DIY Convert an old refrigerator into a meat smoker or smoke cooker 

I was searching books on Amazon & came across smoking meats using an old frig. We just happen to have an old frig. I think a neighbor down the road made one. I see it being used often when his friends gather. I'm thinking if shtf happens, & there's no electricity, we have to put up meat. Smoking is one of those options. Thank you. I can hardly believe this video is 12 years old. Nope, 13 years old!

My father-in-law had one of these. His 1st wife loved it. After she passed his 2nd wife wouldn't let him use it anymore. But, BOY could it smoke some meat!!

Good question Wyatt, yes I have smoked and cooked many different types of meat. The only meat that I have had problems with was (cooking) around 30lbs of wild boar. Although I didn't have a grease fire it sure made a mess out of the inside before it was done. I have since made a deflector tray that slopes to one corner below my bottom rack with a soup can to catch any drippings. I havn't had anything as messy as the pig into since though. Thanks for the great question...

Super cool ! I've thought about doing this before but haven't found the fridge id wanna use

Good job Brotha. I'm sharing.. Recycling at its finest..

Nice video a couple of suggestions to improving. I use a old coil spring stretched out and placed inside larger pipe. Run across your burners and hooked a old rotisary motor on it . Incorporated a bin for smoking chips. Adjust motor speed down with ceiling fan control. This insures a constant fresh smoke supply. Also I control 1 burner with a line stat control for even heat. Great Video! Your smoker looks far better than mine.

I made a smoker out of an old fridge just like this one back in high school shop class for my year end project. I didnt use a heating element, i made a real smoker. Custom fabricated a steel box from 1/4 steel sheets and made a 3' L X 18" W X 2' H box with a 3" steel pipe coming out one end and made a 90 degree elbow where it comes up through the bottom of the fridge. I use stick only for my heat source.

Cool, your going to like it. I have pulled the inner door skin off and replaced it with sheet metal. I have not done it yet, but I'm going to try using ceder slats as the new seal, counter sunk and screwed to both door and body surfaces so I can get away from using any rubber. I'm going to post another vid showing this when it's done. If it works it should last forever.....post a vid when your done, I'd like to check yours out..

Another idea, would have been to put a 4 to 6 in diameter hole near the bottom and use a secondary heat source to make a cold smoker, but the closer the heat source the hotter so it can do both be a hot and cold smoker, but that, I guess depends upon what you are using it for, I find almost any meat you can hot smoke you can cold smoke, only difference is hot smoking is really cooking and cold smoking is more preserving.. So people would need to test to see what works the best for them..

@sethy2004 Good question, that was not addressed in the video. I used a light weight aluminum foil roasting pan and suspended it from the bottom rack with wire. Not too high tech, but it does a great job.

The support is appreciated. Thanks

Great video, thanks

Wow what a great idea....thanks

Thanks, I have never had any problems with it over heating to the point of justifying the larger exhaust. But, it is easier to close down a 4" then it is to open up an 1-1/2 when it's running...LOL Thanks for the thought.

Yep, your totally right. a trash can works great for smoking, heck I've ever heard of people cooking whole turkeys in them. Some one could also make a cheap smoker out of plywood that works well too...Thanks for your comment.

Thanks great video very helpful indeed

dude this is cool, got to make one!!

Totally cool, and your very welcome. geeze now all you have to play with it, and have a blast.... With a little effort completed you can now cook awesome dinners or preserve meat without the use of gas or power, completely off the grid. I have no doubt you will be a survivor when the economy "really" gets bad....but that's another subject...LOL Great Job!!!, Thanks for the update.

@Hellitsme66 The inside door skin is made from something like a compressed wood pulp for lack of a better word. it did not melt nor did it catch on fire. However from the steam from my water soaked wood chips, it did warp. I would suggest replacing the inner skin with sheet metal. The trim was weather rotted and only lasted two or three firings. I replaced the seal with a piece of cheap rubber garden hose by screwing it onto the sheet metal. I have since bought a Traeger grill

my dad did this to my Grandpa's old freezer

Nice video. I want to convert an old stove into a smoker. It won't hold as much, but its already made for high temps.

