# Ugly drum smoker!



## jb6l6gc (Mar 17, 2016)

Hello hearth!

Haven't been up to much since the great roof leak of 2016 lol (another thread). Finally getting around to a project I've been planning for over a year.  It's called the ugly drum smoker.

I work at chemical company so a new unlined drum no problem. Upon searching for info. Much like I came across this site I came across the BBQ brethren! Anywho finally getting round to the project. Hope to have it completed by my bday. Cinco de mayo and do my first brisket.

Any info or help/ tips appreciated here is the progress pics ( which is just me burning paint off). And hopeful outcome.


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 17, 2016)

Is this what an over fire on a stove pipe looks like. Definitely hit it on this barrel


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 18, 2016)

Don't know if anyone's even watching this thread but anywho. Here's today's progress. Got all the vents welded in


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## xman23 (Mar 18, 2016)

I'm watching.


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## Dantheman300z (Mar 18, 2016)

Me too.


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## semipro (Mar 19, 2016)

Yeah, keep going.  I need some inspiration.


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 19, 2016)

Thanks I will. Now I need more parts to continue. All in with the dome lid, grills, and basket I'll be about 200$. The old BBQ frame coming from a friend at work who does scrapping. Plus he's gonna give me his old BBQ for me to repurpose into a charcoal grill.  Welding to the drum was quite difficult as its so thin and I haven't welded in about 5yrs.

Once you cook with charcoal and smoke it's hard to even light the gas grill but convenience  takes precedence sometimes!


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## sportbikerider78 (Mar 21, 2016)

Why make your own for more money when you could buy a smoker that is made for smoking for less?


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 21, 2016)

Umm because I bought one for almost that much already and it's a piece of junk. These ugly drum smokers have a huge following and are very excellent smokers that have won many competitions.  Plus I like the pride of having built it myself.  You can buy pitbarrel smokers commercially made and they cost more than mine will to build. Plus mine will have
More features and be build better than the more expensive store bought ones.


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## sportbikerider78 (Mar 21, 2016)

I bought an Orion smoker for $139 and it is 100% stainless steel.  Very high quality.  Love it. 

Projects are always a great thing.  I just was trying to understand what the point is....I've done quite a bit of smoking myself on good and bad quality equipment.


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 21, 2016)

Probably not 130$ Canadian. I am not a big fan of the Bradley's or any of the digital electric or propane units.   It's like cheating to me I prefer old school charcoal. 
I have a store bought vertical drum smoker that has so many air leaks and cannot be controlled. 
These ugly drum smokers are extremely air tight and controllable. The charcoal basket hold enough charcoal to go at 225-250 for 14 hrs without even having to tend to it much. Once the air and temp are stable on these units they pretty much stay there. Like I said these ugly drum smokers or pit barrel smokers have a huge following


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 23, 2016)

Here's the charcoal basket. Made out of my old vertical drum smoker that was destined for scrap pile.  Just need grill and lid now and she should be functional by this weekend. Then to mount to frame and paint!!


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## Jags (Mar 24, 2016)

I like it.  Stone simple and practical.  The way smoking was intended to happen.  I built my own smoker (of a different style) and love it.  Smoke on, brother.


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## sportbikerider78 (Mar 24, 2016)

I'm very interested in seeing how this works.  You'll have to walk us through the process of your first smoke.

Will the main heat source be wood or charcoal?


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

sportbikerider78 said:


> I'm very interested in seeing how this works.  You'll have to walk us through the process of your first smoke.
> 
> Will the main heat source be wood or charcoal?


It will be charcoal. As its direct heating as the 1st grill will be about 24" above it followed by the (2nd to be added later under the dome lid.  I went out today and bought a new kettle grill as they were on sale at the local hd for $74. Nice thing is I can use the grill and when I wanna use the drum just grab the grill and lid of it.  I plan to get that grill assembled today and do sausage on it.  Then do the spiral ham in the drum on Sunday!!  Here's some pics from last nights wings I did on my tiny charcoal grill in the freezing rain!


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

Jags said:


> I like it.  Stone simple and practical.  The way smoking was intended to happen.  I built by own smoker (of a different style) and love it.  Smoke on, brother.


Curious to see yours?


