Ugly Drum Smoker

Bigfish8 said:
Hello:

I joined (accepted to) the site yesterday and have signed-up for a subscription this morning. I, as many of you, own/use several pieces of outdoor grilling/smoking equipment. My drum smoker is a made from a stainless steel drum with the Big Poppa conversion kit. Since I cannot conduct searches here yet, I have a question and I hope this is the appropriate location.

The bottom-side of my drum lid gets a build-up of a black, greasy, tar-like yuk (best description I can give it). We built a smoker for a friend who used a mild steel drum with the same Big Poppa kit. The bottom side of his lid does not get the yuk build-up. Both drums get used a lot (butts, chicken, ribs, prime rib and brisket). Do you think I am getting the build-up because of the difference in the medal of the drums or is the under the lid build-up considered normal? Other than scrape it with a putty knife I have no clue how to remove it.

I have found the drum to be a very useful and excellent smoker. For me, it requires just the right amount of attention - not set it and forget it but also not demanding once it gets to tempt. I have cooked on it for 20 hours with single fill of charcoal.

Thanks,

Ken
Click to expand...
Look for this at the bottom of the page.
picture.php

You can search the whole site from there.
 
dadsr4 said:
Look for this at the bottom of the page.
picture.php

You can search the whole site from there.
Click to expand...

He won't see it yet. You have to have an X amount of posts to search. I think it is like 25 or 50, I can't remember. This prevents newly signed peeps from spamming the board.
 
Czarbecue said:
He won't see it yet. You have to have an X amount of posts to search. I think it is like 25 or 50, I can't remember. This prevents newly signed peeps from spamming the board.
Click to expand...
I've used the search bar without signing in on someone else's computer a number of times to get a recipe for them.
 
el luchador said:
I cant believe I didn't post this here.

this is the graph of a 26 hour pork butt I did, just for giggles.

I filled the firebox half full with briquettes. firebox is 12"high, 17" diameter.

after 26 hours(22hours at 180°, 4.5hours at 200°) it still had almost half the lump charcoal left unburned

cooking direct over the coals is VERY efficient. I wouldn't be surprised if its as efficient as, or more efficient than , a kamado with a plate setter.


Heatermeter kept temps ROCK SOLID

attachment.php
Click to expand...

WOW !!!! that is nuts.....
 
Any tips to keep the lid from sticking to the drum? During a cook I shut it to prevent any leaks. This creates a really tight seal. With the size and weight of my 110 gallon lid, it’s like using all my might to lift King Arthur’s sword. Most of the time I have to use a step stool for additional leverage.

Maybe a gasket on the rim of the lid?
 
Tweak/bend out the bottom outside edge of the lid slightly. All the way around. Just enough so the lid still sits firmly on the drum but the rolled edge isn't so tight causing your problem.
 
When I still had my flat top UDS (sold it -miss it), sometimes I had to use the end of a pair of tongs to break the seal. I loved that unit- and wish like hell my new stainless one had been open top. I like the room the weber lid gives, but would trade it in a heartbeat for a snug fitting lid.

If you want it ez, open the lip a bit like Ebijack suggested. I might opt to rig some sort of seal break on the leading edge of the lid- would easy to do.
 
Since I have been planing at some point on building myself a new UDS without all the mods I had made over the years to test things. I decided to take my old coal/wood burning UDS and turn it into a stubby before I build anything new. Just to try it out first using coal/wood and burning pure wood splits.
Before

Stubby version
 
Diffuser question:
Currently i use a 12 or 14 inch pizza pan with hole drilled in it. I think it's working fine but could be better. Its on my second grill grate located on the lower rings in a big popper smoker that is used to raise the basket up for grilling...
I was thinking of added some expanded metal to make by basket taller (for longer cooks). would it be better to just lay my holed diffuser right on the top rim of my basket? hansaker style minus the fans.
Think that will give more even cooking temps all around my drum? Then I could also use that lower grate to cook on, or do you think it will be too hot even with the difuser on the basket?
 
You may be better off just using some aluminum flashing to increase the height of your charcoal basket. You don’t necessarily need holes on the side of the basket if you have enough air drawing in from the bottom. Just buy a $8 roll of flashing and let it unravel inside the basket. It will naturally create a cylinder. They come in 12” or 18” in height and are 10’ feet long. Enough thickness to support a diffuser plate.
 
Czarbecue said:
You may be better off just using some aluminum flashing to increase the height of your charcoal basket. You don’t necessarily need holes on the side of the basket if you have enough air drawing in from the bottom. Just buy a $8 roll of flashing and let it unravel inside the basket. It will naturally create a cylinder. They come in 12” or 18” in height and are 10’ feet long. Enough thickness to support a diffuser plate.
Click to expand...
Lit charcoal will melt aluminum.
 
Las Vegas 55 gallon drums

circle m said:
If you're looking for clean food grade drums, there's a gun in las vegas selling like new drums for 20.00 on e bay.
Click to expand...


Las Vegas craigslist has 55 gallon food grade drums for $15.
 
dadsr4 said:
Lit charcoal will melt aluminum.
Click to expand...


Had to check the melting point. I guess I never hit 650F in my WSM with the Hunsaker basket. I just don’t like expanded metal sides for a basket because it will project heat out in all direction.
 
Untold tons of bbq cooked in UDS with "leaky" expando baskets.

Pretty sure the solid steel sides would radiate a little heat outwards too but w/e.
 
Wouldn't allowing the basket to let heat radiate out towards the wall of the drum and then up help increase the out edge of your grates temp. And having a diffuser over the top of the basket cool the middle kinda evening out the inner and outer of your top grate? sounds legit in my head hahaha
 
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