# Converting Outdoor Stove to a Smoker



## EPS (Aug 3, 2021)

I have just recently become active in smoking meats, using the offset smoker on my charcoal griller with success a few times this Summer.  

My house was built in 1939 as a flophouse of sorts for the guys who harvested the ice blocks from the pond it overlooks.  One of the most interesting leftovers of this history is a handmade outdoor stove.  Not long after we bought the house a few years ago I dug out all the dirt (I think previous owners used it as a planter) and tried to use it to grill (unsuccessfully) or as a firepit (again unsuccessfully as it is too deep to get any heat at the top).  Plenty of people have recommended that I convert it to a smoker, and maybe that's what it always has been.  I picked up a few pieces of an old rusty smoker from the side of the road a few years ago.  I am looking for suggestions or tips on how I can convert this into a meat smoker.


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## Chasdev (Aug 3, 2021)

Maybe it was part of an old whiskey still!
My first thought would be to place the barrel and cap on top, find the grates that fit the barrel OR use hooks to hang the meat inside the body tandoori  style.
You could place the burning wood outside open door, leaned up against the opening.


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## SmokinEdge (Aug 3, 2021)

What a treasure! I would place hardwood dowels across the top to hang meats from then just cover with a piece of metal roofing that could be slide slightly off center for ventilation (exhaust)
The fire would be made very small and tended to to maintain smoke and a little heat. Very neat set up for sure. Could make some fine bacon or sausages.


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## JckDanls 07 (Aug 3, 2021)

Looks like each ring is a little smaller as it goes down in... get accurate diameter measurements  of each ring and have a grate  made to fit each one... You can then stack them like a WSM or drum smoker...  measure diameter on top and maybe a weber kettle cover/lid will sit on top ...


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## EPS (Aug 10, 2021)

Thank you for all of the tips, everyone.

I've cleaned it up some and worked on some configurations with the old smoker parts that I have on hand.

As you can see, there is a gap between the smoker "insert" and the oven.  Would a rope gasket like what is on my wood stove door work to fill that space?

Also, the insert is pretty rusty on the inside.  Will that be a sanitary issue when I go to smoke some meat?  

Thanks Again.


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