Skidder
Babbling Farker
I tell ya ever since I finished my UDS I haven't used any of my other smokers. These are better than a WSM in my opinion. 1st cook abt's, 2nd ribs and 3rd was pork shoulder. All went perfect.
Ugly Drum Smoker
- Thread starter jgh1204
- Start date
Babyboomerboy
is one Smokin' Farker
Thank you Dr. KY. I read all your posts as I was working my way threw this thread. Several times I saw the advice to just build it simple and that is my plan on the first one. Thanks again
Kubbie
Knows what a fatty is.
My 1st time experience
WOW!
OK - here is the concrete-bottomed UDS experiment (for those that didn't catch intro info over in cattle call - very little bbq experience, and this is my 1st UDS).
It has 3 3/4" holes for intake, no nipples. Just fridge magnets for air control.
2" of 5000 psi concrete in the bottom, 1 week cure time.
24" from basket to cooking grate.
I got it finished up Saturday and was going to do a seasoning / test burn - gauge temps, times..
Got some scrap expanded metal from a friend who owns a metal fab shop. It was only about 5" tall, but very heavy so I didn't fuss one bit.
I didn't want to wait for Monday to go to his shop to weld it up, so used rebar wire tie to connect it.
Cut so pattern continues.
Bottom View
Got her 1/2 filled with about 5 lbs of Kingsford (didn't weigh, just eyeballed less than 1/3rd of an 18 lb bag). Sprinkled some hickory and mesquite throughout the coal pile.
I have a 12" fry thermometer that reaches right below the rack in the center. second is a Weber thermometer in the lid.
12:58 - Started the chimney with notepad an pencil to start recording times.
1:10 - The 10 to 12 (didn't count) coals in chimney were ashed over, so dumped into basket. All 3 intakes open.
1:15 - Fry Therm showed 250°, Lid showed 220°,
1:17 - choked 1 hole.
1:25 - Choked hole #2, left one 3/4" intake open 255° fry, 235° lid
1:44 - 255° fry, 235° lid
2:13 - 250° fry, 230° lid
2:16 - opened all 3 intakes
2:19 - 300° fry, 270° lid, choked 2 holes
2:40 - 260° fry, 230° lid
3:00 - 250° fry, 215° lid
No smoke stack, just using the 2" bung in the lid.
No paint yet, but beautiful in my eyes!
Neighbor walks over and is curious what I'm doing. Told him about the UDS - he is fascinated!
He says, "can't waste a good fire", so he jumps in the car and picks up 3 slabs St. Louis spares.
I told him this was my seasoning / test run, no intention of cooking!
So we quick dry rub up 2 racks with some JB's Fat Boy sweet rub, last one is a mustard rub and some Famous Dave's I had sitting around - don't really like it too much, and no time to make one.
No real rest time, had to leave for son's little league ball game at 3:30pm.
Take note - never cooked on a UDS, just left it to faith to hold temp.
Got back at about 6:30, Fry them was showing 215°.
Neighbor covered 2 holes while I was gone, he just left 1 open. With meat, UDS liked 1 1/2 holes - got up to about 235° with the extra 1/2 hole open.
This is what the looked like after about 3 hours - not bad for virgin experience...
Got them in foil, let them go for some more.
Started drinking beers.
Stopped tracking times and temps, forgot to take more pictures.
But thermometer was pegged..
No final pics - the ribs were great!!! Tender, moist, good smoke. Another neighbor came over, said better ribs than in any restaurant that he's tried.
Set it and forget it, why buy an expensive smoker when this works so well?!?
We let it burn til 10:30, still was holding about 250°.
I choke all intake and exhaust, didn't go back there for the night. She was cool in the morning.
Looked in there today, shook the basket around, probably had 1/2 of my usable coals left after a 9 1/2 hour burn! (Again reminder, I started with 5 - 6 lbs!)
Seriously, is it this easy?
If I'm not fighting temps, all I have to play with is recipes and cook times, sprays, flips...
But not fighting fires or low temps? Am I gushing? I am. I love it!
WOW!
OK - here is the concrete-bottomed UDS experiment (for those that didn't catch intro info over in cattle call - very little bbq experience, and this is my 1st UDS).
It has 3 3/4" holes for intake, no nipples. Just fridge magnets for air control.
2" of 5000 psi concrete in the bottom, 1 week cure time.
24" from basket to cooking grate.
I got it finished up Saturday and was going to do a seasoning / test burn - gauge temps, times..
Got some scrap expanded metal from a friend who owns a metal fab shop. It was only about 5" tall, but very heavy so I didn't fuss one bit.
I didn't want to wait for Monday to go to his shop to weld it up, so used rebar wire tie to connect it.
Cut so pattern continues.
Bottom View
Got her 1/2 filled with about 5 lbs of Kingsford (didn't weigh, just eyeballed less than 1/3rd of an 18 lb bag). Sprinkled some hickory and mesquite throughout the coal pile.
I have a 12" fry thermometer that reaches right below the rack in the center. second is a Weber thermometer in the lid.
12:58 - Started the chimney with notepad an pencil to start recording times.
1:10 - The 10 to 12 (didn't count) coals in chimney were ashed over, so dumped into basket. All 3 intakes open.
1:15 - Fry Therm showed 250°, Lid showed 220°,
1:17 - choked 1 hole.
1:25 - Choked hole #2, left one 3/4" intake open 255° fry, 235° lid
1:44 - 255° fry, 235° lid
2:13 - 250° fry, 230° lid
2:16 - opened all 3 intakes
2:19 - 300° fry, 270° lid, choked 2 holes
2:40 - 260° fry, 230° lid
3:00 - 250° fry, 215° lid
No smoke stack, just using the 2" bung in the lid.
No paint yet, but beautiful in my eyes!
Neighbor walks over and is curious what I'm doing. Told him about the UDS - he is fascinated!
He says, "can't waste a good fire", so he jumps in the car and picks up 3 slabs St. Louis spares.
I told him this was my seasoning / test run, no intention of cooking!
So we quick dry rub up 2 racks with some JB's Fat Boy sweet rub, last one is a mustard rub and some Famous Dave's I had sitting around - don't really like it too much, and no time to make one.
No real rest time, had to leave for son's little league ball game at 3:30pm.
Take note - never cooked on a UDS, just left it to faith to hold temp.
Got back at about 6:30, Fry them was showing 215°.
Neighbor covered 2 holes while I was gone, he just left 1 open. With meat, UDS liked 1 1/2 holes - got up to about 235° with the extra 1/2 hole open.
This is what the looked like after about 3 hours - not bad for virgin experience...
Got them in foil, let them go for some more.
Started drinking beers.
Stopped tracking times and temps, forgot to take more pictures.
But thermometer was pegged..
No final pics - the ribs were great!!! Tender, moist, good smoke. Another neighbor came over, said better ribs than in any restaurant that he's tried.
Set it and forget it, why buy an expensive smoker when this works so well?!?
We let it burn til 10:30, still was holding about 250°.
I choke all intake and exhaust, didn't go back there for the night. She was cool in the morning.
Looked in there today, shook the basket around, probably had 1/2 of my usable coals left after a 9 1/2 hour burn! (Again reminder, I started with 5 - 6 lbs!)
Seriously, is it this easy?
If I'm not fighting temps, all I have to play with is recipes and cook times, sprays, flips...
But not fighting fires or low temps? Am I gushing? I am. I love it!
Smokin Turkey
is Blowin Smoke!
what's the purpose of the concrete bottom?
Kubbie
Knows what a fatty is.
See post # 3368.
Smokin Turkey
is Blowin Smoke!
I agree with the 60lbs of dead-weight and the KISS comments but then again, if I listened to all the comments coming from the brethren when I was new here, i would have never build such a successful product as my KEG smoker so ROCK ON! Give it a try and just figure the worst thing you would run into is breaking the 2" block out of the bottom!
