New Toy Drum Smoker

[SDJ]

I found you hanging out over here in this ridiculously long thread.

I took a wire disc to my drum today to clean up the inside and applied first coat of kettle paint. Good to finally see my smoker coming together.

Ooops busted :huh: talkin to the yanks about smoking meat. good to hear someone lelse is making a smoker.
keep us updated with info and pics please Chad.

 

[SDJ]

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436

this is the link to The Barbecue brethern website, this link will take you to a page thats all about making an oil drum smoker like I have, read the whole thread, its about 176 pages long.
Some, like myself make it simple and then theres the others that just cant help themselves and have to make it complicated, you still get the same result, moist, tender meat that tates bloody good!!

 

[SDJ]

I am currently pigging out on my first batch of beef jerky cooked on my home made 44gallon drum smoker last week, damm its good!! with out blowing smoke up my own arse ( which would be hard as I dont smoke and am not a contorsionist) its the best jerky I have ever eaten!!

I can see why most people that cook beef jerky say it dos'ent last long tis bloody beautiful

 

[Chad]

I think I browsed over ever 2nd page in that thread.

I haven't finished my smoker yet. I hit a snag which I need to correct (I know what I need to do) and still need to source a lid. I just didn't bother fixing my snag back then cause it was in the middle of those stinkin hot days of summer. Now that it's cooled down I'll get in and finish it.

 

[Chad]

SDJ, how many control ventilation holes do you have around the base of your drum. I got stuck into my drum again today and am up to drilling the ventilation.
I was originally going to put in one vent, but then thought two might be better to get the drum up to temp quickly, and then shut one off to hold it.

For anyone else looking into making one of these, I did a reconnaissance mission to BBQ's galore a while back to see what accessories I would need to complete the task. I found the following, with prices the best I could remember;

1. A remote temp probe - $60

2. Round grill racks that fitted my sized drum perfectly - $18 each
3. Quick start bead lighter. Anything that makes lighting easier, the better for me - $35

 

[SDJ]

SDJ, how many control ventilation holes do you have around the base of your drum. I got stuck into my drum again today and am up to drilling the ventilation.
I was originally going to put in one vent, but then thought two might be better to get the drum up to temp quickly, and then shut one off to hold it.

For anyone else looking into making one of these, I did a reconnaissance mission to BBQ's galore a while back to see what accessories I would need to complete the task. I found the following, with prices the best I could remember;

1. A remote temp probe - $60
View attachment 24738
2. Round grill racks that fitted my sized drum perfectly - $18 each
3. Quick start bead lighter. Anything that makes lighting easier, the better for me - $35
View attachment 24737

G,day Chad, I have three 22mm holes in my drum all up, 1 at the front and one either side, I marked out the holes, then drilled a ring of smaller holes inside the mark, punched out the center then cleaned it up with a dremmel tool.
I have found mine gets up to temp fairly quickly if I light 9 heatbeads in my home made bead lighter, (baby formula tin with arse cutout and a piece of mesh 1/3 up from the bottom supported by four self tapping screws, primitive but it works every time).
to keep at 250F I normaly close the 2 side vents with fridge magnets and open the front hole ( ) half wayish, I also am using a weber bbq lid and close the vents to help control the heat as well.

Hope this helps, drop me a pm if you need any more info B)
Cheers Steve.
P.S I dilled a small hole in the side of the drum just under the lower rack and use a $12.00 digital thermometer inserted in the hole.

 

[SDJ]

'Round racks"??? what diametre are they Chad??

 

[SDJ]

Cooked my second batch of beef jerky in the drum on Sunday, now the whole family likes it so I have to stash some for meself



When smoking jerky the moisture from the meat runs down the side of my drum, cleans up fairly easy tho.



Two weber bbq racks with 2 weber heatbead rails keeping them about 60mm apart, seems to have worked both times so far.

Mexican jerky next week

 

[Chad]

'Round racks"??? what diametre are they Chad??

Can't remember, I haven't bought the accessories just yet. I think it would have been about a 15mm gap between the rack and drum. It would be a suprisingly tidy fit.

 

[Chad]

Did a bit more on it today. Finished cleaning the inside. Looks all shiney now . I have to grease it up before it decides it wants to rust. You can see the bolts for the castors fitted to the underside.


Put a light first coat on the outside. Used a high temp spray on paint. Black in colour to retain the heat better.


And also cut the holes for the ventilation (you can see them in the first photo). I've gone a control valve on the front and two smaller ones on the sides that I can screw a cap onto to close of permanently. I have the option of screwing valves onto these if I find I need better control.


I just need to find me a Weber lid and it will be almost ready for a maiden run. Got my eye on a couple on eBay.

 

[Wolfy]

I just need to find me a Weber lid and it will be almost ready for a maiden run. Got my eye on a couple on eBay.

Lots being thrown out around here, seems the (extended) neighbors don't want them anymore.
I have 2 'new' Webbers to go with my generic-kettle BBQ and I know what I'll be doing with one of them after reading this thread ... just have to find a 44gal drum to sit in the middle.
Was another Webber today on Freecycle down here too, maybe too many fire-ban days or something.

 

[Kleiny]

Wolfy

If you are ever in Bendigo 44's are for sale for $5 each and are clean.

They are used with bladders to carry liquid tomatoes to one of the factories in the area.

They are on Eaglehawk rd, If you need any more info give me a pm

Kleiny

 

[wakkatoo]

Wolfy

If you are ever in Bendigo 44's are for sale for $5 each and are clean.

They are used with bladders to carry liquid tomatoes to one of the factories in the area.

They are on Eaglehawk rd, If you need any more info give me a pm

Kleiny

Hmm, will keep that in mind...

 

[KHB]

This is my next project scored a free 44 gallon from the guy who picks up our deep frying oil. Just need to take to it with an angle grinder and ive got a webber to utalise parts!!

KHB

 

[Chad]

Bought a few bits this arvo, so I thought I would update here. The rack was exactly the same as Rustyc has in his photos in the first post, and was a very nice fit. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a stock standard Weber grill. It was $30 from BBQs galore.
I also got the quick start lighter thingy, which was $30 too.

 

[///]

Just a quick question, do you keep the meat or the air temp at the 100-120c mark.

I have a keg-spit and think I have found out a new thing to do with it...

Scotty

 

[Chad]

Thanks for asking that Q as I have had the same in my mind. I've seen photos of both methods and am unsure of which is better/safer.

 

[Chad]

Some update photos.

I used stainless nuts and bolts. I went with a nice flat eye hook.


And a dome nut on the outside. You can see I have 2 shelves.


This is just a photo of the overall. Just need a charcoal tray setup in the base and a hood. I missed out on a hood on eBay the other night :angry: .

 

[Rustyc30]

Looks the goods mate welcome to the world of smoking

 

[wakkatoo]

Picked up a weber hood for $10 today from Rays Outdoors B) . Brand spanking new. Just has a tiny dent on the lip (took a bit to find) hence the low price.

I'm starting at the top and working my way down. :lol: