Rules for the installation and operation of a smoke generator for a smokehouse

The smoke generator is a favorite of those who love smoked food, because it gives a wide range of flavors of the same smoked product. You can find quite a lot of different tastes of one, for example, meat, using different marinades and, most importantly, using different types of wood.

The base for the smoke generator is a cylinder or box, their wall thickness may vary. There are two main requirements for an enclosure: tightness and sufficient volume. Pear, apple, alder are usually used as fuel. These breeds give quite good smoke for smoking. To obtain the greatest amount of fuel, it should be sealed and ignited through the hole at the bottom of the housing itself. The device will be ready for use in a few minutes.

Air supply is carried out using some kind of fan or compressorto be connected correctly. You can often see in the design a conventional pump for inflating an inflatable boat or mattress, which is also well suited in this situation. Smoke penetrates faster with this stream into the product chamber, as this stream literally pushes smoke into the chamber.

The scheme of work is quite simple. The smoke is literally pushed into the smoker under the pressure of the supplied air. The pressure is generated by a pump or a fan, depending on the connected device. This stream of smoke and air is forced out of the generator directly into the cabinet. A thermometer can be built into the cabinet, which will allow you to monitor the process.

Today there are two types of smoking, the difference between which is very significant.

• Hot smoking with a smoke generator. The key difference, of course, is the temperature at which the process takes place (from +45 to +100 degrees). In addition to the temperature, the product is smoked for less time in comparison with the other type (from 40 minutes to 2 hours, sometimes the procedure can take up to a day). The finished product has a pleasant golden hue. An equally important difference is the product itself. When smoked hot, it turns out to be soft and juicy. After the meat or fish is cooked, it is not subject to any procedures after, it can be consumed immediately from the smokehouse.

• Cold smoking. It is carried out at a lower temperature (+30 degrees). The process can take quite a long time, in some cases - up to a month. Most often, the product is smoked for three to five days. Meat or fish should be prepared in advance, for example, salted. The key difference is that this method dries the meat more so that it does not spoil. The smoke perfectly complements the products with its aroma and gives a certain amount of piquancy. At the exit, meat or fish has a shade from light beige to brown. It is not recommended to eat food immediately after smoking.

Speaking about the technical part of the process, hot smoking has a definite advantage, since it takes several times less time and effort to prepare raw materials, and the product can be eaten immediately after preparation.Despite this, an important disadvantage of this method is the shorter shelf life in comparison with the other type (no more than a week at temperatures from 0 to +5 degrees).

Of course, hot smoking has more advantages than cold smoking., but the advantages of the latter are still more significant. Cold smoking preserves all vitamins and microelements, which is associated with a low smoking temperature, and also provides twice the shelf life. A separate advantage can be considered the fact that for two weeks the usefulness of the product does not disappear. It is also recommended to store it in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 to +5 degrees.

The generator has the following technical characteristics:

• it operates on a 220V network;
• do not make the sawdust compartment too large, you should calculate its size for 2 kilograms of fuel;
• the power of the heating element is 1 kW. The generator usually uses up to 4 kW per day, heats up and automatically turns off;
• the volume of the combustion chamber is approximately equal to one cubic meter.

The preparation process can be divided into several stages: preparation of the chamber, preparation of the generator, connection of the structure and its testing.

In fact, you can find quite a lot of camera options on the Internet, so it is important to pay attention to the key features.

• The chamber must be sealed so that the smoke remains inside, this is necessary for smoking the product.
• There must be room for the product in the chamber. Its presence will be key, and how it will be implemented depends on imagination.
• It must also contain an opening for smoke from the generator.
• You should step back from 6 to 10 centimeters from the lid and weld the chimney pipe.

Generator preparation includes the following steps:

• for the case, you need to take about 70 centimeters of a pipe with a diameter of 10 cm;
• on a new metal sheet, you need to mark for cuts under the lid and bottom, it is worth remembering about the allowances for the manufacture of side boards;
• over the side, it is necessary to make several holes with a diameter of less than 10 mm, through which oxygen flows and fuel is ignited;
• for the stability of the structure, it is strongly recommended to weld legs 15 centimeters high;
• it is not recommended to make holes on the top cover for ventilation. The sides should be welded so that it sits securely, and for the convenience of opening the device, a bracket should be cut in;
• it is necessary to connect the chimney by welding. Before welding the fitting, you need to make a thread for the tee at its outer end;
• it remains to connect the fitting with the tee.

