Who's built a smoker here? ideas...

[jaywalker]

True Value Hardware stores have hickory wood chips.

They're about a 2 lb/1 kilo bag, but if you soak them overnight, they smoke for quite a while. I never use more than a hand full at a time, so a small bag lasts a long time. They're 350 baht I think.

Here are their Thailand locations. http://www.truevalue.co.th/location.php

I've been to the Nonthaburi & Pattaya branches. They have some nice smokers in there also, but priced to the moon at ~30K - 35K baht as I recall.

The Pattaya branch is more or less opposite the south Tesco Lotus store/Factory Outlet.

Edited August 14, 2015 by jaywalker

[willyumiii]

When I lived in California and had unlimited access to fresh salmon from my native American friends, I built a couple of smokers from old refrigerators that worked very well.

They can be made with an electric heating element inside that heats up a pan with wood chips in it.

The one I preferred was connected to an old wood stove that was vented into the smoker through a piece of stove pipe.

This provides a cooler smoke and permits slow smoking and a better flavor.

Hot smoke tends to cook the meat as it smokes it and dries it out much faster.

They are very easy to build and instructions can be found online.

Edited August 15, 2015 by willyumiii

[canuckamuck]

Built my cold smoker with block-as the heat source is external no stress on the block.

Use charcoal to start the fire then soaked litchi or lamyai along with some wet coconut husk (I soak the wood and husk overnight)

For me cold smoke is ideal,don't have direct heat on the meat to contend with so you can smoke as long as you want to get the flavor your after

Perfect for honey glazed ham-smokey bacon and smoked fish

Pictures -smoker and interior racks and external fire pit

This is quite a lot like one of the ideas I was considering. I think I will build a small version first and test the results first before I assign so much real estate though.

I will likely ask you more questions later.

[canuckamuck]

Just thought I would post what I came up with. Not made for beauty, I just wanted to make a test model before I built a proper one. However, this one is working so nicely I don't know if I will bother to make a new one now.

Only use it for fish so far, Really good results though.

In the photo you see tilapia my wife is drying for a dried fish product she likes to make, but at the bottom you can see a few small filets that were ridiculously good.

Edit to add that I am using Lychee wood, which is very abundant up north. I got a heaping pickup load for 1000 baht.

Edited September 18, 2015 by canuckamuck

[Forkinhades]

We are in the process of building a brick bbq smoker, got the idea from here

http://www.instructa...beque/?ALLSTEPS

Went to my local steelwork shop, and he is going to make the doors and dampers. I was quite surprised as he knew exactly what I was talking about.

Will post some pics

[Forkinhades]

Just the roof of the smoker, doors and damper to install.

[Forkinhades]

Ok now I need some fire bricks for the oven.

Any ideas where I can purchase, and indeed the name of them in thai?

I'm thinking 'it fai mai'

[bankruatsteve]

Don't know where to find fire bricks, but if you can't find them, you might just go with what you have. If you mainly use for smoking, you won't be building any bonfires anyway. You could form a retainer ring for the charcoal out of sheet metal (with holes for ventilation) to keep the coals away from the bricks and should be enough to keep the bricks from cracking. (maybe)

[canuckamuck]

Bricks that are kiln fired can handle heat. Just my opinion but I have made an oven from cheapo clay bricks before with no problem.

I am not sure the bricks you are using are kiln fired though. I think those are cement based.

There are kiln fired bricks available for building, but they are not so pretty and you will have to hide them inside; because what you got so far is looking really good.

[canuckamuck]

PS: I made a slab of bacon today. I will try it for breakfast tomorrow.

Edited September 26, 2015 by canuckamuck

[snowgard]

Ok now I need some fire bricks for the oven.

Any ideas where I can purchase, and indeed the name of them in thai?

I'm thinking 'it fai mai'

It's possible where you stay. In Pattaya you can buy fire bricks on the Sukhumvit on the way from Sattahip to Pattaya. On the left side Comes a Homemart Shop Name before was Kanyong. Now ??? Just before it is a shop where you can buy fire bricks. They build ovens too.

https://www.google.co.th/maps/dir//12.8864949,100.8974884/@12.8864234,100.8975801,379m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

[Forkinhades]

⬆+1

I will put the fire bricks, inside what's already been built.