Calibur, Put light weight angle on the sides, pop rivet or screw them on, get expanded metal grates for your shelves, then you can remove them, and replace with rods for smoking sausage or hanging things, and you need a drip shelf at the bottom. You can also add a damper in the stack, so you don't loose so much smoke and heat. Keep the temp around 165 for sausage and 220 for ribs, I have made about 10 of these and always find new ideas. Great job,

I would have to see your fridge for my best opinion. Sounds like a cool idea, if your fidges top freezer has it's own door then do like I did and mount the burner up tight against the(now floor) of the smoke box in such a fashion that it would be easy to remove it for your hibatchi. Then crack or open the burner door so it doesn't get to hot using the burner and close it for charcoal. If it's all behind one big door I would be concerned about the heat and oily smoke on the burners components.

That's awesome, I love to hear when someones ideas beat out anything industry has manufactured. That bitter taste could have just been a sappy knot that got missed by your chip maker, doesn't matter now, it's sounds like you've got yours dialed in. Makes me want to go get a roast out of the freezer and make up some jerky for this weekend..hmmm , LOL

interesting...thanks for sharing

@margosdad to be honest I never took it over 230 degrees, which was my target. With the burners set at High under the chip pan and Med on the open burner. My results where: 15 min=150 degrees, 45 min=215 degrees. As stated my target was 230 which it would hold with the pan burner on med and the open burner turned off with a cap(spray can lid) over the top vent pipe. You should be able to maintain and hold any temp below 230 with only 1 burner and playing with the side and top vents.

Awesome!

Great Vid Cheers

Howdy ex440, If you live in a dry climate you will need a pan of water in your smoker. above or on the extra burner and below the meat. This also prevents flareups also catching drippings for easier clean up. Cheers Jeff

You are doing a great job.ex440

@ManCaveSmokers That's a great idea, guess I never thought of that. A guy could use a little stove let what folks use in sheep herders tents... I my just redue mine, I have a bunch of apple and cherry wood. Thanks for the idea.

Thank you

@margosdad yes, they did appear to be adequate. The inside of mine was a baked on enamel...I would not worry about painting the inside once you get the rust off of the panels..for fear of toxic fumes, or at the least tainting the taste of the finished product your going to cook in it. I know it might not look as good but I would just give the bare metal area's you have from removing the rust a good coat of cooking oil. that will seal the metal. IMO....good luck

Brilliant

We made these a lot when I was a kid

Yep that works too, and there pretty slick....hmm, maybe I can come up with something to do with my old Photcopier...LOL

Thanks for your concern, but there is no lead in the fridge? If you are thinking about the galvanized sheet metal, there is no lead in it, it's Zinc oxide with a working temp of 392F. The whole inside is Porcelain coated steel (same thing is on your BBQ grills.) There is no paint on the interior. The factory wiring was removed, the inside of the door is now galvanized sheet metal. The wiring for the burner is exterior so there isn't much else going on with the thing. Thanks for the comment

@excalibur440 apple is a very good smoke for meat.. creates a smooth smoke taste not a real thick deep smoke taste. Hickory will give you a real deep smoke taste, i prefer to only use hickory on big cuts of meat like pork butt and brisket because the smoke is so strong. Dont get me wrong you can use apple on your big cuts also, its just that apple is harder to get ahold of then hickory. Cherry is good to use also if you like a sweeter smoke.. Cherry is even more difficult to get ahold of

awesome

@excalibur440 Nice job, bud. :) I really like your idea for the sliding vent control - so much so that I'm going to ste....ahhhh...borrow it. Thanks. The big difference between yours and mine, apart from size (this is my first smoker - a learning curve so I'm using a bar fridge*) is temp reg. I used probe and oven controller to regulate a stovetop burners. It works really well. OK....little work for me to revise venting. *all plastic and sprayed insulation removed......& all salvage.

nice job. hope you show us how you make the jerky :D

Please make an update video. I want to know how it turned out and how well it smoked meat.

