Smokehouse on a gas stove: principle of operation, pros and cons

A home smokehouse for a gas stove is designed for one or two burners. A smoking device operating inside a living space must be equipped with a water seal - an element that traps smoke and prevents it from leaking outside. You can make a smokehouse on a gas stove yourself or purchase a ready-made structure.

Complete set of gas-powered appliances

The device is a rectangular or cylindrical container made of stainless steel. This material is most often used for the production of smokehouses due to its properties: flexibility, strength, and ease of maintenance. Most of these devices are equipped with a water seal that prevents smoke from entering the living space.

At the bottom of the device there is a chamber into which wood chips are placed. An important element of the device, which is used indoors with a gas stove, is a hose for removing smoke. It is taken out into a powerful hood or window (not the best option).

The design of such a device includes a tray for collecting fat released from meat or fish. Products that are placed in the smokehouse are placed on lattice shelves or hung on hooks.

Devices for cooking smoked meats powered by a gas stove vary in design, size, and functionality.

Kinds

According to their intended purpose, the following smoking devices are distinguished:

Devices for hot smoking. They have small dimensions and are characterized by a high speed of preparation of products, since the latter are processed with smoke at a temperature in the range of 60-140°C degrees.
Equipment for cold smoking. The structures in this case are larger in size. In such smokehouses, products are processed with smoke at low temperatures - no more than 40°C degrees. Meat or fish are located at a considerable distance from the wood smoldering at the bottom.

Devices for gas stoves have different sizes:

small devices - 400x300x250 mm, volume is 30 l;
medium – 500x300x300 mm, volume – 30 l;
large – 600x300x300 mm, volume – 60 l.

Smokehouses in most cases are rectangular, square and cylindrical. The latter are more compact and suitable even for small kitchens.

Models equipped with a water seal

Smoking in them follows the same principle. There are these versions:

Small ones. Their parameters: 40 x 30 x 25 cm. Volume – 30 l.
Average. The volume is similar. Dimensions: 500 x 30 x 25 (30) cm.
Big ones. Volume – 60 l. Data: 60 x 30 x 30 cm.

The first versions are intended for a small company or family. They can hold a modest amount of food. The other two versions are designed for large groups.

When using all these models, you need to take into account that when heated, deformation of their bottom may occur. It can bend inwards or, conversely, bend out. In this situation, contacts with the burners will change.

It is prohibited to place such devices on cooking surfaces covered with glass ceramics. A fire or explosion may occur.

For successful smoking, place the device so that its bottom is heated evenly. To start the unit, perform the following steps:

Smokehouse Recipes

A composition formed from shavings and small branches of various trees is poured onto the container from below.
A tray is placed that will collect fats. It is covered with foil.
Products are placed on the grill. Before this, they need to be rubbed with salt or seasonings.
A special container is filled with water. It will act as a water seal for smoke.
The lid closes. The device is located on the smokehouse burner. The gas itself is started (central or from a gas cylinder).
A hose is threaded onto the fitting located on the top cover of the device.
This hose is routed into the hood above the stove.

Such models are suitable for use both in the kitchen and outdoors. They are produced by many domestic enterprises. There are three-tier variations. You can smoke several types of meat in them at the same time.

Included with them are:

Convenient bag for carrying them.
Walls 2 mm thick.
An impressive reserve of wood chips.

The parameters of this modification are: 80 x 50 x 50 cm. This will allow you to provide a large company with delicacies. The price of this version is 14,000 rubles.

Starting price indicators for more compact devices are 10,000 rubles. The price is influenced by: box parameters, density of stainless metal.

The warranty period for all models is a maximum of 1 year from the date of purchase.

Again, these products can be ordered from the online store.

If you do not want to purchase or order a gas smokehouse somewhere, you can build it yourself.

Features of connection and operation

There is no need to connect the device to a gas stove. The smokehouse is used and installed as follows:

Wood chips are poured into the lower part of the device, where a special container is located. It should be lightly moistened with water beforehand, as wood chips that are too dry will quickly burn out. You should also not put wet wood - because of this, the smoke will be too acrid, and the process of cooking smoked meats will be delayed.
A tray is installed inside the device into which the fat will drain, and covered with foil. It is not necessary to do this, but if you do not use foil, you will subsequently have to wash the baking sheet for a long time to remove the accumulated frozen fat.
Prepared (salted, pickled and, if necessary, cut into pieces) products are placed on the grid or hooks: fish, lard, meat, chicken, sausages, sausages.
A special container is filled with water to create a water seal for the smoke.
Close the smokehouse lid, place the apparatus on the stove, and turn on the gas.
Place the hose on the fitting located on the top cover and lead its end into the hood above the stove.

The smoke produced under the influence of high temperature envelops the products and gradually fills them with a characteristic smoked taste and aroma. As a source of smoke, shavings and branches of trees such as aspen, beech, oak, alder, and ash are used. Wood from fruit trees is also suitable, but it is better to avoid coniferous trees - they impart bitterness to the finished products and contribute to the appearance of black acrid smoke.

When cooking fish in a gas smokehouse, it should be taken into account that its meat has a delicate structure, so during the cooking process it can fall apart and become soft. To avoid this, you need to tie the carcass with twine or wrap it in a special film.

Features of operation

Like any other household item, a smokehouse requires its own care; there are rules for use and tricks for preparing smoked dishes.

