This thing had a bunch of surface rust that sanded off just fine, repainted it and installed a thermometer (not pictured), seasoned the inside with some oil, and decided to do my first cook on it a few nights ago. I was fighting the temperature the whole time, it was either too hot or too cold…admittedly, I'm not super experienced with charcoal, but I've always had this inexplicable want for a DIY barrel grill like this. Have myself convinced that I can make it work, but I need some experienced advice on how to get it to work with me, not against me. Youtube and Google aren't much help. Open to all pointers, as long as it's not "buy a new grill". I will in due time, I'm viewing this as a starter to get me into it.
by fckedupbrains
11 Comments
For context, it has a flap on the side that’s either 100% open or shut, and it has that little vent at the top, those are my options for controlling airflow. None of the openings are sealed, so not sure how much that is impacting airflow.
You just grill..
Put your heat or coals on one side and your meat on the other and you’re smoking. Put your meat directly over the coals and you’re barbecuing.
I bet dollars to donuts that the grill itself is a rectangle cutout of expanded metal suspended by 1″ angle iron.
This is a fab shop special! That doesn’t make it bad by any means. With proper vents, it could be a great grill! Dude probably got paid by the hour to make it too, billed to another job.
You probably need to control temp by using the top damper. Keep the coals closer to the vent on the side, and set up two zone cooking with your food away from the coals. Do you have a picture of the inside?
1. Light lump in chimney.
2. Crack beer.
3. Dump charcoal, add meat.
4. Enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures.
If it fits into a dumpster, that’s step 1. Then wait for garbage day, step 2, then buy a new Weber, that’s it step 3, done.
For the flap issue, there’s more permanent and sophisticated approaches, but my lazy ass would just wad up a little aluminum foil to hold the flap open a little, but not all the way. It’s not the best permanent solution, but it’ll help with some temp control until you can add some actual spacers or whatever the guys with more ingenuity than I would suggest.
Get digital themometers x 2 or 3 and grill clips to attach them to the grill surface. One on each side of meat.
Look into indirect smoking on grills.
Start coals in chimney and pour in and close door. All dampers set to half or less and let temps settle for 10 min. Good time to add chunks of wood.
Boom. Youre ready to collect sweet data and teach yourself how to cook now
I used those for many years. Do not wait until a bunch of people are coming over to use it the 1st time. It requires a lot of charcoal and is intended for large amounts. It has its cool spots you will need to learn. I would leave flap up while lighting and bring it down to cook. The chimney about half open. You might have to rotate the pit depending on wind direction to avoid flare-ups. I cooked for hundreds of people on those pits
I think you’re just supposed to drink beer in front of these