Smokehouse & pellet smoker question

[Wampuscat]

I'm probably just doing a little overthinking here. I'm wanting to smoke my own sausage this year after losing a big upright freezer full of meat while away to Alaska on vacation. BTW "arc flash breakers" are the Devil!

I'm thinking about building a smokehouse that can be disassembled like a 4x4 blind. I assume I don't need a vent since there should be plenty of leak by if I don't seal it at any joints. I figure I can use a cast iron pot and soaked wood over a very low propane fire to get enough smoke. Maybe just a piece of 3/8" tubing with a needle valve from the propane bottle under the pot? Or maybe a fish fryer base on low...not sure if that'll still put out too much heat.

Or, I've been wondering about running some metal dryer duct (wrapped in insulation) from my Pit Boss pellet smoker to the smokehouse. Any ideas on this? I'm trying to think of a way I can do this solo and be able to walk away. Figure I could get a Bluetooth thermometer for cheap on Amazon to keep an eye on the smokehouse temperature.

I don't know if it ever gets cold enough to cold smoke sausage here along the coast. I can't imagine it being safe to smoke at 95 degrees when its 85 degrees outside. What outside temperature would you recommend if I were to ever try cold smoking?

I think I've got all the processing equipment I need to get it done except for the smokehouse.

[huntindude]

I don’t know much about cold smoking, just know that botulism can be a concern if you don’t do everything just right. I like to smoke sausage at 150-165. I like the idea of the pit boss just for how easy it would be. If it were me I would maybe use that as a smoke source and run it on smoke mode with the p setting turned up (more smoke less heat), then also use a fish fryer with some sort of heat deflector over it as a heat source. That way you would get the best of both worlds and not have to open the door to add wood you could keep more consistent heat and smoke


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[Texastaxi]

Smart built almost exactly what you're describing.
Search his posts, and you'll find it ... most likely in the DIY section.

[Quackerbox]

what you have described in the first paragraph is what we use only 4x8 square. Its built with 2x4s and osb and comes apart to get stacked in the corner when we're done. However, the smoke generator is upscale compared to the house itself. The buddy of mine that stores it is an AC tech and hes got a digital control with a gas pilot light. We set the sausage inside, put a handle full of wood chunks in a stainless pan under an oval shaped burner. Light the pilot light and let it run.

When it gets cool enough the thermometer sets off the gas and it heats back up. No dryer vent, no fire to stoke.


Basically this kit but parted together from scrapped units

https://www.alliedkenco.com/burnerkit-gas-2.aspx

[twostepct]

I’m not sure about cold smoking by the coast, but my smoke generator is one of the tubes linked below. I get about 4 hours on the nose out of one load of pellets so it’s pretty easy to do an overnight smoke. I ended up buying two so I don’t have to handle the hot one. My smokehouse is built out of cedar pickets so there’s plenty of gaps for the smoke to exit the box. It does a good job on everything from salt to sausage and cheese.

https://www.amazon.com/LIZZQ-Premium-Pellet-Smoker-Tube/dp/B06ZZRR7XD

[TC]

Soaking wood chips does not create more smoke, it creates steam.

I've cold smoked sausage once. I took the racks out of my BBQ Pit and hung some rebar up. Lit a very small fire and when it was just coals, I added a large hickory log on top and closed the dampers almost all the way shut. It smoldered all night long (10ish hours). I believe it was in the lower 40's when I did mine and the cook chamber never got above the temperature it was outside. Just nice clean blue smoke rolling through!

Good luck, looking forward to following your process!

[panhandlehunter]

I cold smoke all of mine here on the coast. I wait for a cold night after deer season, and I also use cure. Haven't died yet. Lol. My smokehouse is 5'x5'x6'. I have a small firebox piped into the bottom of my smokehouse. Start a real small fire, add wood as needed and just let it smolder. If you're worried about cold smoking, just bring the internal temp of the sausage up to 155 or so and you're good to go.

[Rigging Cooks]

Sounds good but I was wondering if you could use a electric hot plate and once the box is heated to temp you want just watch temp and wood.