Smokehouse from Medical Bixa (Sterilizer) Do It Yourself

How does medical bix work and why is it suitable for a smokehouse?

Medical Bix is ideal for a smokehouse:

Made from durable stainless steel that is heat resistant. There are also nickel-plated biks, but for a smokehouse it is better to use stainless steel.
Thanks to the manufacturing material, this smokehouse can be easily washed from soot and grease using any detergent, without any consequences.
The lid of the bix is hermetically sealed and is held on the body by a special hook, so marinated products prepared for smoking in such a container can be carried without fear.
There are holes for steam to escape, which in this case will be adapted to remove smoke.

Beaks can be round or rectangular; any design solution is suitable for a do-it-yourself bix smokehouse.

What is medical bix, aka sterilizer

Medical Bix is a special container that is closed with a lid. It sterilizes surgical instruments, gowns and other medical materials. The devices are usually made of stainless steel and can have different shapes and sizes. Bix is often used as a camp smokehouse. Designs of this type are very convenient to use and have a fairly long service life. To make such a simple smokehouse, you only need a few minutes and a few additional materials. Also, several grates are additionally used on which food is placed. Dumpling pans, dumpling pans or racks taken from an old refrigerator are suitable for this purpose. They are installed using stands on one or two levels. Particularly popular are stainless electrodes or fairly thick stainless wire. They are assembled into a grid using electric welding and installed inside the smokehouse.

The device of a medical bix and why it is ideal for making a smokehouse

A small smokehouse, which is made from a sterilizer, has a huge number of advantages. The main ones include the following.

Medical steel has excellent strength and can easily withstand even very high temperatures.
Stainless steel can be easily washed from grease or soot using the simplest detergents. It is acceptable to use metal wool, which will not leave scratches on the structure.
The lid closes tightly enough and is additionally secured with latches. Thanks to this, the smokehouse is convenient to move from place to place.
There is a special handle on the lid of the sterilizer that can be used to carry the device.
Bix has special holes in the bottom or sides through which steam escapes during sterilization. During smoking, smoke will escape through these holes.

Smokehouse from a medical sterilizer

A medical container is a container with a lid in which surgical instruments, gowns and other devices are sterilized. They are made in various shapes and sizes from stainless steel. Such a device can be used as a camp smokehouse.

In addition to the sterilizer itself, one or two grates for food are needed. They are made from a dumpling maker, a dumpling maker or the racks of an old refrigerator. They must be installed on stands at one or two levels. The convenient design is made from stainless electrodes or thick stainless wire. This grid is assembled using electric welding.

Some models of sterilizers are made of nickel-plated steel, but the service life of smokehouses made from this material is limited - the bottom burns out.

Construction of a hot smoked smokehouse made from medical bix

A mini smokehouse made from bix has many advantages:

medical steel is durable and can withstand high temperatures;
Stainless steel can be easily washed from grease and soot using detergents and steel wool without damaging the surface;
the lid closes tightly and is secured with latches, which makes it safe to carry the smokehouse;
on top of the lid there is a handle for carrying the device;
There are holes on the sides for steam to escape during sterilization, and when smoking, smoke comes out through them.

Sawdust is poured onto the bottom of the smokehouse, and a tray must be installed on it to collect fat. Instead, you can put a cabbage leaf with the convex part down.

The following figure shows a drawing of such a smokehouse.

What is medical bix, aka sterilizer

The device of a medical bix and why it is ideal for making a smokehouse

A small smokehouse, which is made from a sterilizer, has a huge number of advantages. The main ones include the following.

Medical steel has excellent strength and can easily withstand even very high temperatures.
Stainless steel can be easily washed from grease or soot using the simplest detergents. It is acceptable to use metal wool, which will not leave scratches on the structure.
The lid closes tightly enough and is additionally secured with latches. Thanks to this, the smokehouse is convenient to move from place to place.
There is a special handle on the lid of the sterilizer that can be used to carry the device.
Bix has special holes in the bottom or sides through which steam escapes during sterilization. During smoking, smoke will escape through these holes.

Features of bix smokehouses of different designs

There are different types of sterilizers:

for several syringes up to 10cm high - not used due to insufficient height;
with holes on the side;
with holes in the bottom.

Smokehouse made from medical bixa with holes on the side

Most sterilizers have holes in the side walls. Through them, air enters the combustion zone and smoke comes out. In some models, the size of the holes is adjusted by a movable ring.

