Smoke House

[Ray J.]

My belated Grandparents farm still has a smoke house. Ever since I was a kid they used it as a tool shed but it once was used for smoking meats.

Does anyone still use smoke houses? Do to the size (10' x 12') I imagine that they are not used for residential purposes.

 

[Tony Weisse]

I know a few old-timers in the area that used to smoke their own meats, but they have retired from the practice now. All of them had a smoke house on the farm. They'd spend a few days each fall butchering and then preserving every last scrap of meat. It would get salted, smoked, made into sausage, canned, pickled, preserved in lard, or eaten right away. Most of the fellas I know did this up until about 30 years ago. Too bad; nobody seems to be doing this today.

 

[Scott Hoofman]

That reminds me of my grandfather (on my mom's side). He lived in Paris Tenn. and used to have a smokehouse on his farm. By the time I used to visit, back in the seventies, he had, for the most part, quit using it. I still remember how salty all that meat tasted. I wish I had something like that now. Brings back good memories.

 

[Ray J.]

I think that as farms were equipped with electricity they acquired freezers then the need to smoke the fall butcherings became a thing of the past.

When my Grandmother grew-up on her farm they were without electricity, made their own butter and listened to a battery powered radio for entertainment. I am currently working on reviving my great uncles battery powered Silvertone radio.

I would be interested in seeing a working smokehouse.