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## Jags (Mar 24, 2016)

jb6l6gc said:


> Curious to see yours?


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

Jags said:


> View attachment 177252


Attachment not working


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## Jags (Mar 24, 2016)

jb6l6gc said:


> Attachment not working


You caught me during an edit.  I changed the pic.  Refresh and all should be well.


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

Jags said:


> You caught me during an edit.  I changed the pic.  Refresh and all should be well.


Nice is it charcoal or does that hose go to a propane burner?


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## Jags (Mar 24, 2016)

In that pic it was sucking propane.  I can also insert a charcoal bin and go that route, but whatever method I use gets hickory smoke applied to it.
The propane makes for a very easily controlled low temp environment (like 150F for 10 hours, for jerky and snack sticks).


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

Amazing. Well folks got my new grill doing some sausage and drum smoker finished minus the frame and shelves


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

Well jags if I'm ever in northern Illinois I'll ring you up for some good q. Same goes if your ever in southern Ontario


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## Dantheman300z (Mar 24, 2016)

Enjoying this. Would like to make my own. We sell pellet grills and green eggs at work, don't have the dough for those tho.


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

Not hard if u have a few tools and a bit of fabrication knowledge. I can break down all parts and work if u need! Lemme know


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

Dantheman300z said:


> Enjoying this. Would like to make my own. We sell pellet grills and green eggs at work, don't have the dough for those tho.


Green eggs are beautiful but crazy$$$


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## Dantheman300z (Mar 24, 2016)

Very true.


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 24, 2016)

I will update Sunday with pics when I smoke the spiral ham for the fam jam!


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 26, 2016)

First cook on doing a little fryer. Keeping 275-300 on this is easy. Mmmmm here we go. Doing ham tm. FYI little pan is just water to keep the smoke moist


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 26, 2016)

Omg delicious. Best smoked meat I've ever done and it was just a little yard bird. Smoke taste just right not overpowering. Meat very moist


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 26, 2016)

And just like I've read when I finished cooking I shut all intakes and it went out no prob. Half the charcoal still in basket for use tm and it was burning for a good 5 hrs on 1/2 a basket of raw lump with 4 hunks of hickory!


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 27, 2016)

Well ham was much success! Everyone enjoyed. Temp control was breeze again, and I made a good smoked ham and split pea soup from the bone. Happy Easter everyone hope your meal and company was as good as mine!


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## sportbikerider78 (Mar 28, 2016)

Very cool.  If you need to add more charcoal, how do you?


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 28, 2016)

sportbikerider78 said:


> Very cool.  If you need to add more charcoal, how do you?


you would pull the grill and add more, but you shouldn't really need to, again the smoker was going for at least 8 hrs and still had half a basket of charcoal to go!


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## jb6l6gc (Mar 28, 2016)

this thing is a very efficient cooker. total over the two cooks plus initial test burn, she ran for at least 14 hrs and used about one charcoal basket full, or about half a bag of lump charcoal.


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 2, 2016)

Almost ready for paint


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 2, 2016)

Ready for paint and more meat


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 2, 2016)

Quarter chickens in the snow tonight


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## jeffesonm (Apr 3, 2016)

great job


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## sportbikerider78 (Apr 6, 2016)

Looking good.  I was wondering with that much uninsulated surface area, how it would do in the cold.


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 6, 2016)

sportbikerider78 said:


> Looking good.  I was wondering with that much uninsulated surface area, how it would do in the cold.


Definitely ran a bit cooler but was still able to keep around 275 no problems just had valves open a little more is all.  I could imagine that at severe cold temps being Uninsulated could be a problem.


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## Dantheman300z (Apr 7, 2016)

Do you think an insulated blanket for a hot water heater would work on one of these?


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 7, 2016)

Dantheman300z said:


> Do you think an insulated blanket for a hot water heater would work on one of these?


Could it handle about 400f? That would be the max she's ever gonna go


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 7, 2016)

Man this thing is awsome. Got ribs and beans going right now. Gonna do thick blade steaks Tommorow and a small brisket on Sunday.  Gotta perfect my methods before all the company throughout the summer


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 7, 2016)




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## jb6l6gc (Apr 7, 2016)

Was delicious.  Wifey says best I've made. I'd like to open this thread up or start a new one all BBQ. The rub I used was really nice. Food network recipe. Fat on ribs rendered just like butter!