Sweet.

@excalibur440 to do my smoking and cooking on, so I havn't used the fridge for sometime now. but, it was still working like a champ when I parked it. For other modifications and issues I ran into see my past replies. Thanks

@dsearcy1,missrunt and kawill81971 You comments are non-founded and misleading to people. The galvanized sheet metal, is Zinc oxide with a working temp of 392F. The whole inside is Porcelain coated steel (same thing is on your BBQ grills.) There is no paint on the interior. The factory wiring was removed, the inside of the door is now galvanized sheet metal. The wiring for the burner is exterior so there isn't much else going on with the thing. Thanks for the concern though.

Yes I do, but my main objective was to be able to cook or preserve meat without the use of the electric grid. The Smoker/cooker works just as well with charcoal under a cast iron skillet holding the wood chips.

he gave it his best shot. even admitted he hasn't done that much smoking. and as for the temp gauge? beats the hell out of just sticking your finger inside and guessing. And the vid description tells about building it, not smoking meat. I suggest searching for "how to smoke meat" if you want to see vids about actually smoking meat.

@richandrene Thank you.

Sweet.......

Heck yeah...get her smokin!

I was looking for an old fridge for a amoker..my idea was simpler. Build a fire box cut a hole inthe side of rhe fridge connect the fire box to thr hole infhe fridge for mostly amoke but low heat obviouslywill transfer. Use the racks to lay out the meat.light a fire I thefire box. Keep tabs onthe temp inthe fridge with remote thermometer. Leave it alone for a day. When itsi done and the meat is out, hose it down for the grease. A lot simpler

Use stainless steel, It would also of been nice to see what the final set up looked like filled with the pans and see how much smoke was generated.

I did get to see your video looks doable since I live in Thailand labor is very cheap. So have you made any videos on how it worked and what you have smoked? I am into cured salmon but want to smoke it now. Thanks

Good vid. My Dad had one almost identical. Lot's of good smoked fish. I'm looking for a fridge.

@excalibur440 Thanks for the quick reply. On your air vents down on the bottom, do you find that those were adequate or would you add more? Those are the temps that I want to deal with as well. I've got my Fridge gutted out and whatever rust on the exterior removed. Ready for paint, and setting up the inside of the smoker. You've really encouraged me to get going. I've been wanting to upgrade my little unit for some time. Thanks again!!

Hi and thanks a bunch for sharing your project! Looks great. Just wondering now that you've had your unit for a while, what temperatures low and high can you maintain with the two burner unit. I believe I've the same fridge that I just picked up. Thanks Al

hey - decent vid, look into 'PAHs' though. they are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and i could be wrong, but i swear abs and/or pvc when heated will release pahs into any moisture present, airborne first, then falling. this could well mean your smoked items are being poisoned. i think if you made a metal exhaust, you'd be a-ok. otherwise very cool. be safe with plastics:) if you're not sure use carbon steel. NEVER using galvanized... that's another story...

I have a question for you. What happened to the door? Did it melt and also the trim on the door opening

Do you think it could be done just using wood and charcoal?if so, What would you use to put the charcoal In?

I have a Cres Cor warming cabinet that I'd like to make into a dehydrator. Do you think that your double burner stove trick would make that happen? Great vid !

i have a freezer about the same vintage i want to convert also is there anything toxic in those old freezers like asbestos or anything in the fiberglass that could be toxic when heated?

Isn’t galvanized metal unhealthy at high temps? Hope everything is well with this. I like the burner on the bottom. Cleaver

Any chance of an update vid on your modified frig smoker?