I am in the search for a thick gauge steel drum for my first drum build so anyone knows where to find one in PA.. PM me!
h20loo
is one Smokin' Farker
Kubbie- I know insulation on the top and sides of your barrel would have more effect. My barrel wont even melt the ice under it when I do winter smokes so there is no need for me to worry about heat loss to the bottom.
On a different note-Seems like everyday someone is taking shots at smokers. First it was the Traeger not giving any smoke, next it was the BG egg falling apart and next we'll see somebody taking shots at the UDS. Problems with the Egg and Traeger seem suspicious and if someone comes along with UDS trouble well we will KNOW that is suspicious!!! LOL
On a different note-Seems like everyday someone is taking shots at smokers. First it was the Traeger not giving any smoke, next it was the BG egg falling apart and next we'll see somebody taking shots at the UDS. Problems with the Egg and Traeger seem suspicious and if someone comes along with UDS trouble well we will KNOW that is suspicious!!! LOL
Kubbie
Knows what a fatty is.
Question that didn't know where to post, if here or start a new thread.
I would like to do some fish on a longer, almost cold smoke. Any tips for a 150° - 190° smoke on a UDS - as for # of lit coals vs what's in the basket, more exhaust, almost no intake air...?
I know that now, it was just an experiment. (Actually, my excuse is weight as a theft deterrent
I need to pound the Weber lid to fit now, to regain some of that lost space
I would like to do some fish on a longer, almost cold smoke. Any tips for a 150° - 190° smoke on a UDS - as for # of lit coals vs what's in the basket, more exhaust, almost no intake air...?
I know that now, it was just an experiment. (Actually, my excuse is weight as a theft deterrent
I need to pound the Weber lid to fit now, to regain some of that lost space
Skidder
Babbling Farker
I found a piece of paper that must have been stuck to the bottom of my ash pan / charcoal basket and after two smokes it wasn't even burned. Very charred but not burned. So I figure not much heat goes down.
HawkeyeQue
Well-known member
Great Thread fellas. I'm new here but after reading about the first 1/8 of this thread I was already inspired so I just laid claim to my first 55er this morning on Craigslist. It is closed ended and contained vegetable oil. I'm still working my way through the thread so I'm sure it's probably covered somewhere in here but I have a few questions that have popped into my head.
1. has anyone had experience using a vegetable oil barrel? Think the inside is lined or will it be clean steel?
2. I'm planning on getting a dome to put on top but what's the best way to open one end? Sawzall? Jigsaw?
Would appreciate any help, now I just can't wait to start my build. Too bad that baby is due any day now, my build may get delayed a bit.
1. has anyone had experience using a vegetable oil barrel? Think the inside is lined or will it be clean steel?
2. I'm planning on getting a dome to put on top but what's the best way to open one end? Sawzall? Jigsaw?
Would appreciate any help, now I just can't wait to start my build. Too bad that baby is due any day now, my build may get delayed a bit.
bacardi2001
Full Fledged Farker
double barreled smoker
well now im just frustrated not only is it hard to find a barrel out here southern california ( san fernando valley ). but nobody will ship me those barrel stove kits because of " CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS LAWS ". i tried us stove company and their distributors which make a cheaper ( price ) kit but they all of a sudden ran out of kits and wont get any in until sept. so can any on suggest an alternate way of connecting the 2 barrels ( no welding ) or any other solution for me? thanks alot
well now im just frustrated not only is it hard to find a barrel out here southern california ( san fernando valley ). but nobody will ship me those barrel stove kits because of " CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS LAWS ". i tried us stove company and their distributors which make a cheaper ( price ) kit but they all of a sudden ran out of kits and wont get any in until sept. so can any on suggest an alternate way of connecting the 2 barrels ( no welding ) or any other solution for me? thanks alot
Wyley
Knows what a fatty is.
