The special taste and aroma of smoked meats cannot be repeated by anything. However, the process of preparing such dishes requires special equipment. In industrial conditions and at catering enterprises, overall stationary installations are used for this. But if we are talking about home use, then a mini-smoker is best suited, which can be used both in the kitchen and on hikes in nature.
Design and principle of operation
The task of any smokehouse is the technical organization of the process of cooking products "above the smoke". As a rule, such units are all-metal structures with several tiers. The basis is, in essence, a mangal case, inside which a grill is installed.
An important distinguishing feature from grills and other devices for cooking on a fire is the use of a sealed container into which wood chips are poured. In the process of burning and smoldering, the escaping smokeimpregnates products placed on top, thereby providing the desired effect. In turn, home mini-smokers have a number of their own features. First, they are characterized by their small size and the possibility of mobile movement. Secondly, the configurations of modern household smokehouses include equipment for bringing combustion products outside. As a rule, this is a silicone chimney with a hydraulic lock that ensures the tightness of the equipment. That is, smoke with a smell does not penetrate directly into the room.
Benefits of a mini smoker
Such models are mostly used in apartments, which leads to the presence of an electric heating element. There are also gas and coal versions, but they are used less frequently. The advantages of electric compact smokehouses include the following:
- Ease of use. Unlike full-size models, the mini-smoker does not require a fire. It is enough to set the required temperature and wait for the product to be ready.
- Cooking speed. Traditional smoking recipes require aging for several hours, while this model allows you to cook an average of 30 minutes.
- Wide set. Additional accessories are both equipment for organizing the smoking process indoors, and special devices for handling equipment in the wild.
Hot smoking models
These are the simplest smokehouse options that you can use to cookmeat, fish and fat. In the cooking process, wood chips from oak, alder and cherry are used. To work with a medium-sized body, 4-6 branches are enough. Products, as a rule, are placed on a special grid in a niche of a metal box. Also, a special tray should be provided for draining fat from cooking products. After ignition, it is necessary to wait 10-15 minutes to stabilize the smoldering, after which the first sample can be taken. Experienced chefs advise experimenting with the intensity of burning wood chips - this will allow you to choose the optimal cooking mode for the product in specific conditions. As for the principle of operation, in some modifications, the hot-smoked mini-smoker also has an electrical connection and a gas burner. These are versions just for home use, but at a picnic it is better to use traditional designs that allow you to kindle an open fire.
Cold smoking models
In this case, the technology of the process becomes more complicated due to the fact that the product is processed not with direct hot smoke, but, in fact, with cooled vapors from smoldering raw materials. The device of the smokehouse involves the division into two blocks - the so-called smoke generator and the chamber into which the product is laid. As for the smoke generator, it is the same burner in which sawdust or chips from hardwood smolder. Further, the generated smoke passes through a special channel (length is 1-2 m) to the target chamber, which contains meat, fish, vegetables with lard or other products. At the same time, the durationcooking is the main disadvantage of cold smoking. The mini-smoker should maintain optimal smoke generation for 1-2 days. On the other hand, such processing allows you to prepare a better product that can be stored for a long period.
Smoking Tips
If you plan to buy equipment for hot smoking, then the main requirement will be sufficient depth and the ability to place several levels of grates with lids and trays in the niche of the structure. The more functional the unit is, the more options for cooking different products the user gets. If the bet is on a home mini-smoker for an apartment with an electric or gas burner, then attention will need to be paid to the controls. Modern models also provide for electronic process control, which facilitates the tasks of the operator. As for models for cold smoking, they are calculated for a stationary installation, so the dimensions should be evaluated first. Also, the exhaust channel for the smoke generator in this case will be larger and longer. It is best to purchase such units with the expectation of operation in separate premises of a private household.
How to make a smokehouse with your own hands?
The simplest design can be made from several sheets of stainless steel, a profile corner and a metal grid. The performer is required first of all to prepareblanks for the main box. Its dimensions may vary depending on the volume of preparation, but on average, the height is 20-25 cm, the length is about 40-50 cm, and the width is 30 cm. Accordingly, blanks for walls, bottom and cover are formed according to these parameters. Sheet steel cutting is performed using a special tool. For example, at home, this operation can be performed by a grinder. As additional elements, legs, handles and internal protrusions are provided to hold the grates with a pallet - the configuration of their placement will depend on where and how the future mini-smoker will be used. With your own hands, you can fasten the fittings using conventional fasteners, having previously made holes with an appropriate electric drill for metal. But for greater reliability, it is still more expedient to make welding joints.
Home smoking rules
During the entire cooking process, you should open the lid of the equipment as little as possible, because at such moments he althy smoke comes out and the temperature drops. The average cooking time with hot smoking technology is from 30 to 40 minutes. The choice of raw materials for wood chips also cannot be approached dismissively. For example, conifers leave a specific and not the most pleasant smell that spoils the product. Fresh, not rotten and dry chips of deciduous trees should be used. In the case of an electric mini-smoker for the home, it is necessary to think over a way to collect fat so that it does not fall on the electrical wiring. Usually forof this, special containers are provided in the design of factory models.
In conclusion
Having a homemade smokehouse on the farm never hurts. You can, of course, stock up on store-bought smoked products, but even taking into account the industrial method of preparation, in terms of their taste, they will not replace home-made counterparts. A self-assembled mini-smoker will allow you to cook meat and fish products at no additional cost. But branded models should not be abandoned either - especially when it comes to electric and gas versions for kitchen use. This is an ergonomic, functional and productive technique that, with minimal effort, will allow you to cook the same products without leaving your home. And vice versa, in the country it would be appropriate to use a non-volatile home-made unit for smoking.
