Hot Smoked Smokehouse: Drawings and Dimensions

To taste the fragrant smoked meats, it is not necessary to buy them in the store. Today, domestic smokehouses are becoming increasingly popular, which are quite easy to make from improvised means. In this article we will talk about the types of such structures and methods of their manufacture.

Hot-smoked smokehouse is a structure in which products are prepared by fumigating with a large amount of smoke. Smoking is one of the most common ways of cooking food, during which it acquires a specific flavor and a longer shelf life.

Smoking is carried out at a temperature of 60 degrees and above and is optimal for cooking products with a low fat content.This process is quite fast and looks like smoldering sawdust or chips with products hanging from above.

Undoubtedly, the advantages of this design is much more than the disadvantages. We analyze them point by point.

Benefits:

• simplicity of design allows you to make it at home from scrap materials and in a short time;
• smokehouse can be installed anywhere that facilitates compliance with fire safety measures;
• mobile smokehouse can take with you to go on nature;
• Smoke brings food to readiness fairly quickly and does not require additional processing of food.

Owners of such structures rarely find cons in operation. The only thing that can be distinguished in comparison with cold smoking smokehouse is a greater number of carcinogens during cooking and a shorter shelf life of cooked products.

If the smokehouse is made of thin metal, then its service life will be short. On the other hand, you can use the design a couple of seasons, and then make a new out of scrap materials. Afford it definitely won't hit.

In order to make a high-quality smokehouse at home with your own hands, you need to be well aware of how it works and the principle of its work. Perhaps the main requirement is the tightness of the structure. The lid must be made movable so that it can be easily removed and put on, and the smoke practically did not leave the construction during cooking.

We list the main elements of a homemade smokehouse.

• No matter what capacity is chosen for the base of the smokehouse, it will need a stand or legs for stability.

• To fix the products inside you need a grill or hooks for hanging (for fish or meat).
• Under the grate, you must place a special pallet, which should drain the fat. Otherwise, it will drip directly onto the wood and burn, and this may adversely affect the quality of the products.
• To maintain the required temperature conditions, a thermometer is required. Also during installation, it is necessary to provide that the smoke envelops the products evenly from all sides.

The conventional scheme of the simplest smokehouse is shown below.

Before smoking for the first time, you should familiarize yourself with important information about choosing products and preparing them for smoking.

• Do not forget that the meat has a fairly soft texture. To prevent it from disintegrating during the cooking process, each piece should be tied up with a string or use a special net. We see a similar net when buying smoked meat or fish.
• To make it easier for you to clean the tray, you can cover it with foil before cooking. So fat will not accumulate on it and burn. And the foil, in turn, will absolutely not interfere with the process of smoking and will not affect the taste of the products, since it perfectly passes heat. After completing the work, the foil is simply removed and thrown away. The pallet remains practically clean.
• To prepare fish for smoking, most often it is rubbed with coarse salt with the addition of spices. Fatty fish varieties are wrapped in parchment and placed in a strong brine for a couple of hours.

• The back part of fatty fish (balyk) is also rubbed with coarse salt, wrapped in gauze, then soaked in water to get rid of excess salt. And only after that you can begin the process of smoking.
• For smoking it is worthwhile to purchase only fresh fish and prepare it yourself. There are several signs that, having noticed, it is better to refrain from buying fish: sunken eyes, gray gills, swollen belly, too soft meat on the back. If when you click on the body of the fish there remains a dent, this indicates its iniquity and such a product does not work out quite tasty, no matter how professionally it is smoked.
• If you need a good result, be sure to consider all the necessary factors. This is the quality and freshness of the product, the composition of the marinade and the time of pickling, the quality and origin of the sawdust for ignition.

To get the most juicy and tasty meat without any plaque, it is worth wrapping it in wet gauze before cooking. Upon completion of smoking the gauze is simply removed, and the meat is clean and juicy.

There are some more universal rules that will help the novice smoker.

• The time of marinating the product is inversely proportional to the time of its preparation. This means that the longer the meat lay in the marinade, the faster it will reach full readiness.
• Products will cook even faster if they are not pickled in the refrigerator, but in a room with room temperature.

• Chips of fruit trees added to the main fuel will give the products a special pleasant aroma.
• The service life of the smokehouse directly depends on the thickness of its walls. It is logical that a device with walls of 2 mm and above will last much longer than the same, but with a thickness of 1 mm.
• At observance of all safety standards, smoking in a city apartment may not be inferior in quality to smoking in nature. In the first case, the obligatory conclusion of the chimney in the window.
• In order to prevent the appearance of bitterness in the meat, it is necessary from time to time to open the chamber and release extra smoke. This refers to any kind of smoking and any design of the smokehouse.

For some reason, many gourmets associate only fish and meat with smoking. And in vain, because you can smoke a huge amount of products. For example, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, nuts and more. The well-known and beloved prunes are just smoked and dried plums. You can also smoke potatoes, onions, carrots and beets. Combining them with meat and delicious dressing, you can cook an unusual and very tasty salad.Having made a hiking version of the smokehouse, you can cook mushrooms directly in nature.

Hot smoking is independently possible to carry out in two ways: with the help of electrical appliances or structures located above the fire.

In the first embodiment, it is only necessary to lay the fuel in the form of sawdust or chips, set the desired mode.

In the second embodiment, the cooking process is more difficult. Smokehouse for gardening, working on wood, can be purchased off-the-shelf or made from any metal container.

We have already talked about the features of the self-made smokehouse; now it is worthwhile to dwell in more detail on the electrical version. It will definitely be interesting to smokers who want to smoke their favorite products right in the apartment.

The advantages of electric smokehouse:

• The ability to quickly smoke the necessary products within the apartment.
• No need to make a fire, just turn on the device in the outlet, after laying the fuel and products.
• Compact design fits in any kitchen cabinet.

• In the electrocoptile products are prepared quickly enough. Due to the fact that the lid is completely adjacent to the smoking chamber, all the heat remains inside and the whole process can be packed in 30-40 minutes.
• Completion of most models provides for the presence of a smoke generator and hydraulic lock.
• The temperature can be easily controlled manually, which protects against sudden drops.
• Price availability.

As you can see, this is an ideal option for city dwellers. The principle of operation of such a smokehouse is similar to other types - tightness, heat source, drip pan, grill / hooks for products.

There is also such a view as automatic smokehouse. The source of heat in them also serves as electricity, but they differ in large volumes of loaded products (up to 200 kilograms) and are used mainly in restaurants and food production. Such structures are often made embedded, since there is no need to move them.

The advantages of automatic smoking can be attributed to ease of use, because such structures do not require continuous monitoring during cooking or any specialskills. One has only to choose the mode, and the stationary smokehouse itself will prepare the right dish for a very short time. The only negative is the high price of models for domestic use.

Many purchased models are equipped with a water seal. When deciding on a model, it is important to understand the purpose of this part.

The hydrolock is a horizontal U-shaped detail from a metal profile. Usually it is placed with the open part upwards and does not have any partitions. The closure itself can be welded outside (more often) or inside the tank. Optimal is its placement outside. This allows you to add less water, because it does not evaporate so quickly.

The lid of the smokehouse should fit into the groove of the shutter. Water protects against ingress of air into the structure. This is very important, because otherwise the sawdust can flare up very quickly. The hydrolock provides a conclusion of a smoke only through a pipe that is important and convenient feature when using the smoking shed within the apartment. Plus, this part provides an additional stiffening rib, thereby reducing the risk of the chamber deforming under the influence of high temperatures.

Now it is worth analyzing in detail the role of the thermometer during smoking. Indeed, the cooking time of food products directly depends on the degree of hot air inside the smokehouse. It is also known that each stage of preparation requires its own temperature level.

For example, when cooking fish for the first 20 minutes, it should be kept at a temperature of 35-40 degrees, then kept for another half hour at a temperature of 90 degrees. And at the last stage of smoking, the temperature rises to 130 degrees. Naturally, it is impossible to control the process without a thermometer, because even a small deviation from temperature will most likely not affect the quality of the finished product in the best way.

In addition, just looking or feeling the meat, it is quite difficult to determine the degree of its readiness. And with the help of a special thermometer, you can measure the temperature inside the piece. Beef is considered fully cooked at 75 degrees, lamb and poultry - at 85 and 90 degrees, respectively.

There are special thermometers with a body of 30 centimeters for working with meat and fish. Installing it in the smokehouse, be sure to take care that it is isolated from the metal.For insulation, you can use the usual wine cork.

