Winter days are the perfect time to bring out your DIY skills and create a smoker that will elevate your outdoor cooking experience.
As the chill settles in, nothing beats the warmth of a well-smoked meal, whether you’re cooking up meats, veggies, or even homemade smoked cheeses.
These 20 creative DIY smoker ideas are designed to help you make the most of the season, with projects that range from simple to more advanced builds.
#1. Classic Smoker Shed with Steel Barrel
By combining a steel barrel smoker with a custom-built wooden shed, this DIY smoker project takes functionality and style to the next level.
The large smoker is housed in a sturdy wooden structure, offering protection from the elements while maintaining a perfect smoking environment.
The steel barrel is designed for efficient heat circulation, while the chimney allows smoke to escape effortlessly, ensuring optimal cooking.
#2. DIY Hybrid Smoker and Grill
This unique DIY hybrid smoker and grill setup uses a modified kettle grill with a creative addition: a separate charcoal chamber connected via a flexible metal tube.
The setup allows for efficient smoking with indirect heat, ensuring even cooking and enhanced flavor.
The separate firebox keeps the smoke and heat flowing through the grill, creating a more controlled environment for slow-cooking your meats.
#3. Terra Cotta Pot Smoker
For someone looking to repurpose everyday items into a functional outdoor smoker, the terra cotta pot smoker is a creative and affordable DIY project.
By using two large clay pots, a metal grate, and a few simple tools, this smoker is crafted with a low-budget approach that doesn’t sacrifice performance.
The design works by trapping heat inside the larger pot while allowing smoke to circulate around the meat.
#4. Fish Barrel Smoker
Nothing is better than combining a day at the beach with a flavorful meal by building a fish barrel smoker?
This DIY project repurposes a large wooden barrel, turning it into a functional smoker perfect for fish and other meats.
By hanging fish inside on a custom-made rack and adding a wood fire underneath, this barrel smoker allows for slow cooking while the smoke infuses the fish with rich, smoky flavor.
The barrel’s design helps maintain consistent heat and smoke circulation, ensuring perfectly smoked fish every time.
#5. Industrial-Style Barrel Smoker with Wheels
This industrial-style barrel smoker, complete with wheels for easy maneuvering, offers an impressive DIY project for any BBQ enthusiast.
Built with two repurposed steel drums, the smoker features a firebox and an offset chamber, allowing for excellent heat control and the ability to smoke large cuts of meat.
With its robust design and durable materials, this smoker is perfect for outdoor gatherings or as a permanent backyard addition for slow-cooked, flavorful meals.
#6. Wood-Smoking Shed with Sausage Hanger
What about building a wooden smoker shed for a rustic touch? This DIY smoker shed integrates a space for storing wood alongside a functional smoker with an integrated brick oven.
The wooden walls and roof offer excellent insulation, while the brick base ensures a long-lasting, heat-efficient smoking environment.
The smoker includes a traditional sausage hanger, allowing for perfect curing and smoking of meats like sausage and bacon.
#7. Brick Fire Pit Smoker
You can see a robust brick structure is transformed into a functional fire pit smoker, providing both grilling and smoking capabilities.
The stone construction ensures durability and heat retention, allowing for the perfect slow-cooked barbecue.
The raised grilling racks make cooking meats such as ribs and chicken easy, while the open flame adds a traditional smoky flavor.
This fire pit smoker is perfect for those who enjoy outdoor cooking and hosting BBQ parties, combining practicality and aesthetic appeal for a classic backyard setup.
#8. Vertical DIY Smoker Cabinet
You can also build a vertical DIY smoker cabinet for an efficient smoking solution.
This design features multiple racks, allowing for simultaneous smoking of multiple cuts of meat, from ribs to brisket.
The vertical layout maximizes space, perfect for small backyard setups. The smoker uses a separate firebox at the base for consistent heat distribution.
With this project, you can customize the dimensions, insulation, and even add extra features such as temperature control or a venting system.
#9. Custom Built Offset Smoker
This custom-built offset smoker is an excellent project for those looking to create a heavy-duty, professional-style smoker at home.
Using steel or scrap metal, the design features a spacious cooking chamber with a separate firebox for efficient heat distribution.
The addition of wheels makes it portable, allowing for easy movement around the yard. This smoker is perfect for cooking large cuts of meat over extended periods, providing a rich, smoky flavor.
#10. Mobile Barrel Smoker
By utilizing large steel barrels and adding custom wheels for portability, this DIY smoker becomes a mobile barbecue powerhouse.
The offset design allows for slow cooking with direct and indirect heat zones, ideal for smoking large cuts of meat.
