New Smoker

[SMK1]

Hello fellow smokers, I will start by saying this is the first time I have joined a forum but I felt I owed it to all the great people on this site that made it possible for me to build a fantastic smoker and have my first successful run. I started with a commercial SS fridge. I wasn't sure what I was getting into but I soon found out. Once I got it torn down I started by removing all of the factory insulation. I have heard people not doing this and also some that have, I wasn't willing to chance it so I removed it all. I then built a wooden structure to hold the interior shell surrounded by 2300 degree insulation. The doors also received the same insulation. I then installed two propane burners simple because of the size. 5' X 27" X 24". Only to find out that was overkill. One burner on lowest setting maintains 190. Better safe than sorry. I think I am going to remove one and add a pilot light for safety. I also installed a homemade smoke generator using a cylinder and pump I got out of an old Oxygen concentrator I had. Works Great. I then finished it up with the siding and a roof. I used a torch to get the dark spots on the wood then varnished. Since the burners wouldn't let me get low enough temps I figured out that 3 pieces of coal allowed me to maintain 120, 4 pieces 140, 5 pieces 160. I know this sounds crazy but it works great. I would put a few chunks of hickory in with each load. The coals lasted around 90 minutes. I would simply put the coals in and iron skillet on the adjustable plates I installed above the burners. No this is not a set it and forget it it smoker at low temps but I am ok with having to add some coals every now and then. Overall smoke was around six hours. Adding the smoke from the generator about one hour in and letting it run for about an hour. I used all pork for the sausage as I wanted to get some results before using the good stuff. Next run will be 10lbs of summer sausage and 20lbs of regular. Thanks to all

 

[Braz]

Nice looking smokehouse. And nice looking summer sausage as well.

 

[SmokinAl]

Fantastic looking smokehouse!
And the sausage looks delicious!
Al

 

[Maple]

Nice build SMK1, well thought out.

 

[indaswamp]

Nice! I like the SS frig.! I have the same tejas burner. You can buy some 4 D nails, cut them down with cutters to 3/4" and push them in the outside ring of jets. This will half the BTU's on the burner. I have a 36 cu. ft. smokehouse and I can run mine @100* for hours with this set up....

 

[SMK1]

Thanks for the comments. That is a good idea to reduce the BTU’s I’ll be trying that out.

 

[gary s]

Good afternoon and welcome to the forum from a partly sunny and warm day here in East Texas, and the best site on the web. Lots of great people with tons of information on just about everything.

Gary