Things You'll Need:
- About a dozen fairly straight logs 6' long by 6" diameter apporoximately. Six 2x4s approx. 4-6' long or other scrap lumber, scrap metal roofing, an old barbeque grate or two, uncoated wire, nails. Fl
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Step 1
Make a flat area where you want your smokehouse to go and put some small rocks or gravel down on the ground if you have some in an area approx. 4'x4'. Gather a dozen logs approx. 6"-8" diameter of any species nearby and cut them to six feet long. Logs without bark are preferable.
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Step 2
Begin standing up the logs next to each other as close together as possible. Brace them temporarily as needed to keep them standing up straight. Once you have lined up about 4-6 logs to the width you would like your smokehouse to be begin a right angle wall of logs to form one side.
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Step 3
Nail the 2x4s horizontally across the wall logs one near the top and one near the bottom on the outside of the walls. You may leave a top one sticking out past the wall for a place to hang stuff if you like. Use good long nails, galvanized preferably.
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Step 4
Now add another row of standing logs to form a third wall and nail the 2x4s on the outside of that wall also. Stand a few more logs to form the final corners but leave an opening for a doorway on this final wall of the smokehouse.
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Step 5
For a roof you can use metal roofing scraps as long as they are long enough to cover the tops of the wall logs. Nail them with roofing nails onto the tops of all the logs. For a door covering hang a drape of canvas or similar material so it hangs about 3/4 of the way to the ground but not so long that it may reach the coal fire if it flaps around. Put a few nails along the door opening to secure the canvas when closed.
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Step 6
Lay some large flat stones against the inside walls all around to protect the logs from sparks and a stone fire ring in the middle. To smoke foods all you'll need is a hot coal fire not a roaring blaze. You'll add moistened wood chips on top of the coals to create smoke.
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Step 7
Use wire strung inside to hang your meats or drill holes inside to support some rebar to lay barbeque type grill surfaces across. Put some low and some high so you have options depending on the smoke output of any given fire or the meat thickness.
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Step 8
You can chink the spaces between the logs with clay if you want but it's not neccesary. It is important to leave the spaces open at least about a quarter of the way from the top for smoke to escape or your meats will become slimy with black smoke residue.