The scale range of the thermometer for the smokehouse should be up to 200 degrees. Having the necessary knowledge and skills, you can display the indicators on a separate electronic display. But often, fans do not do this, and the purchased models already have such bonuses.

Experienced smokers often purchase a special thermometer that has a long pin for immersion in meat with a length of about 15 centimeters and a range of up to 400 degrees.

It is also recommended to buy a pair of thermometers: the first for installation on the lid of the smokehouse, and the second to ensure control of the readiness of the meat during smoking.

Sometimes in a smokehouse place the thermostat. This is a sensor with which you can adjust the heating power.

For the equipment of the simplest smokehouse will not even need a special tank. All you need is a gas stove, an extractor hood over it, a steel plate or a can of canned food.

The procedure is very simple: products are suspended under the hood, under them is placed a container for fat. Next, take a small amount of chips in a metal dish and put it on the fire until haze appears.Then you need to turn down the heat and make sure that the smoke goes into the hood. Actually, this is the whole process. True, in this way many products are difficult to accumulate.

A smokehouse made from an old refrigerator can be quite practical. Making it is quite simple: you need to get rid of the compressor, freezer and the entire inner lining of plastic. As a result, there should be only a metal case in which the smoke chamber and the chimney are mounted.

An approximate scheme of the smokehouse from the body of the refrigerator looks like this:

The fuel is placed on the site of the vegetable compartment and heated with an electric stove. Air access is provided through the pipeline.

This design has flaws that can affect the choice.

• Power usage. In order to warm the chips strongly enough, you need a powerful electric stove. Refrigerators are made from steel with low thermal conductivity.
• In this design it is quite difficult to regulate the amount of heat and maintain the optimum temperature.

Another option for the use of household appliances - smokehouse equipment from an old washing machine.In this case, the smoke chamber will be a tank. Conducting the preparatory work, you need to expand the hole from under the motor shaft (smoke will come out of it) and equip the drain hole so that fat flows through it.

A portable compact smokehouse is very useful at outing picnics. A detailed scheme for equipment of this design is shown in the figure below. It can be placed above any source of smoke. You can also dig a hearth with a chimney, it does not take much time. This design can be used for both cold and hot smoked.

A simple scheme for the equipment of the smokehouse over the brazier.

Do not be afraid that the smoke from the kebab is involved in smoking other products. This will not only spoil them, but also give them a special piquancy.Many lovers of smoked fish and vegetables prefer to cook them in this way.

Often, stationary designs combine the brazier with a smokehouse.

Their main feature is the use of free space under the barbecue and, in fact, the lack of mobility. Working with such a smokehouse, you can not worry about the warming up being uniform, and you can put almost any container into the smoking chamber.

Deciding to acquire a similar furnace, it is worth thinking about the material for its manufacture. And here is a very important tip: definitely not worth making the whole complex brick. The point is not even in the high cost, but in the porosity of the brick. Smoke from different products and moisture accumulate inside the masonry and eventually brick will rot. As a result, after just a couple of seasons, the smokehouse can begin to emit a strong unpleasant odor.

Therefore, for such structures the best option would be to equip a smoke chamber made of iron. And facing by brick can be made already as a decor. This option has one more plus: the chamber for smoking smoked from metal can be transferred if necessary.

Theoretically, you can build a smokehouse from any household appliances at hand: an old safe, a large pan, a bucket or a body from the barbecue. Also, having a few pieces of plywood and a couple of logs of dry wood, you can equip a trial smokehouse in just a couple of hours. And already based on the results of the first smoking, one can draw conclusions about how practical and interesting the equipment of a real, durable smokehouse will be.

Designing a future smokehouse should begin with a clear definition of the purpose of its operation. That is, knowing how many products will be smoked and how often, you can expect approximate dimensions of the structure.

For example, the average chicken carcass is 30x20x20 cm. In order for the smoke to pass freely, the distance between the products placed inside should be about 6-7 cm. When calculating the dimensions of the smokehouse vertically, it is necessary to take into account the distance from the fuel to the pallet, from the pallet to the carcasses and from carcasses to the lid.

Similar calculations need to be carried out for fish, vegetables and any other food that you plan to cook. If in doubt, it is better to resort to the most common models - these are small vertical structures of rectangular shape.

Focusing on the scheme below, you can estimate the size of the finished smokehouse, taking into account all the details that it should include:

Another important factor to consider at the design stage is location. The dimensions of the structure are directly dependent on where it will be applied.

