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How do you fire an ugly drum smoker... I am A new owner!!!!!!!

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TuscaloosaQ

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Well I went to Ohio this weekend to see my grandbaby get dedicated at their church... Dropped off a couple cookers on the way.... So happens I saw On Facebook a guy up there was making ugly drums to offset very high medical bills his young son has occured...Been wanting a drum... No time to build one and thought I would help the guy.. And in return I would get a drum... I like it... It is painted Crimson!!!! I'm 6 hrs from home any tips are tricks will be greatly appreciated.... He said it would run over 20 hrs on charcoal.... True or not I really don't know.... Thx in advance for the help
 
Fill basket with charcoal and some chunks of wood at different locations throughout the basket. Light 1/3 of a chimney of charcoal, spread evenly into charcoal basket, open all vents, slowly close vents as you reach your temperature. Stupid easy to do.

(Note: this is my procedure for briquettes, lump may differ)
 
Brother Paul, that was mighty kind of you buying a drum to help that fellow out. It's also cool as heck that it is Crimson in color. Others have already offered good advice as how to run it. Thus I will leave you in their good hands. However if you need a little assistance operating one of those Shirley offsets, I will gladly help you out brother:thumb:
 
Seriously, I fill the basket up with charcoal, doesn't matter what type, be it natural briquettes or lump. I mix in about 25% by volume of wood. I am currently favoring hickory and apple. Then I light off 20 to 25 briquettes, when fully lit, I toss them in a pile on one side of the basket and let the UDS run for 45 to 60 minutes. Regardless of temperature I will cook at, I always let it run that long.
 
Really good of a guy like you that builds beautiful pieces of art helping a guy out. Be careful, you may like it so much you start building them instead LOL! I do the same as the guys above.
 
I put a coffee can( #10 can) in the middle of the charcoal basket. Fill up the basket all around the can. Pull the can out the basket. It will leave a hole. Dump in about 10 lit coals from a chimney, and there it is. Have the exhaust and intakes open. When temp starts to get where you want them start shutting down the intakes to stabilize the target temp. On a full basket of charcoal I could get 15 hours of cook time easy.
 
I will note, that most drums are very responsive, oddly, each one also has a performance level of it's own, a personality so to speak.

I can let my drum race up to 450°F, close a intake or two, and move quickly back to 300°F. Once the fire is stable, why I let mine run for a while, it responds very nicely to input.
 
Take this for what it's worth. As in free.
My 30 gallon drum uses 8# briquettes
So a 55 gallon drum 30/8 (X/55) which means 30X=440

So if 30X=440 that means X = 14.6# of briquettes for a full load in a 55 gallon drum. Again, my drum is smaller, so the big boy cookers may come along and blast that figure. I'm fine with that.
Listen to them, not me. I've been up since 0330 and have the sleepies approaching.

I light my measly 8# of coals- sprinkle with lighter fluid and let it burn 15-25 minutes. I add smoking chunks immediately before placing meat in the cooker. I don't have a clue what temp mine runs as so do not have a thermometer installed.

I usually mix my coals 75% Briq 25% lump. It works for me and makes me feel involved.
Hotter fire use more, smaller fire use less?
Apparently this has been a good topic for many years.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57313
 
Last edited:
16Adams said:
Take this for what it's worth. As in free.
My 30 gallon drum uses 8# briquettes
So a 55 gallon drum 30/8 (X/55) which means 30X=440

So if 30X=440 that means X = 14.6# of briquettes for a full load in a 55 gallon drum. Again, my drum is smaller, so the big boy cookers may come along and blast that figure. I'm fine with that.
Listen to them, not me. I've been up since 0330 and have the sleepies approaching.

I light my measly 8# of coals- sprinkle with lighter fluid and let it burn 15-25 minutes. I add smoking chunks immediately before placing meat in the cooker. I don't have a clue what temp mine runs as so do not have a thermometer installed.

I usually mix my coals 75% Briq 25% lump. It works for me and makes me feel involved.
Click to expand...



Since most drum smokers use a cylindrical charcoal basket, there isn't a linear equation to extrapolate the amount of charcoal a 55 gal drum can hold. Not that any of that matters, just fill it up.
 
BUILD A UDS! (Sorry, couldn't help meself) :mrgreen:

Fill the basket full of charcoal and 6-8 wood chunks, put about 15 lit pieces on top and when it gets to about 50° of target temp cut your intakes down to about 3/4" diameter and let'er roll...

That's what I do anyway...
 
It depends on the size of your charcoal basket, type of fuel, and the weather. Mine has run a cool 18-20 hrs when conditions are right.
 
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