How To Build A Smoker Out Of A Fridge? 3 Easy Steps!

Do you want to find out how to build a smoker out of a fridge? All you need to do is remove the unneeded parts of an old fridge, drill some holes for airflow, add as many shelves as you want, and finally place your heat source at the bottom of the fridge.

Do you like smoked meat, fish, or vegetables? If yes, then you might have considered making them at home by yourself, if you haven’t tried already. Food smokers, however, could sometimes be a little bit too pricey for your budget.

how to build a smoker out of a fridge

Don’t worry because you can still smoke your food if you have an old fridge that you are not using anymore. Maybe you could afford to buy a used one, or pick one up for a bargain at your local junkyard.

It could also be that you already have an old fridge, but don’t what to do with it. If the above statements somehow resonate with you in any way, then you have come to the right place. Keep reading this article to learn how to make your very own food smoker using a fridge.

 

Designing Your Very Own Smoker

Before you start disassembling that fridge of yours, it is very important to plan things out first. You should already be aware of the type of food smoker you want your fridge to be, this would determine the layout of your new smoker and how you are going to alter the interior layout of your fridge.

The design also depends on the type of fridge you are going to use. Older and taller models of refrigerators are ideal. Once you finish inspecting your fridge. You can start planning on how you want the inside of your fridge to look like for it to efficiently do its job as the food smoker you are turning it to. After finishing your design, you are now ready to turn that vision into reality.

 

Steps on How To Build A Smoker Out Of A Fridge

You are free to experiment while transforming your fridge into a food smoker. This instructional will only give guidelines to help you during the process of making your new food smoker.

Specific instructions are impossible to provide because there is no way to tell the specific type of fridge you have nor its size and shape. You might also have different materials available that you could use. This would give you the freedom you need to be creative and get your personalized food smoker. The steps on how to build a smoker out of a fridge are listed below.

 

Step #1. Disassembly

The first step would be to remove any unnecessary parts from the fridge. Remove the machine parts along with any removable part that is not needed. Unscrew what you need to unscrew to make sure none of the remaining parts are at risk once you start heating inside your smoker.

Anything removable within the refrigerator’s interior should be taken out as well. The goal is to make as much space as possible for you to play with. If this means taking out the insulation on the inside walls, then by all means do so. Make sure that the fridge is clean inside and outside, and free from grime and dirt before moving on to the next step.

 

Step #2. Interior layout

Depending on how the fridge is built, it is better if your design makes use of the refrigerator’s original interior structure. Let’s say for example if your fridge has a lower drawer for storing vegetables and fruits, you could use this space to store the charcoal you would be using.

If your refrigerator is a fridge freezer, then you could remove the layer separating the upper and lower compartment. You could also put a steel plate in its place. This would allow the smoke to pass through so it reaches the meat you place inside the upper freezer compartment.

You could also make use of the shelves or trays that come with the fridge as platforms for you to place more meat or your water pan. Everything is up to you you’re the boss. Just make sure that you are already aware of the type of food smoking you want to do, and the technicalities behind how it works.

 

Step #3. Airflow

The final step is to drill holes through the sides and top of the fridge to allow for air to flow. After all the flames producing the smoke would die quickly without oxygen. Be careful not to make them too big or too many to the point where the smoke escapes very easily.

Just cover and uncover the holes to control the airflow. After you place your heat source at the bottom of your new smoker, you are ready to smoke whatever food you want to.

 

Final Words

At the end of this article, I hope that you have learned how to build a smoker out of a fridge. Thank you for reading up to this point of the article. Your time and effort are very much appreciated.

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