540 
FOREST AND STREAM 
September, 1918 
SMOKING THE SURPLUS CATCH OF FISH 
BUILDING YOUR OWN SMALL SMOKEHOUSE WILL HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEMS 
OF FOOD CONSERVATION AND ECONOMY IN A MOST SATISFACTORY MANNER 
E VERY dweller near an inland water¬ 
way subject to legal restrictions and 
fishing seasons, recalls the surfeit 
of fish which occurs when the season 
opens. The first few days of fishing are 
hailed with joy by the tourists and sports¬ 
men who have gathered there to enjoy it, 
and also by the “natives” of those parts. 
Then come several days of feasting on the 
spoils of the waters; fish and fish stories 
are exchanged with neighborly interest and 
the village butcher has visions of im¬ 
mediate bankruptcy. Soon this con¬ 
dition changes—fish are hardly to be 
given away and the sight of one pro¬ 
vokes no answering gastronomic 
thrill. The bountiful supply of food, 
wholesome and delectable though it 
be, is neglected and the butcher 
smiles once more. 
Now this cycle of fish, more fish, 
less fish, no fish at all, is completed 
in many places both by the sea and 
inland waters. The problem of how 
to conserve the supply of fish so that 
it may take its proper and appre¬ 
ciated place in the menu during the 
entire year instead of dominating it 
for a short season, may be solved in 
a very simple and efficient manner— 
smoke the fish! 
Nearly everyone likes smoked fish. 
It is wholesome and of high food 
value. The coarsest fishes acquire 
delicacy of flavor and agreeable tex¬ 
ture when smoked, while the finest 
salmon in the water is made none 
the less a dainty by smoking. If 
perchance your concept of a smoked 
fish has been gained from dry chip¬ 
like objects herded together in a 
resinous wooden box, then it be¬ 
hooves you to change your concept. 
Try smoking your own fish, for it is 
an interesting experiment that can not fail 
of success in greater or less measure ac¬ 
cording to your interest in it and intelli¬ 
gence in working it out. 
F ISHERMEN or those who have access 
to fishing waters will find the erec¬ 
tion of a small smokehouse a profit¬ 
able investment from a financial standpoint 
as well as a convenient apparatus for fam¬ 
ily use. It is often impossible to sell the 
more common fish when fresh, but if these 
fish are properly smoked they command a 
not inconsiderable price. Cured fish may 
be kept on hand and disposed of when de¬ 
mand gives a value. The man who would 
purchase only a few pounds of fresh fish, 
except in the coldest weather, will often 
lay in a supply of smoked fish sufficient 
for several weeks’ needs. 
It is altogether possible for a house¬ 
holder to purchase cheap fish from a fisher¬ 
man at a cent or two a pound, smoke them 
in his own back yard and stock his larder 
with nutritious and satisfying food, thus 
By SENECA 
favorably affecting both his own pocket- 
book and the supply of meat available for 
our soldiers overseas. 
It is possible for neighbors to co-operate 
in this work. A smoke house, which, 
though small and easily and cheaply con¬ 
structed, has sufficient capacity to accom¬ 
modate the needs of several families may 
be erected according to plans approved by 
the Bureau of Fisheries and shown on this 
page through their courtesy. It has been 
thoroughly tested and may be relied upon 
to do its work well and with small outlay. 
The house calls for but little lumber. 
It is 3 x 3 l /i feet inside measurements, 6 J 4 
feet high at the front and 6 feet high at 
the back, the roof slanting to provide drain¬ 
age for the rain. To prevent the escape 
of smoke, cracks must be covered by batten 
strips if plain boards are used, so it is bet¬ 
ter to use yellow pine shiplap if procur¬ 
able. The boards for the shell of the house 
should be nailed horizontally to 2x4 inch 
corner pieces. As smooth inside walls 
are desirable it is better to leave the cor¬ 
ner pieces outside. 
Two doors are hung on the upper half 
of the front corner pieces, and the outer 
edge of the right-hand door is fitted with 
a batten that overlaps the other door. This 
holds it shut and prevents the escape of 
smoke. Two wooden thumb buttons nailed 
to the front of the house turn onto the bat¬ 
tened door and keep both doors shut tight. 
It is necessary that the house have a 
ventilator both for the escape of smoke 
and moisture and to assist in regulating the 
draft. An opening 4 inches square is left 
in the front of the roof at the center and 
a boxlike ventilator with a 3 x 4 inch open¬ 
ing back and front is placed over it. No 
rain can enter the ventilator. 
The inside of the house is clearly shown 
in the diagram. Cleats are nailed to the 
walls and simply constructed removable 
wire trays are placed on them. A series 
of wood or iron rods is also used. The 
cleats should slope six inches toward the 
front to provide drainage for the fish 
while smoking. 
The fire box is not shown in the 
drawing. This is of the sunken type 
and is connected with the house by 
three sections of stovepipe sunk in a 
trench 8 inches wide, 8 inches deep 
and 7 feet long. The joint of pipe , 
that enters the house is fitted with an 
elbow. The pipe is barely covered 
with earth and in the middle joint is 
placed a stovepipe damper with an 
extra long handle so that it may be 
operated from above. The elbow 
projects into the house about two 
inches above the surface of the 
ground. Over this is placed the 
smoke spreader, a rectangular gal¬ 
vanized iron box 1 foot square and 
two feet- high, with numerous Yt 
inch holes punched in the sides and 
ends. When this box is placed over 
the mouth of the elbow, the smoke 
is distributed evenly through the 
holes, and considerable heat can be 
applied without danger of scorching 
the fish. 
At the other end of the pipe a 
sunken firebox, 14 inches wide, 14 
inches deep and 2 feet long is con¬ 
structed of brick. After the fire is 
built and going well, a heavy piece 
of sheet iron is placed over it and 
covered with earth. A sloping trench is 
dug in front of the fire box to provide 
draft and facilitate firing. 
The house should be constructed away 
from its site, the fire box and flue con¬ 
structed, the smoke spreader placed on the 
elbow and then the house should be evenly 
set over the smoke spreader and dirt 
banked around the bottom of the house 
until no crevices remain open. 
P REPARING fish for smoking is very 
simple. Most are split along the belly 
from the head to vent and the entrails 1 
removed. The head is then severed and 
the fish thoroughly washed although it need 
not be scaled. If there is a dark abdom¬ 
inal lining, scrubbing with a stiff brush will 
remove it. Be sure to wash the fish until 
the flesh gives a resistance to the fingers. 
Fish under two pounds need no other 
treatment before placing in brine. Over 
this weight they should also be split down 
the back from the inside close to the back- 
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 565) 
