How to Build an Ugly Drum Smoker

How to Build an Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS)

Here's the parts list:

55 Gallon Drum  = $25
4 X 3/4" black steel pipe nipples  = $5
1 X 3/4" black steel Elbow Joint   = $2
8 X 3/4" black steel Hex Locknuts  = $25
1 X Weber grill with 22.5" and 14" grill grates = $25
6 X 3/8", 2" long bolts  = $1
6 X 3/8" nuts = $0.50
25 X 1/4", 1" long bolts = $2
25 X 1/4" nuts = $2
1 X 36" long Black Steel pipe = $10
1 X U-clamp to secure pipe = $1
1 X 3/4" Brass Ball Valve = $10
3 X handles = $6
1 X 2" Temperature gauge = $15
1 X 48" X 12" expanded metal = FREE
1 X Charcoal Fire Starter = $10
2 X Rustoleum High Heat Black Spray Paint = $10
TOTAL COST = $150

1.  Remove the rubber gasket from the lid with a standard screw driver blade.  You don't want any rubber chemicals in your food do you?

2.  Drill 4 3/4" holes about 2" above the base of the drum spaced evenly around the drum.  You will need to use a step bit for this and be sure to measure as you go so your threaded pipe nipples fit perfectly.

3.  Insert 3/4" non-galvanized threaded pipe nipples into each of the holes and use a 3/4" nut on either side of the pipe nipple to hold in place.  Non-galvanized metal is preferred because it doesn't have the chemical treatment on the metal.

4.  Attach a 3/4" pipe elbow onto one of the pipe nipples.  Insert a 3/4" threaded pipe (threaded on both ends) onto the elbow.  Insert a 3/4" ball valve onto the other end of the pipe.  Use a C-clamp to hold this to the side of your barrel.  This is your air intake control valve.

5.  Drill 3 1/4" or 3/8" holes 7" from the top of the barrel, evenly spaced around the barrel.  These will be for the 22.5" grill grate to rest on.

6.  I made another level of grill grate rests in case I had a can chicken to stand up.

7.  Another view of the outside of the barrel showing the pipe caps for the nipples.

8.  Affix your meat thermometer close to where your meat will be smoking in order to get an accurate temp of the meat.  I put mine between the two grill grate levels so it would be close to the actual temp at either level.

9.  Affix a handle to the lid and a handle to either side of the drum for easy carrying.

10.  Initial Burnout.  Filled with scrap wood and branches and paper and let it burn at over 500 degrees for about an hour until all the paint burned off the outside and the inner liner was gone. It smelled horrible and the smoke was black - I suppose that's a good thing.

11.  Second Burnout.  Filled with more wood and burned for 3 hours also burning the lid by propping it up against the air intake bung.  After the burnout was complete, I took off the outside layer with a stainless steel brush.

12.  Painted the drum with a high heat flat black paint.  I've had to put on 3 coats so far.  I accidentally left it out in the rain after the first coat and some of the paint washed off.  After the second coat, it seems like some of the morning dew took off some of the paint. So, third time is the charm.

13.  Drilled 4, 1/2" holes in the top and attached handle.

14.  Added the 14" grill grate to the fire basket using 1/4" x 1.5" bolts.  The thick machine screws you see on the top are to hold the drip pan (which I confiscated from the Weber grill I purchased).

15.  Next we get to test it out!  Here is the fire starter at work.

16. Here is the fire basket with charcoal waiting for the starter.

17. Yummy!  A 5 lb brisket and Senaloa style chicken!

18.  Smoker hard at work.  Actually you can't see any smoke, but it's at about 205 degrees and holding steady with all 4 air intakes wide open.

19.  The chicken at 5 hours turned out great.  Brisket needed to be cooked longer than the 6 hours I had it on, but the temp only held steady at about 205 degrees.  So, it should've been cooked for probably another 2 hours.  Internal temp of the meat was 160 degrees which is medium-well.


21.  Tips for next time:

• Put the wood directly on the coals.  I put them on the drip pan and that didn't create much smoke.
• Somehow I have to maintain 225 degrees instead of 205.  I'm going to experiment with the air intake pipe and just try putting the ball valve directly on the pipe nipple.  Additionally, I may have to add more exhaust holes in the top.
• I'm going to attach a shaking tool like a coat hanger to the firebasket so I can stir up the coals more during the cook - possibly poke the coat hanger out of one of the exhaust holes so I don't disturb the smoking environment.