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What a hobby! + Drum Cooker question
acolle
Posts: 134
My backyard cooking experience has become a real hobby of sorts these days... As in I'm having a heck of a good time experimenting with toys and enjoying the fruits of my labors! My "collection" includes a LG BGE, MINIMAX, Kotaigrill [Hibachi] and a few different beat up ol chimney starters.
Recently I've been looking at these upright barrel cookers, and I'd like to give one a run. See what they might bring to the table [pun intended]. PBC seems to offer the "#1 Drum Cooker In The World", and I see the Gateway Drum Smoker looking like a real Ferrari... But SO many other options out there. Including DIY kits. Anybody willing to share their experience on/in drums before I start to looking into one?
Thanks, all!
Moved from upper left to Denver, CO | BGE LG & MMX + Kotaigrill [Hibachi]
Comments
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I have the PBC, great for chickens and turkeys.
Slumming it in Aiken, SC. -
I think I read almost every comment in this massive thread a few years back.
My 10 yo Daughter and I actually discussed making one. I acquired an Old Weber Kettle for just this purpose to make a better lid, searched the internet found a place in DFW who sold barrels and was just about ready to replace my crappy a$$ side smoker.
Then my neighbor sold me his LGBE and other than an occasional passing reminder I have decided Im not going to build one anymore- I think it would be a hoot to make but just cant see the need anymore.
XLBGE, LBGE, Charbroil Gas Grill, Weber Q200, Old Weber Kettle, Rectec RT-B380, Yeti 65, Yeti Hopper 20, RTIC 20, RTIC 20 Soft Side - Too many drinkware vessels to mention.
Not quite in Austin, TX City Limits
Just Vote- What if you could choose "none of the above" on an election ballot? Millions of Americans do just that, in effect, by not voting. The result in 2016: "Nobody" won more counties, more states, and more electoral votes than either candidate for president. -
I've had the PBC for over 3 years now. I find it does a great job with half-cocked chix (and any poultry for that matter) more than anything else. Ribs turn out fine but due to the burn pattern I move them around throughout the cook. I have opened the bottom vent more than recommended for my altitude (around 800') but the cooks still take longer than their advertised time. I have done pork butts on it and those cooks took around the max cook time available for the single load of charcoal. (9-10 hrs). It is a true fire-and forget rig.
The volume for the $$ is impressive and worth the buy if looking for something different to play with. I purchased the PBC ash pan as that definitely makes the clean-up easier. If you have decent mechanical ability you can probably craft something suitable at home.
I can't compare to a different style drum smoker.
Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. Life is too short for light/lite beer! Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint. -
Weber Smokey Mountain is also worth a look.
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk -
I don’t use my home built UDS much these days, but when I do, the food has a more pronounced smoke flavor and better ring. I built mine about 7yrs ago.
XL BGE, KJ classic, Joe Jr, UDS x2 -
I built 2 drum smokers - 18.5" and 22". Very fun to build and cook on. Smoked chicken wings off the bigger drum are still hard to beat.
#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX. -
Just don’t store it near a vehicle.
Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax
Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
Run me out in the cold rain and snow -
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And it probably smells better than Adams.
Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga -
I bought a PBC before I bought the XL BGE. About the only thing I use it for now is for lots of ribs at a time. Eight racks is easy to fit, and I really like the results. I thought they would burn on the bottom, but they only get a tiny bit of 'well done' if at all. It is a real rib smoking machine. I used to monitor and try to control temp, but now I don't even bother. I just let it do it's own thing, and check the ribs after four of five hours.
XL BGE in San Jose, CA. Also a Pit Barrel Cooker, a Cal Flame P4 gasser, and lots of toys including the first ever Flame Boss 300 in the wild. And a new Flame Boss 500. -
I use these hangers in my WSMs to hang chicken and ribs, and the results are incredible:
I don't cook whole or half birds any other way now, they are so good for whatever reason using this (magic I guess). As a side bonus, you have a WSM that can be used in more ways than just a drum smoker.
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This is what I am taking about! I would love to hang my birds in a drum...
Moved from upper left to Denver, CO | BGE LG & MMX + Kotaigrill [Hibachi] -
The weird thing is that I use no smoke wood. I light up one chimney of kingsford natural (or lately its been weber briqs, love them), let it get fully lit, and dump it in. I leave all vents wide open, and it runs between 335-350 without touching it. I wait for the meater probe to tell me they are done, and pull it off. The flavor imparted from the chicken dripping right onto the coals is awesome.
I have one for my bigger WSM too, gets more birds in there.
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I would note one thing, the PBC burns about half a bag of kingford per cook. Whether that's one piece of chicken or eight racks of ribs, as there's no way to extinguish the coals like an egg. I have pulled the basket out and set it in the egg, but when traveling, that's not always available.
Slumming it in Aiken, SC. -
Same as the WSM. I can close the vents and extinguish, but I dont ever use the leftover charcoal again as its a greasy mess. I have started just letting the fire run after the cook to clean any left over residue in the cooker.
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@Yno try two of the hangers on one rack of ribs. Put one two ribs in on each side and hang from the grate in a semi-circle. We do four racks at one time and it works great with no over doneness on either end....
Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36" -
I learned to double hook after the first cook, when when rack took a suicide plunge into the coals....
XL BGE in San Jose, CA. Also a Pit Barrel Cooker, a Cal Flame P4 gasser, and lots of toys including the first ever Flame Boss 300 in the wild. And a new Flame Boss 500. -
Build one. Every true bbq enthusiast should build a UDS in their lifetime.
XL, Small, Mini & Mini Max Green Egg, Shirley Fab Trailer, 6 gal and 2.5 gal Cajun Fryers, BlueStar 60" Range, 48" Lonestar Grillz Santa Maria, Alto Shaam 1200s, Gozney Dome, Gateway 55g Drum -
I am happy with my PBC and is my go to for ribs, chickens and turkeys. I have done briskets and butts and other stuff on it as well. Had some temperature problems at first, but I have worked through them and have come to like it. For ribs I only hang for the first three hours or so, then finish on the grate. I had a rack fall in and was not happy. I also only fill the basket about half full if Im just doing a rack or two of ribs. Saves on the charcoal quite a bit.
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Can’t you cover the holes in the drum with flexible sheet magnets?
#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX. -
I agree with @Thatgrimguy Everyone should build one as a rite of passage. In fact - he got me to build mine several years back.
They cook nice - pretty good smoke profile. Quite inefficient compared to the egg.
Phoenix -
@blasting - Hey man, are you at the receiving end of many fart jokes if your handle is the same as your nickname? Just curious. (insert appropriate emoticon here).
--nola (obv)
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
Phoenix
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I do love a good gastroenterological joke, especially those that coincide with confluences of the egg head forum space-time continuum. Think about it...you, blasting...me, blasting...and Butt Blast, soon to be blasting.
If only I knew a fart joke.
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
Maybe @caliking might know a good one? Arg. I would hate to put him on the spot. Don't want to be that guy.
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
to stay on topic here, has anyone tackled the efficiency problem by putting a smaller diameter drum inside a larger with insulation?
______________________________________________I love lamp..
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