Oil Drum Smoker, first attempt.
Discussion
Bit of a background to this Oil Drum Smoker thread.
A week ago I became a proud Dad for the first time, just in time for Fathers Day. Anyway the week prior to the birth the OH had to listen to me rant on about on an oil drum smoker on ebay, then for me to get outbid at the last second. The summer Gods must of been on my side as the highest bidder pulled out and I got a second chance to buy. Two days later this contraption got delivered as a Fathers Day gift.
Having not used a smoker before I did some reading and thinking and a bit more reading.
So here is how it went:
I made a small briquette basket underneath (an old soil riddle) supported by a ring of bricks to let air through.
Once the briquettes were white a pierced double layer foil parcel of oak chips was placed on top.
I used a strip of foil to control the airflow held in place by two magnets.
The heat was left to build up for around 30 mins Once the fuel was hot I fiddled around with the airflow to slow the burning down.
Now the food. A friend had a cracking Jerk recipe so I made that up in the garden and marinaded a shoulder of pork in it.
I also did some chicken wings in a dry rub. The rub mix was from Steven Raichlen's Barbeque Bible. I finished these with a Southern Comfort, honey and light soy glaze.
The pork was put in for about 1 hour before the wings. As this was my first time using a smoker I couldn't help looking in to see what was happening..... plus having a good smell.
Pleased with the results and how deep the smoked layer went into the pork and most of all how it tasted!
If there are any experts on here on using a drum smoker any recipes, marinades, rub's or cooking pointers would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Tickle
A week ago I became a proud Dad for the first time, just in time for Fathers Day. Anyway the week prior to the birth the OH had to listen to me rant on about on an oil drum smoker on ebay, then for me to get outbid at the last second. The summer Gods must of been on my side as the highest bidder pulled out and I got a second chance to buy. Two days later this contraption got delivered as a Fathers Day gift.
Having not used a smoker before I did some reading and thinking and a bit more reading.
So here is how it went:
I made a small briquette basket underneath (an old soil riddle) supported by a ring of bricks to let air through.
Once the briquettes were white a pierced double layer foil parcel of oak chips was placed on top.
I used a strip of foil to control the airflow held in place by two magnets.
The heat was left to build up for around 30 mins Once the fuel was hot I fiddled around with the airflow to slow the burning down.
Now the food. A friend had a cracking Jerk recipe so I made that up in the garden and marinaded a shoulder of pork in it.
I also did some chicken wings in a dry rub. The rub mix was from Steven Raichlen's Barbeque Bible. I finished these with a Southern Comfort, honey and light soy glaze.
The pork was put in for about 1 hour before the wings. As this was my first time using a smoker I couldn't help looking in to see what was happening..... plus having a good smell.
Pleased with the results and how deep the smoked layer went into the pork and most of all how it tasted!
If there are any experts on here on using a drum smoker any recipes, marinades, rub's or cooking pointers would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Tickle
Edited by Tickle on Thursday 19th June 21:38
What a great way to spend your paternity! But watch the time as these things take up more than you think.
I have a bullet smoker. Not a drum but the same principles apply, mostly. Here are a few tips with bigger joints such as pork butt (shoulder)
Smoke from fridge/room temp for no more than a few hours. Any more tends to be pointless as the meat stops taking on smoke beyond a certain temp anyway.
Once you know you've achieved the desired smoke exposure, wrap in heavy foil and introduce moisture to create steam in the parcel. This will make your meat retain moisture as the heat breaks down the collagen and other connective tissue.
Don't be tempted to peak. You'll lose moisture and temp. Be prepared to go long and slow and use a lot of charcoal.
Maintain temp with decent charcoal and use a chimney starter. Get your next batch on before the former drops in temp too much to maintain.
Once tenderness is achieved, a sticky glaze is usually what takes it from the delicious, to the sublime. It's worth the extra 30 mins or so to achieve a good glaze.
Try brining or injecting fluids when you have more time.
Make friends with a good butcher and let him Know what you're up to. He should look after you if he's any good.
It looks like a good bit of kit. Enjoy.
I have a bullet smoker. Not a drum but the same principles apply, mostly. Here are a few tips with bigger joints such as pork butt (shoulder)
Smoke from fridge/room temp for no more than a few hours. Any more tends to be pointless as the meat stops taking on smoke beyond a certain temp anyway.
Once you know you've achieved the desired smoke exposure, wrap in heavy foil and introduce moisture to create steam in the parcel. This will make your meat retain moisture as the heat breaks down the collagen and other connective tissue.
Don't be tempted to peak. You'll lose moisture and temp. Be prepared to go long and slow and use a lot of charcoal.
Maintain temp with decent charcoal and use a chimney starter. Get your next batch on before the former drops in temp too much to maintain.
Once tenderness is achieved, a sticky glaze is usually what takes it from the delicious, to the sublime. It's worth the extra 30 mins or so to achieve a good glaze.
Try brining or injecting fluids when you have more time.
Make friends with a good butcher and let him Know what you're up to. He should look after you if he's any good.
It looks like a good bit of kit. Enjoy.
Edited by Pferdestarke on Thursday 19th June 22:57
Looks great with a huge cooking surface, nice work!
My current fav marinade is 5/6 garlic cloves, lemon zest and rock salt mashed in a m&p to a paste then add 1 heaped tsp of smoked hot paprika, heaped tsp of dried oregano then mash up some more then squeeze lemon juice and slowly add olive oil while mixing to your happy with the consistency then season to taste.
This does 18-20 wings comfortably so adjust ratios accordingly.
I prefer to hot smoke my wings, 200c then dropping to 170c while cooking for 1h30 or so with a liquid filled drip pan below this gives me crispy wings while the bones just pull out easily. No need for sauce just crispy tenderness!
