27 Homemade Smokers to Add Smoked Flavor to Meat or Fish

One of the simplest ways to infuse flavor into meat and fish is with a homemade smoker. An inexpensive cut of meat or fish will develop a rich flavor and texture like its more expensive counterpart after being smoked. Look over these 27 DIY smoker plans that we have gathered from different internet sites to get started smoking your favorite meat for supper tonight.

1- Grill Meat Cuts On  Backyard Homemade Smoker

Download this PDF file containing homemade smoker plans by popularmechanics. Easy to follow instructions will enable you to build a backyard smoker large enough to hold several racks of ribs.

2- Make A BBQ Smoker From Oil Drum

Use these smoker plans to recycle an old oil drum into an outdoor cooker by instructables. Use the cooker for hamburgers, hot dogs and to slow smoke large cuts of meat.

3- Use Metal Trash Can To Make A DIY Smoker

Cheap and easy to create, a new “aluminum trash can’’ can easily be converted into meat smoker with these bbq smoker plans by cruftbox. It’s portable too.

4- Brick Smoker

Here we have free plan that will show you how to build a smoker like this one by dengarden with bricks that will last for decades. This DIY smoker is not portable and will be a part of your landscape for many years. If you enjoy smoking meat and fish often, then this is a great DIY project for your backyard as part of your outdoor kitchen area.

This smoker runs off propane gas and uses an interior burner to create the heat. It uses very little wood to create smoke so this will be an ideal addition to a small backyard in the suburbs.

5- Mini Smoker

We recommend this one to you if a full-size smoker is too large for your meat-smoking needs, build this mini-smoker by ilovegrillingmeat so you can prepare small amounts of mouth-watering meat and fish.

This mini smoker is completely portable and is ideal for tailgating or camping. This detailed tutorial and photos will walk you through the building process of this homemade smoker.

6- Smoke Meat In An Indoor Oven Smoker

If you don’t have outdoor space but love the flavor of smoked meats, use these homemade smoker plans by kelliskitchen to create an indoor oven smoker. A couple of aluminum pans and wood chips is all you need to smoke food in your oven. You may also like to check out diy pizza oven.

7- Transform An Ordinary Grill Into BBQ Smoker

No need to purchase anything fancy if you already have a grill. Create a custom bbq smoker like this one by esquire with your grill. Use these homemade smoker plans to make your grill serve double duty as a smoker.

8- Turn An Old Barrel and Bricks Into DIY Smoker

Simple design and parts, but it will produce complex food flavors. Use these plans to transform an old metal barrel and old bricks into a new diy smoker by instructables that works just like a smokehouse.

9- Use Clay Pot To Make A Homemade Smoker

Follow these step by step instructions on how to build a smoker like this one by motherearthnews. and you’ll amaze your family and friends with your resourcefulness. These plans transform a clay flower pot into a unique and functional smoker that is the perfect size for a small deck or patio. Take this model with you to the beach or mountains for smoking meat away from home. Also check out diy clay pot heater.

10- Build Your Own Stovetop Homemade Smoker With Kitchen Gear

Here is another great idea for those who don’t have outdoor space – build a stovetop smoker like this one by lifehacker. Great for smoking brisket, pork shoulder or other larger cuts of meat because this design really enables the smoke to penetrate deeply into thick cuts of meat.

11- Combine Two Barrels To Make A Homemade Smoker

This unique double barrel smoker by instructables requires no welding and is easy to build with these detailed instructions. Smoke lots of meat at once with the large interior this model has to offer.

12- Recycle Old Fire Cabinet Into BBQ Smoker

Use this idea to transform discarded items into a new diy smoker. An old file cabinet and shopping cart, are two of the things recycled in this unique bbq smoker plan by therecykler.

13- Build DIY Smoker From 55 Gallon Drum

Touted as being the best step by step guide to building your own backyard smoker on youtube, these plans are worth a look. Some cutting and welding is involved, but the end result is durable and functional.

14- Make A Smoker Out Of 250 Gallon Propane Tank

Build a custom bbq smoker like this one by thesmokerking from a 250 gallon propane tank with these instructions. Perfect for smoking meats for a large gathering.

You may like to see plans for Homemade Propane Forge.

15- Use This DIY Plan To Make A Ugly Drum Smoker

Nothing ugly about it, but that is the nick-name of this bbq smoker design by howtobbqright. Easy and inexpensive to build, these plans rival smokehouse plans and the ugly drum smoker will cost less to build.

16- Make BBQ Smoker Without Welding 

This classic design smoker use a 55 gallon barrel and requires no welding. Built to hold large cuts of meat and turned sideways and standing on legs, this smoker design by theownerbuildernetwork is also easy to use.

