40 DIY Smokehouse Plans For Better Flavoring and Preserving Of Food

Any of these 40 smokehouse plans that we have collected from the internet sites can help you eat better and save you money on the grocery bill. That’s a great incentive to build your own homemade smokehouse to preserve and flavor meats at home. Once upon a time, using a smokehouse was the only way fresh meat could be preserved, today it’s not a necessity but luxury culinary item that can be used for flavoring, cooking and preserving food.

A BBQ smokehouse erected in your own back yard allows you to have control over food flavor, additives and preservation method by using either the hot smoker or cold smoker method. A BBQ smokehouse will enhance the flavor of any cut of meat and allow you to use cheaper cuts of meat and make them taste like the most expensive cuts. Making your own sausage and cheese and smoking it will add another dimension of flavor to your homemade recipes that just can’t be bought in any store. Smoking meats and other foods also kills harmful bacteria to increase the shelf life of food.

A store bought smoker can be purchased, but why not save money and build a customized smokehouse that will meet your exact needs? Check out these free smokehouse plans from our list and select the one that’s right for your food smoking needs.

1: Construct Smokehouse Plans Under 80$

Many of us have an inherited small, antique pot bellied stoves from their grandparents. The sentimental value is priceless, but the small size of the wood burning stove makes it almost useless in the modern day, open concept style homes. But that small size also makes them perfect for use in homemade smokehouse by smokingmeatforums.

Use these free smokehouse plans to build a mid-sized smokehouse with covered porch area where wood can be  stored and kept dry. Install a small pot belly wood burning stove inside the structure to create enough heat and smoke to flavor, preserve and cook meat.

2: DIY Pallet Smokehouse Plan

Make DIY Pallet Smokehouse such as this one by instructables using recycled wood pallets and some aluminum roofing material. Being eco-friendly through recycling old wood pallets is a plus for these smokehouse plans.

Supllies you need to make this smokehouse plan are 20-30 pallets, 2 1/2 inch screws, corrugated tin for roof (4’x3′), heavyduty tin foil, roll of aluminum screen, handle and hinges. You may also like to check out file cabinet smoker.

3: Use Cedar Wood To Build 4×4 DIY Smokehouse

In the previous one we discussed using pallet for diy smokehouse. But this 4×4 foot DIY smokehouse by myoutdoorplans is constructed of cedar wood that will last for years. Step to build this smokehouse are

• Build the floor in a 4×4 square.
• Frame three walls with cedar lumber and cover with cedar slats.
• Create the front wall with door frame.
• Build roof frame and cover with slats.
• Build a wood burning unit outside the smokehouse and install pipe inside with the easy to follow directions.

4: Make Smokehouse Out of Cement Blocks

Here we have another great idea to make a smokehouse by using cement blocks. Transform 200 cement blocks into an attractive and efficient homemade smokehouse made by grit with these plans.

• Prepare the ground of footers.
• Place the first layer of cement blocks in place and square them up.
• Apply mortar mix on top of first layer, then continue layering blocks and mortar mix until desired height is reached.
• Frame in roof with wood, cover with plywood and selected roofing material.
• Build and install door.

5: Awesome Smokehouse

Build an awesome smokehouse that will become the focal point of your backyard with these free instructions. Get detailed instructions on how to build a smokehouse in this YouTube video that will flavor and preserve your food, plus add value to your property. Bricks and cement are used for the construction of this awesome smokehouse so it will last for decades. Some mortar and roofing material plus a few other components will enable you to complete this DIY building project.

This smokehouse also includes a built-in grill and wood storage box so everything is handy when you want to smoke food to preserve it or cook it on the grill to eat it. Be sure to build a table and chairs to place near this homemade smokehouse because it will become the favorite family gathering spot.

Use the smokehouse to infuse flavor into poultry, pork, beef, wild game, fish, fruits, vegetables, and greens. Improve the flavor of food and preserve fresh food in a unique way with your own smokehouse.

6: Recycled Wood Stove Smokehouse

Create this small and efficient homemade smokehouse on youtube in your backyard this weekend. Watch this YouTube video for complete building instructions and start flavoring and preserving food. An old wood stove is the center of this cinder block smokehouse. The exterior is covered with weather resistant cedar siding that makes the DIY smokehouse look good.