If the use of the smokehouse is provided within the private area and there are no plans to use it at outing picnics, you can choose a three-dimensional structure with a large weight. The standard dimensions of the purchased smokehouse for giving is approximately 50x30x30 cm, and the wall thickness is 2 mm.

In a design with such dimensions, it is convenient to cook both big and small fish.

When choosing a smokehouse for cooking within the apartment, it is important to pay attention to the dimensions of the hob. The parameters of a conventional stove are about 50x60 cm, which means that the optimal smokehouse is 45x25x25 cm. It will be convenient to place on the stove, which will facilitate the process and improve the quality of the product.

For a mobile smokehouse, the optimal dimensions will be 45x25x25 cm with a wall thickness of 1.5 mm. These parameters will allow to serve for quite a long time, without adding excess mass. For a portable smokehouse, it is advisable to purchase a stand in order not to waste time on installation every time.The stand can be included in the package, but it is easy to make it yourself.

If you just want to try to sometimes smoke products, for example, a couple of times a year, then you can safely take an economy version with 1 mm walls. The service life of such a smokehouse with rare use and quality care can be quite long. But this option is not suitable for regular smoking.

To improve quality, you can also install a large fan near the heat source. This will increase the amount of hot smoke in the process of smoking. With it, products quickly reach readiness and get rich in smoky aroma.

In this section, we will look at the most popular smoke-cured smoked models (cheap and not so much) and highlight their main advantages and disadvantages. Based on this information, you can finally decide whether to buy a finished structure or still try to build it yourself.

This smokehouse has a high-quality coating that is resistant to heat, which does not exfoliate from the body when heated. The design operates on mains (220V) and has an indicator light in the kit.The ability to adjust power is also provided.

The smokehouse has a removable tubular electric heater, which makes it easy to remove it before starting the fire. The grill has three levels at once - you can cook many varieties of food at the same time.

Benefits:

• relatively low price (up to 4,000 rubles);
• heat resistant body and cover;
• the wire is long enough to not use an extension cord;
• three levels of removable grids;
• compactness - dimensions of the smokehouse are only 40 to 50 centimeters;

• the volume of internal space used is 20 liters;
• possibility of operation on a fire;
• weight is quite small - 7 kg;
• the ability to regulate the power of smoke;
• sufficiently economical power consumption (800 W);
• The set includes a nice bonus - a book with culinary recipes. For beginners it will be very helpful.

Disadvantages:

• paint can peel off with regular use;
• no hose to eliminate excess gas.

This model looks quite standard.

This smokehouse has a horizontal load and is perfect for placement, for example, on the balcony of a residential apartment.

The food grates are located in 2 tiers, under them is placed a large grease tray and a tubular electric heater. For complete preparation of 1 kg of fish in this design will take 40 minutes. The lid is equipped with a handle with a wooden handle, for which you can safely take it without fear of burning.

Benefits:

• one load places about 2 kg of products;
• the design is equipped with resistant metal legs;
• the handles are placed in this way, but the smokehouse can be carried even in a heated state;
• compactness - dimensions are equal to 25 by 50 cm;
• weight only 5.5 kg;
• You can vary the arrangement of the gratings inside the smokehouse, for example, make one tier in the center or two at the top and bottom;
• high power (1100 W) ensures fast readiness of any dishes.

Disadvantages:

• such a smokehouse is far from affordable for everyone: the average cost is about 12,000 rubles;
• the body is quickly covered with a layer of fat, it is quite difficult to wash it;
• since the outlet for the heater is located in the lid, there is a possibility of smoke entering the room;
• due to the specific legs of the smokehouse can slide, standing on a smooth surface.

In the rating of domestic smokehouse, this model can be called the best, since it is equipped with a water seal. He, in turn, allows the process of smoking in the apartment without the use of fire. The heater is an ordinary kitchen stove.

Included is a cover that fits in special slots. Water can be poured around its perimeter to seal the structure and prevent smoke from entering the room. A hose is also provided to bring smoke out the window.

Benefits:

• the body is made of steel with a thickness of 2 mm mark 430, which means that it is completely safe for cooking any food;
• compactness - dimensions of 50x30x30 cm are provided specifically for placing a smokehouse on the stove;
• water seal protects against leakage of smoke from the smokehouse;
• the presence of two steel gratings that can be placed simultaneously;
• special grips are made for easy removal of the gratings;
• Included is a package with alder.

