Make your own food smoker!
Do you like smoked meats and other foods? I sure do, but I sure don't have the budget to buy a fancy-shmancy real one. I saw this method on the weekend to make your own for about $15!
Materials needed:
- 1 old wok (that you don't care about getting burn marks on the bottom of) or I actually saw one at Canadian Tire for $7.99. Seriously.
- 1 cheap as hell (like 5 bucks) bamboo steamer (see pic below) - check at any Asian market.

- wood chips (you can purchase wood chips for smoking at Canadian Tire too)
How to use it:
1. Place wok on the stove on high heat - no oil, no nothing, just the wok.
2. When the wok is hot, put 2 handfulls of wood chips into it.
3. When the wood chips start to smoke, add 1/2 cup water.
4. Place bamboo steamer (containing the food you wish to smoke) into the wok.
5. Smoke your food 'til done!
Preparing your food for smoking:
Vegetables: these can go straight into the steamer, no prep necessary unless you want spices
Meats/Fish:
- cut meat/fish into serving portions
- marinate in desired marinade for at least 8 hours, or overnight
- drain marinade from meat/fish and allow to air-dry on the counter for 1 hour
- place in bamboo steamer and then into hot wok with chips
I am SO going to make a smoker this weekend!!!
I'll post this on our recipe forum too.
K. :)
Materials needed:
- 1 old wok (that you don't care about getting burn marks on the bottom of) or I actually saw one at Canadian Tire for $7.99. Seriously.
- 1 cheap as hell (like 5 bucks) bamboo steamer (see pic below) - check at any Asian market.

- wood chips (you can purchase wood chips for smoking at Canadian Tire too)
How to use it:
1. Place wok on the stove on high heat - no oil, no nothing, just the wok.
2. When the wok is hot, put 2 handfulls of wood chips into it.
3. When the wood chips start to smoke, add 1/2 cup water.
4. Place bamboo steamer (containing the food you wish to smoke) into the wok.
5. Smoke your food 'til done!
Preparing your food for smoking:
Vegetables: these can go straight into the steamer, no prep necessary unless you want spices
Meats/Fish:
- cut meat/fish into serving portions
- marinate in desired marinade for at least 8 hours, or overnight
- drain marinade from meat/fish and allow to air-dry on the counter for 1 hour
- place in bamboo steamer and then into hot wok with chips
I am SO going to make a smoker this weekend!!!
I'll post this on our recipe forum too.
K. :)
Karen
Ontario Recipes Forum - http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/ontario_recipes/
Good point re. the smoke detectors BUT... the guy on TV said you can turn on your kitchen fan and since it doesn't smoke toooooo badly, it shouldn't be a problem. I should have mentioned that, thanks Cathy.
Karen
Ontario Recipes Forum - http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/ontario_recipes/
Oh, fabulous idea re. the BBQ side-burner!
P.S. (looks around furtively) (whispers) I take the batteries out of mine near the kitchen if I know I'm cooking something that may trip it. lol
P.S. (looks around furtively) (whispers) I take the batteries out of mine near the kitchen if I know I'm cooking something that may trip it. lol
Karen
Ontario Recipes Forum - http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/ontario_recipes/
You can also put a shower cap over it. My mom used to do that with her hall one because the steam from the shower would set it off. The shower cap is a little more obvious so she wouldn't forget about it.
She lived in an apartment building so didn't have access to her own breakers and hers was wired in.
She lived in an apartment building so didn't have access to her own breakers and hers was wired in.
Hi Karen, were you by chance watching Chuck's Day Off? I saw the same show.
I love smoked foods, my husband actually bought me a smoker for our anniversary 2 years ago, I love it. but befor that I did it on the BBQ with smoke packs, that worked pretty good to.....I'm looking forward to trying new rubs this year that aren't brown sugar based, it should be interesting comeing up with new ideas for spice rubs.
Elizabeth
I love smoked foods, my husband actually bought me a smoker for our anniversary 2 years ago, I love it. but befor that I did it on the BBQ with smoke packs, that worked pretty good to.....I'm looking forward to trying new rubs this year that aren't brown sugar based, it should be interesting comeing up with new ideas for spice rubs.
Elizabeth
Why yes, I **was** watching Chuck! LOL!! I had the flu and was "holding down the couch" all weekend with my beloved Food Network. haha
P.S. Splenda makes a brown sugar - it's a mix of real and artificial and very good. I haven't had any difficulties with it with respect to the sugar.
P.S. Splenda makes a brown sugar - it's a mix of real and artificial and very good. I haven't had any difficulties with it with respect to the sugar.
Karen
Ontario Recipes Forum - http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/ontario_recipes/