How do I build an inexpensive cold smoker?

How do I build an inexpensive cold smoker?

— Don Koloze
San Jose, California

You can build a cold smoker using an oil drum for the main smoking chamber. In Oil Drum Handicraft, you can find instructions for how to build a smoker. This homemade smoker isn’t as easy to regulate as an electric smoker that you can buy, but you can build it inexpensively.

— Troy Griepentrog, associate editor

Comments

KCMike 7/15/2009 11:09:22 PM

Its getting hard to find all-metal defunct frigs anymore. Any suggestions about smoke holes would be appreciated. My deceased f-i-l said that the fire is in a hole in the ground, covered with a piece of tin and dirt. His idea sounds like a messy back yard. And then, how do you hide an old smoked-up frig in the back yard? Yeah, ur right, I'm not living in the city... yet.
John-Christopher Ward 7/15/2009 10:31:43 PM

An old frig is good, as is a water heater shelter. All one needs to add are shelves and a 10 - 15 foot run of aluminum duct to connect to a chamber to hold smoldering wood.
Deb 7/15/2009 12:51:45 PM

Old refrigerators also make good smokers, especially ones with lots of shelves.

Add Your Comment

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.

Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.

Name*

Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*

This will be your login ID.

City	State	Zip Code

Password*

Confirm Password*

Have you signed up before?
Please log in before you enter your comment.

E-mail Address

Password

Forgot your password?

Comments

Ask your question, get an answer:

Question:

Name:
City:		State:

Email:

Comments

Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.

Your name appears next to your comment.

This will be your login ID.

1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)

Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.

Ask your question, get an answer: