Smokehouses are the workhorses of many a meat processing operation. With the production of bacon, jerky, sausages and deli meats, they are constantly in operation. That are a substantial cost for any processor, but given the amount of products they will produce, they will more than pay for themselves by the end of their lifecycle.
Smokehouses, if properly maintained, can have long lifespans. The latest models do come with new technology that can be beneficial to the operator. Gary Bardine of Bardine’s Country Smokehouse, Crabtree, Pa., said that he purchased his smokehouse in 2007 after he was told that the model could heat and smoke in half the time.