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Anybody have a link to how to build a home-made smoker? Here's one, but I was looking to check out other designs. Just don't want to buy one when I can make one (I think)...

http://www.sticksite.com/smoking.htm

One of them - "hey, ya'll watch this...." moments....

DANGER:
Please be super careful when you use a smoker, especially one made from wood. I had a near disaster. I'd made a wooden smoker and put an electric hot-plate in it with a "gold pan" full of wood chips. To test it, I turned it on and went downtown to do some shopping. When I came back, I found to my horror, that the thing had caught fire and a "Good Samaritan" neighbor had noticed it, used another neighbor's garden hose and doused the flames. By then the vinyl siding on my house was badly burned and had to be replaced. PLEASE be VERY careful; keep a hose handy and WATCH IT!

We use to make them by making a pit out of concrete block, lay in a piece of expanded metal for a grate and lay tin over the top. Build a fire to the side, shovel coals from fire to pit, drink beer, repeat. You can put whatever green wood or wet chips you want on the coals.

KarstRanger wrote:Anybody have a link to how to build a home-made smoker? Here's one, but I was looking to check out other designs. Just don't want to buy one when I can make one (I think)...

http://www.sticksite.com/smoking.htm

Thanks for that link, a lot of interesting pics and whatnots on the main page.(I'll be building a picnic table soon)

To start the fire, I filled the pit with crumpled newspapers and put a layer of very dry 50-year-old fire-killed pine kindling on that.


this should get the smoke rolling!!!!!!!!!

Whatever type of smoker you use, try and use wood from a fruit or nut bearing tree. I personaly like pecan or apple but try several until you get a taste you like. I will use oak if I can't find anything else but everything comes out tasting like Sonny's. This should go without saying but don't use pine.

i really perfer to use pear wood

Will a Bradford pear tree work? It is called a pear tree but it is not fruit bearing. My neighbor's was recently blown down in the wind and the wood is available. .

I finally found a pretty good book on smoking techniques and related sauce & marinade recipes with 6 home-made smoker designs in it - in case anyone's interested. I haven't built one yet, but as soon as I move down to Florida full-time, you can bet I will.

How to Smoke Seafood (ISBN: 9780820008035)
Dahlem, Ted

You can pick this old book up easy for a buck and a couple dollars shipping at http://www.abebooks.com used book site.

Happy Smokin' !!