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[Hank]

I am wondering if anyone has ever used their OWB as a meat smoker. I am thinking about using my OWB at times as a smoker. I would only use Hickory, Cherry, Apple woods. I have a Hardy H-2, my plan would be to only use a small amount of wood get the inside hot and create a lot of smoke, then use a stainless steel grate to lay my meat on so it gets smoke all around the meat. I would make sure there is no other woods/coal to contaminate the flavor or the meat. Does anyone have any suggestions or has anyone tried this.

[Steve]

A forced draft would probably stir up way to many ashes and leave a nasty coating on the meat.  It would probably be one of those experiments to do when you're home alone!  I've been thinking of buying a smoker lately, let us know if you give this a shot.

[charlie]

Hank ,I have thrown potatoes in foil in just left them in the coals for an hour. Come out good. Have a wood cooker, Get a shovel of coals from the wood boiler and load up the wood cooker,you got instant coals. Pretty convenient. No kindling . Then I add wood depending what's going on the cooker. Bet a dutch oven my work well, never tried it. Good luck...Charlie

[Hank]

With the way I have my H2 set up I can unplug it so the forced air blower does not kick on ( to prevent ashes from being stirred up or blown all over the meat). I think this will work. When I fire it up for the winter I am going to use Hickory and Apple with some venison. I will let everyone know how this works. If any one has any suggestions let me know. Hank

[ckbetz]

I've always threatened to throw a shoulder or tenderloin inside mine but have always been afraid of the great temperature variations since these boilers are either in full burn or dampered completely down.  I'd be curious to see how it goes.

[Hank]

Hey guys, good news this worked out well. I waited until the temp outside was about 50 so my house wouldn't need a whole lot of heat. I unplugged the blower so it would not kick on (to blow ashes all over the meat). I used hickory, cherry and apple woods in my Hardy for a couple of days to get all the other nice flavors of wood such as locust, elm, oak etc.. out. I opened the draft door to allow the OWB to get hot and create a lot of smoke. I placed a BBQ grill grate on top of the wood to allow the smoke to get all over the meat, I then placed the slabs venison on the grate. I rubbed it down liquid hickory smoke then added my spices, I used an injector to inject it. (my injection was liquid hickory smoke and my spices combined) I would go out every couple of hours to open the draft door to create more heat and smoke.It smoked for about 8 hours. I tried to keep the inside of the OWB at 160 to 180 degrees. EXCELLENT taste, tender meat... I want to try deer jerky next instead of using a dehydrator. 

[Jason]

That's a really cool idea.  I'm happy to hear it worked out well.  Did you get any odd flavors from the other kinds of wood even though you didn't burn them for a couple days?  I burn so much pine in mine I'd be afraid the meat would come out tasting like gin unless I scrubbed the whole firebox down first.

[Scratch]

Nice job!  Way to figure out another use for an OWB!

I'll take mine with some Famous Daves purple sauce please!

[Hank]

I continue to use my Hardy H2 OWB as the occasional meat smoker... It actually works well. I have smoked deer, beef and ham in it. Deer being the best.

[jackel440]

I am glad to hear this worked out.I have been wanting to try smoking some meat myself. I have never done it before and figured why not use the boiler.I am going to have to try this sometime soon.

[willieG]

be carefull what you burn in that "smoker"...i cremated my golden lab in mine 2 years ago and everynow and then i still get a wiff of him...unless that is just my imagination!

[MattyNH]

be carefull what you burn in that "smoker"...i cremated my golden lab in mine 2 years ago and everynow and then i still get a wiff of him...unless that is just my imagination!

Not sure I'd throw the family pet or any animal in the furance..I couldnt imagine the stink...No wonder why OWB's are on the hot seat of being regulated or banned in some areas....

[willieG]

be carefull what you burn in that "smoker"...i cremated my golden lab in mine 2 years ago and everynow and then i still get a wiff of him...unless that is just my imagination!

Not sure I'd throw the family pet or any animal in the furance..I couldnt imagine the stink...No wonder why OWB's are on the hot seat of being regulated or banned in some areas....

Matty, what i did might not sit well with everyone, but it was right for me. I asked my vet what he would do if i left the dog with him and he said they keep them untill they have a big freezer full then they ship them off to the city to creamate them in a big furnace like they use for humans. Well, i thought about that for a minute and decided my outdoor stove could burn just one. instead of lying in limbo in a freezer for a month and then being burnt up with 99 other cats, dogs, hamsters and who knows what, i like to think h e went out with a little dignity. as for my neighbors, on the right he is 1/4 mile away, on the left, he is almost 1 mile and east and west  thye are a whole concession away.  also i can tell you that people out there that are too lazy to stay a year ahead of thier wood supply and burn green wood make far for smoke and stink than anything i could ever burn in my stove. I can remember (way back when) i was looking at OWB and "most" of the dealers were using the sales ply that i needed thier particular stove because i could burn green wood in it. (we all know that is not the best thing to do now) like i said at the top of this post, it may not be political correct but for me it was the best thing i could do for my old companion

[MattyNH]

be carefull what you burn in that "smoker"...i cremated my golden lab in mine 2 years ago and everynow and then i still get a wiff of him...unless that is just my imagination!

Not sure I'd throw the family pet or any animal in the furance..I couldnt imagine the stink...No wonder why OWB's are on the hot seat of being regulated or banned in some areas....

Matty, what i did might not sit well with everyone, but it was right for me. I asked my vet what he would do if i left the dog with him and he said they keep them untill they have a big freezer full then they ship them off to the city to creamate them in a big furnace like they use for humans. Well, i thought about that for a minute and decided my outdoor stove could burn just one. instead of lying in limbo in a freezer for a month and then being burnt up with 99 other cats, dogs, hamsters and who knows what, i like to think h e went out with a little dignity. as for my neighbors, on the right he is 1/4 mile away, on the left, he is almost 1 mile and east and west  thye are a whole concession away.  also i can tell you that people out there that are too lazy to stay a year ahead of thier wood supply and burn green wood make far for smoke and stink than anything i could ever burn in my stove. I can remember (way back when) i was looking at OWB and "most" of the dealers were using the sales ply that i needed thier particular stove because i could burn green wood in it. (we all know that is not the best thing to do now) like i said at the top of this post, it may not be political correct but for me it was the best thing i could do for my old companion

           Willy,
                    If its right for you thats fine..Its not the first time that ive heard animals or parts of animals being creamated in a OWB..Like you said may not be political correct..I think Id bury the dog..But thats me..The problem is that theres  people out there that absolultly abuse them..They burn everything from trash, tires, treated wood, anything that will burn goes in... I agree with the green wood thing..Half potental btu's are going out the stack..I live in a odd law state..Half these furances on this web sight cannt be sold  in my state unless they meet EPA phase2.. Ive heard it will be nation wide pretty soon

[willieG]

i think here in ontario it will be like your state as well..allready here local municipal government has made rules that make sure it is difficult to have one in a built up area. in my township they have now made it  (i'm not sure on exact footage) something like you stove must be no closer than 150  feet to your property line and 300 feet from the nearest neighbours dwelling. that pretty much takes care of everywhere but farms or big lots in the countryside.