Smoke house Idea Questions

[jhamm]

I am looking at many smoke house plans, trying to decide what exactly to build. I am not sure how big it needs to be, what material to use, or what the heat source should be.

 I am taking down an old shed in my yard that has plane 3/4" plywood on the roof that is in good shape.( other than a bunch of nail holes from roofing that i figure paint will close up) 

I plan to use the smoke house for my venison sausage as well as to process my own pig ( I raise a few each year, usually 2 for me and one for a neighbor) but have never made my own bacon or hams and I want to do that. I also like to smoke briskets and pork butts occasionally on my oklahoma joe an thought a smoke house may do that also.

Any Idea how big I should make this thing? 4'x4'X7'? 

 

[pattyq]

All I can say if you plan on doing bacon and greasy stuff make sure heat source is indirect or at least baffled or flare ups will plague you as it did me until it burnt to the ground .

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Here is my smokehouse i built when we lived up in NEPA.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/102304/my-smokehouse

 

[jhamm]

 
Here is my smokehouse i built when we lived up in NEPA.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/102304/my-smokehouse

Is this smoke house 4'x4'x8' ? IS there a slab under it? I assume the lean-to type closet on the side is storage?  also why the pans of water I thought the moisture needed to be down for making sausage?  Guess I'm just a ball of questions sorry.

 

[akdutchguy]

Size really depends on the quantity of meat that needs smoked at one time. The larger the house, the more fuel you need to heat it. I am looking at building one also. I will probably build a cinder block base with wooden upper. It will probably be 56 square on the outside and be 7 foot tall off the ground.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

 
Is this smoke house 4'x4'x8' ? IS there a slab under it? I assume the lean-to type closet on the side is storage?  also why the pans of water I thought the moisture needed to be down for making sausage?  Guess I'm just a ball of questions sorry.

Yes it is 4x4x8, slanted shingle roof, damper vent, double door, front vent at bottom. The side had 2 large propane tanks but i didt like that idea after i had it running a few times. BOOM

I was doing 250-300lbs a week. Sausage, jerky, hams, smoked salmon.

I ended up fixing a Traeger hopper/burner to the side which worked way better. Pans of water in the winter for moisture. It does have a concrete floor. I should have made a bottom drain. Dont have any drawings as it went up as we thought of it.

I still own the house up there but my neighbor asked me what was going to happen to the smokehouse, i ended up giving it to a guy.

 

[jhamm]

 
Yes it is 4x4x8, slanted shingle roof, damper vent, double door, front vent at bottom. The side had 2 large propane tanks but i didt like that idea after i had it running a few times. BOOM

I was doing 250-300lbs a week. Sausage, jerky, hams, smoked salmon.

I ended up fixing a Traeger hopper/burner to the side which worked way better. Pans of water in the winter for moisture. It does have a concrete floor. I should have made a bottom drain. Dont have any drawings as it went up as we thought of it.

I still own the house up there but my neighbor asked me what was going to happen to the smokehouse, i ended up giving it to a guy.

NIce and just for my clarification the press wood didn't cause any effects. I will be making smoked sausage but also turning up heat a bit to cook butt roast and briskets and ribs. even those I never get over 225-250.... 300 if it spikes but then i rush to bring temp back down.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

 
NIce and just for my clarification the press wood didn't cause any effects. I will be making smoked sausage but also turning up heat a bit to cook butt roast and briskets and ribs. even those I never get over 225-250.... 300 if it spikes but then i rush to bring temp back down.

Nope.

I never went over 170* most of the time.