Let's Talk BBQ
Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Homebuilt & Modified Cookers => Topic started by: drholly on March 12, 2013, 12:57:46 AM
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This may be on another thread and if so - please redirect me. I've searched and can't find it if it exists.
From random comments here and on other forums, I am thinking about making a cold smoker out of one of those mini-fridges or dorm fridges. It seems like it should be pretty simple. The fridge lets me keep the temp in the cold smoke range (even in the summer) vs. using a cooler or other "box". I just need the smoke source and an exhaust. So there are the questions... and opinions....
1) Drill a hole and install the smoke daddy
2) Just use the Amazen device (need to figure out adequate air supply.)
3) Make an exhaust port - need to think about size and location...
So, any thoughts?
Cheers,
David
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David...Tommy told me I could drill a hole and add my smoke daddy, with a vent on top. My coleman cooler works fine if its cold outside..temps outside are starting to get too warm, but there will be more cold days yet. Let us know what you do and remember it will be a dedicated frig, you will never get the smoky out of it. Pam
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Dump the smoke daddy and use an AMZNS.
Use a large cardboard box, cut a rectangular slot in the side for the AMZNS and a make a vent in the top opposite the smoke generator. Im sure you have some sort of rack around.
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Are thinking of running the small fridge while smoking, If so you may wind up with a lot of condensation and your food might taste a little creosoted. Maybe get a used little chief and use a old mail box and pipe it to the little chief and use an Amazen smoker in the mail box. Maybe not :)
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Doc get a cheap large ice chest and a metal box. Use the AMZNS in the metal box. Then use a ridgid dryer vent hose that goes from the top of that box to the ice chest. Put a vent hole at the top of the ice chest. Install racks in the ice chest. Now you have a budget cold smoking setup.
The ice chest can be loaded at the bottom with ice or dry ice for example.
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If you already have an old fridge it's already a box with racks installed.
You just put a maze smoker in the bottom & make airflow holes in top & lower door.
I wouldn't buy a fridge for this just use any of your grills
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Something consider about the venting:
The convective effect of "air draw" means that the size of the intake - at or near the bottom of the device - is more important than the exhaust vent ( at or near top )
The size of the intake should be equal to or smaller than the exhaust, and having them both adjustable is best. But for just smoking - just a hole that is 3/8'' - 1/2'' in diameter is more than enough. The exhaust being adjustable is more important to controlling airflow thru the chamber, and thus - affecting the temperature, velocity of air thru the chamber ("dwell time" of the smoke) and...something we do not often recognize - the moisture content of the finished product.
i.e. - a really good cold smoke chamber design - is NOT a good jerky drying chamber. You would want much more thru-put of air, to assist with evaporation.
Conversely - for smoking/cold smoking cheese, fish, nuts, etc - you want only enough air thru the chamber to sustain low smolder of coals/pellets/wood chips.
T
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T and all, Thank you. The reason I suggested the fridge was looking forward to the hot season coming to MN (yup we have one...) Hadn't thought about condensation (reason I posted the question - don't really know what I need to think about.) Really want to create a simple cold smoking set-up I can use pretty much year round. Lot's of good stuff here - most important is I need to give this more thought to do it right.
David
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T and all, Thank you. The reason I suggested the fridge was looking forward to the hot season coming to MN (yup we have one...) Hadn't thought about condensation (reason I posted the question - don't really know what I need to think about.) Really want to create a simple cold smoking set-up I can use pretty much year round. Lot's of good stuff here - most important is I need to give this more thought to do it right.
David
David you can use a tray or pan of ice in the fridge to keep the temps down low and still use whichever smoke generator you want to produce the smoke. I would think you would put the ice in first to get the cabinet temps down low then get your smoke going. A smoke daddy would not be burning in the cabinet and generating as much heat as the pellet/sawdust generators located in the cabinet. From my old canoe camping days, freezing up big chunks of ice like in a milk carton last much longer than ice chips.
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David you got me to thinking , since I just enjoyed cold smoked salmon today.
My insulated Chargriller Kamodo , adjustable vents , a maze smoker will fit down in the bottom, a big pan of ice , & lots of rack area Hum , ill let you know soon how temps track , but out of town for a week.