Homemade Meat Smokers

Smoking is addictive and when it comes to smoking food, it gets downright lethal. Smoked food is a delicacy that can get you craving at any point of the day. For smoke is not just blackened air, it is also a delicious flavor and fragrance. Out of the variety of ways of cooking, smoking is the most peculiar and, arguably, the most fun. And the flavor that it adds to the meat is one to die for! Smoking has been in practice for ages, but where initially meat was smoked for preservation, it is, now, smoked for the delightful flavor of wood. Not to mention the fun that comes with barbeque parties. But you can’t always wait for these parties to binge on your favorite food and venturing out at every sign of craving can dig quite a few holes in your pocket. So what do you do? Simple, you go that extra mile and build a smoker for yourself at home. Agreed, there is going to be effort but the moment you get that bite of your favorite smoked food, you’ll know that the fun is worth more than the effort.

How To Build A Meat Smoker At Home

Gas Grill Smoker

A gas grill smoker is as simple as cooking on one of your burners, only with the flame turned really low.

Soak some wood in water for an hour and then wrap it nicely in aluminum foil, but make sure you punch a small hole on the sides to leave some room for the smoke to escape.
Light up your burner and tune it to the lowest flame.
Place the foil packet of soaked wood directly over the burner to create smoke.
When there is quite a bit of smoke, put the packet in a bread baking pan and cover the pan tightly with foil. Punch a small hole in the center of this foil arrangement to let smoke escape.
Place the meat directly opposite to the flame and close the lid.
Manage the grill temperature manually by opening the cover just a bit every now and then to get rid of extra heat or by adjusting the burner to ensure sufficient heat.

Charcoal Grill Smoker

Use kettle grill for this one and make a wonderful meat smoker at home.

Place a brick on one side of the charcoal grate of the grill.
Pile up the space between the brick and the side of the grill with several unlit briquettes and wood chips.
Now place some lit briquettes on top of the unlit ones. The pile of unlit ones will slowly start burning and producing heat and some smoke.
Place the meat right opposite the charcoal and replace the lid vent over the food.
You will have to control the temperatures manually using the lower and upper vents.
You can place an analog dial thermometer over the food, through the vent, to keep a tab of the temperature within.

Trashcan Smoker

You need an aluminum trashcan, a hot plate, a cast iron firebox for this one and wood chips soaked in water for about 30 minutes.

Drill a smooth hole in the trashcan about two inches up from the base.
Place the hot plate in the centre of the trashcan base and pass its chord out though the drilled hole.
Above this hot plate, place a grill grate in the trashcan in a way that it fits within it and doesn’t fall when the meat is kept above it.
Drill a couple of small in the trashcan’s lid to let the excess smoke escape.
Now fill the cast iron firebox with the soaked wood chips. Place the firebox on the hot plate and turn on the hot plate.
Place your meat over the hot plate and keep tossing it to make sure it doesn’t burn.

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