Cheapo hot smoker

[henry d]

Here`s my set up for smoking trout, pigeon, pheasant etc.

 

You need 2x Turkey roasting tin, the cheapest ones you get in ASDA TESCO etc. (about £1 each) You then give them a good wash and dry, then coat them with small amount of cooking oil and put it in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes. This will season them and you then need a cake cooling rack or similar to put the meat/fish on.

Underneath this you should have some foil to catch the drips and in the bottom pan spread some sawdust across the base, about 3-10 mm dependant on the thickness of the meat.

Light the stove and place the tin with the dust on first then the rack then the other tin upturned and if windy, place something on top to weight it down.

 

Smoking some trout and mackerel.......

[roadkill]

cheers for that Henry ,

 

i have most of the stuff just got to go out and get some cheap roasting tins as i dont want to chance it with the other half only for her to walk in my shed and find me with her tins smoking a pigeon Then again i could do it down the allotment from which she is banned

[henry d]

Best of luck, any problems just PM me

[Alex1234]

Thats a good idea, i might be copying that. you can buy a fladen one for about £30 from some fishing shops, but it looks about the same as this.

[bob300w]

Nothing to compare with food that you have smoked yourself is there? How long do you smoke for? I find 15 minutes about right, depending on the thickness of the fish/meat. I made my smoker from an old ammunition box and use it in the garage(too much smoke to use indoors). I will post some pics tomorrow. The beauty of a smoker is that you use the cheapest meat cuts, for example, Tesco's el cheapo sausages, smoked and left to cool.... cor, it's making me mouth water just thinking about it!

[henry d]

How long do you smoke for? I find 15 minutes about right, depending on the thickness of the fish/meat.

 

 

Cool and slow for thick breast meats (30-50 mins) and hotter and faster for fish fillets........ I have just realised I have never done a whole(gutted) fish yet

 

Give it a go guys, imagine fresh smoked trout with fennel and capers.......smoked pheasant risotto...... :yp:

[new to the flock]

Be sure to brine your meat or fish before smoking, or they will not pick up that lovely flavour. I think I have posted brines in the recipe section if not I will.

 

H,

Whole smoked trout turn out wonderful and are delicious hot out of the smoker or turned into a lovely smoked trout, salade, on whole wheat toast or crackers.

[pavman]

Ummm looking good H

[henry d]

Errr, why thank you, Pavman I didn`t know you batted for the other team !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:yp:

[bob300w]

Heres my home-made kit, the smoker box is an old ammo box, halfway up inside is a rack, you need a 1/8" hole in the lid to allow steam out, and a couple of 1/4" holes in the bottom to allow fat out. If you don't have the gas burners, prop the box 2" off of the bench, place bricks round three sides to keep the heat in, for heaters, two metal dishes 4" across and 1" deep will do, fill them with meths, place underneath and light, lasts 15 minutes and works a treat. A metal biscuit tin will do to experiment with, it really is this simple, but ONLY use hardwood sawdust inside preferably oak, any softwood will make the food bitter and inedible. oh, and place something over the sawdust inside to stop fat dripping on it, a piece of tinfoil will do. Slightly more complex than henry's, but not as likely to annoy the other half when you fill the house with smoke.

As already stated, brining the food improves the taste. Mackeral, pheasant, lamb, cheese, you name it, it's great!

[bob300w]

If you wish to make a more permanent one, here are the plans. The baffle stops the sawdust catching alight and stops fat dripping on it, size can be whatever box around 18 x 8 x 6" (it's not critical) that you have. The removable baseplate makes it easy to clean. All parts just drop in, lids do not have to be tight fitting. If you make a smaller one, you will only need one burner. The rewards far outweigh the little effort involved in making one. take it to the river bank, trout straight from the water are unbeatable. But remember the golden rule; ONLY white hardwood sawdust and preferably oak.

[peter-peter]

I smoke trout salmon chicken and sausage.