[snowgard]

Today I smoked sausages. Here are some photos from my smoker.

Take it easy!!! Enough space for 10-20kg meat.

Edited September 27, 2015 by snowgard

[canuckamuck]

Today I smoked sausages. Here are some photos from my smoker.

Take it easy!!! Enough space for 10-20kg meat.

Tell me about what is in the clay pot.

[snowgard]

In the beginning I used a candle (tealight) for firing the sawdust.

Now I use a gas burner (can).

The sawdust is in a rat trap. ;-)

Everything works perfect.

[bankruatsteve]

Just the roof of the smoker, doors and damper to install.

1443080285654-1444916601.jpg

Hey Forky, how did your project turn out? Have you had an inaugural - or more - smoking session to report?

[Forkinhades]

Well this should be finished in a couple of days

[Forkinhades]

OK so here is what the smoker looks like now, not quite finished, as we are going to get BBQ tray custom fitted as well, already tried some chicken in the smoker, with some hickory chip wood

Not sure why the pics are not orientated correctly.

[canuckamuck]

Looks really good. Thanks for sharing

[Thorgal]

[emoji651]+1

I will put the fire bricks, inside what's already been built.

Do you mean ceramic refractory bricks ?

[Crossy]

[emoji651]+1

I will put the fire bricks, inside what's already been built.

Do you mean ceramic refractory bricks ?

He does, we Brits call them fire-bricks.

In reality for a low temperature burn like we have in a smoker normal kiln-fired bricks work just fine. We use them in the bottom of our barbecue tray, never had one break up.

[Forkinhades]

Already used the the smoker without 'fire bricks', and everything held up fine. Will probably put some ceramic tile inside the fire pit though, for added protection.

Will be smoking a nice shoulder of pork today coated in mustard and seasonings today for 3 hours, so this is the big test.

[Thorgal]

[emoji651]+1

I will put the fire bricks, inside what's already been built.

Do you mean ceramic refractory bricks ?

He does, we Brits call them fire-bricks.

In reality for a low temperature burn like we have in a smoker normal kiln-fired bricks work just fine. We use them in the bottom of our barbecue tray, never had one break up.

I would never use these pyroblocks in a place to 'smoke' food. The silica and alumina content in form of dust is too dangerous and is cancerous.

Fine dust particles wich you won't see clearly.

Creating a low pressure draft will encourage erosive decay of your bricks.

A separation wall in stainless steel is highly advised...

http://www.celsius-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TR_Insulating-Fire-Brick_MSDS_EN.pdf

Edited January 9, 2016 by Thorgal

[Forkinhades]

Point noted, would a 'clay' interior wall be just as effective ?

[Thorgal]

Point noted, would a 'clay' interior wall be just as effective ?

Depends on your constant temperature you gonna operate vs volume.

I would rather suggest a double row of clay bricks...knowing that you operating temperature will not exceed 300 C.

Edited January 9, 2016 by Thorgal

[canuckamuck]

My experience is that inside a smoker that after the first few uses there is a coating of somewhat greasy blackness which will seal up any dust movement

[Forkinhades]

Point noted, would a 'clay' interior wall be just as effective ?

Depends on your constant temperature you gonna operate vs volume.

I would rather suggest a double row of clay bricks...knowing that you operating temperature will not exceed 300 C.

Was thinking around 170° in the smoker, not sure what the pit will reach though

[yankee99]

Point noted, would a 'clay' interior wall be just as effective ?

Depends on your constant temperature you gonna operate vs volume.

I would rather suggest a double row of clay bricks...knowing that you operating temperature will not exceed 300 C.

Was thinking around 170° in the smoker, not sure what the pit will reach though

The art of smoking is low and slow. Almost nothing except maybe whole chicken over 225° Fahrenheit....

[NickJ]

I smoke real low and slow. Your pork shoulder, if its a full shoulder like they sell at Makro will take longer than three hours. Join thesmokingmeatforum......I have learned quite a lot over the years from the resident experts. .........nice pics.