New Smokehouse Build Finished!

[one eyed jack]

 
Thanks Jack. I have the first two coats of Waterlox sealer on it. I still have 2 coats of the finish to get on it, but should be finished Saturday. Will have bacon and cheese in it Sunday with some final pics. Finally seeing the light at the end of this tunnel!

Sounds like you've got a great weekend coming up.  The smoker is going to look really great with smoke rolling out of it.

Are you going to hang your bacon from hooks for the smoke?  I like your rack set up.  Looks like it should be real versatile.

 

[billdawg]

 
Sounds like you've got a great weekend coming up.  The smoker is going to look really great with smoke rolling out of it.

Are you going to hang your bacon from hooks for the smoke?  I like your rack set up.  Looks like it should be real versatile.

Hey Jack, I hung the bacon from a dowel, and smoked some cheese at the same time. It was a small 5 lb belly that I grabbed at Harris Teeter a couple of weeks ago out of the butcher case. I also did 18 lbs of cheese. All of the pics are below.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Great looking smoke shack!

I have plans to build something similar and have considered using the same burner. My only concern is that with the burner being inside the smoker is that the controls for the gas will heat up and it would be hard to adjust without burning ones fingers. What's your take on this?

 

[billdawg]

So I finally finished this build. Got two coats of Waterlox sealer and 2 coats of Waterlox finish on it. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Ended up costing way more than I anticipated, and of course, took more time than anticipated as well, but it should last a lifetime. I did put it on locking casters, so it is pretty easy to move around.

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• billdawg
• Nov 9, 2015

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• billdawg
• Nov 9, 2015

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• billdawg
• Nov 9, 2015

Sunday ended up being the perfect day for a cold smoke. The temp never got above 64 and it was rainy and breezy. I have had a small 5 lb belly in a curing brine for the last 2 weeks, so I got it in there Sunday morning with the AMNPS fired up with some Pitmaster's Choice pellets.

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• billdawg
• Nov 9, 2015

Got some cheese cut up and prepped to go in around noon.

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• billdawg
• Nov 9, 2015

I had 5 lbs of Havarti, 10.5 lbs of Pecorino with truffle, and about 2.5 lbs of Bellavitano Merlot (baby Parmesan soaked in Merlot)

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• billdawg
• Nov 9, 2015

I put the second rack in and put a big bowl of ice under the cheese, just to make sure it stayed cool. No, the bacon is not hanging over the cheese. I know it kinda looks that way. Pulled the cheese after 4 hours. Left the bacon in for 10 hours. It is in the fridge now and will get sliced up tomorrow. Got all of the cheese sealed up and into the fridge to rest until mid December. We give it out as Christmas gifts with sausage. I will be doing a big sausage run the beginning of December to break in the smokehouse with a little heat. Thanks for checking this thread out, and thanks again for the help along the way!

 

[billdawg]

 
Great looking smoke shack!

I have plans to build something similar and have considered using the same burner. My only concern is that with the burner being inside the smoker is that the controls for the gas will heat up and it would be hard to adjust without burning ones fingers. What's your take on this?

I have yet to run the heat in mine, but was going off of the expertise of all of the people before me who have used this particular burner. I actually never thought about it to tell you the truth. My plan was to fire it up with nothing in it and play with the needle valve that's inline back by the tank to control the temp more so than with the knobs on the burner itself. I figure I can set the burner knob in a fixed position and just use the needle valve. This is what I have always done with my Master Forge gasser. Hope that helps!

 

[one eyed jack]

 
Hey Jack, I hung the bacon from a dowel, and smoked some cheese at the same time. It was a small 5 lb belly that I grabbed at Harris Teeter a couple of weeks ago out of the butcher case. I also did 18 lbs of cheese. All of the pics are below.

Those are some great looking pictures Bill.  The smokehouse looks to be a real success, to me. 

 

[billdawg]

 
Those are some great looking pictures Bill.  The smokehouse looks to be a real success, to me. 

Thanks again Jack. I'm pretty excited about it!

 

[heuerj]

Awesome build!!  I was wondering what you made you shelving out of. 

 

[one eyed jack]

 
Thanks again Jack. I'm pretty excited about it!

Your welcome.  I would be excited too. 

 

[alelover]

That came out great Bill. Great craftsmanship. Looks like it works well. 

I only put one vent that size in mine. You think it will be enough? Did you need 2?

 

[driedstick]

That's a sweet build!!! Great job,, 

A full smoker is a happy smoker 

DS
 

 

[billdawg]

 
That came out great Bill. Great craftsmanship. Looks like it works well. 

I only put one vent that size in mine. You think it will be enough? Did you need 2?

Sorry to take so long to reply, but I have been slammed at work. I had both of mine open during the cold smoke and it seemed to draw fine, and I am sure one would have worked just as well, but I am guessing that just one open during a warm/hot smoke is not going to leave enough O2 for the AMNPS. I don't have a smoke planned for another couple of weeks to know the answer for sure though. Sorry. I know that doesn't really help you.

 

[billdawg]

 
That's a sweet build!!! Great job,, 

A full smoker is a happy smoker 

DS
 

Thank you sir!

 

[billdawg]

 
Awesome build!!  I was wondering what you made you shelving out of. 

Sorry for the delayed answer. I had a local shop cut me some #9 expanded metal and then I sandwiched the edges between some 1x2.

 

[ak1]

That is one great looking smokehouse. Nice job, and nice writeup.

 

[billdawg]

 
That is one great looking smokehouse. Nice job, and nice writeup.

I appreciate it AK.