The addition of a large firebox on one side ensures even heat distribution, while the tall chimney offers a proper smoking experience.
This project is perfect for anyone who enjoys hosting outdoor BBQs, as it combines functionality with a rugged, industrial look, making it a standout feature for your yard or events.
#11. Portable Weber Smoker Upgrade
Transform a simple portable grill into a functional smoker with this DIY Weber smoker upgrade!
By adding a chimney starter and some clever modifications, you can turn this compact grill into an efficient smoking station.
This setup is perfect for small spaces or anyone who enjoys grilling and smoking without the need for a large, bulky smoker.
The addition of a heat-resistant lid and precise temperature control ensures that your meats are cooked low and slow, capturing that delicious smoky flavor.
#12. DIY BBQ Oven Smoker
To create this clever DIY smoker, you can repurpose an old oven and combine the features of both grilling and smoking in one unit.
By adding a grilling rack on top for sausages, meats, or vegetables, and using the lower section to bake or warm bread, this versatile smoker lets you cook multiple items at once.
The firebox, located at the bottom, keeps the temperature controlled while infusing smoky flavors.
#13. Smoky Barrel Smoker
On winter days, an old barrel has been cleverly repurposed into a functional, rustic smoker.
The design incorporates a large cooking chamber, where meats such as sausages and chickens hang from racks, allowing for an even smoke infusion.
The firebox below provides heat and smoke, efficiently cooking and flavoring food over time.
This setup is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking to elevate their BBQ experience with a personal touch.
#14. DIY Drum Smoker
If you’re looking to repurpose old metal drums into a high-performance smoker, this DIY drum smoker is a fantastic choice.
By utilizing two large metal drums, this smoker setup creates a perfect cooking environment with an adjustable air flow and heat control.
The compact design features a firebox for controlled heat and a cooking chamber for even smoking. It’s a cost-effective way to create a custom smoker that’s both functional and unique.
#15. Classic Barrel Offset Smoker
This DIY smoker made from a repurposed barrel is both functional and budget-friendly.
Using an old steel drum as the main body, you can easily craft a traditional offset smoker by adding a side firebox for the wood and a chimney to regulate airflow.
The barrel’s spacious interior allows for plenty of room to smoke large cuts of meat.
Adding metal racks and ensuring proper insulation will help maintain consistent heat for optimal smoking results.
#16. Vertical Barrel Smoker
Why not elevate your smoking game with this vertical barrel smoker, designed to give you perfectly smoked meats every time?
By utilizing a simple metal barrel and adding a rotating rack system, you can cook multiple racks of ribs or other meats at once while ensuring even heat distribution.
The vertical design allows smoke to circulate freely, infusing the meat with that signature smoky flavor.
#17. DIY Double Barrel Smoker
This DIY double barrel smoker is a perfect project for those who want to build a large, functional smoker from repurposed materials.
Using two steel drums, one for the smoking chamber and the other for the firebox, you can create a smoking system that delivers amazing results.
The design allows for more control over heat distribution, ensuring consistent smoking temperatures.
Adding a wooden shelf provides extra workspace, and with a few simple modifications, you’ve got yourself a robust smoker that can handle big BBQ sessions.
#18. DIY Pizza Smoker Tower
Perfect for the outdoor enthusiast who loves pizza, this DIY smoker tower allows you to cook multiple pizzas at once with an even distribution of heat.
By stacking circular trays and filling each with charcoal, you can maintain consistent cooking temperatures for all the pizzas simultaneously.
The design utilizes the power of heat convection, with pizza trays positioned above the coals to bake evenly while the smoke infuses a delicious smoky flavor into the crust.
#19. Smoker Shed with Barrel Design
You can create an innovative DIY smoker with this unique barrel and shed design.
By repurposing an old barrel and combining it with a custom wooden shed, you can build an attractive, functional smoker setup.
The shed not only houses the smoker but adds an aesthetic, rustic touch to your outdoor space. Also, the barrel serves as the smoker’s base, while the chimney ensures efficient smoke flow.
#20. Terra Cotta Smoker
This DIY project involves using a large terracotta pot, standing it upright on a stand, and installing an electric heating element for controlled, consistent heat.
A temperature gauge ensures the perfect cooking temperature for smoking fish, meat, or vegetables.
Plus, the terracotta’s natural insulation helps keep the heat in, mimicking the environment of traditional smokers.
This stylish yet functional smoker is perfect for small spaces or those looking for a simple and cost-effective way to enjoy smoked foods at home.
Refer to: 22 Backyard Fire Pit Ideas You Can Easily Build Yourself
