Garbage can smoker?

[Syrinx]

Alton Brown from the Food Network was just on Letterman. He showed a simple smoker that he made from a garbage can and a hotplate. I saw this idea before on the Frugal Gourmet years ago. Is that an okay thing to do? Or would toxic fumes be released from the galvanized metal and contaminate your food?

[Dogmudgeon]

1. No Big Danger

Galvanization is a way of coating a rustable metal with a non-rusting alloy. Alloys are mixtures of metals (you probably know that already) and they don't emit fumes until over about a thousand degrees.

Just don't try that trick with a plastic trash can :-)

Cook with confidence!

--bkl
Smoke in the trash can ... fire in the sky ...

[Syrinx]

2. Thanks for the info

I might try this one day then. It looks economical. :)

[maveric]

5. Galvanization is done with Zinc and the smoke is poisonous.

As a former welder/fitter we all hated to weld galvanized steel because the smoke would make you sick for several hours.
Zinc poisoning!!

[Don_G]

8. I Don't Believe A Hotplate Can Melt/Vaporize Zinc

It just can't get hot enough to present a danger to anyone's health. Still, I would make certain that the food won't rub against the sides or posibly use a small steel drum.

[Pert_UK]

3. I got a mental image of Oscar the Grouch lamping up a fat one...

:-)

"This will tend to get you exceedingly high"

P.

[Syrinx]

4. thank you!

I haven't thought of Sesame Street lately. And I should! :)

[eyesroll]

6. I think he also made a smoker out of a cardboard box

That's not something I'd want to try in a populated area, but it looks cool.

[trof]

7. Washtub Weber

I made a poorman's Weber out of two washtubs many years ago and I'm still here to tell the tale. Worked real well.
If you live in a rural area where the neighbors won't complain about the unsightlyness (is that a word?) you can make a great smoker out of a discarded refrigerator too.
Redneck Ingenuity.