Hey everyone, if you are close to Peachtree City, GA there is someone selling a lot of 4 55 gal food grade drums. The current bid is $3.00 with a little over 11 hours left. They say they have some more also. Local pick up only. I hope it's OK to post the link to the auction. Apologies in advance if I shouldn't have.
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-metal-drums-barrels-55-gallon-food-grade_W0QQitemZ120436132057QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0a8d88d9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Paul
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-metal-drums-barrels-55-gallon-food-grade_W0QQitemZ120436132057QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0a8d88d9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Paul
Kubbie
Knows what a fatty is.
No-weld handle for flat lid
My first read was a quick skimming for visuals, so I'll add some more pics:
I purchase a couple of these chipping hammers from Harbor Freight. Cut off the hammer, and took a propane torch to heat and bend.
I found that a 3/8" die works perfectly for this diameter.
Cut down about an inch.
Threaded
A nut and washer on both sides of the lid and you have a handle.
Ain't she ugly?
My first read was a quick skimming for visuals, so I'll add some more pics:
I purchase a couple of these chipping hammers from Harbor Freight. Cut off the hammer, and took a propane torch to heat and bend.
I found that a 3/8" die works perfectly for this diameter.
Cut down about an inch.
Threaded
A nut and washer on both sides of the lid and you have a handle.
Ain't she ugly?
Phubar
somebody shut me the fark up.
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1.Me!:-DYour barrel is probably clean,just wash it with water and a degreaser.If it's starts to rust you're good to go!
2.Opened mine with a jigsaw,if your dome fits perfect on the lip of the barrel keep in mind to cut the INSIDE of the lip.:wink:
Good luck!
Babyboomerboy
is one Smokin' Farker
I just finished building my first UDS and am ready to try it out. I grill steaks on a gas grill but I haven't done a low and slow cook before. Can someone give me an idea of how long to cook ribs, butt, brisket and chicken halves in this thing? Not all at once ofcourse but I thought I would like to try ribs today, maybe a butt or shoulder tomorrow and maybe brisket or some chicken this weekend. Thanks
manicmndy
Found some matches.
Babyboomerboy
Here is a link that might help.
Don
http://www.wyntk.us/food/smoking-times-and-temperatures.shtml
Here is a link that might help.
Don
http://www.wyntk.us/food/smoking-times-and-temperatures.shtml
Skidder
Babbling Farker
Baby always for the most part you need to cook to final (meat) temp. Except for the ribs. Do a search. Ribs need to have a nice bend to them and do the tear method. That is if they tear away from the bone easily there done. Don't do the fall off the bone thing unless that is the way you and your guests like them. Brisket, pork and chicken all have to be done to a certain temp. Good luck and post pics for us all.
swamprb
somebody shut me the fark up.
I just wanted to post some pics of a pretty cool pit I saw last weekend at a Backyard BBQ comp I participated in.
Here is Chico and his 900lb, 1/2" thick direct heat cooker.
He said it has a cast iron baffle below the cook grates and a damper intake on the bottom. I almost busted a nut lifting the
door!
Here is Chico and his 900lb, 1/2" thick direct heat cooker.
He said it has a cast iron baffle below the cook grates and a damper intake on the bottom. I almost busted a nut lifting the
door!
O
obnepec
Guest
questions
Posted this on the other list but seems like more people are on this thread. Thanks for any info!