The operating principle of such devices is no different from processing products in other mini-smokehouses. The following figure shows a diagram of the installation of a metal mesh grill into the apparatus with bolts screwed into the walls.

Smokehouse made from medical bixa with holes in the bottom

In such sterilizers, the holes are not in the walls, but in the bottom and lid. You can make such a mini smokehouse with your own hands in a few minutes. Step-by-step instructions for making a smokehouse consist of several points:

cut 2 circles from metal 2-3mm thick and 10mm smaller than the inner diameter of the bix;
attach one circle to the bottom with bolts inside the body, and the second to the lid;
at a height of 25mm from the lid, drill 5-6 Ø8mm holes for smoke to escape.

A sterilization device with holes in the lid and bottom can be installed in the chimney of the barbecue on a specially made stand or directly on top of the chimney if its height is low. The smoke generated when frying kebabs will pass through the holes and smoke the meat and fish.

Preparing the Smokehouse

Before each use, the bix smokehouse must be carefully prepared. First of all, it is necessary to lay previously stored material on its bottom. Then you need to install a mesh with legs, and place dishes on it to accumulate fat.

Products are placed on the top mesh in one layer. They need to be placed in such a way that there are gaps between the products and the wall. After everything is prepared, the home smokehouse for hot smoking is tightly closed and placed on the fire. In a city apartment, it can be placed on an electric or gas stove.

As soon as the medical bix smokehouse is on fire, you need to carefully monitor the appearance of smoke in the holes on the side of the device. As soon as he appears, they begin to keep track of time. It will take 30 minutes to cook the fish. Chicken or lard is cooked for an hour. And for pork it will take at least two hours.

How to make a smokehouse from medical bix with your own hands

If it is possible to get unnecessary medical bix, then its best use will be found in the home kitchen. It can be easily adapted to your own small smokehouse, which will look aesthetically pleasing and have good performance.

To make a smokehouse from medical bix, it is better to take a box measuring 39 cm x 19 cm.

An excellent option for assembling a smokehouse

In order to make a smokehouse, you will need:

Bix himself. If you can’t find it on the farm, you can buy it at a medical equipment store (the cost will still be cheaper than buying a ready-made smokehouse).
Grids for laying out products and a tray for draining fat, which will be installed at different levels.
Second option: instead of a secondary grille, a tray “on legs”, smaller in diameter than the bix body.

A bix smoker can be assembled in a few minutes if you quickly find a suitable grate and tray.

How to choose grates for a smokehouse

The main conditions that must be met when selecting gratings:

heat resistance;
strength;
suitable sizes.

A bix smokehouse will turn out to be very practical if you use an old metal dumpling maker as a grate. But this will become acceptable if the sizes match. You can try to adapt the oven grate from an old gas stove for this purpose. In order to adjust it to the size of the bix, use metal scissors to cut off the excess rods around the perimeter. In this case, at least three rods are left, which are used under the legs of the grate, bending them down.

As a last resort, you can also take aluminum grilles from an old refrigerator. However, this design will not last long. The ideal grill should be steel or stainless steel.

How to install gratings correctly

The upper grid is intended for laying out food. Depending on the size of the box, it is installed in such a way that there is space between the products and the lid. This is necessary for high-quality smoking, so that the smoke screen envelops the food from all sides.

The lower grate is installed approximately 8-10 cm further. A smaller metal bowl is placed on it to catch the dripping fat from above, but not to prevent the passage of smoke from below. You can immediately install a pallet on “legs”, respectively, smaller in diameter than the bix.

DIY bix smokehouse

Before you start making a homemade smokehouse, you need to thoroughly wash the prepared grates and medical smoker. Only after this is it recommended to start assembling the structure:

You can cut the gratings with your own hands, this will allow them to fit tightly into this sterilizer.
The next stage is fixing the metal gratings. Be sure to place a tray at the bottom so that the fat formed during the cooking process drains into it. As for the grate, it needs to be placed a little higher; it is on it that the products undergoing the smoking process will be located.
Place small pieces of wood and wood chips on the bottom of the device. The best option is raw materials from fruit trees. If you take chips of alder or any coniferous tree, the smoked meats will acquire a not very pleasant and sour taste. Coniferous species are also not suitable for the reason that resin will be released from it.
To avoid damage to products by harmful substances, it is advisable to thoroughly soak the wood chips before cooking and then dry them a little. The smoke coming from the bottom layer, penetrating through the wet wood chips, will help eliminate any existing carcinogens.
Using such a smoking device does not require a huge amount of wood to avoid bitterness and strong smoke.

