This blog is all about the build of my "Ugly Drum Smoker", commonly known in the BBQ Smoking Community as a UDS. For those of you who may not have heard of the UDS, it is, in it's most basic form, a clean "55 gal. Oil Drum" that has been turned into an upright BBQ meat smoker. 
Even something as simple as the UDS requires a bit of explaination. For instance, no one who has any consideration for the health of the people who will eat BBQ created in the UDS would use a drum that previously held anything toxic, such as petroleum oil, so the "Oil Drum" moniker is just a hold-over description of this type of metal barrels, or drums, that originally were used to hold oil. The one I used here is considered "Food Grade", as it's original purpose was to transport Orange Juice Concentrate. Even this drum had a lining that has to be removed before the heat of a BBQ smoke session could be safely made inside the barrel. More about that later.
The UDS concept is to have a low temperature charcoal or wood fire in the bottom of the barrel, usually about 24 inches below the grill that holds the meat while it is smoking. Drippings from the cooking meat are allowed to drop onto the burning coals, adding additional "smoked meat" flavor to the meat being smoked. This is a direct-heat type of cook, as opposed to other smokers which have the fire positioned off to the side, and not directly under the meat.
BBQ Smoking is "low and slow" (relatively low temperatures, and long cook times), as opposed to Grilling, which is usually high temperatures and a short cook time. Depending on the meat being BBQ'ed, a Smoke session could last 12 hours or longer to get the BBQ to it's desired flavor and tenderness. The UDS is perfect for long cooks, as the airflow to the fire can be precisely controlled, and the temperature regulated to 250F or less. A 10 lb. charge of fuel can easily burn that long or longer in a UDS.
Finally, before we move on, these cookers are called "Ugly Drum Smokers" because many of them are built very basic, and no attempt is made to paint the outside, or make them look pretty. Many times they consist simply of a barrel with a few well placed holes drilled in the sides and top, and are sitting up on 2 or 3 bricks. Airflow to the fire is controlled in the most basic of ways, but they still perform just as well as any UDS (like mine) that has been "Blinged Out".
I wanted my UDS to look good, as well as be easy to move and clean. So it has wheels and the bottom is removable. I also wanted some fancy stuff such as a small table to set things on and to hold my digital probe meat thermometers. You will see all of the things I've done as we go along.
Even something as simple as the UDS requires a bit of explaination. For instance, no one who has any consideration for the health of the people who will eat BBQ created in the UDS would use a drum that previously held anything toxic, such as petroleum oil, so the "Oil Drum" moniker is just a hold-over description of this type of metal barrels, or drums, that originally were used to hold oil. The one I used here is considered "Food Grade", as it's original purpose was to transport Orange Juice Concentrate. Even this drum had a lining that has to be removed before the heat of a BBQ smoke session could be safely made inside the barrel. More about that later.The UDS concept is to have a low temperature charcoal or wood fire in the bottom of the barrel, usually about 24 inches below the grill that holds the meat while it is smoking. Drippings from the cooking meat are allowed to drop onto the burning coals, adding additional "smoked meat" flavor to the meat being smoked. This is a direct-heat type of cook, as opposed to other smokers which have the fire positioned off to the side, and not directly under the meat.
BBQ Smoking is "low and slow" (relatively low temperatures, and long cook times), as opposed to Grilling, which is usually high temperatures and a short cook time. Depending on the meat being BBQ'ed, a Smoke session could last 12 hours or longer to get the BBQ to it's desired flavor and tenderness. The UDS is perfect for long cooks, as the airflow to the fire can be precisely controlled, and the temperature regulated to 250F or less. A 10 lb. charge of fuel can easily burn that long or longer in a UDS.
Finally, before we move on, these cookers are called "Ugly Drum Smokers" because many of them are built very basic, and no attempt is made to paint the outside, or make them look pretty. Many times they consist simply of a barrel with a few well placed holes drilled in the sides and top, and are sitting up on 2 or 3 bricks. Airflow to the fire is controlled in the most basic of ways, but they still perform just as well as any UDS (like mine) that has been "Blinged Out".
I wanted my UDS to look good, as well as be easy to move and clean. So it has wheels and the bottom is removable. I also wanted some fancy stuff such as a small table to set things on and to hold my digital probe meat thermometers. You will see all of the things I've done as we go along.
Here she is, finished. I have made one initial burn to "season" the inside of the drum and to bake on the high heat paint I put on the outside. I easilly got her up to 550F for awhile and was able to take the temperature back down to a "low and slow" 250F simply by regulating the amount of air getting to the charcoal/wood fuel, the air flowing into the holes around the bottom of the drum, and exiting the top adjustable vent in the lid.
I glued a piece of sheet steel to the table to hold my digital probe type thermometer. The base of the thermometer has a magnet, so it won't fall off the table.
The probe wire of the thermometer enters the drum between the 2 racks inside the drum thru this nice little rubber lined port that protects the line from sharp edges of the hole in the drum.
The burned air and smoke exits the drum thru this adjustable vent in the center of the lid. The lid also does not fit very tightly on the top edge of the drum. So between those 2 openings I should get good airflow for the charcoal fire. I have no doubt that some experimentation may be in order in the future to see just how cooking settings will work out. I can also always add additional opening in the lid should I feel the need to. I added a dial Temp Gauge to monitor the cooking temperatures inside the drum and help me decide how to regulate the airflow.
The donor grill I used had a neat little wire basket. So I drilled a couple of simple holes in the barrel, and instant Bling! I sure I'll find something to set in there during a long smoke.
The donor grill also provided the lid and one 22.5 inch round grill that fit perfectly inside my drum. The lid is hinged on the original grill and I was able to use the hinges on the UDS. Here it is with the lid opened. Saves having to find a place to set the lid or hang it up somewhere.
The old lawnmower wheels, with steel caster wheels underneath the front bottom, along with the spiffy handle that I salvaged from a 2 wheel cart, makes the UDS very easy to move around for storage and for cooking next to my patio.
