One of the most effective ways to preserve and flavor meat in the wilderness is by smoking. Fortunately, you don’t to build a complex system to get the job done, especially when you don’t have the time or material on hand. While the method that will be described below works and is incredibly practical, it is not intended to replace conventional options if they are available. But, it will cure a small amount of meat at a time with minimal resources.
Preparing the Can
All you need is a thin aluminum garbage can with a lid, a baking tin, a grill grate and a knife or drill. You have two options when building a smoker. You can use an electric version with a hot plate, or you can provide your own source of fuel, such as a can stove or small fire. Just keep in mind that the idea is not to create enough heat for fast cooking. Rather, you are creating a low heat that will infuse smoke and lightly cook meat for it’s preservation. So, a large flame will defeat this purpose.
Both options require that you cut a hole about an inch in diameter near the bottom of the can. This will provide a small vent that will draw in some air to aid in the cooking process. It also provides an access hole for you to feed through the power cord from the burner as well.
Putting Everything Together
All you need to do next is fill the pie tin with wood chips that have been thoroughly soaked and prepared for smoking. The circular baking tin should be between an inch and two inches high to contain an adequate amount of wood to complete the process. Place the baking tin directly on top of the burner. Place the circular grill into the garbage can until it rests against the walls and locks in place.
Ignite the heat source or turn on the burner and cover the can securely with the lid. Wait about 30 minutes for the wood chips to reach the appropriate temperature and start generating heat. Quickly remove the lid and insert the pieces of meat to be smoked, resting it on the grill. Cover again and let sit for anywhere from four to 12 hours depending on the thickness of the meat and the amount smoke you want to infuse.
If you are using a fire-based smoker, you are better off using a hobo stove or can oven to provide the heat for smoking. You will have a better chance with regulating temperature by using this method. Additionally, you don’t need to continually stoke and play with a charcoal or wood-based fire as well. However, you can build a small fire and let it diminish until all that is left is a low flame and red embers as an alternative.
This simple trick will not replace the effectiveness of a traditional smoke house, but it will work in a pinch. Try it out for yourself, with different cuts of meat and under different conditions. You can easily make modifications as you go in order to develop a more efficient tool to preserve your meats.