Disadvantages:

• lack of stand for cooking on coals;
• the inability to carry the smokehouse during cooking, as its handles are very hot in the process;
• not the most affordable price - 7000 rubles;
• It is not suitable for smoking small foods, berries or mushrooms, because the internal grilles have rare rods and the products will simply fall out.

But for carrying such a smokehouse provides a beautiful and convenient case:

This model is ideal for picnics on the street in a large company. It is equipped with folding parts and a bag-case, which makes its transportation very convenient.

Benefits:

• reasonable price - 4300 rubles;
• the small weight of 6 kg makes the design convenient even for manual carrying;
• durable waterproof case included;
• compactness - dimensions are 31x7,5x49 cm;
• all metal parts are made of stainless steel;
• such smoking shed can be used as a brazier;
• height of the assembled structure is only 20 cm;
• one tab can hold up to 3 kg of product.

Disadvantages:

• the handle on the cover heats up quickly;
• the walls are only 0.8 mm thick, which cannot guarantee a long service life with regular use;
• it is applied only to hot smoking.

But with rare forays into nature, this option will justify all hopes and fulfill its main tasks.

This smokehouse is designed for big lovers of smoked bacon, cheese and vegetables. The design is suitable for hot and cold smoking, includes a smoke generator and compressor. The amount of smoke in this design can be adjusted by changing the fan power.

Benefits:

• the case of the smoking shed is covered with polymer;
• the cost is only 3000 rubles;
• smoking chamber 32 liters;
• low weight of the main structure - 3.7 kg, plus smoke generator - 1.2 kg;
• Products can be placed in two levels.

Disadvantages:

• the plastic case and the regulator can hardly be called reliable and durable;
• insufficient body rigidity due to steel thickness of 0.8 mm;
• no stand included.

Such a smokehouse does not look like a standard homemade design.

Here are the most popular models of domestic production. If you wish, of course, you can try to order something similar in China or other countries, but this has its own inconveniences. Before the parcel arrives, the unit cannot properly be considered and verified that all parts are present. When choosing, you can also think that domestic producers know well the tastes and preferences of their people, which means they can bring all these ideas to life.

Great lovers of limbs often make their own home smokehouse. It is quite simple to make it yourself, the more materials you can choose the most different: a brick, sheets of steel, a bucket or an ordinary economic barrel.

You will need 2 sheets of metal with a thickness of about 2 mm, measuring devices, welding machine, Bulgarian. Parameters can be made absolutely any. It is much more important to foresee the impermeability of the smoke container.

First you need to cut the sheet into 4 equal parts. Then they must be welded at a right angle and how all the seams should be boiled so that the construction is airtight. Then the bottom is welded to this geometric structure.

After that the cover is made. It also requires 4 steel sheets. But in terms of size, the lid should be slightly larger than the previous box, so that it can be easily put on the smokehouse. After checking the dimensions of the lid is welded to the main box.

The final step will be the manufacture of carrying handles and two levels with rods. On the first (bottom) there will be a pallet on which fat should flow.The second will house the hooks for the products.

Smokehouse is ready! An electric stove will serve as a heat generator here, but if you need to raise the temperature of smoking, you can make a fire.

The smoking furnace is sometimes placed inside the barrel. It occupies about a third of the internal space, while the main place is allocated under the smoking chamber. These two compartments are separated by a sheet of metal about 3 mm thick, welded to the walls. The same sheet will serve as the bottom of the structure.

This scheme describes in detail the mechanism for assembling a homemade smokehouse from a barrel:

To ensure the access of air to the firebox, the bottom of the barrel needs to be drilled and several holes must be made. Ash will come out through these holes. The door for the firebox is cut in the bottom of the barrel. Typically, its size varies about 20 cm to 30 cm. You also need to provide a place where the chimney will come out.

Further actions are similar to the previous version: the device pallet, grilles, covers and hooks for products. To always monitor the temperature of smoking, on the side of the barrel you can install a mechanical thermometer.This will greatly help those who are just beginning to use smokehouse and do not have enough experience. In the absence of a thermometer, you can check the temperature by spraying water droplets: at the right temperature, it will not evaporate.

