Smoking

[lowell]

I'm about to take out some pork ribs and was going to use osage but just read on this thread that I should not.  Thought I read some where else that it was a good smoke.

  Now I'm thinking of playing it safe and useing  hickory.....unless someone tells me other....soon!!

[Prarie Bowyer]

I've never heard of using Osage. 

Some people put the green balls around to drive away pests.  If it works there likley resins in the stuff that aren't good. 

I like Oak, then Maple, CHerry, Hickory, Misquite.... pretty much in that order.  Some times I mix it up a tad but usualy It's the Oak and maple drops from my risers and wood carvings.

Oak is nice.  Not overpowering.  We like it for smoked turkey, Smoked Salmon and Smoked Carp.

[lowell]

Thanks Praire,

  I ended up using hickory.  I know I read somewhere osage was used but I also search "smoking with osage" and found more against it than for using it.

  I have never tried oak so that will be next time.  I have used apple for turkey and chicken and liked it.

  Just wanted ti think osage was good for EVERYTHING!!

[cracker]

Lowell I've used hickory and oak and the hickory imparts a sweetness that the oak doesn't have other than that they both work well. Ron

[Stoker]

Suasagefest 2012 is over. 340lbs of deer and elk. 5 different kinds. It was my first time making a chorizo turned out not to bad. The sausage we did smoke we used apple.
Pics of my humble smoker
Thanks Leroy

[Lee Slikkers]

340lbs...WOW!  Man that pic makes my mouth water 

Can you snap some pics of your heating element or describe what it is?  I can't really make it out in the above photos...I am selling/moving here in the next month or two but as soon as I get settled I'd really like to build me a smokin shack like that one for fish, turkey and deer.  Thanks!

[gstoneberg]

I would not call that a humble smoker.  It looks great.

George

[JW_Halverson]

That smoker makes me hot and bothered!

[Stoker]

Heating element is a furnace from a 70's camper one of the gravity kind. Ripped it apart and built a stand for it that holds my smoke pan. It's nice because of the pilot light and thermastat turns off and on by itself. On the top I have a bathroom fan that evens out the smoke and heat kinda like a convection oven. Use a dimmer switch to control speed. Two dampers on opposite sides top and bottom for cross current for more control. It's 4'x4' and has a 3'x6' door. Not bad for for under $100 salvaged most everything form construction jobs I was working on and the guys would give me stuff when they found out what it was building. This one is a little sad compared to the one I left behind when I moved 3 years ago 3'x5' brickhouse and a concrete roof with a built in rottisior
Thanks Leroy

[Lee Slikkers]

Thanks a ton for the detailed pics & description...I'll have to keep an eye out for wrecked campers with stoves and such, great idea!  I am preparing to sell the house and move here shortly but I really want to put something like this together at where ever we end up.

[Marc St Louis]

My older brother made one similar to Cameroo's about 25 years ago and we tried cold smoking some Deer.  What a waste of meat.  I like smoked meat especially home smoked but eating creosote doesn't interest me

[Stoker]

Lee..No problem. Smoking critters is one of my favorite things. Ifin you get close to building one when the joy of moving has passed. Feel free to pm me or we'll hijack JW's thread  . If he don't like it he can come to my place and I'll feed him sausage till he gets over it.
Mark..Cold smoking is one of the hardest things. You got to play around if you want the heat box inside the house. The eastest and best is to have an exturnal heat box and pipe the smoke in.
The lowest I can set my house at it 80. Little warm for lox but not bad for a dried cured deer back strap.
Thanks Leroy

[Lee Slikkers]

Thanks for the kind offer for assistance...I'll likely take you up on that once the dust has settled.  Thanks again!

[Marc St Louis]

Actually Leroy his smokehouse was like Cameroo but it did have an external fire pit and the smoke was piped in.  It was the last time we cold smoked.  Haven't used his smokehouse in years.

[Stoker]

Marc It sounds like your brothers house may just have a tuning issue.Length of pipe or a damper something in that direction.It's to bad a smokehouse lays dormant. If you ever want to get it going again just give it trial runs till your satisfied.
Thanks Leroy