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 10, 2016)

Did my first brisket today. Pulled and foiled to early thank god it was a little
4Lb test brisket. My guess is it coulda needed a cpl more hrs. Hoping to get this right for Cinco de mayo


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## HisTreeNut (Apr 11, 2016)

That is pretty cool...Awesome job there.


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## Jags (Apr 11, 2016)

Probe thermo's don't lie.  Get yourself a decent one.


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 22, 2016)

The response locally and through family I'm getting is huge. Got 6 more to build right now. Been working and cookin lol. Hope everyone's enjoying a nice spring


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## ptman (Apr 23, 2016)

i built one about a year ago. i only have about $75 in mine.  i used the lid that came on the drum and my neighbor welded the charcoal basket for me out of old bike rims.  it works really well. i love it.  it isnt pretty, but it works great


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## Rustyreel (Apr 28, 2016)

UDS  They work great. Best way to go if your on a tight budget. Much better smoke flavor than my electric Masterbuilt smoker. I live in the U.P. of Michigan and held temp very well in the extreme cold of winter. 10 lb of charcoal will last 12 to 14 hrs.


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## jb6l6gc (Apr 28, 2016)

Got 6 more for friends and family on the build


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## jb6l6gc (May 6, 2016)

Neighbour just dropped me a load of Apple wood! Building him the flat top. Other one is for bro in law for his birthday!!


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## jb6l6gc (May 14, 2016)

More building and more cooking. Made charcoal baskets down at father in laws shop


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## jb6l6gc (May 19, 2016)

Neighbour's done. Here's the seasoning burn


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## jb6l6gc (Jun 11, 2016)

Got a different Frame for bro in laws time crunch is on to get it done. His b day is next weekend. Been so busy haven't don't much lately.


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## jb6l6gc (Jun 11, 2016)

Got a full load of mulberry too


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## moresnow (Jun 23, 2016)

Nice write up. I use my weber all the time with added apple. The last two times I've been using cherry. Really has a nice smell/flavor. Have fun.


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## WoodyIsGoody (Jan 22, 2017)

Here's my Medium Big Green Egg helping to turn a beef brisket into pastrami. M-m-m-m-m.

The big chunk charcoal burns low and slow. This load is good for 36 hours non-stop at 225F without any adjustments at all. It'll go as low as a steady 160 without worry of going out but I get my best results around 215-225F. This brisket only took 6 1/2 hours but you can just keep throwing more food on there and leave it while you sleep overnight. There is a ceramic diffuser plate that covers the charcoal so no need to worry about drippings causing a flare-up. I often put a pan there to save the drippings. The drippings won't burn when I'm cooking low and slow.

People say these are expensive but they last forever and the amount you save in charcoal is amazing. One load lasts seemingly forever at low temps. Or, I can crank it up to 650F  and cook big thick cut steaks med-rare in 5 minutes total. Totally seared dark on both sides, juicy in the middle. When I don't have any more food to throw on I close it up tight and all the charcoal is still there waiting for another feast. Just throw a fire starter under a chunk in the middle and, by the time the fire starter has consumed itself it's ready to reduce the air and start cooking again. The ash that falls through to the bottom is a very fine powder and I only need to empty it every 15-20 cookouts.

I've had amazing results with pork shoulders, ribs of all kinds, prime ribs, chickens, turkey breasts, pork loin (made amazing Canadian bacon), smoked thick cut bacon (ends and pieces are excellent too), smoked salmon (so tender and juicy with exquisite flavor), lamb chops, veggies of all kinds (eggplant roasted with romano and hot pepper dry roasted are my favs), shrimp, etc. Always comes out excellent. Never burned anything and never run out of coals before it was done to perfection. The only thing it can't do is cold smoke under 110F! However, I'm thinking of getting a small green egg and putting it right below with a custom made stovepipe that feeds the smoke from the little unit into the air intake above (no fire in the big egg). I'm pretty sure I can cold smoke at 90-100F this way.

Any other Green Egg users here?












This pastrami was just laid out. Only 6 1/2 more hours to go!


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