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Cheap and easy smoker build

Started by Coffee_Creek, November 22, 2015, 08:41:31 AM

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drobertson

Nice, heck of a good idea, I never gave thought that a weber lid would fit a barrel, thanks for sharing,
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Coffee_Creek

They will with a little modifying, most people use the flat lid that comes with thr barrel.

drobertson

Not sure if I remember right, but it seems some other southern boys do a chicken crisp-en using a very similar arrangement.  I've used a barrel stove for years to stay warm at the mill through the cold months and to burn small debris,  I suppose the low heat and fire would let these last for years,, good post you have,
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

sandhills

I like anything that's clever, simple, and cheap, just like me....well without the clever part that is.  I loved my old Weber smoker until it all rusted through, I'm going to build something along the lines of yours, I'd like to build another one a tad bigger too  ;).

scgargoyle

I've made several of them over the years from stainless steel drums (HARD to find!) The lid is a problem; my first one has a lid from a SS kettle grill, but it was a bit small. I bolted a strip of SS strap around the inside for it to sit on. I've also used 1/3 of another drum, but it is heavy. The last one I built, I left a 1/4" lip around the inside when I cut the top out, and used a giant 30 qt. SS bowl for a lid.

When I build them, I use two sets of U-bolts for the cooking grates. That way, I can smoke twice as much meat. I made my fire basket so I can sit it on the lower set of U-bolts for reverse searing and regular direct grilling.

Lemme see if I can find some pics, and figure out how to post them.
I hope my ship comes in before the dock rots!

Coffee_Creek

Well since I gave the other smoker to my BIL, I made me another one, no Weber dome lid so I used the flat lid that came with the drum,



u

Alabama bottle opener  8)





Holding temps great







beenthere

What are the vertical pipes with the red handled valves?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Coffee_Creek

3/4" ball valves for air intake, the valves make it easy to maintain temps by adjusting the air flow going in.

Ljohnsaw

I like it.  I notice the basket is just full of charcoal.  No chunks of fruit wood or hickory?  At work (one of the field offices), they made one with rods going across and they would hang quartered chicken or hunks of meat from stainless "S" hooks. They would load like 100lbs in it for big BBQ lunches for all the workers.  How do you load your meats?
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Coffee_Creek

I loaded it with charcoal for the first burn, when smoking on it I'll add a stick of hickory on top of the charcoal, the meat goes on a weber cooking grate, a regular 22.5" grate fits great. I'll add a pic of it this weekend when I smoke some Baby Back ribs.

Coffee_Creek

Quote from: ljohnsaw on February 05, 2016, 10:29:14 PM
I like it.  I notice the basket is just full of charcoal.  No chunks of fruit wood or hickory?  How do you load your meats?

Basket of charcoal



in the drum waiting for chimney to get ready


chimney almost ready


close enough


hot coals and a stick of hickory on top of charcoal basket


grill on ready for the ribs


Bark Beetle

That is awesome!! Great idea on the ball valve for air flow control.
You don't work wood, you work with wood.

Coffee_Creek

First cook on the new smoker went great....

smoker warmed up....



baby backs and beans on...



beans done...



ribs foiled for 1.5 hours....



Ribs getting glazed....



everything was ready just before super bowl kickoff...




Coffee_Creek


Coffee_Creek

made acouple of mods, made an ash pan for the basket, sorry no pic, installed a lower grate and heat diffuser pan, can remove the diffuser pan and use the lower grate for direct heat cooking or searing.



Welded in a 3/4" tee



The tee was to install the fan



Controller for the fan







venice

Dang! I am getting hungry.  ;D

You are saying it is holding the temperature for 14 hours. What is the modus operandi?

At first a basket of charcoal and then? How often are you refueling, how much and what are you burning?

Thanks. venice

Coffee_Creek

yep, it will go for 14+ hours on a 20 lb. bag of kingfords charcoal, i throw in a small stick of hickory for extra smoke flavor.

just got done smoking these....

wings were great, didn't last long



birds going on



ready to eat!!!



Mooseherder

Winner WINNER! Chicken Dinner! :)
That looks fantastic.  I like the breast side down method also.

venice

Thanks a lot!

