Very odd Drum Smoker UDS idea

[ChrisChaos]

Ok i'm working on something A Earth Smoker. It was a stainless 55 drum, with a box made of treated lumber around the drum and as tall. about 8 in. between the drum and the box. Inside the box I was going to pack with dirt around the drum. the vent will come out of the sides just like a reg UDS just through the dirt and outside of the the box.

Has anyone tried this or heard of this before?

OO yea 1 side of the box ( side with the vent) you could slide the boards, I guess to get the dirt and barrel out if needed.

I always have strange Ideas..hope someone has something to add, I'm hoping for less fuel and better heat retention with this idea.

 

[MoGreen]

Please don't bury a SS drum in dirt! It's just too darn pretty for that! My father-in-law owns a Bubba Keg, and he's always concerned that my UDS would work better with some sort of insulation around it. Personally, I think it works just fine as is.

 

[Papa Payne]

I don't know, but I think the heat load from heating the cold dirt around the drum could consume way more fuel than an open air drum. Granted, once heated, the fuel consumption would be minimal.

Some form of insulation would be the way to go if you're after fuel efficiency.

Papa

 

[countyliner]

Seems like dirt would be a very good insulator. Think about all the pig roasts in pits dug into the ground, Cowgirl had a post not long ago about one.

My concern would be that the dirt would hold moisture and rust your drum more quickly.

 

[imfree2q]

Seems like dirt would be a very good insulator. Think about all the pig roasts in pits dug into the ground, Cowgirl had a post not long ago about one.

My concern would be that the dirt would hold moisture and rust your drum more quickly.

Dirt is a really good insulator and has been used time and time again for that reason.. Another good reason to use dirt would be to hide that uds!! Just sayin!

 

[J_Don]

IMHO I have to agree with MoGreen about SS being to pretty to surround/hide with dirt and for countryliner worring about rust, I have never seen SS rust before. I vote to take it out of the box.

 

[Drifter]

the drums are already very fuel effecient. I get 12-14 hour burns on 12 -15 pounds of charcoal just like it is. Building a box to bury it in dirt seems like a lot of work for very little gain.

 

[jeffjenkins1]

Some stainless will rust, like 409 ss, however, most drums are 300 series stainless and have very little ferrous in them so they probably would not rust.

That being said, I cooked a brisket and two pork butts in 14 degree weather, no problem with temps.

Experimenting is fun, but I don't think I would want to get more usable burn time than 14 hours on 10-12lbs of charcoal. I would rather just build another UDS and cook simultaneously.

Jeff

 

[CajunSmoker]

I don't know if you've used a UDS before or not, but mine don't lose a lot of heat. I take the flat lids on and off with my bare hands and the sides don't get hot enough to melt plastic stick on decals.

Not sure your gonna gain much by insulating and like the others said it sure seems wrong to bury a ss drum:sad:

 

[1FUNVET]

Sounds like a waste of a good ss drum and time to me. Just my opinion.

 

[ChrisChaos]

thanks for the ideas...you know how it goes with the wives..don't like the UDS sittin by the goldfish pond lol. so the box idea was born...Maybe the box no dirt lol
Thanks guys

 

[landarc]

I would say if the box is a WAF issue, go ahead and insulate with something lighter, say high temp fiberglass batts. How are you going to hide the lid. Otherwise it is gonna look like a park trash can with a steel dome lid and a wood box below.

 

[armor]

Keep it simple. Standard UDS. Drums cooks great in the cold, and burn times are more than you need. Seems like a lot of time building that could be spent cooking.

 

[sdb25]

Just dig a farking hole in the ground and smoke it that! The drum isn't gonna add anything to it. Oh, and send me your drum.

 

[BBQ Grail]

i would say if the box is a waf issue, go ahead and insulate with something lighter, say high temp fiberglass batts. How are you going to hide the lid. Otherwise it is gonna look like a park trash can with a steel dome lid and a wood box below.

waf?

 

[sdb25]

waf the frag are youf talking abouf?

 

[que dude]

Put some pipes on it , put some coal and some wood in it, and walk away. These cookers are simple to use it seems like that might things more difficult than they are. And if you are going to bury it let me give you one of mine and iwill take the ss one.

 

[landarc]

WAF=Wife Approval Factor

A key term in stereo component reviews. Also applies to fishing tackle, golf equipment, tools etc...

 

[zydecopaws]

WAF=Wife Approval Factor

A key term in stereo component reviews. Also applies to fishing tackle, golf equipment, tools etc...

And BBQs. Especially when you already have several...

 

[BobBrisket]

thanks for the ideas...you know how it goes with the wives..don't like the UDS sittin by the goldfish pond lol. so the box idea was born...Maybe the box no dirt lol
Thanks guys

No offense Chris, but the backyard is yours too. If it's only an issue about aesthetics, then build it and move out of the way when you aren't using it. It won't detract from the pond all the time. PLUS, just let your wife taste the food you will cook on it and you will be able to put the drum anywhere you want after that............almost, but pretty much.
A SS drum is too nice to hide.
As for the box idea, I agree with Landarc, it will look like a park trash can with the wood side and lid sticking out.
As for the dirt...............you may want to make a UDS type pit using firebrick or even adobe then plaster the outside or line with brick if you are looking for something permanent that will blend in with the pond and the rest of the yard. But that's a whole nother kinda cooker.