17- Filing Cabinet Smoker

These free smoker plans will show you how to transform an old metal filing cabinet into a functional and efficient smoker for meat and fish like this one by instructables.

The bottom drawer in the filing cabinet is used for wood to create smoke while the other drawers are used to place the meat and fish. Plenty of room for smoking a lot of meat but the filing cabinet won’t take up much storage room when not in use.

18- Trash Can Smoker

Use this idea and learn how to make a smoker from a new metal trash can. This idea will save your time and money and provide you with a long-lasting, efficient homemade smoker like this one by domesticallycreative. Add a few holes to the metal trash can for wood chips and ventilation, plus a couple of grill racks inside to hold the meat and you’re ready to start smoking meat. You may also like to check out diy grill station.

Cheap to build and easy to store when not in use.

19- Flower Pot Smoker

A heavy-walled ceramic flower pot and a hot plate can be used to build a smoker like this one by z12projects that’s just the right size for preparing a family meal.

Easy and cheap to create, this flower pot smoker can smoke enough hot wings to feed the family or a group of friends. These detailed instructions provide pictures and written instructions so the DIY project is super easy to complete. The plans even tell you where to find the items needed to build this meat smoker.

20- Clay Pot Smoker

This homemade smoker by makezine is ideal for people living in a condo or apartment. It’s safe, easy to use and takes up very little space. Great for smoking meat for a meal for two people and the cost of building is minimal.

A couple of clay pots and a wire rack are the most of the building components needed. If you ever want to upgrade to a large meat smoker, the clay pots can be recycled and used for their original intentions – holding flowers. You may also like to check out diy solar oven.

21- Plywood Homemade Smoker

This large smoker is created from plywood and is lined with fireproof boards. This heavy-duty smoker can hold a lot of meat and fish at one time and is ideal for people who like to hunt and fish.

The interior is completely fire retardant and castors on the bottom of the homemade smoker by barbecue-smoker-recipes make it easy to move about as needed. This would make a great addition to an off-grid homestead so meat can be preserved without the use of electricity.

22- Concrete Block DIY Smoker

These free plans will show you how to build a large smoker like this one by smokingmeatforums. using concrete blocks. This DIY smoker is not portable, but it is large enough to smoke a whole hog at once.

Make delicious smoked pork to share with friends and preserve for the future with this large smoker. Smoke a whole hog, deer, or several turkeys, chickens, or fish at the same time in this concrete block smoker. Keep the cost down by usinBy g recycled concrete blocks of this build.

23- 55-Gallon Drum Smoker

An efficient smoker does not have to cost a lot of money to be an asset to the backyard or homestead. This homemade smoker by popularmechanics created from a 55-gallon drum costs almost nothing and it smokes meat and fish to perfection.

These detailed plans are free and will take you through this DIY project step by step so you can build a smoker and enjoy smoked meat at home.

24- Under $10 Homemade Smoker

Do you want to build a cheap smoker? Follow these free plans and you can build a mini smoker for under $10 like this one by instructables. This small and inexpensive smoker will get the job done and infuse your meat and fish with just the right amount of smoke,. Great size for preparing enough meat for a family meal.

Great size of a dorm, condo, or apartment. Easy to use on a small balcony and easy to store when not in use.

25- Cold or Hot Smoker

This elaborate design allows you to control the smoke so you can infuse meat or fish with cold or hot smoke like this one by instructables. One smoker, two smoking methods. It’s like getting two pieces of equipment for the price of one.

The design is easy to build with these simple to follow instructions. You can get the DIY project completed in one day and start enjoying smoked meat this weekend.

26- Cardboard Homemade Smoker

Sounds impossible, but you can create a smoker like this one on youtube that uses fire out of a recycled cardboard box. You will need a large box, some wooden dowels, an aluminum drip pan, and some wood chips.

Add some meat or fish and you’re ready to start smoking meat. It’s a low and slow meat smoking process but it’s cheap, easy to build, and infuses great smoky flavor into meat and fish.

When your done smoking meat, recycle the cardboard again in the fire pit to build a fire for roasting marshmallows.

27- Build Your DIY Smoker From 55 Gallon Steel Drum

Build your own smoker like this one by instructables with a 55 gallon steel drum and a few plumbing parts. Easy to assemble with the detailed instructions and built to last.

Conclusion

Now you have many options to make your own homemade smokers from our list by using drums, file cabinets, flower pots, cardboard, concrete and propane tanks. Many of these diy smokers are made using items you may have already on hand or you can buy for a few dollars. These smokers are a cost efficient way to infuse smoke flavour into meat without buying expensive ones from the stores.