Frankenstein!!! My home made cost effective cold smoker.

[SAfish]

Looks really good, Rory. I also have one of those small shoe box type smokers but have not used it for ages. How do you go about getting it to smoke properly and what heat source do you use?

[gavin erwin]

Where do we get our hands on one of those vacuum seal things  Nifty!

[CRANKMAN]

I think saltpetre is the same thing - potassium nitrate or trite.
I agree, it's very easy to over smoke. The brine actually preserves the meat, the smoke only adds flavour, so no need to over do it.

[gavin erwin]

In what quantities do you ad the saltpetre?

[Prego]

Rory can I bring you some warthog  ??

[Homie]

Rory can I bring you some warthog  ??

You been drinking in the South again ?

[SAfish]

I am sure it will work with Bushpig as well. There are a couple on my Brother's farm that need to be scoped. 

[Rory]

Looks really good, Rory. I also have one of those small shoe box type smokers but have not used it for ages. How do you go about getting it to smoke properly and what heat source do you use?

Hermann I use a double ring gas burner. But only to get the woodchips going lekker. Once they smoking proper I remove it from the heat and put the meat in to smoke. Left on the heat those little smokers turn into very effective ovens.

Where do we get our hands on one of those vacuum seal things  Nifty!

Verimark!

I think saltpetre is the same thing - potassium nitrate or trite.
I agree, it's very easy to over smoke. The brine actually preserves the meat, the smoke only adds flavour, so no need to over do it.

Spot on Sean, potassium nitrate. Used in gun powder, explosives, fertlisers and all other interesting things. Pretty poisonous if not used correctly!

In what quantities do you ad the saltpetre?

Gavin the stuff has been banned from direct use in foodstuffs in lots of countries, hence premade cures like Pink Salt and Cure No 2. Pasop. Lots of info on Google regarding ratios
BE CAREFUL!

Rory can I bring you some warthog  ??

No problem Prim, as long as it hasn't been frozen already 

[gavin erwin]

Ok Lets see what happen hahaha!!! Where the hell do you find pink salt 

[Rory]

Ok Lets see what happen hahaha!!! Where the hell do you find pink salt 

Go to Crown National and ask them. I stand to be corrected but I think its called Prague Powder locally?? If you go to Crown National, be careful, that place is like a tackle shop - very easy to spend lots of money 

[Naruto]

You guys suck! I already have enough stuff to work on... Can't be lured into building smokers too!!!!


Awesome stuff!

Gavin, just a quick question - Will the galvanized pipe not cause problems? I know heating those pipes give off a lead gas that is poisonous.

[gavin erwin]

Ok Lets see what happen hahaha!!! Where the hell do you find pink salt 

Go to Crown National and ask them. I stand to be corrected but I think its called Prague Powder locally?? If you go to Crown National, be careful, that place is like a tackle shop - very easy to spend lots of money 

Thanks Rory! And where is this crown national place 

[gavin erwin]

You guys suck! I already have enough stuff to work on... Can't be lured into building smokers too!!!!


Awesome stuff!

Gavin, just a quick question - Will the galvanized pipe not cause problems? I know heating those pipes give off a lead gas that is poisonous.

Come on join the smokers!!! Im not sure about the galvanized pipe 

[Rory]

Thanks Rory! And where is this crown national place 

In that business park between London and Modderfontein offramps. Access from Modderfontein road side

[CRANKMAN]

For anyone who would like to give this a bash, here is a rough sketch of my first cold smoke generator, the idea was borrowed from some polish dude off the internet.
The actual smoking chamber, where you put your meat or fish, can be anything from a cardboard box, an old washing machine to a steel trunk. It does not have to be air tight, you actually want the smoke to leak out.
The smoke generator does not have to be very big, a 1 litre tin is more than enough for a bit of home smoking. Remember your brine (wet or dry) is what cures the meat, the smoke just flavours it.
The principal is a venturi system, a small pipe blowing into a big pipe creates a low pressure, this sucks air upwards and through your smoldering sawdust. The venturi I made used some 1/2 inch (15 mm) plumbing fittings - a T piece, a couple of nipples and a thin metal tube (front half of an old parker pen). I sealed around the pen with pratley putty.
Air is supplied by an aquarium pump if you have, I used my compressor regulated as low as it could go.
This gentle suction keeps your sawdust smoldering, a handful can produce smoke for up to an hour when you have it all set up nicely.

[gavin erwin]

Brilliant stuff CRANKMAN!!!!

[Nooduck]

Thank you Crankman!    I have been Googling for a few hours and it gets very confusing.

[CRANKMAN]

Thank you Crankman!    I have been Googling for a few hours and it gets very confusing.

It's a pleasure. Just shout if you need any help.

[Ettienne]

For anyone who would like to give this a bash, here is a rough sketch of my first cold smoke generator, the idea was borrowed from some polish dude off the internet.
The actual smoking chamber, where you put your meat or fish, can be anything from a cardboard box, an old washing machine to a steel trunk. It does not have to be air tight, you actually want the smoke to leak out.
The smoke generator does not have to be very big, a 1 litre tin is more than enough for a bit of home smoking. Remember your brine (wet or dry) is what cures the meat, the smoke just flavours it.
The principal is a venturi system, a small pipe blowing into a big pipe creates a low pressure, this sucks air upwards and through your smoldering sawdust. The venturi I made used some 1/2 inch (15 mm) plumbing fittings - a T piece, a couple of nipples and a thin metal tube (front half of an old parker pen). I sealed around the pen with pratley putty.
Air is supplied by an aquarium pump if you have, I used my compressor regulated as low as it could go.
This gentle suction keeps your sawdust smoldering, a handful can produce smoke for up to an hour when you have it all set up nicely.

   now i will have to build one with help from HHBC&D

[FishStyx]

Question... What is the best consistency for the wood? Sawdust? Shavings? Chips? I have access to a lot of Pecan wood and when I researched properties of the timber, one of the commercial uses came up as a good smoking material, particularly for fish as it produces quite a delicate flavour.