Last question. What are you putting in this small smoker, that needs 14 + hours and 20 lb. of charcoal? A chicken or some ribs should not take that long to finish?

venice


Coffee_Creek

15-18 lb. brisket, or, three 10 lb. boston butts, either can take 12 to 14 hours...

venice


scgargoyle

I've never been able to get a brisket done that quick, but mine runs about 225. Last brisket I did took 21 hours! I've never used 20 lbs. of charcoal in one smoke; I use maybe 7-8 lbs. I usually spatchcock my birds (cut out the backbone and spread them open). They cook faster and more even. I even did my Thanksgiving turkey that way. Ya gotta be determined to cut the back out of a 20 lb. turkey!

Another tip- We save the carcasses from smoked chickens and turkeys, saving then in the freezer until we have a bunch, and then boil them all day to make a great stock with a little smokiness. Great base for soups, as well as for cooking rice, etc.

I hope my ship comes in before the dock rots!

Chuck White

Question:  When you add wood (in this case, Hickory) to the smoker, do you soak it in water first so that it doesn't just burn up!

I had a sawjob last Summer and there was a 14' Hickory in the stack and I set the Hickory slabs aside and (with the guys OK) I went back later and got them, and want to use some this Summer.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

drobertson

Not on the smoker build per say, but on briskets,, we have done only halves, the thick side then the thinner. 
We went basically 12 hrs with great results, but keep in mind I've done a pile of pork, but less than 100 lbs of brisket, have plans for more, its' just a price feed thing.  I will say, all that ate Levi's and my brisket, we both take blame, or fame equally,, love my son in law,  say the best they have ate,, now family can go easy on the cooks so,,, but I will add 12 hrs, and they were killer,, I mean I am the worst critic, especially when it comes to food,, no, bout everything,,get it right I say,,or apologize and try again,,done that a few times,, ;D  I really like this section and all the ideas on smokers, Levi and Catlin are moving back the summer, and a smoker build is on the list,
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Coffee_Creek

Quote from: scgargoyle on February 16, 2016, 06:47:24 AM
I've never been able to get a brisket done that quick, but mine runs about 225. Last brisket I did took 21 hours! I've never used 20 lbs. of charcoal in one smoke; I use maybe 7-8 lbs.



I was giving folks that have never used a drum smoker an idea of what a properly built drum will do but yes, when I smoke a 15 lb. brisket at 250 degrees  I usally get it to 195-200 degree in the 12-14 hour range and use maybe a 1/2-3/4 basket of charcoal which is a 20 lb bag, when smoking ribs, chicken and other shorter cook meats I can get several cooks before adding more charcoal. The numbers I posted on amount of charcoal used and hours are minimum, they can and will burn much longer.
Nice looking drum you have there there and good tip on saving the bird parts!

Coffee_Creek

Quote from: Chuck White on February 16, 2016, 08:38:50 AM
Question:  When you add wood (in this case, Hickory) to the smoker, do you soak it in water first so that it doesn't just burn up!

Short answer is no, I only use chunks, about 2"X6", when using a drum smoker with charcoal I just add one piece on top of the coal, it last for hours.

scgargoyle

I was told not to soak wood chunks; you want smoke, not steam. They last a good long time at proper temperatures, and once meat gets past a certain temperature, supposedly it won't take any more smoke anyhow.

It's interesting about brisket- If you smoke corned beef brisket, which results in pastrami, it cooks fast. The last one I did only took about 5 hours. I'm not sure why corned beef cooks so much faster. Must have something to do with the brining. The reason it takes so long to smoke pork or beef is because the collagen has to break down. Pull it off too soon, and it will be shoe leather! I assume the brine breaks down the collagen in corned beef, so the process is much faster. When I smoke corned beef, I refrigerate it after it's done, and slice it cold. Then you can heat it up for a great sandwich. It slices much better cold.
I hope my ship comes in before the dock rots!

Weekend_Sawyer

On my big green egg running about 250 a 6 - 8 lb brisket will finish in about 6 hours at 195 - 200 degrees internal.
I use 2 to 3 fist sized chunks of hickory not soaked. The greener the wood the less I use.

When it hits 140 I wrap it in foil this saves a lot of its juice. When it's done it's almost falling apart.
When it's done I carefully put it in a cooler, so I don't lose the liquid that's in it. Have towels in the bottom of the cooler and cover with towels. I have had it sit for 2 hours like this and still be too hot to touch when I take it out.

Slice it onto a platter, ladle on some au jus and enjoy!!! 8)
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

Coffee_Creek

yep, thats the way you do it, sounds great  8)

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