the Frugal Gourmet once made a smoker out of a galvanized garbage can

[Syrinx]

It seemed effective and easy, but I'm wondering. Couldn't that be dangerous? Would that infuse dangerous chemicals into the meat that is cooked in there?

Anyone remember seeing this on PBS a long time ago?

[Tab]

1. Well, you could only do it from a metal can

A metal can should be okay. A plastic can would melt.

Wasn't the Frugal Gourmet caught diddling little boys? Still, he was a good cook.

[The empressof all]

3. He was exonerated after his death

Sad he'll always be remembered for something he probably didn't do.

He was a great voice in cooking IMO and I still love his cookbooks. One of the great TV food teachers.

[Tab]

5. Was he exonerated?

I don't recall that.

Being a good food teacher doesn't absolve you from other sins (otherwise I'd have been in jail long ago, albeit not for that), but I actually don't recall him getting cleared. I liked his books (particularly the one about the food of our immigrant ancestors) and what he had so say, but I don't recall him getting absolved.

[The empressof all]

6. You know you may be correct

I was a huge fan and I was sure I had heard that some of the men who accused him recanted. I did a quick search and did not find evidence of that. I hope this isn't another case of love going blind with death but I may be guilty. He was probably one of my first tv chef influences on my cooking addiction. It's so sad when you put someone on such a pedestal and they do something as horrendous as what he has been accused.

[Tab]

7. Without looking it up

but actually I recall he was accused and then committed suicide.

Am I wrong? I could be. But that's kind of how I recalled it played out.

[The empressof all]

8. No I don't think he oft himself

I know his insurance company settled with those accusing him. I think it was a work place accusation. But it involved a few men.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. I don't remember the show you mentioned, but I thought I had seen the idea before.

Alton Brown made one on his show a few years ago.

http://cruftbox.com/cruft/docs/elecsmoker.html

As far as using galvanized metal, this discussion seems to say that the heat in the smoker wouldn't be great enough to release any harmful fumes.

http://www.diylife.com/2007/11/01/smoke-your-turkey-in-a-garbage-can/

Most of the references I found for metal fume fever caused by release of dangerous fumes seemed to be in connection with welding activities. I did find this one MSDS that mentions release of fumes at or near melting temperature.

VI. HEALTH HAZARD DATA
NOTE: Steel products under normal conditions do not present an inhalation, ingestion or contact health
hazard. However, operations, such as, burning, welding, sawing, brazing, grinding, and possibly
machining, etc., which results in elevating the temperature of the product to or above its melting
point or results in the generation of airborne particulates, may present health hazards.

http://www.h-b.com/images/msds/GalvanizedSteelSheetItems.pdf

[flamin lib]

4. Why bother building one when you can buy a Brinkman electric

smoker for under $80? Love mine, it's extremely consistent and care free to use.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100606040&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100606040&cm_mmc=1hd.com2froogle-_-product_feed-_-D28X-_-100606040

[yellowdogintexas]

11. I TOTALLY LOVE my Brinkman. We are actually on our second one, having worn

out the first one, which took about 4 years. Great for grilling and smoking and roasting

[Warpy]

9. I think I'd probably put the coals on a rack of some sort

instead of directly on the metal because they'd burn right through.

However, a trans can overturned over a heat source with soaked wood chips would probably work really well.

I think Alton Brown did one of those with an electric hot plate once.

My only foray into smoking followed Tropp's instructions for preparing a wok as a stovetop smoker. It worked beautifully although I would never do it without a hood vented to outdoors.

[catnhatnh]

10. Yep....

Plans are on page 270-271 in his self titled cookbook "The Frugal Gourmet"-published in 1984. Basically a galvanized can with a vent/access panel at the bottom and a second vent on the lid. A round grid is mounted 1/3-1/2 way down the inside with a sheet metal round or pizza pan at least 2" smaller in diameter than the can hung below the rack to catch or divert grease and juices to the bottom away from the center. Which is where you place your electric hot plate and metal pie plate filled with soaked wood chips. A whole is drilled slightly above the height of the rack, which is where you mount your thermometer.

Real basic design with a lot of flexibility because with the two vents and variable temp on the burner you can get the chips plenty hot for smoking but use the airflow to keep the smoke cool (150-180 degrees) as it passes over the food. This temp allows for true slow smoking as opposed to barbecuing...

His design tilts the pizza pan to the rear and sends the grease to fall behind the burner...I'm sure it would be much easier over the lifetime of the cooker to spend a bit more time on that system and get that grease into a catch can...without that you would hate yourself every third or fourth week when you found yourself scraping rancid grease from the smoker or alternately extinguishing your painstakingly prepared ribs when the accumulated grease finally gets to the hot plate...

[yellowdogintexas]

12. you sure it wasn't Red Green ..and it would have involved duct tape in some

fashion.