Good day everyone. I came across this forum as I was researching some build designs. I liked what I saw so I figured I join and stick around a while. I got the Q bug a couple years ago from watching different shows on Food Network, Discovery, travel, etc and decided I needed to give it a try. BBQ around these parts is throwing a few burgers, dogs and maybe a steak on the grill. I now am starting to know what BBQ really is.
I decided to test the water with a cheap Brinkmann barrel grill. I figured that way I wasn't wasting any money if i found out I didn't like doing it. I have used it for about 15 runs (mixture of pork butt and brisket) with some increasingly really good results. I got the stamp of approval from my brother-in-law who lives in North Carolina and knows (at least he claims to) a good pulled pork when he sees it. I use charcoal (12-16 pieces depending on outside temp about every 45-60 minutes) with hickory chunks in a stoneware bowl set on top of the charcoal. I usually start a pork butt around 11pm and tend it for about 5 hours until I decide its time to go to bed. Then I "cheat" the rest of the way with it in the oven at 210 degrees. After it reaches about 195, I remove it from the oven and wrap it in towels and let it sit in a cooler until chow time. Anywho, that's what I currently do.
I believe I am ready to build my own set up. I am considering using a 55 gallon steel drum and cutting up a 30 gallon drum for the firebox. I would like to make it a reverse flow set up. I have made some general calculations using a website I linked to from a post here. I am also considering running the firebox on propane to make it less labor intensive (I know, I'm lazy). I would love to get any feedback or suggestions if I could as this is my first build. I have no idea if I may be barking up the wrong tree or if I'm on the right track.
Anywho, I'm glad to be here and look forward to starting my build in a couple weeks and will be sure to take pictures and post them here as I go along.
I decided to test the water with a cheap Brinkmann barrel grill. I figured that way I wasn't wasting any money if i found out I didn't like doing it. I have used it for about 15 runs (mixture of pork butt and brisket) with some increasingly really good results. I got the stamp of approval from my brother-in-law who lives in North Carolina and knows (at least he claims to) a good pulled pork when he sees it. I use charcoal (12-16 pieces depending on outside temp about every 45-60 minutes) with hickory chunks in a stoneware bowl set on top of the charcoal. I usually start a pork butt around 11pm and tend it for about 5 hours until I decide its time to go to bed. Then I "cheat" the rest of the way with it in the oven at 210 degrees. After it reaches about 195, I remove it from the oven and wrap it in towels and let it sit in a cooler until chow time. Anywho, that's what I currently do.
I believe I am ready to build my own set up. I am considering using a 55 gallon steel drum and cutting up a 30 gallon drum for the firebox. I would like to make it a reverse flow set up. I have made some general calculations using a website I linked to from a post here. I am also considering running the firebox on propane to make it less labor intensive (I know, I'm lazy). I would love to get any feedback or suggestions if I could as this is my first build. I have no idea if I may be barking up the wrong tree or if I'm on the right track.
Anywho, I'm glad to be here and look forward to starting my build in a couple weeks and will be sure to take pictures and post them here as I go along.