It is necessary to perform the following steps to install the structure of the smoke generator:

• It is recommended to install the cabinet and generator on a non-combustible flat surface. The injector should be checked, as well as its suitable size;
• fill the firebox tightly with fuel, using only hardwood sawdust, no needles. You need to prepare about 1 kilogram of sawdust, shavings or chips. After the entire space is clogged, the apparatus should be tightly closed with a lid;
• you need to connect a smoking cabinet to the chimney, and a pump to the tee;
• set fire to fuel;
• turn on the pump.

Initially, everything should be prepared for work. This moment can be conditionally divided into several stages.

• Fuel preparation. It consists in choosing sawdust or chips. It is highly discouraged to use pine wood sawdust, as the product will acquire a bitter taste when smoked.It is worth paying attention to options such as alder, pear, apple, which can be found on sale. The color and smell of the products may differ from the choice of fuel. Often rosemary twigs, almond shells and other herbs with a pleasant smell are added for a piquant aroma. While smoking, you can use both wet and dry chips, the former gives more smoke, while the latter is the classic option. The disadvantage of wet chips is a large amount of burning, which is compensated by the installation of a special grate or a damp cloth. It is strongly not recommended to use a painted material or material coated with varnishes or other chemicals.

• Equipment preparation. It is necessary to thoroughly clean the chamber, chimney and smoke generator from traces of previous use. Keep equipment clean at all times. After cleaning, the empty structure should be warmed up to a temperature of +200 degrees, and then cooled to the desired temperature. Now you can fill in the combustion products. Experts recommend adding 2 to 6 tablespoons first, then watch for burnout and add as needed.

• Product preparation. Usually, meat or fish is used for smoking, but lard, cheeses, brisket, vegetables and fruits can also be smoked. Before starting smoking, the meat must still be salted. If with hot smoking this is only a recommendation, then with cold smoking it is a mandatory item. Usually salted from several hours to several days. There are as many variations as there are recipes.

Preparation is followed by an equally important part of the process, smoking. The main thing is to try to prevent oversaturation with smoke, not to use too many chips, since excess smoke must be removed through a special chimney. Consideration should be given to how the products will be placed. The smoke should envelop the entire batch evenly. Spread the meat evenly on the wire rack or hang it. Place a drip tray under the food to collect it. In the future, you can occasionally open the cabinet for greasing meat or fish with marinade.

When using a steam generator, the following points should be considered:

• when building a home smoke generator, it is recommended to make sure that it does not violate fire safety rules;
• automatic shutdown of the device should be provided in case of any problems;
• all elements capable of spontaneous combustion, and various wires must be placed as far as possible from points with a high temperature;
• the priority should be made on a metal material with a heat-resistant coating;
• the structure can only be installed on a fire-resistant surface, for example, on a metal plate, but in no case on a wooden floor.

The main wish is to cook with pleasure.

To make the process enjoyable, you should adhere to several recommendations from experts.

• As effectively as possible, you should protect yourself from the occurrence of problems associated with the design. First of all, you need to think carefully about fire safety: the device must stand confidently on a fire-resistant surface. If the structure has electrical elements, then you need to make them as safe as possible.
• It is recommended to use only high-quality fuel, which will protect yourself and your loved ones.
• You constantly need to monitor the cleanliness of all components of the structure.
• During cooking, the product should be evenly enveloped in smoke from all sides. If you are not sure of the reliability of the system, you can always buy a ready-made version at a reasonable price, because now there are a large number of different smoke generators on the market: from summer cottages to home, from large to small, from electric to gas.
• You need to use only fresh products for pickling and do not forget about the shelf life of the finished product.

For information on how to make a smoke generator for a smokehouse with your own hands, see the video below.