questions on Kettle Drum conversion

ButtBurner

ButtBurner

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Hey guys

some of you may remember I made a rotisserie for my 22 1/2" OTS out of a 55 gallon drum.

I want to use it as a smoker too. I plugged up the slot and hole for the spit with thick fire rope I had from another smoker

I hooked up my ATC to it and it worked fine but i want to do it without it.

So far I have tried using Minion in a charcoal basket I have but it went out of control.

I also tried the snake method but it did not get hot enough, maybe the snake was too small, I used a bottom row of 2 briqs and a top row of 1 briq.

I also put a foiled pan (no water) on the lower grate for a deflector, dont know if thats needed or not

What do you think I should try next?

Just playing around with it for fun. I think it would make a great brisket cooker once I dial it in.

thanks
 

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Minion in charcoal basket went out of control?? Where is it getting too much air from?
 
Fwismoker said:
Minion in charcoal basket went out of control?? Where is it getting too much air from?
Click to expand...

not exactly sure. I can snuff out the coals by shutting the vents

might have been the way I lit it, maybe I used too many coals? Or the way I set it up.

I had a basket of briqs, poured about 1/2 chimney of lump over the top spread out. Maybe I should have just lit a corner.

All vents wide open

I am a stickburner, not really used to the minion method.
 
Mine is round so i don't have a "corner" per say but i light the edge and let it burn out....works out well too because it makes the next basket pretty much ready to go with any partial burt or un burnt and just add some fresh. IMO a 1/4 chimney is more than enough...heck sometimes i just use 1 Weber starter cube.
 
Fwismoker said:
Mine is round so i don't have a "corner" per say but i light the edge and let it burn out....works out well too because it makes the next basket pretty much ready to go with any partial burn or un burnt.
Click to expand...

my basket is square. 12"X12"X6" expanded metal I made for another smoker.

How exactly do you light it?

thanks for the help
 
I've got a similar setup with a modded drum insert. I fill my basket with lump and smoke chunks mixed in, then add about 1/4 chimney of red hot lump to a dent in the middle of the pile. Gets me long cooks at a steady 275 with the top wide open and bottom cracked 1/4. I also use a diffuser most of the time.
 
ButtBurner said:
my basket is square. 12"X12"X6" expanded metal I made for another smoker.

How exactly do you light it?

thanks for the help
Click to expand...
Just fill it up, pull a hand full of coals from the edge then light and put back in the spot i took them. You can just use a corner and do the same thing...just let it burn outward.
 
ok thanks. I will try that. I think I had too many lit coals and spreading them all over the top just made everything light too fast.
 
how about my intake vents?

I am thinking starting them out 1/2 open?

I dont know

I will try all the open for this next trial and light a corner as suggested
 
wow this is great. after fiddling with the vents a bit I am now running about 270 for the past 2 hours.

I really appreciate your taking the time to help me out!!
thanks!!
 
Good deal. I knew Keith would get ya fixed up.

Let us know how well she burns.
 
thanks

my Auber works real well with it

but there is something satisfying about not using it!!

just checked, still have about 2/3 coals not burned yet

this is a test burn, no food on it
 
Wasting fuel... :tsk:

Throw something on.
 
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