Wow, this is a great thread for building one of these smokers. I have looked around and found a local place selling used food grade barrels relatively cheaply but A) I live in a neighborhood where I have seen a neighbor ding'd by the hoa for having a shed top peaking out over their fence so doing a major burnout isn't really an option and B) considering me and my family are going to be eating food out of this I would like to have a barrel that I know what has been in it previously. So I saw in your thread that you ordered your barrel new from mcmaster. I have a location relatively near where I work and was looking at the 20 guage 55 gallon drum part number 4115T68. This is an uncoated (on the inside) new steel drum which should work. Anyone have any problems with this one I should know about? Secondly it has normal black paint on the outside. Since I can't really do a good burnout what would you suggest on this? I can always try to hit it with my sander but seems like alot of work. Is it needed to do this? I could not tell if you were using the standard paint that came with the drum or if you sanded/repainted. Third is I had an idea for adding functionality to this and wanted to see what everyone here though. Right now I have a gas smoker and a gas grill. I really like the taste of charcoal grilling though. So what I was thinking was add another "grill level" about 2 inches inside the top of the barrel and then if I want to grill out put my charcoal on the top of the 1st normal grate down (about 6" so about 4" from the food grate I am putting in so I could use the upper section as a charcoal grill. Any objections to doing that? Fourth from the comments about finding just the right height for the grill racks. What I was planning was to have 5-6" from the lid and work down from there. From cad drawings it looks like I should be able to get 3-4 racks in although I also want to have a wood chip holder suspended above the coals and a water pan above that. Would having the water pan help to alleviate some of the concern about how far the lowest level of food is from the coals? If I can get 4 22.5" racks in there then that give me ALOT of cook space. Also thinking of adding extra level holes that I could blank off if not needed for when doing ribs to allow for even more rack space. Any comments on this?
One more thing I was looking at. As I don't have access to welding equipment but I really like the roller you have on it had an idea and wanted to see what you thought. What I was thinking was, instead of welding the pieces to the bottom of the barrel, make the X with castors attached at the edges and then drill 4 holes through the material holding the castors and drill holes through the bottom of the barrel and then bolt the castor X to the bottom of the barrel. Probably not as sturdy as welding but with washers/nuts on all sides so its not focusing the force on a small area of the bottom I think it would work. Any comments?
Obnepec
Posted this on the other list but seems like more people are on this thread. Thanks for any info!
Wow, this is a great thread for building one of these smokers. I have looked around and found a local place selling used food grade barrels relatively cheaply but A) I live in a neighborhood where I have seen a neighbor ding'd by the hoa for having a shed top peaking out over their fence so doing a major burnout isn't really an option and B) considering me and my family are going to be eating food out of this I would like to have a barrel that I know what has been in it previously. So I saw in your thread that you ordered your barrel new from mcmaster. I have a location relatively near where I work and was looking at the 20 guage 55 gallon drum part number 4115T68. This is an uncoated (on the inside) new steel drum which should work. Anyone have any problems with this one I should know about? Secondly it has normal black paint on the outside. Since I can't really do a good burnout what would you suggest on this? I can always try to hit it with my sander but seems like alot of work. Is it needed to do this? I could not tell if you were using the standard paint that came with the drum or if you sanded/repainted. Third is I had an idea for adding functionality to this and wanted to see what everyone here though. Right now I have a gas smoker and a gas grill. I really like the taste of charcoal grilling though. So what I was thinking was add another "grill level" about 2 inches inside the top of the barrel and then if I want to grill out put my charcoal on the top of the 1st normal grate down (about 6" so about 4" from the food grate I am putting in so I could use the upper section as a charcoal grill. Any objections to doing that? Fourth from the comments about finding just the right height for the grill racks. What I was planning was to have 5-6" from the lid and work down from there. From cad drawings it looks like I should be able to get 3-4 racks in although I also want to have a wood chip holder suspended above the coals and a water pan above that. Would having the water pan help to alleviate some of the concern about how far the lowest level of food is from the coals? If I can get 4 22.5" racks in there then that give me ALOT of cook space. Also thinking of adding extra level holes that I could blank off if not needed for when doing ribs to allow for even more rack space. Any comments on this?
One more thing I was looking at. As I don't have access to welding equipment but I really like the roller you have on it had an idea and wanted to see what you thought. What I was thinking was, instead of welding the pieces to the bottom of the barrel, make the X with castors attached at the edges and then drill 4 holes through the material holding the castors and drill holes through the bottom of the barrel and then bolt the castor X to the bottom of the barrel. Probably not as sturdy as welding but with washers/nuts on all sides so its not focusing the force on a small area of the bottom I think it would work. Any comments?
Obnepec
