Homemade Barrel Smoker
- 1). Put on protective eyewear, a face mask and wear long clothes before using a jigsaw to cut the barrel in half lengthwise. Use a rasp to smooth over any jagged edges.
- 2). Put one of the barrel halves on top of a metal table, cut side up, to serve as the body of the smoker. Drill a pilot hole into the corners of the barrel appropriate for bolts long enough to go through both the table and barrel. The size of the pilot hole depends on the barrel you choose, but will likely be two to four inches. Place the bolt through a metal washer before inserting it into the pilot holes, then secure the bolt in place by screwing nuts unto the bolt from underneath the table or cart.
- 3). Size the metal grate using the jigsaw so it sits about an inch off the base of the barrel -- in other words, slightly larger than the area it will occupy. Push it in place until it rests firmly elevated from the bottom of the barrel half -- this is where the coals and woodchips will go.
- 4). Center a piano hinge on one cut edge of the remaining half of the barrel, which will serve as the lid. Drill pilot holes through screw holes in the hinge, sized appropriately to fit bolts that are long enough to go through both the hinge and lid. Secure the hinge to the lid with bolts and nuts.
- 5). Center a wood-drip handle on top of the lid and secure it in place in the same manner.
- 6). Place the lid on top of the body of the smoker and bolt the free half of the piano hinge to the side of the body of the barrel, so that the lid lifts up.
- 7). Position the grill plate in the body of the smoker to rest three or more inches above the metal grate, resizing if necessary with the jigsaw. Drill holes through any openings in either side of the grill plate and into the smoker to secure it into place with appropriately-sized bolts and nuts. The meat sits on top of the grill plate, while the coals and wood chips rest on top of the metal grate.
