Cold Smoker Quesion

[dc1608]

I have an wood burning fireplace that I would like to use as a heat source for a smokehouse.  My question is has anyone used one and how did it work?  Any help or suggestion would be great. 

Thanks guys/gals

[Mtn.Ghost]

So do you mean a wood stove that is a contained unit or an actual open fire place? 

[trophyelk6x6]

You say cold smoker?  My father in law is a fishing guide in Port Hardy BC and we used to have a friend of his cold smoke our sockeye. Cold smoke is like raw but cured, usually sliced very thin and put on various stuff to include basic cracker and cream cheese. When done correct it is outstanding. Part of the presentation is usually using sockeye because it is so red and pretty. Any other fish might not look so appealing. He had a huge 25 ft outhouse looking building around 6x6 wide. He had a barrel where he built a fire and kept is going for days while his fish, hung well above on cedar rods and cedar spikes. He would then vac seal them and they were unreal. If you are talking about regular smoking then this post means nothing. 

[Kc_Kracker]

http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2008/01/building-cold-smoker-smokehouse.html 

[LndShrk]

http://www.amazon.com/Meat-Smoking-And-Smokehouse-Design/dp/0982426704

This is a great book with lots of information.

[dc1608]

Sorry guys, it is a contained wood burning stove.  I was not sure if cold smoker was the right name, I want to smoke jerkey, sausage, and cheese.  I already have a barrel smoker I use for the larger cuts and ribs.  Also thanks for the links.

[Kc_Kracker]

we got that, you run a smoke tube to the smokehouse. your whole goal is smoke less heat, ask hawgdawg for a pic of his

[whitey]

KC..
My big cooker has a cold smoker directly over the fire box. The smoker has to run super cold. Depending on the size of your smoker/smoke house I think a hot plate or a small propane single burner might be more suitable.
The fire I have to build in the Big Lang 84 is only about the size of your fist. Super small fire, any larger than that cheese starts to melt.
The wood stove would be perfect for the main sourse of smoke and heat for general smoking.

http://langbbqsmokers.com/lang84/images/84_delux_char.jpg

it takes heat from the fire box and smoke let in through a small hole from the main smoker. Works great.
Good luck..
Have a great christmas.
Whitey..OUT!!

[Kc_Kracker]

yep lots of options for cold smokers 

[Hawgdawg]

got your pm. Here is the pics. Good luck.

[Kc_Kracker]

Im sitting here right now eating something from hawgs smoker, and it works juuuuust fiiiiine 

[Mtn.Ghost]

Sorry guys, it is a contained wood burning stove.  I was not sure if cold smoker was the right name, I want to smoke jerkey, sausage, and cheese.  I already have a barrel smoker I use for the larger cuts and ribs.  Also thanks for the links.

Look up how to make a homemade smoke generator for cold smoking on youtube. Then use a hot plate burner for lower temps in the smoker chamber. I am building smoke generator now, its cheap, easy and effective. I got a nice stainless canister at the thrift store today for $3 and a adjustable fish tank air pump for $5 plastic air hose $.50 and pluming fittings at the hardware store $8 for a grand total of $16.50 There are some not so good ideas on youtube but there are a few real good designs you will be able to tell which to go with Also look up the Smoke Pistol brand generator and the Smoke Daddy they will give you a good idea of how they work and what effect you are trying to achive. Hope It helps you it did me. $15.00 - $20.00 bucks is way better than spending $50.00 - $80.00+ for the same function plus it's way cool to make it yourself  

[Alchase]

My Granpa had a fire pit about 25 ft and down about 10 foot in elevation from his smoke house. He ran pipe up the hill into the back of the smoke house. He kept a small fire going constantly in the pit, and the smoke would draw up the pipe and into the smoke house. He would rotate his product, bacon, ham, turkey, cheese, from back (the newest) to front as needed.
It seemed he cold smoked almost year round. He would take everything out for the times he "hardsmoked with heat" is what he called normal heat smoking. Then he would put the hams, bacon, and turkeys back in and continue cold smoking.

I use a seperated smoke box on my Bradley (they sell it as an accessory)
http://www.amerioutdoors.com/Bradley-Technologies-BCOLD.htm?feed=Froogle

I extended the hose to about 6 ft. It works great!

You can use anything that keeps the fire away from the smoker box. I have use a single burner element in a plywood box with dryer hose attached to the smoker box with good results.

[dc1608]

Thanks HawgDawg for the pics I think they gave me the visual I needed.  Thanks to everyone else for the suggestions.  I will update with pics as the build moves along.

[Kc_Kracker]

glad we could help, hawg has a great setup because he can COLD smoke from the fireplace box and he also has propane plumbed in the smoker box for some heat