Build a small smokehouse like this one and smoke fresh fish, vegetables, or other meats for preserving. The slow smoking process adds flavor to meats and vegetables, and it will preserve the food so it will not need to be refrigerated.

The small size makes this smokehouse fast to build. It also is just the right size to fit into almost any backyard. Building a smokehouse for your homestead is a perfect way to add variety to your diet. A DIY smokehouse will infuse smoke flavor into all types of fresh food so your diet will never get boring.

7: Smoker, Oven, And Grill

Build one structure that will do three different things so you can save time, space, and money.

Create this homemade smokehouse comes pizza oven, and garden grill with recycled brick, cover the entire exterior with plaster and paint it white for an aesthetically pleasing smokehouse in your backyard.

You will be able to cold smoke or hot smoke in this homemade smokehouse by instructables. Cold smoke meats, vegetables, cheese, and fruits to infuse a delicious smokey flavor into the foods. The type of wood used for the cold smoking process will determine the final flavor that is added to the food. Cold smoking also helps to preserve fresh food for future usage.

Hot smoking food infuses flavor and prepares them for eating. Add more wood to the smokehouse fire to increase the heat so the fresh food will be infused with flavor and cooked at the same time.

This DIY smokehouse also has a built in grill and oven. Grill some fresh meat, smoke a few vegetables and bake fresh bread in the oven all at the same time. Ideal for your backyard garden area. You may also like to check out diy solar oven.

8: Convert Outdoor Shed or Closet into Smokehouse

Attractive and east to build, these smokehouse plans show you how to build a smokehouse like this one by ana-white that looks as good as it works. Small design with small wood burning stove on the outside will use only a small amount of wood to smoke a large amount of meat.

9: Buy 55 Gallon Steel Drum To Make A Ugly Drum Smoker

A 55 gallon steel drum can be transformed into a meat smoker with these free plans by fix. Detailed instructions will show you how to create DIY smoker that is inexpensive, portable and will provide low heat and smoke for up to 12 hours so meat will come out evenly smoked. Don’t let the small size fool you, a drum smoker like this one can hold 4 pork shoulders and 3 beef briskets at the same time, that’s enough meat to feed a large group of people.

10: Small Smokehouse Plans

This small smokehouse by smokingmeatforums is on wheels so it’s portable and can go wherever you need it to go. Roll it near the house to load it up with meat, then roll it away from the house to fire up the wood stove and start the smoking process.

11- Rustic Style Smokehouse

The rustic appearance of this DIY smokehouse on YouTube is easy to achieve by using weathered, reclaimed wood for the project or by covering the smokehouse with old, rusty tin. However you decide to make it look rustic, the inside is where the flavor is added to the food.

Watch this YouTuber video to learn how to build this rustic smokehouse, then build a small fire in the bottom or use a small potbelly stove to provide the smoke for the fresh food inside. Preserve garden produce or seasonal fruits with the cold smoke this rustic smokehouse will provide.

The size is small enough to fit in any backyard and the interior size is large enough to hold cuts of meat harvested from an animal kill during hunting season. Ideal use for reclaimed lumber and tin, and a great way to put an antique pot belly stove to use. You may also like to check out rocket stove plans.

12: Cold Smoker

Cold Smoking Conversion plans allows you to take a hot smoker and turn it into a cold smoker. Everyone has their own preference of either hot or cold smoke, this DIY smokehouse plan by virtualweberbullet lets you have the best of both worlds and alternate between cold and hot smoke as desired.

Materials you’ll need for this smokehouse plan are large cardboard box, at least 18″x18″x24″, piece of cardboard, electric hot plate, disposable aluminum pie pan, rubber band and duct tape.

13: Brick Smoker

Brick Smoker and BBQ Pit is a work of art that provides a place to smoke meat, grill meat and other food, plus it enhances the look of the landscape. This DIY brick smoker by instructables will be the place all your family and guests will want to gather around when they come over for a visit.

14: USDA Smokehouse Plans

USDA Smokehouse plans by meatsandsausages provide you with a tradition old-school design that combines form and function that has proved to be highly efficient and durable over the past several centuries.

