Smoker in the Vent? Good idea? Bad Idea?

[calipizzanapoletana]

So I've been looking at every design option I can, and one thing I've consistently wondered is whether its a good idea to incorporate hooks on the inside of the chimney so that you could put in smoking rods and hang meats or fish to get smoked in the process of firing the oven.

Well? Is there any reason I shouldn't do this? Will the Heat from the firing be TOO hot? I'd appreciate any advice!!

[texassourdough]

I think the very fact that you don't hear of putting smokers in the chimney is a good clue! The flue gas leaving the oven during preheat can be well over 1200 degrees. And there shouldn't be much smoke so you would just be roasting at superhigh temperatures. Yes you could conceivably fire the oven with wet wood and make smoke at a lower temp but...you can build a smoker for almost nothing that will do a far better job.

[lwood]

Way too hot.

[Bakehus]

Very good idea if its custommade two of my ovens have a little door in the flue
which acts as a smoking chamber. the temperatures are very low depending what kind of smoking you do. the timber or shavings just smolders by adjusting the air that gets into the oven.

happy smoking
hendrik

[gdest]

I agree with texassourdough, in addition, don't forget that smoking is "dirty" and will coat your oven with soot. I know that when you do use the oven for pizza this soot should burn off, but I still would not do it.

[Bakehus]

its all about timing the smoking should be done in the morning or the day before, before the pizza party starts where the oven gets up to the required temprature to burn the soot away. its good practice anyway to slowly heat up your oven anyway esp. when it hasnt been in use over the winter

[calipizzanapoletana]

Thanks for all the input guys, I'm convinced that it makes more sense to build a smoking tower separate from the pizza oven for the convenience of cleaning and ease of use.

Speaking of cleaning - do the chimneys of your pizza ovens need cleaning ever?

My heads buzzing with ideas for adding in rotisserie grills and with lots of luck and research (what do you guys think of this one) incorporating fiber optics in the cement counter tops for lighted cement work areas.

[texassourdough]

One thing to think about in building a smoker is whether you want to cold smoke or hot. Your comments suggest you are thinking more like a brisket smokerb but cold smoking is also pretty slick. I think it would be interesting to build a smoker that could work both ways.

Fiber optics is an interesting idea though I doubt we envision quite the same thing.

We will look forward to your project!
Jay

[calipizzanapoletana]

You now have my interest peaked, Jay. What were you envisioning for the fiber optics?

[texassourdough]

I get the impression you are thinking of the lights in the countertop and I am guessing you will have a backsplash/wall of some kind and I was thinking of putting the lights in the backsplash/wall so you get some top/down lighting as well - but the need would depend on the ambient conditions. My outdoor work space is totally unlit (deliberately - though we keep debating doing something more sophisticated) so I sometimes think lighting would be nice.

Good Luck!
Jay