The Real Smoke
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Kitchen - Seafood Recipes
Forum Description: Share your favourite seafood recipes here
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8724
Printed Date: 31 May 2026 at 9:01pm
Topic: The Real Smoke
Posted By: scullapint
Subject: The Real Smoke
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2005 at 9:04pm
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I am searching for plans and ideas on constructing a real smokehouse. I am wanting to smoke both cold (under 32 cel) and hot (between48 and 93 cel) Both using soak brine prep method. ( recipes easy to come by) Has anyone got a site that sells the finished product or plans for sale on building one. I only have smokeplan dot com. Any leads appreciated ------------- Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn. |
Replies:
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2005 at 10:26pm
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ZG, I have seen cold smokers made from old drums, clothes airers, old electric ranges and garden sheds. Pretty much anything goes I reckon. Hardest part is keeping the smoke going. ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Trenta
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2005 at 10:35pm
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Hey there Zane Grey, Here is a photo of the smokehouse that my old man built from blocks. As you can see it is a pretty big one! Might give you some ideas....
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Posted By: SaltyC
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2005 at 12:53pm
I like that Trenta, you better give me your old mans address so I can drop all my fish off for smoking!! I spend a bit of time anchored in the Mahurangi (up the Puapuka inlet usually) so would be quite happy to row ashore so he can smoke my fish for me!!!  Good to see the heads being used instead of biffed. |
Posted By: Trenta
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2005 at 7:58pm
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Yah, the heads are very tasty! I am sure he could come to some sort of agreement with you.... probably over the exchange of a few Lion Reds! It is an excellent smoker that he built himself. The smoker when new was not as good as it is now. It is strange, but the more you use it, the better "seasoned" it becomes, and the tastier the fish are. |
Posted By: Jo.
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2005 at 8:13pm
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question, whats the door and framing made of and is there base ventilation ie, stopcock or similar. unique cold smoker http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/coldsmoker.html ------------- Capitalisation is the difference between "I had to help my uncle Jack off a horse.." and "I had to help my uncle jack off a horse.."http://www.peoplefirst.org.nz/">People First New Zealand |
Posted By: Trenta
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2005 at 8:38pm
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I am not entirely sure, but the door is in two parts, with a bottom section that goes to about the metal plate just above the fireplace. This section has ventilation holes that can be closed or opened as reqired. The doors themselves are really heavy, and metal plated, so I think it is obvoiusly some sort of fireproof material. I can find out for sure for you if you want?? |
Posted By: Jo.
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2005 at 10:22pm
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would be cool if you can, I think the freezer downstairs which is going 24/7 will become a smoker before next summer. ------------- Capitalisation is the difference between "I had to help my uncle Jack off a horse.." and "I had to help my uncle jack off a horse.."http://www.peoplefirst.org.nz/">People First New Zealand |
Posted By: Ski
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2005 at 11:18pm
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that looks like a hot smoker to me doesnt a cold smoker have a separate chamber with a tunnel to take the smoke over to the smokehouse thus keeping the temperature down.it takes longer but the end rwesult is a true cold smoke and the fish or meat that is smoked lasts longer ------------- yamaha reliability senator stability shimano superiority the rest is up to the fish! |
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2005 at 11:44pm
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I think it would do both Ski, if you can keep the heat down to a glow it should cold smoke... maybe.... ------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Trenta
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2005 at 4:26am
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Yah, that photo was taken in the very first part of the smoke. Once that has been established, the fire is kicked out and the embers smould away, and the ventilation is minimised. Still havent found out what the doors are made of, but will email the old man tonite to find out..... |
Posted By: Tzer
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2005 at 5:28am
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ZG, mine's a cabinet dryer mounted on top of an old kent fire box. I have no problems regulating amount of smoke or the heat for that matter. Once I've got the fire going and the right amount of smoke is being generated for a colder smoke just shut all the damper vents, as the cabinet is directly above the fire box I still get a certain amount of heat but the resulting time to smoke has still been between 12 and 18 hours. I perfer a hot smoke as I cant be bothered waiting 12 or more hours when your fish can be ready in 4.
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Posted By: Bender
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2005 at 7:08am
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I'm in the same boat but I thought I would follow a similar plan to the geoff thomas smoker I already have. It's dying through rust but is a good size. The "firebox" is a wok burner under a plate that I throw handfuls of sawdust on. It works OK. A question for you all - do you prefer hanging the fish vertical or laying them flat. I find that laying them flat means the fat and water that comes off the fish doesn't run off and its easy to get them mushy. I had an old dryer in which the fish were vertical and it was fantastic. The GT smoker has them lying flat on racks and the results with it have been mixed, some good some awful (mushy). Im thinking of recreating the GT smoker but with racking so that the fish will hang vertical. What do you others think? ------------- Nobody has ever come up with a great idea after a second bottle of water. |
Posted By: scullapint
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2005 at 7:10pm
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Isn't cold smoking about "acurate" and "precise" temp control over a long period of time? Hence the need for plans and methods to build one. Slighty off, one creates a health hazard??? Allowing bacteria to GROW??? ...maybe whiping the fish down the loacal wet fishshop for a cold smoke is better? ------------- Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn. |