So this past late winter I decided I wanted a smoker and to smoke a pork butt. I went out and bought a cheapass Brinkmann Smoke'N Grill Charcoal Smoker from Walmart to learn on. Before my first cook I had already watched several videos on mods to make it work better. I did a few different mods to the smoker while I actively used it. The smoker could never hold a consistent temp. I would also have to add coals every 2 hours or so.

I had read about the UDS online and talked to a few people who loved theirs. After some searching I found these directions on how to build one. At the end of June I started building one.

Drum that I picked up from a local company, it cost me $48.



First iteration of the smoker. My vents on the bottom were a tiny bit to high. So I added 2 more lower later one.


I did my first brisket with the UDS and it turned out decently. I learned that I can hold temp for about 6 hours on a load of charcoal and that the UDS tend to cook a bit fast. The night after the brisket I did pork tenderloin.



I wanted a dome lid instead of the flat stock one. You can get a Weber 22.5" grill lid and they are said to fit perfectly. I could not find one so I got a cheap Walmart 22.5" grill. The lid did not fit perfectly, but I have a welder and time. So I went to town on creating a dome lid.




The cheap grill I bought came with hinges to hold the lid to the side. I figured I would try to get them to work with the top on the drum. They sort of work, not most stabled but not absolutely horrible.



The reason I want the dome is so that I can make 2 levels to cook on. Later this week I will go about adding a water pan, then putting the 2 grates on at proper height. After that I am planning on building a HeaterMeater to control temps with.

For now I have it going at 225 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack of spare ribs smoking.

 

You want to ship me those hot side parts?

And maybe ship some meat too. That UDS looks baller.

 

How many build threads do you have now?

 

 

 

what was in that drum before you got it?

 

i keep opening this, thinking it says stroker....
i would love to build something like that. lol

 

So, what DOES benzene taste like? Or is it Xylene?

 

MMmmmmm.... cancer

 

I think just 3 build threads, one for my actual 94 miata, one for my lamp, and now one for my smoker. Check FRT_Fun or Urbanshoot if you want to see people with more build threads then me.

Not sure exactly what was in it. Drum company sold a good number of different types, I told them that I was making a smoker and wanted a food grade drum. They told me which container to goto to get it. I do know they all get bead blasted and then cleaned before they sell them. I also burned it out before I did any first cooks on it.

 

26 pounds of meat.


The logo on the smoker.


Loaded on the back of the car ready to go to VIR this weekend.

 

ok some observations:

1) dang dude you must be spending some hefty cash on meat recently. seems like you're smoking pork butt or something else every other day. you gon get fat lol
2) LOLOL on the turbokitty logo +props
3) sweet setup

 

Whoa whoa, no need to call me out. I only have like 4-5. Maaaaaaybe 6. But only 1 currently ongoing.

 

My cheapo modified Brinkmann is serving me relatively well, but your drum smoker is lusty.

Can you snap a pic of the interior if its finished? I'm curious on how you set up the grates and coals and such. What coals and wood are your faves?

 

I am so used to thread titles being modified by the admins that I was expecting a car that smoked, not an actual smoker. Looks good.

 

Wrong. If anything Lars will put his body into a state of ketosis and burn fat for fuel. He will lean out from the fat. /diet rant

I can't wait to taste some of Lars' sweet, sweet butt next weekend.

 

So many men have been lusting after that butt.