15: Cinder Block Smokehouse Plans

Cinder Block smokehouse design by justtwofarmkids is a large, classic design that can smoke a lot of meat at once. Perfect for those who raise and eat their own livestock or hunt for game animals.

16: Turkey Burner Smokehouse Plan

Turkey Burner Smokehouse design is another DIY smoker like this one by animalscience.cahnr.uconn.edu than relies on propane instead of wood to give meat that desired smokey flavor. Just about the size of a normal household refrigerator, this smoker is easy to build and easy to use.

17: Whiskey Barrel Smoker

Whiskey Barrel Smoker by thesmokering is an attractive addition to any backyard and it’s easy to build, even for the novice do-it-yourself-er. The whiskey barrel smoker plan uses charcoal to create the smokey flavor in foods instead of wood.

18: Build Smokehouse and pizza Oven Together

Here’s a great idea that provides two luxury culinary items into one compact outdoor unit- a smokehouse and a pizza oven by cappersfarmer. Building a smokehouse couldn’t be simpler with these easy to follow plans, and creating the wood burning unit so it will serve as a pizza oven is genius.

19: Walk-In Smokehouse Plans

Walk-in Smokehouse by robertforto is a design for the serious meat smoker. This large six foot by six foot wood-sided smoker looks like an garden shed that makes an attractive addition to the landscape. This is a great size smokehouse for those who have large backyards and hunt for wild game or raise livestock. Built to last on a foundation of railroad cross ties and topped with a tin roof. You may also like to check out homemade solar food dehydrator.

20: Build Cold Smoker From Untreated Lumber

A cold smoker does not cook the meat, only adds a wonderful smoky flavor and preserves the meat. Use these free plans to build your own cold smoker box by cowgirlscountry.

21: Brick Base Smokehouse

These smokehouse plans on Youtube show you how to recycle old bricks (or you can buy new bricks) into an attractive and functional smokehouse base and firebox.

Every homestead should have a permanent smokehouse like this one that is well able to infuse flavor, cook, and preserve all the foods grown and harvested on the homestead. Gardening, hunting, and gathering are a way of life for homesteaders and cold smoking is a great way to preserve the food.

This brick base firebox can be used to grill food while the fire is burning to produce smoke to smoke the fresh food inside of the smokehouse. Two food preparation methods can be going on at the same time to help save time and money for the homesteader.

22: 6×6 Smokehouse Plans

When plenty of smoking room is needed, these smokehouse plans by backyardbuddies will show you how to build it big. The finished smoker is 6×6 feet and has plenty of room for whatever meat you need to smoke.

23: Propane Smokehouse Plan

Propane Smoker plan by hotspotoutdoors lets you achieve a smokey flavor on meats and other foods without burning wood. The simple box smoker design uses a turkey deep fryer to create the smoke.

24: Smokehouse Plans

Look at the drawing and written smokehouse plans along with pictures before, during and after the build to help you create your own homemade smokehouse like this one by smokingmeatforums.

25: Recycled An Old Refrigerator Into DIY Smoker

Don’t know what to do with that old, non-working refrigerator? Transform it into a smoker with these plans by theingredientstore. Wooden pallets, a barrel or drum help to complete the smokehouse from mostly recycled materials.

26: Use Recycled Lumber And Steel Drum To Build This Smokehouse

These smoker plans by smoking-meat use recycled lumber and a steel drum to create a whimsical structure at a minimal cost. Functional and attractive, this inexpensive meat smoker will keep your family enjoying flavorful meat for years.

27: Hot Or Cold Smokehouse

This slanted roof DIY smokehouse lets you choose between hot or cold smoking. You can become your own BBQ pitmaster with meats and other foods smoked to tasty perfection with this backyard smokehouse.

The building process is straightforward with these DIY smokehouse plans by motherearthnews, and it will look nice in your backyard. The small size does not take up much land space but it will have a big impact on the way your food tastes.

The 6-foot height allows plenty of interior space for large cuts of meat or large quantities of food to be smoked at the same time. A hook in the top of the smokehouse will provide ample room for smoking hams of half a hog. The slanted roof lets rainwater run off quickly.

Smoking is also a great method of preserving fresh food, especially meat, and is a must-have item for hunters, fishermen, and people living on an off-grid homestead.

