OK, I researched the archives but still have a question. I'm going to build an outhouse type smoker. I guess I'll build a pit 6 ft away and line it with brick. I'll run a trench or pipe to the house and put a pipe in top for a vent.

BUT, how do I keep a constant fire going all day? If it's just smoldering, how will that keep a 160 or so degree temp in the house esp in the winter? How do I regulate it if it's too hot? My main concernn is having SAFE meat to serve to my family.

Any related info from people who have done this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

-- Mike in PA (smfine@yahoo.com), March 28, 2002

Answers

I would suggest using a cast iron airtight stove with a thermometer in the chimney going to the smokehouse. Remember the stove chimney comes in the bottom of the smokehouse.

A junky stove shouldn't be too hard to come up with. Any cracks or leaks can be easily patched, it just won't look pretty enough to take center space in your living room.

-- Laura S. (LadybugWrangler@somewhere.com), March 30, 2002.

160 degrees? Why? Meat is smoked at about 90 to 100 degrees after it is cured. For 160 degrees just use a barbecue pit to cook it as most meat I can think of is fully cooked at 145 to 165 degrees. If you want to cold smoke meat that has been cured with salt for a preservative and flavor, build a small fire regulating the air intake to keep it cool. The smoke cools on the way to the smoke house and out the top which I keep open pretty much. I don't really understand what type of smoking you are after.

-- Robin Downing (Southpawrobin1@aol.com), March 30, 2002.

your looking into cooking the meat rather than smoking it, You could cook it,, then put it into the smoker and cold smoke it,, or use raw meat and hot smoke it,, cooking with the smoke

-- Stan (satanswelp@hell.nets), March 30, 2002.

My smoke house is 6' x 8' verticle plank ,with tin roof. No battens over the cracks between the planks.

It has a lift out section in the floor, 3'x3'. I start my fire in a waterheater tank ,cut about 16" high ,using charcoal to start the fire. When the charcoal turns ashy, I place in the cut out in the floor, directly on the ground, and start adding green hickory chips ,sawdust , & bark , in small amounts, enough to produce plenty of smoke , but no flame.

The meat hangs at the opposite end of the smoke house. I smoke bacon 6 hrs. & hams & sholders 12 hrs. Temp never above 100 degrees.

-- Rick in Tn. (rjconstruction1@excite.com), March 31, 2002.