smoker

[NBman]

Can someone tell me how I can make an inexpensive smoker?
Thanks

[jpollman]

NBman,

here's one I want to try but just haven't gotten around to it because I already have a nice Big Chief electric. But I want to locate some nice terra cotta flower pots and make one of these.
This is a post I made last Spring I think. Here's just a cut-n-paste of it.....

I already have a nice electric smoker, but last night while flipping through the channels I saw a pretty good idea for a nice electric smoker you can make yourself pretty easily and cheaply.

It was on a show called "Good Eats" on the Food Network. He was making a smoked Pork Butt. It looked AWESOME and I intend on trying it out pretty soon. Here's what he did.

Here's what you'll need :

1 BIG terra cotta flower pot
1 BIG terra cotta "bowl" (about the same diameter as the pot)
1 cheap electric hot plate
1 heavy pie pan or any metal pan for the wood chunks
1 round grill grate
1 barbeque thermometer

Just set the pot up on some boards or bricks to let air circulate.
Place the hot plate in the bottom and run the cord out the hole in the bottom. Then the pan gets set on the hot plate. Then the grate just sets down in the pot and stays there because of its size you don't really need a bracket
Then invert the "bowl" and set it on top of the pot. The thermometer just sets down in the hole in the bottom of the bowl.

Just plug it in and you're ready to smoke !

I like my metal "Big Chief" but I think I'm going to make one of these terra cotta smokers. He said he made it all for $47.50 ! The terra cotta really helps hold in the heat and gives you a nice even heating over long periods of time. (The pork butt recipe is supposed to smoke for 12 hours)

I'll post pics when I've aquired all of the pieces and have it assembled. Then I'll post results of how it worked out.

I can't wait !

[YPSIFLY]

Thanks JP!

Terra cotta is very good at holding even heat. I once had a TC broiling pan and cover that worked out great until a drunk roomate broke it.:mad:

I've been wanting to build my own smoker, and that looks like a possibility.

[Splicer]

a old steel fridge
a beer keg
steel trash can
just add racks and water pans, catch pans and your all set. tear the inside out of the fridge first.burn the trash can in a fire to get all the oil's off it.anything that won't burn and hold's air will smoke.PM with any other ?

[jpollman]

I just made one today ! It's the one I described above. Here is the link to my post that has pictures on it.

Terra Cotta smoker (http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=64696)

[Splicer]

looks good tell us how the test run goes

[sajones]

Jpollman,
That smoker looks awesome; I can’t wait to make one myself. I have a few questions though. Where is the temp control on the hot plate, and how do you regulate the heat? Second, if you had to add wood chips, could you? And do you just place moistened chips directly on the cast iron pan? How about a drip pan/tray, what do you plan on doing with the drippings? I know I’m asking a lot of questions but I have never used an electric smoker (especially one made out of pots), but have used the indirect heat method on my grill, so any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot, and again that smoker looks great!!!