28: Big Green Egg Smokehouse

These free plans will show you how to build a smokehouse by tasteofartisan on top of a Big Green Egg smoker. The Big Green Egg smoker is the mini version and is ideal for slow smoking sausage in a cold smoke environment.

The smokehouse is small and is ideal for building in a small backyard. Even though the smokehouse is small it infuses food with lots of delicious smoky flavor.

If you have a tasty homemade sausage recipe that needs smokey flavor to make it perfect, this DIY smokehouse is what you need. The small smokehouse can handle other food items too and is great for smoking fresh fish to preserve and add flavor.

If you have a mini Big Green Egg that you no longer use, consider using these smokehouse plans and put the Big Green Egg to good use.

29: Water Drain Pipe Smokehouse

A concrete water drain pipe can be transformed into a unique and attractive backyard smokehouse with these free building plans  by sites.google.

Concrete water drain pipes are typically used in areas where there is new home construction and they are 10-feet in length and 3-inches thick. The drain pipe is heavy and will take a special saw to cut it to the desired height and to cut out the openings. However, when the building project is completed, you will have a one of kind a smokehouse and barbeque grill that will be the envy of the neighborhood.

You can use this idea to create a smokehouse, grill, and firepit combination from one concrete drain pipe that is virtually indestructible. Enjoy better food flavor and create a backyard focal point with these free smokehouse plans.

30: Wooden Smokehouse Plans

If you enjoy cooking and like to entertain, you should build a basic wooden smokehouse like this one by howtospecialist . A smokehouse adds incredible flavor to meats, vegetables, and fruits that will turn ordinary food into extraordinary food.

Smoked beef, potatoes, tomatoes, and onions will transform a boring backyard cookout into a tasty culinary experience.

Build a smokehouse with this downloadable PDF file so you can add flavor to everyday food items and make them special. A wooden smokehouse like this one is not expensive or time consuming to build but it will provide years of tasty smoked foods.

31: Cold Smoking Smokehouse

If you like to cold smoke a high volume of meat at a time, this DIY smokehouse by bcoutdoorsmagazine is for you.

This classic design is easy to construct and ideal for big game hunters that have a lot of fresh meat that needs to be preserved at once.

The size of this smokehouse is 22-inches across and 45-inches tall but the design is easy to adjust to any width and height needed. These free plans provide detailed designs and instructions so you can build a cold smoker just like this one for your homestead.

32: Small Smokehouse

Having a small smokehouse at a cabin that is only used for seasonal hunting is a great idea. It would allow you to smoke the fish and meats harvested during the hunt for easy transport back home.

Hunting and fishing cabins are often off-grid and using these smokehouse plans on youtube to build a small smokehouse provides a method of cooking and preserving freshly harvested meat. The small size won’t take up a lot of land space and won’t require much time to build. Creating it on a concrete slab as shown in this instructional YouTube video will make the smokehouse last for decades.

33: Small Smokehouse Plans

These detailed, pictorial plans will show how to build a small smokehouse by askaprepper and the fire pit that will provide the smoke. This will create a permanent structure that can be used for years to flavor and preserve meat. The design is simple and the smokehouse can be built with leftover building material so the cost will be minimal.

34: Miniature Smokehouse Plans

Mini Smokehouse plan by forums.egullet takes up no more room than a mini fridge but packs a big punch with big smokey flavor. This mini smokehouse is ideal for those living in an apartment or condo unit with little outdoor living space.

35: Tall Smokehouse

This tall smokehouse is simple to build and will hold lots of fresh foods for smoking at the same time. It is a simple wooden structure that contains a free-standing grill in the bottom and several wire racks so multiple types of food can be infused with smokey flavor at once.

Cold smoke fresh fish, garden vegetables, poultry, or herbs to preserve them for use during the cold winter months. Grow and gather all the food you can during spring and summer, then preserve them for winter using this homemade smokehouse by barbecuebible.

If you like a hint of smoke flavor in your food, then learn how to build a smokehouse with this free tutorial. You will be able to smoke cheese, bacon, oysters, salmon, ham, nuts, onions, butter, and all of your favorite condiments. You don’t have to be a gardener or a hunter/gatherer to have use for a smokehouse. Common store bought items, like ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, olives, and salt can be elevated to a gourmet food item by adding smoke to them. Just think how wonderful an ordinary hot dog or ham sandwich would taste with a dash of smoke flavored ketchup and mustard.

