Building a smokehouse

In short

• The best smokehouse has its firebox 3–5 m (10–16 ft) from the chamber and a smoke channel that rises towards the chamber.
• A chamber for 1–2 pigs: roughly 1.2 × 1.2 m (4 × 4 ft) and 2.0–2.2 m (6½–7 ft) high, three rows of rods 40–50 cm (16–20 in) apart.
• Materials: brick, stone, concrete and hardwood. No galvanised steel, PVC or paint in hot places or near the meat.
• The smokehouse stands outdoors, apart from the house, hay and woodshed. Check the site and the rules with your council or county and the fire service.
• Before the first meat: a test firing and temperature readings at every row of rods.
• Smoke is full of carbon monoxide: don't walk into a smokehouse full of smoke; open the door and wait for it to clear.

What's inside

Chapters

1. Which smokehouse you need
2. Site, distances and permission
3. How a channel smokehouse works
4. Masonry smokehouse: dimensions
5. Firebox and smoke channel
6. An old smokehouse with the fire on the floor
7. Board cabinet and drum smoker
8. First firing and tuning
9. Maintenance and safety of the building
10. Common mistakes
11. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Materials calculator
• Cost sheet
• Smokehouse sketch
• Building calendar
• Test-firing log
• Questions for the builder and the council