To make a home smokehouse from a bucket, you need to cover it with sawdust and place a grate above it. In the widest part of the bucket it is necessary to drill holes and insert rods with hooks for food into them or equip the grate. Details of the process is shown in the drawing:

Holes are also needed in the lid to smoke through them. On medium heat, simple dishes in this design can be prepared very quickly: from 30 to 60 minutes.

Do not forget that you do not need to maintain a strong fire. For cooking requires smoldering sawdust. When the fuel begins to smolder, it's time to put the products inside the smokehouse and close the lid.

According to the principle of operation, brick smokehouse is practically no different from the others. Instead of the usual cover in it often install a wooden door. Also, brick construction requires a solid foundation.

The size of the brick smokehouse will depend on the volume of products for cooking. In any case, the camera itself should be at least 2 times larger than the firebox. The soil around the brick smokehouse should be properly sealed.

An air duct is also required, the junction of which is better protected by a plate. There is a variant of the arrangement of drainage over the duct. To maintain tightness under the cover you need to lay a burlap.

Scheme for the construction of brick smokehouse:

Even from a gas cylinder make homemade smoke lamp is much easier than it seems.

The first and most important step - you need to release all the gas contained in the cylinder. To do this, you can take it to a deserted place and disconnect the valve. To make sure that there is no gas inside, it is enough to immerse the valve in water: in the absence of bubbles, the cylinder can be considered safe. Next, the tank is washed from the inside with plain water.

Now from the cylinder, you can begin to make a smokehouse. To do this, the walls are cut for the door equipment (it should be quite large), hinges are welded and half of the bottom is sawn.The source of heat in such a smokehouse is often the electric stove, above which pallets with products in several levels are placed.

Detailed scheme of smokehouse equipment in a gas cylinder.

Operating tips.

• As fuel, alder and juniper are best suited. They produce the perfect smoke for smoking. Alternative options are oak, cherry or pear. If the choice is small, preference should always be given to hard rocks.
• It is not recommended to sink with coniferous wood, because it contains a large amount of resin (it is not always useful).
• Before laying the firewood must be chopped, otherwise they will not produce the desired smoke and heat. The obtained chips (sawdust) must be evenly distributed and the combustion will be uniform throughout the furnace.

• The temperature in the smoke chamber should not be higher than 100 degrees. If you take care of the presence of a mechanical thermometer in advance, it is easy to check.
• There is also the design of the smokehouse in the form of two tanks - one fits in the other. But the inconvenience is the difficulty of cleaning the bottom of the burned fat after cooking.
• To get aromatic smoke you need to cover with a smokehouse with glowing sawdust and close all the holes in it.
• To maintain a uniform smoking temperature, it is necessary to constantly add sawdust to the pallet.
• If birch firewood is used as a fuel, you must remove the bark from them before starting the firebox. Otherwise, the products during cooking may get a bitter taste.

• Lovers of fatty varieties of fish is better to use the method of cold smoking, because hot is designed only for low-fat products. The whole process can be delayed for 5-6 days, but the result will correspond to the time spent.
• When the material for self-manufacture of smokehouse is selected, it is necessary to make sure that it is non-toxic and does not emit odor with increasing temperature.
• Self-made smokehouse can be supplemented with a filter. To do this, pull the burlap on the frame of conventional wire and place under the grate.
• To make the products even more refined flavor can be added to the main fuel chips of fruit trees or bushes. Well fit black and red currants, cherries, pears.
• To make it easier to remove and wash the grate,it is possible to weld several corners inside the smokehouse where it will be attached. Alternative option - a lattice on legs.

• When choosing a tree for kindling, it is necessary to immediately exclude conifers: the food will have a bitter taste and resinous coating.
• In order for the chips not to flare up with the slightest breeze of the wind, it must be slightly damp. Sawdust and wood chips can be replaced with brushwood (which, by the way, lasts longer), but it can also cause bitterness in the taste of finished products.
• To maximize the shelf life of smoked product, you need to put it in a vacuum package or in the freezer. But it should be borne in mind that after defrosting the taste will no longer be the same.
• You should never be subjected to rapid cooling of the smokehouse. This may cause the beginning of the process of destruction.
• To check the readiness of meat, you need to cut it. If it has already been smoked enough, then at the cut the color will be uniform. If in the middle of the piece the meat stands out with a different shade, it means that you need to put it in the smokehouse for some time.

About what size can be smokehouse for hot smoking, see the following video.