The claimed method is considered very simple and fast. After assembling the design, it is worth testing it in practice. For such purposes, it is necessary to fill the bottom with selected wood chips and install a grate for food.

The cooking time for game and poultry is about 50 minutes, fish - no more than half an hour, pork - within fifty-five minutes.

It is important to note that the smoking process will begin only after smoke begins to appear from the sterilizer holes. To control the amount of smoke and the temperature in the box, you should periodically cover and open similar holes in the walls.

Pay special attention to the placement of products to be smoked. It is important that there is some free space left at the ends. When the smoker is one hundred percent full, close the device with the lid, then place it on moderate heat. A regular blowtorch, a gas stove, or a small fire with a few bricks will do just fine. It is quite convenient to use a barbecue, in which case you will have to ensure that the smokehouse is positioned firmly and steadily.

To prepare a tasty, spicy fish, it is not necessary to peel it, just rub it with spices and salt. If it is too large, you can cut it into two equal parts, processing each separately. Similar recommendations can be applied to poultry and meat. It is advisable to make medium pieces, generously salt and treat with spices. That is why they are left in a marinade, a special brine, for several hours or overnight. The interesting thing is that instead of a pallet, an ordinary cabbage leaf will do, which can be used to cover the sawdust.

As for the service life of the unique unit, it is quite enough for five years of regular use. When signs of corrosion and rust begin to appear on the device, it is better to replace the bix and make a new device with your own hands.

It should be taken into account that the service life of the smokehouse will only increase and extend if it is used correctly and carefully looked after. Products smoked in a sterilizer are aromatic, tasty, and juicy. Hot-cooked delicacies can be stored for four days in the refrigerator.

Thus, in order to make a smokehouse from medical bix, it is not necessary to be clever and invent complex, super-obvious design schemes. The manufacturing process is incredibly fast, simple and straightforward. You will have to spend a minimal amount of effort, time and cash injections. The final result will be able to fully repay your expectations and efforts.

Terms of use

Before using the device, especially one taken from a medical institution, it is necessary to wash it, and lubricate the grilles made of carbon steel or from an old refrigerator with vegetable oil and heat them over the fire until smoke begins to emit. After this, you can begin the smoking process. The operating instructions for this device are the same as for the bucket smokehouse:

put sawdust on the bottom of the bix;
Place a tray on top of the stand to collect fat or place a simple cabbage leaf with the convex side down;
install grates and place food on them;
A smokehouse made from bixa is installed on a gas stove over a small fire or the coals of a burnt-out fire or barbecue.

The taste of the finished products depends on the type of wood from which the chips are made:

aspen - gives a delicate flavor;
oak - strong smell;
birch - gives a strong smell, but the tar has a bitter taste, so the bark must be removed;
cherry and apple tree - with woodchips from these trees, high-quality tasty products are obtained;
juniper and mint - add an unusual flavor.

The prepared products should be placed on the grill in one layer so that the pieces do not touch each other or the walls of the smokehouse.

A few tips that may come in handy

It is not advisable to take fish or meat with a strong fat content, since the smokehouse is small, the volume of sawdust is small, and it is not advisable to “fill” them with fat. The volume of the installed pallet should be sufficient for it.
It is better to immediately divide the meat into small portions. When laying out, leave space between them.
The vegetables are very tasty. It is advisable to smoke them whole so that the juice does not leak out.
Sometimes smokers use cabbage leaves instead of a tray for fat on the road, which are placed under the food.

What can you smoke in such a smokehouse?

Medical bixa can be used for smoking any products that can be cut into small pieces:

Fish - all types, with the exception of the fattiest varieties. Fat is rendered during hot smoking, which worsens the taste of the finished product.
Meat - sausages, chicken pieces, lard, pork tenderloin. You can smoke small sausages in a large pot.
Vegetables - smoked vegetables are used as a side dish. Sliced eggplants, peppers and young corn work well.
Fruits are used as dessert. Plums, pears and apples are most often smoked.

The smoking time depends on the size of the smoked meats. Large pieces cannot be placed in a medical sterilizer, so the process takes 25-35 minutes.

Such a smokehouse can replace a multifunctional purchased device, such as a multi-cooker smokehouse.