If you have not thrown away the old refrigerator, do it yourself

Homemade fridge smokehouse is one of the most popular devices for preparing meat products and fish using the smoking method. Subject to the production technology, the resulting dishes have a great taste, characteristic aroma, and the shelf life increases significantly.

A rare Soviet-made refrigerator can be used for a new purpose. The benefits of such a metal box can be enormous if you approach its modernization correctly. Retrofitting is not difficult, a minimum of effort and maximum pleasure will subsequently be provided.

Read on:do it yourself cold smoked smokehouse!

Design features

Before making a smokehouse from an old refrigerator without much effort using available tools and simple tools, you should decide on the type of smoking and the location. There is an option for outdoor use, but such a device can also be made for indoor use. Let's consider the possible options.

Hot smoking

To make a smokehouse of this type from an old refrigerator, you will need the following materials:

• heating elements (electric stove with open or closed type of heating elements);
• thick-walled container with a lid for heating wood chips;
• grates and hooks for laying out or hanging processed products;
• smoke exhaust pipe;
• elements for locking refrigerator doors;
• tray for collecting fat.

Cold smoking

To ensure the technology of cooking with this method, it is required:

• refrigerator (preference is given to Soviet models without plastic filling inside);
• refractory bricks for the furnace;
• pipe 4 - 5 meters long, 100 - 150 mm in diameter;
• iron cover for the firebox;
• grates and hooks for laying out or hanging processed products;
• corner pipe element for a comfortable connection of the structure, which is inclined to the surface;
• tray for collecting fat;
• exhaust fan.

To make a smokehouse from the refrigerator yourself for use in the yard, you need to decide on the installation site. The design feature depends on this. If the terrain allows, then the structure is installed at a slope without additional manipulation. It is important that the refrigerator converted into a smokehouse is installed above the smoke generator (firebox). If the place is sloping, then a hole is dug under the firebox, or the smoking cabinet is installed on a stand.

Do-it-yourself smokehouse from the refrigerator

Using the instructions, it is easy to make a smokehouse from the refrigerator with your own hands for an open space in the country, in your yard. To do this, follow simple steps. Let's analyze 2 options: for cold and hot smoking.

Cold smoking

The steps are as follows:

1. The refrigerator for a smoking cabinet is being finalized: the inner lining, the plastic parts are dismantled.
2. Attachments are screwed on for installing grates and hooks.
3. In the lower part, using a drill and metal scissors, a hole is cut that matches the diameter of the inlet pipe for supplying smoke to the cabinet.
4. A hook-shaped locking element is installed on the refrigerator door.
5. A furnace is laid out of refractory bricks in the lower tier of the smokehouse, if there is no slope, then it is created artificially: a hole is dug for the furnace and a trench for laying the pipe.
6. The elements of the smokehouse (firebox and cabinet) are connected with a pipe using a corner element prepared in advance.
7. Additional holes in the upper part for this type of smoking are not cut out, ventilation in the area of ​​the door and other holes that appeared during the dismantling process is quite enough.
8. A drip tray is installed in the space for the bottom shelf.

Hot smoking

A smoking cabinet made from a refrigerator can also be used as a device that performs the function of smoking indoors. The reason for this is the short cooking time with this method.

Do-it-yourself smokehouse from the refrigerator for a hot smoking method:

1. The plastic part of the lining is removed from the inside of the refrigerator. The magnetic seal between the door and the body is retained.
2. Mounts for lattices and hooks are installed.
3. A hook-shaped locking element is attached to the door of the smoking cabinet.
4. All openings of the case, which appeared after the revision, are pasted over for tightness with tape.
5. A hole is cut out in the upper part of the refrigerator for installing an exhaust fan and fixing a pipe for exhausting smoke to the street.
6. An exhaust fan is installed in the prepared hole. A pipe is connected to it and taken out through the window to the street.
7. A drip tray is installed on the bottom shelf.
8. An electric oven is placed on the bottom of the refrigerator. Its power cord is led out through a specially prepared hole.
9. A thick-walled container with chips is installed from the refrigerator to the stove as a smoke generator for the smokehouse.

Smokehouse rules

The refrigerator design is easy to operate. Before you make a smokehouse from the refrigerator and start using it, it is important to learn simple rules for safe operation, time and temperature conditions. It is required to observe the temperature specified by the recipe. For smoking large pieces of meat, the degree of smoking is always higher than for small pieces. It should be borne in mind that the time required to smoke fish and hen significantly lower than for pork and beef. When cooking meat, distribute the pieces evenly over the wire shelf. It is best to avoid overlaps and overlaps between large pieces and small pieces.

Do not open the door of the smokehouse often, as the cooking conditions are violated.

How to use a smoking cabinet made from a refrigerator:

1. Cold smoked:

• firewood is prepared, suitable for smoking, in the required amount;
• a fire is made in the furnace;
• the smoking cabinet is warming up;
• prepared products are laid out on grates or hung on hooks;
• the smokehouse is locked;
• the cooking time is expected according to the recipe;
• the supply of firewood and the combustion power in the stove are controlled.

2. Hot smoked:

• the power supply of the oven installed in the smokehouse is connected;
• a container with chips is installed on the heating element, suitable for smoking selected products;
• products are laid out or hung;
• the door closes tightly, if necessary, the junction of the door and the body is pasted over with tape;
• the smoke exhaust pipe is placed in a window or exhaust hole;
• the exhaust fan turns on;
• the start time of cooking is recorded.

Selection of raw materials for smoking

The best choices when determining raw materials for smoking are logs and shavings:

• fruit breeds: apple, pear, cherries;
• hard deciduous trees: oak, beech, alder.

Before using sawdust and wood chips, make sure that the material is clean so that there are no foreign unpleasant odors.

A homemade smokehouse from the refrigerator with your own hands is a reliable and affordable method of providing a large family with smoking products.A little effort, desire and creativity will give new life to the old refrigerator, diversify the dishes on the festive table. Be patient to get the best results!

Making a smokehouse from the refrigerator - video