smokers Trash Can Smoker?

chuk hell

chuk hell

I got the idea from one of Alton Brown's ideas. So did this guy:

http://www.cruftbox.com/cruft/docs/elecsmoker.html


I'm thinking of making one of these specificly to smoke chiles, since I already have a Texas style smoker. The problem I've had trying to smoke my own chipotles is that they end up tasting as much like grease and meat as they do smoke....so I think they need their own smoker.

Now I read here:

http://www.barbecuen.com/faqsnew.htm

that because metal garbage cans have a coating of zinc that this is a bad idea. If heated to 400º the zinc becaomes toxic. 400º, BTW, is higher than you ever want for smoking but if using fire temps can and do spike. Someone else on another message board, who claims to have a background in assessment of human health risk from exposure to unregulated hazardous waste sites, said that any extra exposure to zinc would be minimal and not enough to worry about. People do take zinc as a supplement.

Thoughts?
 
seems like alton used the same concept but used a cpl of those huge ceramic potters that you get at the pottery barn...it seems to me that the trash can would be easier to work with?? dont know if the pots would hold heat mabey a little better??
 
A few options, not sure how effective.

Buy non-galvanized can.
Sandblast the galvanized coating off.
Coat the can with heat safe black spray paint.
 
thehotpepper.com said:
A few options, not sure how effective.

Buy non-galvanized can.
Sandblast the galvanized coating off.
Coat the can with heat safe black spray paint.
Click to expand...
And let's not forget...
Remove the trash before use.
Tell your roommates that they are not to put any more trash in the can... :hell:
 
my favorite time to garbage can smoke is right after you clean out the fridge...all the stuff you have no idea what it is its just blue and hairy....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
 
chuk hell said:
I got the idea from one of Alton Brown's ideas. So did this guy:

http://www.cruftbox.com/cruft/docs/elecsmoker.html


I'm thinking of making one of these specificly to smoke chiles, since I already have a Texas style smoker. The problem I've had trying to smoke my own chipotles is that they end up tasting as much like grease and meat as they do smoke....so I think they need their own smoker.

Now I read here:

http://www.barbecuen.com/faqsnew.htm

that because metal garbage cans have a coating of zinc that this is a bad idea. If heated to 400º the zinc becaomes toxic. 400º, BTW, is higher than you ever want for smoking but if using fire temps can and do spike. Someone else on another message board, who claims to have a background in assessment of human health risk from exposure to unregulated hazardous waste sites, said that any extra exposure to zinc would be minimal and not enough to worry about. People do take zinc as a supplement.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Kewl that sounds great:onfire:
 
The coolest, and most practical smoker I've seen was one made out of an old fridge. Plenty of rack space and ideal for chiles.
 
I wouldn't recommend it. At one point in time I was assigned to a project that involved automated cutting of galvinized steel with a plasma cutter. I've seen and smelled the yellow smoke. Bad stuff man, bad stuff. Even though in most applications you would not exceed 250 degrees.

I think smoking at 400 degrees is called baking.
 
Some find the toxins nasty, we here in NJ find it a delicacy. It makes a great smoker for the 3-headed toads we find in the mercury-ridden swamps of the Meadowlands area. Not only does it taste like strontium-90, it has that retro taste of uranium-235 like grandpappy used to make.
 
imaguitargod said:
I never liked the uranium 235, I prefer the taste of reactor grade Plutonium-238.
Click to expand...

I have good luck with the Uranium myself. maybe because it's local. I do like to have night BBQ with glow-in-the-dark smoked meats.
 
if your gonna build this type os smoker...buy an un galvenized garbage can or a (NEW) plain steel barrel!! The zinc in the galvenizing is toxic. I have welded galvenized and zinc coat steel in the past....unique smoke....I paid for it for a day or 2 the headache was one of the worst I ever had....If you cannot find one plain then have a new garbage can bead blasted and paint it. just my 2 cents :lol:
 
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