How to Make a Cardboard Smoker

Including smoked foods such as meats, poultry, fish, cheeses and snack foods in your diet can diversify your eating options. Using a homemade cardboard smoker makes these goods available at a low price.

Things You'll Need

• Corrugated cardboard box
• 2 wooden dowel rods, 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch
• Oven rack
• Electric hot plate
• Cast iron skillet
• Hardwood chips
• Battery-operated fan
• 2 probe thermometers

Instructions

1. Find a heavy-duty corrugated cardboard box that's 4 feet by 2 feet or smaller with no interior printing. Cut a flap hole near the bottom of the box and leave the flap attached on the bottom side to serve as a hinge.

2. Puncture two holes in the two opposite sides of the box, each one-third of the way down from the top and 1 to 2 inches away from each side of the box. Slide the two dowel rods through the holes so that they are parallel to each other and extend 2 to 4 inches on each side.

3. Position the oven rack on top of the dowels and slide an electric hot plate (at least 750 watts) into the bottom of box. Turn the hot plate so the controls remain accessible and the electric cord extends through the open flap.

4. Soak the wood chips for at least an hour to produce optimal smoke. Place an iron skillet filled with soaked woodchips on the hot plate and adjust the temperature on the device to high.

5. Insert one thermometer into the bottom third of the box to monitor the air temperature near the heat source. Place the food product on the tray and insert the second thermometer through the side of the box and into the food. Set both temperature probes at 150 degrees F.

6. Put the fan inside the bottom of the box and turn it on to begin circulating the air inside the box. This speeds up the cooking time.

7. Close the box and begin smoking. When the smoke stops, open the flap and add more wood chips. Repeat this step until the food completes the smoking process.

Tips & Warnings

• Inserting a second set of dowels and tray into the box allows you to smoke more food at one time in your homemade smoker.

• Control the smokiness of your food by opening and closing the flaps on your box as needed. Closed flaps provide more smoke.

• You can use a household oven to finish the necessary cooking times for smoked meats.

• Never use plywood and pressure-treated lumber as they may contain contaminants. Use only hardwood chips or sawdust

• Don't undercook the food. For example, pork must reach an internal temperature of 190 degrees F for safe human consumption.

Resources

• Visit SmokePistol for tips on how to smoke cheese.
• Visit the Food Network for a diagram of a cardboard smoker.
• Smoker Cooking provides several recipes for smoking salmon.