Rules for using the smokehouse:

The first and most important thing is that you need to monitor the fire under the smokehouse so that it does not go out or get too hot.
Next, it is important to clean the smokehouse from any remaining fat and smoked meats. So that the new batch does not become saturated with unpleasant odors.
If the smokehouse is on gas, then the wood chips must be packed in foil, in which holes must be made. It is important that the chips do not come from pine or spruce trees. Because when exposed to high temperatures, they will release resin, which will spoil the taste of the food. The best tree species are: cherry, apple, oak and others. Many people use another trick. In a smokehouse with a water seal, various herbs are added to the water: rosemary, basil, and so on.
Next, you need to heat the smokehouse to 200 degrees Celsius, then cool to 100. Then smoke in accordance with the temperature specified in the recipe. The same should be done with the smoking time.
The next important point is to constantly monitor the fuel. The fire should not be very strong and not very weak

Smoked mackerel recipe

Mackerel is well suited for hot smoking on gas. Before placing fish carcasses in the apparatus, you need to prepare them:

You need to take 2 mackerel with a total weight of about 800 g. Clean the carcass and rinse, rub with salt outside and inside. Leave the fish for 5 hours to salt it.
The salting time can be reduced to 2 hours if you use brine. To prepare it, you need to take 250 g of salt per liter of water, stir everything and place the mackerel in the brine.
After the allotted time for salting is completed, the carcasses must be removed, wiped off any remaining salt, placed on a cloth or wire rack, and left to dry for half an hour.

While the fish is airing, you can prepare the smokehouse:

Soak the alder chips, then blot them with a cloth so that they are slightly damp. Place foil on the bottom of the smoking apparatus and wood on it. It should be evenly distributed, in a layer of 2 cm.
Place a tray on the wood chips to collect grease, which should also be covered with foil.
Place the mackerel on the grill. Close the device with a lid and fill a special container with water.
Place the smokehouse on a gas stove, the heat should be medium.
When smoke comes out of the fitting (this will happen in 5-7 minutes), put a hose on it and take it out into the hood or window so that the smoke does not escape into the room.

The smoking time for mackerel is 25 minutes from the start of smoke formation. After the specified time has passed, turn off the heat, but do not open the smokehouse for another 25 minutes. It is recommended to consume the finished smoked meat after 5 hours, keeping it in the refrigerator.

How to make it yourself

You can make your own gas smoking device. For this you will need the following materials:

stainless steel sheet 1.8-2 mm thick - about 1.5 square meters will be required. m of material;
stainless wire with a thickness of 0.3-0.5 mm and a length of about 10 m;
stainless steel pipe with a wall thickness of 0.25 mm and a length of 40 cm;
U-shaped stainless steel profile, dimensions – 3 by 3 cm, length – 2 m;
stainless steel sheet with a thickness of 1-1.5 mm - approximately 0.2 square meters will be required. m of such material.

The indicated amount of resources is suitable for a structure with dimensions of 600x300x300 mm.

To weld a smokehouse, you will need the following tools:

roulette;
welding machine;
drill;
Bulgarian.

Progress:

First of all, you should weld a rectangular box with a water seal (water container) and side handles for moving.
Stainless steel strips are welded from the inside of the body, which serve as supports for the grilles. The bottom one should be placed 12-15 cm above the bottom, the top one should be 7-10 cm above the first, but so that it is not close to the lid of the device.
The water seal is a groove 2-3 cm wide and of similar depth, which runs along the perimeter of the upper part of the body. It can be made from a U-shaped profile.
A metal tube is installed into the lid of the smokehouse to remove smoke, the diameter of which should be about 1 cm and the length - 4-5 cm. A hose is put on the top of this tube to remove the smoke outside.
The bottom of the apparatus should be equipped with sides of 1-2 cm, curved upward. It must be removable.
Smokehouse grates are made of stainless wire.

Mini smokehouse oven

In such a product, a dish can be prepared in just one hour - this becomes possible because the products are located much closer to the smoldering wood chips, and the volume of the smokehouse is only 10 liters. The operating principle is similar to any model - products are hung on vertical rods above the pallet, the top cover is screwed to the central pin.

Read also: Dimensions of shafts for reinforcing profile pipes

Such compact smokehouses are produced in the city of Kirov, Ulyanovsk region and are simply called “Selmash”. They can be ordered directly from the factory by mail, the product will arrive packaged in compliance with safety regulations. The diameter of the smokehouse is only 26 cm and fits on one burner. Cost - from 2.6 to 3 thousand rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of devices that can be used to produce smoked meats using the cold or hot method on gas include the following:

Versatility. In such devices you can smoke fish, meat, and lard.
Optimal heat source. The gas stove provides the structure with uniform heating and allows you to regulate temperature indicators.
Compact and mobile. A smoking device suitable for a gas stove can be used outdoors and taken with you to the countryside or nature.
Durability. High-quality smokehouses are made of stainless steel, which is a fairly durable material that can withstand high temperatures and mechanical stress, and also prevents corrosion.
No smoke. The design includes a special hose that eliminates the possibility of smoke entering the room.
Cooking speed. Fish can be cooked in a smokehouse on a gas stove in 40 minutes. The meat is smoked longer - 2-4 hours, depending on the variety, age and size of the pieces.
Quality. High taste qualities of finished products, control of their production.

There are not too many disadvantages of smokehouses that are installed on a gas stove. These include the heavy weight of some models, which makes them inconvenient to transport, and the impossibility of using them outdoors.

Smokers operating on a gas stove are convenient devices with which you can prepare various smoked meats at home without the use of liquid smoke and other harmful additives. You can purchase devices for cold or hot smoking or make a similar design from stainless steel yourself.