Does the insulation inside the fridge cause an issue

Awesome smoker!!! But 1 question... What about the paint that is on the tin? I got a freezer that is all gutted and everything and ready to go, but I'm worried about the paint.

can you show the inside after you cooked or smoking it.

How to put wooden chips on open burner?

Hi you should show us what you have smoking in that fridge...

heatng refrigerator could it cause toxin gasing from the insulation?

Hey idahoWheelers where are you at, I'm in Ontario Oregon.

Where would you look to buy a fridge like that?

How did the door panel make out

I am guessing you are using your second burner now for awater pan for moisture right?

If you are are looking for a way to just roast a pig or a bunch of chickens and don't want to go through all the trouble with the fridge and trying to find a hot plate, check out my pig cooker for under $25.00. Cooks 125 lb. pig in 5.5 hours. No metal, no electricity, no mess. You can put as many wood chip in as you want over the 5.5 hours...

just made mine from an old mini fridge!!...

What did you do with all the juice that was dripping on the burners?

Might replace the abs with some stainless exhaust pipe. Other than that plaster it all over with bumper stickers.

Hi there, I am trying to watch your video but for some reason I am getting the message "An error occurred please try again later" Is there another way to see your video as I want to build one for smoking salmon! I have had this message on many You Tube videos I've tried to watched,

@hindimjr No doubt Huh, Nah, I just need to make one out of a galvanized trash can with a plastic glad "trash bag" liner and use chipped railroad ties for the smoking wood...I'm sure people would still dawg a guys best efforts...LOL Thanks for the giggle...

As a Fridge or a Smoker?

considering I saved it from a tin baler, it has a pretty good life.

Don't get a lead lined one in the case you find it sell the lead

Was the inside porcelain coated? I worry about buying an old fridge not knowing if it has lead paint or not. I have found an old Hotpoint very similar but haven’t purchased yet.

Next Week:: DIY Convert an old smoker into a refrigerator.

I have a ?,,,where is Part 4 of your rail system???

WHY DIDN'T YOU USE PROPANE GAS BURNER...?

I would also fear for drippings making their way into your hot plate.

You can't use galvinized anything in a smoker; it releases toxic fumes.

Only problem is you used plastic's such as the shelf clips and the black abs plastic pipe for the vent stack. Plastic when it burns it produces a harmful gas filled with toxins.

can you use a new refrigerator with plastic or should i tile the inside to make smoker

Very impressed with your ability to convert this old fridge into a smoker, you done a really good job. Unfortunately, if you've been eating the meat smoked in this particular smoker, you have probably contaminated your liver with lead. I cannot believe you used galvinized metal in your smoker. When the metal reaches 200 degrees, the lead will start breaking down and saturate the meat. You eat the meat, the lead becomes trapped in your body. Liver is the first victim...... sorry man

you should restore it as a refrigerator instead of destroying a great refrigerator

I would like to see you smoke something in it

with the guard off. Just be very careful, the thing could cut the ex wifes boyfriends car in half in about 2 minutes. ;0) The vent holes where cut using bi-metal hole saws. Good luck, you'll enjoy it and feel fee to post a video response when you get it done.

No, the fridge did not work.

you had me til you said you used galvanized metal inside. not a good idea.

I recon you should piss off any plastic inside,ya dont want..Mnn Plasticly

Thumbs Down. Don't waste Ur time watching this video. At the end of the video, one would expect him to have opened the refridg door to show us the smoker at work w/ chips smoking on one burner and the oher being open, this guy just blabs about it. What does it look like inside the smoker while its at work; I WANT TO SEE!!! That's a requirement one would think. And he installs an analog temp gauge; boy howdy, that's accurate.

I did get to see your video looks doable since I live in Thailand labor is very cheap. So have you made any videos on how it worked and what you have smoked? I am into cured salmon but want to smoke it now. Thanks

Where would you look to buy a fridge like that?