This is Brilliant: How to Create a Cold Smoker from a Tin Can

In my line o’ work, I’m lucky to come across hundreds of creative DIY projects and ideas each week, and I’m always inspired. But every once in a while, I discover a truly clever project that reminds me why I do this work in the first place, and gets my DIY heart all aflutter. This is one of them.   

This project was submitted to the Food52 Best Kitchen Hacks contest in 2012 (it took third place). The creator created a cold smoker – an object which smokes food without heating it, and thereby cooking it – from a basic food can and some wood chips. 

Rather than just punching some holes in the can and filling it with fuel and lighting it on fire – which would, of course, create heat and therefore be a “hot smoker,” she came up with this solution: fill the can with woodchips designed for smoking, and slowly keeps them smoldering safely…with a soldering iron. Genius!

She uses the tight fitting lid of her gas grill to keep things safely contained. Seriously – I straight up love this, and can’t wait to give it a try. It’d be a great way to smoke some cocktails!

How to: Make Your Own DIY Smoked Cocktails

Check out the full how-to at Food52: How to Hack a Cold Smoker