My current fav marinade is 5/6 garlic cloves, lemon zest and rock salt mashed in a m&p to a paste then add 1 heaped tsp of smoked hot paprika, heaped tsp of dried oregano then mash up some more then squeeze lemon juice and slowly add olive oil while mixing to your happy with the consistency then season to taste.
This does 18-20 wings comfortably so adjust ratios accordingly.
I prefer to hot smoke my wings, 200c then dropping to 170c while cooking for 1h30 or so with a liquid filled drip pan below this gives me crispy wings while the bones just pull out easily. No need for sauce just crispy tenderness!
Edited by jogon on Thursday 19th June 23:11
Pferdestarke said:
What a great way to spend your paternity! But watch the time as these things take up more than you think.
I have a bullet smoker. Not a drum but the same principles apply, mostly. Here are a few tips with bigger joints such as pork butt (shoulder)
Smoke from fridge/room temp for no more than a few hours. Any more tends to be pointless as the meat stops taking on smoke beyond a certain temp anyway.
Once you know you've achieved the desired smoke exposure, wrap in heavy foil and introduce moisture to create steam in the parcel. This will make your meat retain moisture as the heat breaks down the collagen and other connective tissue.
Don't be tempted to peak. You'll lose moisture and temp. Be prepared to go long and slow and use a lot of charcoal.
Maintain temp with decent charcoal and use a chimney starter. Get your next batch on before the former drops in temp too much to maintain.
Once tenderness is achieved, a sticky glaze is usually what takes it from the delicious, to the sublime. It's worth the extra 30 mins or so to achieve a good glaze.
Try brining or injecting fluids when you have more time.
Make friends with a good butcher and let him Know what you're up to. He should look after you if he's any good.
It looks like a good bit of kit. Enjoy.
Cheers for the tips, much appreciated.I have a bullet smoker. Not a drum but the same principles apply, mostly. Here are a few tips with bigger joints such as pork butt (shoulder)
Smoke from fridge/room temp for no more than a few hours. Any more tends to be pointless as the meat stops taking on smoke beyond a certain temp anyway.
Once you know you've achieved the desired smoke exposure, wrap in heavy foil and introduce moisture to create steam in the parcel. This will make your meat retain moisture as the heat breaks down the collagen and other connective tissue.
Don't be tempted to peak. You'll lose moisture and temp. Be prepared to go long and slow and use a lot of charcoal.
Maintain temp with decent charcoal and use a chimney starter. Get your next batch on before the former drops in temp too much to maintain.
Once tenderness is achieved, a sticky glaze is usually what takes it from the delicious, to the sublime. It's worth the extra 30 mins or so to achieve a good glaze.
Try brining or injecting fluids when you have more time.
Make friends with a good butcher and let him Know what you're up to. He should look after you if he's any good.
It looks like a good bit of kit. Enjoy.
Edited by Pferdestarke on Thursday 19th June 22:57
Luckily I have a close friend who is a butcher, even handier is that they live a 1 min walk away. I don't tend to buy meat from a supermarket unless caught short for some reason.
I have a thermometer in the post that needs fitting to the drum, simple dial gauge with a prong. I am not expecting the readings to be correct in numbers but it should give me an indication of a temp drop prior to a re-fuel.
Brisket is next up this weekend, I will try the sticky marinade and foil technique. Plus an update with pics of the Thermometer fitted.
Oh yes, not a bad way to spend my paternity at all, sadly its back to work tomorrow.
jogon said:
Looks great with a huge cooking surface, nice work!
My current fav marinade is 5/6 garlic cloves, lemon zest and rock salt mashed in a m&p to a paste then add 1 heaped tsp of smoked hot paprika, heaped tsp of dried oregano then mash up some more then squeeze lemon juice and slowly add olive oil while mixing to your happy with the consistency then season to taste.
This does 18-20 wings comfortably so adjust ratios accordingly.
I prefer to hot smoke my wings, 200c then dropping to 170c while cooking for 1h30 or so with a liquid filled drip pan below this gives me crispy wings while the bones just pull out easily. No need for sauce just crispy tenderness!
Cheers,My current fav marinade is 5/6 garlic cloves, lemon zest and rock salt mashed in a m&p to a paste then add 1 heaped tsp of smoked hot paprika, heaped tsp of dried oregano then mash up some more then squeeze lemon juice and slowly add olive oil while mixing to your happy with the consistency then season to taste.
This does 18-20 wings comfortably so adjust ratios accordingly.
I prefer to hot smoke my wings, 200c then dropping to 170c while cooking for 1h30 or so with a liquid filled drip pan below this gives me crispy wings while the bones just pull out easily. No need for sauce just crispy tenderness!
Edited by jogon on Thursday 19th June 23:11
I will try a batch of wings with your marinade, got a family get together this up-coming weekend. See if they get the nod.
doogz said:
The food looks great. The way the thing's been built, I've never seen one like that before, but I like the idea.
But whoever welded that should be ashamed of themselves!
I have an oil drum, some cutting and welding gear, I just have no time at the moment
Thanks,But whoever welded that should be ashamed of themselves!
I have an oil drum, some cutting and welding gear, I just have no time at the moment
I first seen the design on this site (http://originaljerk.co.uk/jerk-and-smoker-550/) which prompted me to look on ebay, as £550 was hard to justify on a Barbecue to the OH.... although she hasn't been complaining when eating of it the last few days.
Anyway the home-made one off ebay with the dodgy welding had to suffice.
If you do end up having a go the one on the link doesn't appear to have to much welding on it, still I dont think it will be a quick build if you are stuck for time.
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