Build this tall smokehouse this weekend and get started smoking amazing food.

36: Stone Furnace Smokehouse

Watch this YouTube video and download the construction plan and material list so you can build a beautiful, functional smokehouse like this one. All the details, from the preparation of the ground to building the first fire are detailed in these free building plans. Nothing is left out so you can build this stone furnace smokehouse on youtube in just one weekend.

The furnace and stove pipe are built under the ground and away from the smokehouse. This way the smoke is cold and slowly flavors the food with smoke and preserves it. The size of this DIY smokehouse is large enough to hang and smoke several large pieces of meat and fish inside at the same time.

This DIY smokehouse will also make an attractive addition to your backyard. Get your build this weekend and start preserving flavorful food.

37: Tongue-in-Groove Pine Smokehouse

An attractive, budget friendly DIY smokehouse can be built using tongue-in-groove pine lumber. This homemade smokehouse by agriculture is cheap and easy to build and will help you add flavor to food and preserve them for future use.

These detailed plans are written and have pictures to make the building process easy. You don’t have to be an experienced carpenter to build a smokehouse like this with these great plans. This would be ideal for building near your garden so you can harvest fresh vegetables and place them directly into the smokehouse without delay.

The cold smoke will preserve the flavor of the fresh vegetables and keep them lasting throughout the winter. Did you know that you can smoke whole cabbage heads, tomatoes, ears of corn, peppers, onions, and mushrooms are ideal for smoking? Almost any food that can be grown in the garden or foraged from land can be smoked and preserved.

Build yourself this affordable tongue-in-groove smokehouse and add layers of flavor to ordinary foods.

38: Barrel Smoker

Discover how you can recycle materials and transform them into an efficient homemade smokehouse in this YouTube video.  A recycled metal 55 gallon barrel is used to hold the wood and fire that will produce the smoke. A metal stove pipe connects the metal barrel and small smokehouse so the cold smoke goes into the house to flavor and preserve the food. The size of the homemade smokehouse can be customized to meet your needs.

Other building materials that can be salvaged and recycled for this DIY project will save you money and keep usable materials out of the landfill. The smoke will transform ordinary, bland foods into tasty meals that your family will love. You can smoke eggs, potatoes, rice, flour, and coffee and make a low-cost meal taste like an expensive treat. Ice cubes can even have a smokey flavor added to them so any cold beverage can be infused with smoky goodness.

39: DIY Backyard Smokehouse

Like we dicussed above Cinder Blocks and Cedar wood make not only an efficient smokehouse, but an attractive one too. This DIY smokehouse design by littlethings makes smoking fun and enhances the appearance of the backyard.

40: Cinder Block and Brick Smokehouse Plans

Cinder Block with Brick Fire Box smokehouse design by motherearthnews will withstand the elements for decades and provide delicious smoked meats and cheese for several generations to come. 

Summary

Now you have many options to make your own smokehouse plans using cedar wood, cement block, concrete, outdoor shed into smokehouse and old barrel drum. Many of these smokehouse plans that we have gethered for you are made using items you may have already on hand or you can buy for few dollars. These diy smokehouses are a cost efficient way to infuse smoke flavour into your favourite cut of meat without bying expensive ones from the stores.

I have answered some of common questions you may have in your mind.

FAQ’s

What should be the size of a smokehouse?

The smokehouse can be of any size. It can be small to large depending upon the quantity of meat you are going to smoke for the number of your family members (typically 6 x 8 x 8-inches in size). It should be made of stone, brick and wood framing.

How much time does it take to cure meat?

The time of curling process depends upon the type, size and taste level you like to get from the meat. It usually takes one day but for large cuts the time required can be four days. It also depends upon the humidity and temperature level in the smokehouse.

What should be the temperature of the smokehouse?

An ideal temperature for smoking the meat is 50 F for a minimum of 24 hours and no more than 90 F for a minimum of 20 hours.

Should a smokehouse need to be insulated?

There are some important factors to consider when smoking meat such as fuel must be stable, and heat needs to be concentrated to the cuts of meat. If you still want your smokehouse to be insulated it should be covered with fabric with a silicon coating or aluminum coating.