Rules for installation and operation of smoke generator for smokehouse

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

The basis for the smoke generator is a cylinder or box, the thickness of their walls can vary. There are two main requirements for the case: tightness and sufficient volume. As a fuel, pear, apple, and alder are commonly used. These breeds give quite good smoke for smoking. To get the most fuel, it should be compacted and ignited through a hole at the bottom of the body itself.In a few minutes the device will be ready for operation.

The air supply is carried out with the help of a fan or compressorthat needs to be properly connected. You can often see in the design of a conventional pump for pumping an inflatable boat or mattress, which is also well suited in this situation. The smoke penetrates faster with this stream into the chamber with the product, as this stream literally pushes the smoke into the chamber.

The scheme of work is quite simple. Smoke is literally pushed into the smokehouse under the pressure of incoming air. The pressure is generated by a pump or fan, depending on the connected device. This stream of smoke and air is forced out of the generator directly into the cabinet. You can embed a thermometer in the cabinet, which allows you to monitor the process.

To date, there are two types of smoking, the difference between them is very significant.

• Hot smoking with a smoke generator. The key difference, of course, is the temperature at which the process occurs (from +45 to +100 degrees). In addition to temperature, the product smokes less time compared to another type (from 40 minutes to 2 hours, sometimes the procedure can take up to a day). The finished product has a pleasant golden hue. No less important is the product itself. When smoked hot, it turns out soft and juicy. After the meat or fish is cooked, it is not subject to any procedures after, you can use it directly from the smokehouse.

• Cold smoked. 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, pickle. The key difference is that with this method, the meat dries more, because of what it does not deteriorate. Smoke perfectly complements the products with its smell and gives some spice. At the exit of meat or fish has a shade from light beige to brown. Food is not recommended to use immediately after smoking.

Speaking about the technical part of the process, hot smoked has an unambiguous 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 a shorter shelf life compared to another type (not more than a week at a temperature of 0 to +5 degrees).

Of course, hot smoked has more advantages than coldbut the advantages of the latter are more significant. Cold smoking retains all the 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 anywhere. It is also recommended to store in the refrigerator at a temperature of from 0 to +5 degrees.

The generator has the following technical characteristics:

• it works on 220V;
• you should not make the sawdust compartment too large, you should calculate its size by 2 kilograms of fuel;
• the power of the heating element is 1 kW. Per day, the generator usually uses up to 4 kW, heats up and automatically shuts 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, on the Internet you can find a lot of camera options, so it is important to pay attention to the key features.

• The chamber must be airtight so that the smoke stays inside, it is necessary to smoke the product.
• There should be room for product in the chamber. The key will be its presence, and how it will be implemented depends on the fantasy.
• It should also contain a hole for smoke to enter the generator.
• It is necessary to retreat from 6 to 10 centimeters from the lid and weld the flue pipe.

Generator preparation includes the following steps:

• for the body it is necessary to take about 70 centimeters of a pipe with a diameter of 10 cm;
• on a new metal sheet, you need to put labels for cuts under the lid and bottom, it is worth remembering the allowances for the manufacture of the side walls;
• Above the board it is necessary to make several holes with a diameter of less than 10 mm, through which oxygen is supplied and the fuel is ignited;
• for the stability of the structure, it is strongly recommended to weld the 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 firmly, and for ease of opening the device should embed the bracket;
• need to attach the chimney thanks to welding. Before welding the fitting, you need to make a thread for the tee on its outer end;
• left to connect the fitting with a tee.

The following steps should be taken to install the smoke generator design:

• It is recommended to install the cabinet and the generator on a fireproof flat surface. The injector should be checked, as well as its suitable size;
• tightly burn the firebox using sawdust only hardwood, no needles. It is necessary to prepare approximately 1 kilogram of sawdust, shavings or chips.After all the space is clogged, the apparatus should be tightly closed with a lid;
• need to connect to the chimney smoke box, and to the tee - pump;
• set fire to fuel;
• turn on the pump.

Initially, everything should be prepared for work. Conventionally, this moment can be divided into several stages.

• Fuel preparation. It is the choice of sawdust or wood chips. It is not recommended to use sawdust of pine wood, as when smoking, the product will get a bitter taste. It is worth paying attention to options such as alder, pear, apple, which can be found on sale. The color and smell of products may differ from the choice of fuel. Often rosemary twigs, almond shells and other herbs with a pleasant smell are added to the savory flavor. During smoking, you can use both wet and dry wood chips, the first give more smoke, when the latter are the classic version. The disadvantage of wet chips is a large amount of burning, which is compensated by the installation of a special grill or a damp cloth. It is strongly not recommended to use colored 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. Always keep equipment clean. After cleaning, warm up the empty structure to a temperature of +200 degrees, then cool to the desired temperature. Now you can fall asleep burning products. Experts recommend to first fill in from 2 to 6 tablespoons, after which you should monitor the burning and add as needed.

• Preparation of the product. Usually, meat or fish is used for smoking, but you can also smoke lard, cheese, bacon, vegetables and fruits. Before smoking, the meat still needs to be pickled. If hot smoked is only a recommendation, then cold is a mandatory item. Usually salt from several hours to several days. Variations as much as there are recipes.

Preparation is followed by an equally important part of the process, smoking. The main thing - it is necessary to try not to allow glut smoke, not to use too many chips, because the excess smoke must be removed through a special chimney. Consider how the products will be placed.Smoke should uniformly envelop the entire batch. It is necessary to spread the meat evenly on the grill or hang. You need to install under the product pan for fat, in which it will accumulate. In the future, you can occasionally open the cabinet for lubricating meat or fish with marinade.

When using a steam generator, consider the following points:

• when building a home smoke generator, it is recommended to make sure that it does not violate the rules of fire safety;
• should provide for automatic shutdown of the device in case of any problems;
• all elements capable of self-ignition, and the various wires should be placed as far as possible from points with high temperatures;
• Priority is to be made on a metal material with a heat-resistant coating;
• It is possible to install the structure only 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 follow 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 design has electrical elements, then it is necessary to make their safety as possible.
• It is recommended to use only high-quality fuel that will allow you to protect yourself and your loved ones.
• Constantly need to monitor the purity of all components of the structure.
• During cooking, the product should be coated with smoke evenly from all sides. If there is no confidence in the reliability of the system, you can always buy a ready-made version at a reasonable price, because now a large number of various smoke generators are on the market: from dacha options to home, from large to small, from electric to gas.
• You need to use only fresh products for marinovka and do not forget about the shelf life of the finished product.

How to make a smoke generator for a smokehouse with your own hands, see the video below.