Opinions on gas grill smoker boxes

[RPCookin]

I've done a 6 hour smoke with a pork butt on my old Weber gas grill and had it come out great. I haven't had to try it with my current grill because I have a cheap electric smoker that's adequate for the job.

I just can't consider the expenditure for any reasonably good smoker. We have a new camping trailer and I'm still outfitting that, bit by bit, and have to tip-toe around my wife about some of what I still need to get for that.

 

[roadfix]

I just can't consider the expenditure for any reasonably good smoker. :

You can always go DIY. Here's my $50, home-made, 55-gallon ugly drum smoker (UDS). With 3 tiers of racks I can smoke 9 racks of ribs in the thing. And with a full basket of charcoal it can easily maintain 12+ hours of smoking temp.

 

[buckytom]

Roadfix, where did you get your drum?

I've wanted to make my own UDS. How did you make the cuts for doors, etc.?

 

[roadfix]

Roadfix, where did you get your drum?

I've wanted to make my own UDS. How did you make the cuts for doors, etc.?

Got the drum from a local drum dealer who sells new and refurbished unlined drums of all sizes. I got a 55 and a 16 gallon refurbished drum from these guys. I made a 16 gallon smoker as well. I use that for hanging ribs to smoke.

There is no door on a typical UDS. You don't want to mess with a side door as you want to keep the cooking chamber as air tight as possible. Everything is accessed from the top of the drum. Intake vents are drilled at the bottom of the drum. There are countless different ways to build a UDS. Just make sure you look for unlined drums. Lined drums are difficult to burn off and can be toxic.

 

[Vinylhanger]

I have a really small cast iron pan I use for chips in my smoker. Picked it up for a couple of bucks at the Goodwill. With a foil lid, it works really well as a smoke box.