Hopefully this doesn't get me thrown out of here but here goes. Have any of you tried recipes in a homemade 55 gallon drum smoker. I know that you are all die hard WSM users (I will have one later but the cost is out of reach for me for now). I am interested in the apple brine smoked turkey that is on this site and I think that I could make a drum smoker for around a $40 and some pieces that I have around the house.
Drum smoker question
- Thread starter D.Parker
- Start date
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
all the recipes here transfer fine to any smoker - the question is: will you be able to maintain the cooker temperature to your satisfaction?
Will you have to refuel halfway through long cooks?
Will you have to refuel halfway through long cooks?
Steve Whiting
TVWBB All-Star
I have had my BDS(Big Drum Smoker) since March of this year and I love it. Cooking times will generally be less so adding more fuel is not an issue. I have cooked 12 pound briskets on my BDS in around 9 hours at 225-250 with fuel burning at least a couple of hours more so refueling is not an issue.
George Curtis
TVWBB Olympian
good info here but also good info at
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/fo...bd485f6ec2b83e09afbf
either way the drums are great smokers.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/fo...bd485f6ec2b83e09afbf
either way the drums are great smokers.
Brian Moriarty
TVWBB All-Star
I'm a diehard Drumhead and cook and compete with Big Drum Smoker clones alongside three 18" and a 22" WSM. Not to be a blasphemer here, but I prefer the taste and flavor of meats cooked on the drum, but others feel it has a "creosote or sooty taste" from the fats dripping on the coals.
I know folks that use a claypot base as a heat sink in their drums, but I never have-I'll fire up a WSM if I want an indirect cook.
For competitions I use the drum for chicken and the WSM's for brisket, butts and ribs.
I have cooked a couple Maple/Apple brined turkeys on the drum and they did turn out fine. Here is a friend getting a snootful of Turkey drumlove!
I know folks that use a claypot base as a heat sink in their drums, but I never have-I'll fire up a WSM if I want an indirect cook.
For competitions I use the drum for chicken and the WSM's for brisket, butts and ribs.
I have cooked a couple Maple/Apple brined turkeys on the drum and they did turn out fine. Here is a friend getting a snootful of Turkey drumlove!
I think that I am going to make it so that I can cook indirect or direct since it will be my only smoker for a while. As far as getting a clean barrel, it was hard to find but I did finally find one that had methanol in it so it should be fine.
What is the best type of thermometer to use and how exactly do you mount it into the drum?
What is the best type of thermometer to use and how exactly do you mount it into the drum?
Larry D.
TVWBB Emerald Member
As you can see, there are some drum users here already. This board is pretty laid back, anybody is welcome no matter what they cook on. You won't find any "my smoker rules, and yours is junk" attitudes here so build that drum and start cooking!
BTW, someone may point out that methanol is poisonous (which it is, if you drink it). If I recall correctly, alcohol mixes with water in any ratio, so rinsing the drum with water should remove any possible residual if it hasn't evaporated already.
Brian Berz
TVWBB Member
Once you get the smoker built do a few hour high heat cook (with no food) to burn off any stuff that shouldnt be in the drum......
methanol will be fine. i made a big trailer sized smoker out of a pair of 550 gallon home heating oil drums. took lots of cleaning and a day long burn burning out the entire smoker to clean it up. been using it to smoke mass amounts of bbq for about 10 years now.
its things like pesticides and such you really gotta avoid. drums carrying things like that are nearly impossible to clean well enough and some chemicals even micro small amounts in food can make you sick.
for exampe drums used to carry fuel with the MBTE additive that the environmetnalists made us all use in gasoline is especially deadly in extremely small quantities and will continually leach out of plastic and metal containers.
anyway the point is either clean drum or be sure what it was used for previously.
and yeah as others said we arent smoker snobs heh. some of use have multiple smokers some just use a wsm and some use other things.
its things like pesticides and such you really gotta avoid. drums carrying things like that are nearly impossible to clean well enough and some chemicals even micro small amounts in food can make you sick.
for exampe drums used to carry fuel with the MBTE additive that the environmetnalists made us all use in gasoline is especially deadly in extremely small quantities and will continually leach out of plastic and metal containers.
anyway the point is either clean drum or be sure what it was used for previously.
and yeah as others said we arent smoker snobs heh. some of use have multiple smokers some just use a wsm and some use other things.
As you can see, there are some drum users here already. This board is pretty laid back, anybody is welcome no matter what they cook on. You won't find any "my smoker rules, and yours is junk" attitudes here so build that drum and start cooking!
BTW, someone may point out that methanol is poisonous (which it is, if you drink it). If I recall correctly, alcohol mixes with water in any ratio, so rinsing the drum with water should remove any possible residual if it hasn't evaporated already. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I have been looking on this forum for a while and have been impressed with the posts that I have seen. I did some research on the methanol and it should be fine after a good cleaning with water and detergent and then when the smoker is built, I will do a wide open charcoal burn (with no food of course) and it should be good to go!
Any suggestions on thermometers? I am going to perminently mount them in the side of the drum just below the grates. I can find some on ebay and amazon for around $35 for 2 of them. Any brands to look for or stay away from? Is 2" big enough to not be a pain to read?
Thanks for all of the help insight. I will definately post pics of the smoker when she is done!
Brian Moriarty
TVWBB All-Star
I've been using the Grill Care thermos from Wal-Mart, we bought a bunch online pretty cheap. You can calibrate them too.
It doesn't mean much because the temps at the grate are all over the place-30*50*+ higher than the side thermo. I just use it as a guide.
But if you use a heat sink the temps are pretty depndable with the pit thermo. And it sounds like something that with your budget you can do.
I haven't used this thermo, but when I do need to order some I'll use these.
http://www.kck.com/old_smokey/...erature_gauge_3.html
Pre 22.5" WSM
It doesn't mean much because the temps at the grate are all over the place-30*50*+ higher than the side thermo. I just use it as a guide.
But if you use a heat sink the temps are pretty depndable with the pit thermo. And it sounds like something that with your budget you can do.
I haven't used this thermo, but when I do need to order some I'll use these.
http://www.kck.com/old_smokey/...erature_gauge_3.html
Pre 22.5" WSM