Build a fieldstone smokehouse.

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Smoked meat and cheese are something a lot of us enjoy, and we
decided building a smokehouse would be a good fall project. Since there
is no lack of fieldstone in our neck of the woods, we decided to
incorporate it into the design to save on cement costs and give the
smokehouse a rustic look.
The question was, what would we smoke in it? This would determine
if the smokehouse was to be used to cold smoke or hot smoke meat or
other products. Fish, for example, is hot smoked, requiring temperatures
of 190[degrees]F to 200[degrees]F, depending on the recipe. (Someone
cautioned that if we smoked fish, the odor might affect the taste of
other meat, cheese, or whatever else was also in the smokehouse.) Most
all other types of meat are cold smoked (around 90[degrees]F). Our
design allows for either cold or hot smoking.

Location was another consideration. While we love the smell of an

open fire, we certainly didn't want the smoke overwhelming the
house when the windows were open. So we located the smokehouse far
enough behind the house where wind and distance would dissipate the
smoke.

Size also played a role in our decision making. How much meat or
sausage would we smoke at one time? We make about 30 sticks of venison sausage each winter and
would like to smoke four turkeys around the
holidays, along with whatever friends and neighbors may come up with.

So we came up with a plan for a 4' 6" x 4' 6"

(outside diameter) structure with 6' high walls, before adding the
roof for the smoke chamber, and an external fire pit.

After coming up with the design we started hauling stones and

collecting lumber, hardware, 1" insulation board, portland cement mix, and other items.
The following is a list of materials we used; most of the materials
were recycled. Your collection may vary in size and length; use what you
have on hand. Obviously the size of your materials may change the
overall size of your smoke chamber.

3-4' x 8' x 1" insulation board

2-2" x 6" x 6' boards

2-2" x 6" x 4' x 9" boards

8-1/2" bolts 6" long

16-1/2" flat washers

8-1/2" nuts

8-5/16" carriage bolts 4" long

8-5/16" flat washers

8-5/16" wing nuts

14-1-1/2" x 2' long perforated angle iron (bent 90

degrees in the middle)

2-2' x 4" stove pipe

1-4" elbow

1-4" stove pipe hood

1-4" damper
2-8" x 4' stove pipe

1-8" elbow

12 bags portland cement mix

3/4 yard sand

1-1/2 yards washed stone

I yard field stone

1-4' x 8' x 1/2" plywood

5-2" x 4" x 8' boards

6-1" x 12" x 5' 6" boards

18' tar paper

1-5' 6" piece of metal ridge cap

2-3' x 6' metal roofing

2-1" x 6" x 10' board

1/2" roofing nails

3" deck screws

1" pole barn screws

2 door hinges
5' old butcher block counter top

4 tubes perma shink

1-32" x 60" x 1/2" cement board

14' fire proof rope

4 metal refrigerator racks

1 used wicej pomocnych wskazwek pole barn door track and rollers 4' long

4 hanging hooks

1 door pull

1 swivel hasp

The floor

The floor was poured first, with the 8" stove pipe buried
below ground level and protruding in the middle of the 5-1/2"
cement floor, which measured 4' 6" x 4' 6" for the
walls to stand on.

The walls

We decided to pour the four walls first and then set them into
place. To pour the walls we needed a flat hard surface, so we borrowed
the neighbor's large trailer. The forms were made out of the 2 x 6
boards, which allowed us to pour one wall a day and re-use the 2 x 6
boards for the next wall. By using the 1" insulation board between
the trailer bed and the bottom of the form we didn't damage the
trailer bed, and the insulation board peeled off the wall after it was
dry. This way it could be used for the next wall the following day.
After the form was made we randomly set the stones within the form
making sure that no stones were higher than the top of the form.

When we mixed the cement we used one part portland cement, two
parts sand, and three parts stone. Then the forms were filled with
cement and struck off. This gave us a smooth inner wall and a rustic
stone-wall look on the exterior. (Note that pouring a wall this way will
not allow you to point finish around the field stone.) The wall looks
flush, with the field stone slightly recessed. The side walls were made
first and measure 3' 7" x 6' high. Two 1/2" bolts
and two flat washers were placed in the cement at the top of the wall so
we could lift the wall into place, and later they would be used to bolt
the 2" x 6" top plates on. Two 5/16" carriage bolts were
also placed in the inner wall sides to bolt shelve brackets on later.
After the side walls were complete and set in place, the rear wall was
formed (4' 6" x 6' high). The front wall was formed
allowing for a permanent 2' 6" door jam sized to fit our
butcher block door.
Assembly

As we put the walls into place perforated angle iron was used to
hold the walls in place at each corner. They also serve to hold the
racks for smoking. The leftover 2" x 6" forms were cut to
build a double top plate, then bolted on to support all four walls.

Next we built three trusses out of the 2" x 4" x 8'

boards. The plywood was cut to cover the two end trusses.

After the trusses were screwed to the top plate, the 1" x

12" boards were attached, then the tar paper and the metal roofing
were added.

The 4" stove pipe was run out the back and secured in place,
and the 4" damper was installed at the beginning of the chimney
run. The 8" stove pipe was cut off flush with the floor. We then
installed the door and its hardware. Hooks and tracking were set in
place, then the perma shink was used to seal all cracks and holes.

This completed the smoke chamber.

The fire pit

The fire pit is located four feet from the smoke chamber. A hole
was dug 20" deep, 32" wide and 42" long. A trench was dug
to connect the fire pit and the smoke chamber together with the 8"
stove pipe. With the stove pipe in place the leftover plywood was used
to make forms to cement the bottom and sides of the fire pit. After the
cement was poured and dry the forms were removed and used to form an
inner wall with a 1-1/2" X 6" opening at the bottom to create
a draft. The fire proof rope was attached on top the outer walls and the
inner wall to create a seal. The cement board was cut to fit the top of
the fire pit. 1" holes were drilled in the remaining cement board
used as a grate set on top of four bricks inside the fire pit. The inner
wall was placed 8" from the back to give an air gap between, the
inner wall and the fire pit. Buy sliding the cement board cover forward

the amount of draft can regulated.

We had to try different draft and damper settings to achieve the

desired heat level and the amount of smoke to achieve the taste we
liked. Apple wood seemed to work well for us. You can use other fruit
woods or hickory, depending on your preference.

RAY KREUZIGER

COUNTRYSIDE STAFF

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