I started using oak dust then I tried hickory,

now I just use hickory. the flavour of hickory smoked chicken can't be beaten

[Teal]

I got one from stamford smokers several years ago - not sure if they are still around? (£100 with several bags of different woodchip and dust). It's basically a full sized dustbin, with a thermal jacket, thermometer up the top, charcoal bbq down the bottom (which you put the soaked woodchip/dust on when you're ready to start smoking). then you have three layers (cake racks as HD calls them) to put your fish or meat on. Works very well, and you can do a lot of game at a time.

 

Just remembered there is also a water tray beneath the racks for the meat, to keep everything succulent

[Sundowner]

Here`s my set up for smoking trout, pigeon, pheasant etc.

 

You need 2x Turkey roasting tin, the cheapest ones you get in ASDA TESCO etc. (about £1 each) You then give them a good wash and dry, then coat them with small amount of cooking oil and put it in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes. This will season them and you then need a cake cooling rack or similar to put the meat/fish on.

Underneath this you should have some foil to catch the drips and in the bottom pan spread some sawdust across the base, about 3-10 mm dependant on the thickness of the meat.

Light the stove and place the tin with the dust on first then the rack then the other tin upturned and if windy, place something on top to weight it down.

 

Smoking some trout and mackerel.......

 

Now call me stupid, but do you actually put the tin foil onto the saw dust?

[highseas]

hi all after reading this thred i have made/salvagded a real big smoker like 3ft high 4 ft long and 2 foot deep i done some pigeons and rainbow trout in it last night ohh and a squirrel that was in the freezer

if you would like to see picks of it i will have to e-mail them to some one(cous ime to dumb )

[SAVAGE HMR]

"Cheapo hot smoker, for Roadkill"

 

I've ran over a lot of things whilst driving, rabbits, hedgehogs, phesants, deer etc.

But I've never managed yet to run over a salmon!

Good job HD :blink:

I'd like to have seen you run that fish over.

 

[Ozzy Fudd]

hmm very interesting, going to look into making one of those for the summer, had smoked chicken in latvia and id like to try to make some myself.

 

couple of quick questions, do you have to use a gas stove or could you light a fire under the smoker? (just have visions of blowing myself up). Also how much sawdust should you use? And i know this is a daft question, but want to check, im assuming the meat doesnt need to be cooked first before smoking?

 

cheers

[peck]

i cant see you making much use of it if you are going to rely on roadkill salmon and mackerel. LOL

[malkiserow]

"Cheapo hot smoker, for Roadkill"

I've ran over a lot of things whilst driving, rabbits, hedgehogs, phesants, deer etc.

But I've never managed yet to run over a salmon!

Good job HD

I'd like to have seen you run that fish over.

 

 

I guess this is a link but it is not working for me.....

[henry d]

No, it`s not a link, it is the title of the thread you are reading, someone has underlined the "username" and used it as a play on words

[malkiserow]

No, it`s not a link, it is the title of the thread you are reading, someone has underlined the "username" and used it as a play on words

 

 

Thanks... just me being thick then. This has got me thinking I should have a go at one. Thankfully I have sawdust and meat If folks buy some more priests off me then there will be even more sawdust !

[henry d]

Make sure you use the right wood though, some will give acrid/unpleasant flavours

[mark_mjs93]

now on skype over the last few weeks me lee and stephen have ben talking about this, and i have started building mine today (well a small one for now, until i get the bits for the bigger one im working on, ill post pictures later... should be tasty sausages, i have it going now and the sausages are in it woooooee this should be tasty

 

PS using Oak sound any good? lee was recomending it yesterday, but i have apple wood, cherry wood, and alot of other woods, lol even pear

Edited April 15, 2009 by mark_mjs93

[nid]

Another question Henry,you place the tin containing the sawdust on the stove then do you put the foil on top of sawdust before adding the tray with the fillets.

Also as you say about using the right wood,what would you use for rainbow trout,thanks nid.

[henry d]

The foil is loosely attached to the underside of the bars of the cake rack(or whatever you are using) this prevents the moisture from the fish/meat dripping onto the charring woodchips/sawdust.

As for wood, I use whatever is handy, usually beech, but if I could get my hands on oak I would use that, or cherry/apple/whatever !

 

I also moved up in the world to this set up >>Another clicky<< and will be starting on my cold smoker in the summer

 

Hope that helps