smoking, be sure to check out Jeff's 5 Day Smoking Basics eCourse.

Click Here it's "FREE" ... 5 Day eCourseE
 
Disaster!!!!

First run disaster.

The plastic around the hot plate caught fire ruining the meat.

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I was able to salvage the burner though and will be rebuilding the smoker without plastic.
 
Bummer!

What, if anything, will you need to do to get the burnt plactic smell out of the terra cotta?
I don't think anything to be honest, but I plan on scrubbing it out anyways just to be safe.
 
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