Trying to Select a Smoker - Advice Requested

Bigfish

New member
Guys:

I have spent hours reading many of the posts on this forum and I am amazed at the amount of detailed information the members provide about smoking meat. I have a Grill Dome that I have owned for a few years and have successfully performed several long and slow cooks on it. I am ready for a larger smoker and learned about The Big Poppa Drum Smoking Kit by reading the smoker recommendations on AmazingRibs.com. Prior to learning about the Big Poppa Drum Kit I was leaning heavily toward a Backwoods G2 Chubby. There is a major difference in money between an Ugly Drum Smoker and a Backwoods Unit. As some of you compete and have experience with different cookers how do Baby Back Ribs and Pork Butts compare from a Drum Smoker and from a smoker like the Backwoods? Although, from reading your posts, I know you have excellent temperature control on a drum smoker but I have some concern about learning to smoke/cook properly with the the temperatures being higher in the center of the grate. It has to be hotter in the center with no diverter or water pan to prevent heat from directly rising from the coals to the meat.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond and I really would appreciate your advice.
 

southga

New member
Temps can easily be 50*+ higher in the middle of the grate than the sides. I took a cheap pizza pan & drilled 4 lines across the pan like a large *. the pan sits on a rack about 6" above the top of my fire basket. With the pan, temps from center to side are within 15 degrees of each other.
 

Bigfish

New member
Southga, thanks for the reply. I have continued to read posts on this site and have reviewed the photo gallery of the food cooked on Drum Smokers. The drum smoker really seems to be one fine smoking and grilling machine! One other question for you guys. How do drum smokers perform in 40 to 50 degree F outdoor tempts? I mean are you still able to easily maintain your desired smoking tempts with likely higher fuel usage?

Thanks,
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
yes search Nafle and see his cooks in the norwegian winters....the drum is the swill army knife in that it smokes and sears and does both exceptionally well
 

Bigfish

New member
Thanks Big Poppa! As soon as I can order a drum I will be placing an order for your drum kit. Heck, since I have decided on a UDS I am going to place an order for the kit right now!
 

Kevinish

Moderator
Congrats Bigfish! Welcome to the team! I look forward to seeing some picks from your first cook, or maybe your drum build.
 

Bigfish

New member
I hope mine will turn out to look as nice as this one looks!

UDS | Bubba's Barrels


I placed an order for the Big Poppa Drum Kit, Ash Pan, Extra Grate and $99.00 special rub package. Also, ordered a SS Drum from Bubbas Barrels. This will be a nice project and cannot wait for completion. Then the best part - smoking meat!
 

Kevinish

Moderator
Wow Bigfish, quite the haul! You're going to have some fun! Take some pictures as you build it all up, I'd love to see how it goes!
 
Top Bottom