Insulated electric smoker build

[Chevyost]

Hello all,
I have a 40" Masterbuilt electric smoker right now. It has been a good one so far for smaller smoking sessions. I live in MN and I want to build an insulated electric smoker that is big enough to hang sticks far enough away from the heat source not to cook them. I am thinking of using tongue and groove pine for the inside and outside with mineral wool for insulation and maybe line the inside with metal. I'm not sure what to use for a heat source.
I would like to have the electric heat source on a thermostat so I won't have to constantly check the temp of the smoker. As for smoke, I am thinking using something attached to the outside of the smoker, but I don't know what to use on that yet. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Winterrider]

If your going to build much bigger than the MES 40, may want to think about PID controller with an oven 220v burner.

 

[cmayna]

If you don’t want to cook the meat, are you referring to cold smoking the meat? If so, you can easily turn the MES40 into a cold smoker.

 

[Chevyost]

If you don’t want to cook the meat, are you referring to cold smoking the meat? If so, you can easily turn the MES40 into a cold smoker.

I know my smoker can be a cold smoker. When I make sticks, they have to be "cooked" to an internal temp of about 160 degrees. Some of the sticks get too close to the heating element and get over done.

 

[JC in GB]

Hello all,
I have a 40" Masterbuilt electric smoker right now. It has been a good one so far for smaller smoking sessions. I live in MN and I want to build an insulated electric smoker that is big enough to hang sticks far enough away from the heat source not to cook them. I am thinking of using tongue and groove pine for the inside and outside with mineral wool for insulation and maybe line the inside with metal. I'm not sure what to use for a heat source.
I would like to have the electric heat source on a thermostat so I won't have to constantly check the temp of the smoker. As for smoke, I am thinking using something attached to the outside of the smoker, but I don't know what to use on that yet. Any suggestions are appreciated.

I can help you with the electronics design portion of your build. I can specify parts and control systems and also build them.

What voltage are you expecting to run this on? 120 VAC is only good for about 1.5 kW per circuit. You may need to consider a 220 VAC solution for the power you need.

JC

 

[Chevyost]

I can help you with the electronics design portion of your build. I can specify parts and control systems and also build them.

What voltage are you expecting to run this on? 120 VAC is only good for about 1.5 kW per circuit. You may need to consider a 220 VAC solution for the power you need.

JC

That would be awesome if you could tell me what to get and how to configure it. I just installed a 220 volt outlet on the outside of my garage for my existing smoker.

 

[JC in GB]

That would be awesome if you could tell me what to get and how to configure it. I just installed a 220 volt outlet on the outside of my garage for my existing smoker.

Certainly. You will need the following:

(I am sourcing from Ali-Express but you can also get most of this off Amazon.)

PID controller and AC power switch.

(PID Controller, thermocouple, Solid State Relay, Heatsink)

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255799866886634.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.25.14213d55umJynH&algo_pvid=13cdfff8-11b4-4fd9-8954-cfb02211cf0e&algo_exp_id=13cdfff8-11b4-4fd9-8954-cfb02211cf0e-12&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2210000000118653181%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21USD%2115.0%2111.85%21%21%21%21%21%402102176616789012278285887d0767%2110000000118653181%21sea%21US%210&curPageLogUid=NSFJuvbL3jup

There is a thermocouple upgrade available from this seller as well.

Heating element:

(2670 Watt 220 VAC Heating element)

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832498980831.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000060.1.233f1906Ouk5sv&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.291025.0&scm_id=1007.13339.291025.0&scm-url=1007.13339.291025.0&pvid=6fe0172c-d4ce-4d10-9546-c5ed8d154c8a&_t=gps-id%3ApcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller%2Cscm-url%3A1007.13339.291025.0%2Cpvid%3A6fe0172c-d4ce-4d10-9546-c5ed8d154c8a%2Ctpp_buckets%3A668%232846%238112%231997&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2260382007984%22%2C%22sceneId%22%3A%223339%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21USD%2127.9%2121.76%21%21%21%21%21%402103309d16789015209384291e61e8%2160382007984%21rec%21US%21&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa&_randl_shipto=US

You can hook this up to a 220 VAC circuit and start heating or you can add speed goodies like enclosure, ON-OFF switch, timer, Over/Under temp alarms.

This is the bare minimum information so if this will work for you, I can answer specific questions.

Thanks,

JC

 

[JckDanls 07]

Myself... I prefer quality equipment so it will last... Thats why I went with Auberins PID controlloer that has the ramp/soak feature... Meaning you can program it to ramp your temps up automatically ... I built a 3x3x6 smokehouse and used 2 oven heat elements in it (220v) ... I use a pellet tube for smoke...

 

[JC in GB]

Myself... I prefer quality equipment so it will last... Thats why I went with Auberins PID controlloer that has the ramp/soak feature... Meaning you can program it to ramp your temps up automatically ... I built a 3x3x6 smokehouse and used 2 oven heat elements in it (220v) ... I use a pellet tube for smoke...

Auber makes some fine controllers. I am sure there is one that could be used for a home brew smokehouse.

JC