# Smokehouse Project (pictures)



## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

I don't know if any of you remember me asking about portable smokehouses earlier this year......http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=159017


I decided to combine the block pit that I cook whole hogs on.....(ended up getting more blocks instead) 


















With a home made contraption to set on top........










and have come up with this so far..............


















It is 4ft wide, 3ft deep and 6'7" tall at the peak.


This is a dry run, I am thinking of making it permanent....depending on how the location works out.
Right now DH has offered to weld a smoke box for me. I had planned on using fire brick.

If all works out well, I will cement the blocks in and make a shelf on the front.

The inside has dowels and a place for racks, these are all removable.










I've been building it in the shop this summer in my spare time. We moved it out to the block base this weekend.....it wasn't very light!! lol


Hopefully I will have it finished by the time I need it.


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

I forgot to add a close up of the smoke pipe hole....









.....it's a tube frame with a plate welded on the front.


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## Guest (Oct 2, 2007)

Oops! I didn't see this thread in time. I posted on your other thread a question. If I had come over here first I would have had a better ideal of where your heat was coming from.


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## Guest (Oct 2, 2007)

By the way! Has anyone around here eat any smoked cured venison bacon? If so how was it? Cowgirl might could make us some in her new smokehouse!


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

I forgot to post that on the other thread.  The pipe will attach to a separate firebox.

Venison bacon sounds good r.h..


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## lostspring (Jun 29, 2007)

I couldn't tell from the pics. Did you cap off the top of the blocks or leave them open? I would think that you would have to cap them to keep the little crittters out. 
This is a project that I have wanted to make for a long time. Thanks for the well taken pics.


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

They are not capped yet. This was a dry run to see how everything fit together and to make sure I like the location.
I put it close to water and electricity.  
I plan on capping the blocks off and making a shelf in the front.
I'm also thinking about covering the blocks with something........maybe stucco like the building behind it. Hmmm, I still have some stone around here too... Still thinking on that.  

I'm still waiting on the fire box.........it will set off to the right. I have the stovepipe to connect it to the blocks.


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Hi Cowgirlone, have you smoke anything yet and have you go any pics Please. Mountain Mick


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

Hi Mountain Mick  ... I got the firebox back last night, will try to attach that and the stove pipe running to it today. 
Now I need to get some meat curing so it will be ready.


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

sounds great please kept us posted.

Mick


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## blue gecko (Jun 14, 2006)

Looks GREAT! You're a gal after my own heart. Can't wait to hear how it works.


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

LOL! Thanks blue gecko.  

Mick, I'll take lots of pictures.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Ok fire scares me I'm just thinking it is awful close to that other building.I realize your not going to have that much fire,but things happen :shrug: 

big rockpile


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

I have my smokehouse in the spot for ten years as you are smoking and tending the fire for 10hours for bacon to 20 to 26 hours for hams you must get the meat inside the deepest part of the ham just of the bone to 160ÂºF/71ÂºC to 170ÂºF/77ÂºC the slower the bitter I like to take my time smoking my Christmas hams. I do have a water tap and fire hose on the ready just in case.

Hope this help


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

I'm not too worried about it Rockpile.  In all the years I've smoked hams and bacons, I've never had a spark or heat problem. I keep the temp of the smoke pretty cool....it doesn't take a lot of heat to make a lot of smoke.
I like to smoke it low and slow.  



Shoot, my last cold smoker was about 15 feet from the house. 

The hard part is going to be sitting around watching it, but the end results are always worth it.

I also have water close by.


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

Mountain Mick said:


> I have my smokehouse in the spot for ten years as you are smoking and tending the fire for 10hours for bacon to 20 to 26 hours for hams you must get the meat inside the deepest part of the ham just of the bone to 160ÂºF/71ÂºC to 170ÂºF/77ÂºC the slower the bitter I like to take my time smoking my Christmas hams. I do have a water tap and fire hose on the ready just in case.
> 
> Hope this help


Hey Mick, can you post pictures of your smokehouse for us?


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

I found another smokehouse with plans......this one has the hot plate right inside.

http://www.canr.uconn.edu/ansci/ext/build_smokehouse.pdf


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Hi cowgirlone yep I'll take a few snaps and post them up.



Mick


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Hi Cowgirlone any photos of her is full smoke?? and what are the dimensions please. and smoke pipe hole is this your stoking hole to add more wood etc.??

Mick


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

CGO,
That is a very cool and clever looking idea for a smokehouse. Thanks for posing the pics. Just one last question. What wood are you using to smoke up that with?


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

Mountain Mick said:


> Hi Cowgirlone any photos of her is full smoke?? and what are the dimensions please. and smoke pipe hole is this your stoking hole to add more wood etc.??
> 
> Mick


Mick, I haven't got it finished yet. There will be a pipe running from the hole over to a metal fire box set several feet away from the actual smokehouse...That's where the smoke will be coming from.
I have the pipe almost connected.........I'm waiting on a baffle that will help control the smoke coming out of the firebox.

As soon as I get it up and running, I'll post some pictures. 

I forgot to add.......it's 4'wide, 3'deep and 6'7" tall.


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## cowgirlone (May 9, 2002)

moonwolf said:


> CGO,
> That is a very cool and clever looking idea for a smokehouse. Thanks for posing the pics. Just one last question. What wood are you using to smoke up that with?


Thank you moonwolf.  
I had a change of plans half way through building it. I had planned on using the existing block pit that I use to cook hogs on........but decided to get more blocks and make it more permanent.
I built the thing on saw horses to keep it off the ground.........it was tricky doing everything on a ladder! LOL! (I built it in DH's shop...I didn't want anything to touch it)
Right now, the blocks are not set with mortar or anything......I want to be sure I like the location before making it permanent.

I have a lot of old hardwood and a bunch of mesquite. I also have some apple and hickory chunks.........a few packages of fruit sawdust. 
It will depend on what I am smoking at the time. I plan on using the hardwood for heat and adding a few chunks or some of the sawdust to create the smoke....
I do this with my hot smoker. 

I have some pecan chunks too. (forgot about them)


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