Grilling on a smoker?

meat hunter

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• Apr 11, 2009

• #1

Hey everyone. I asked this question quite a while ago, prior to the server meltdown and I think the post is gone away. I asked the question about using an offset wood smoker as a grill. Meaning, if you had a large gathering of people and you wanted to make a boatload of brauts, burgers or chicken, do you just build a bigger fire and raise the temps way up? If so, what is the turn around time for the food to get done. Similar to a regular charcoal/gas grill? Or would one just be better off using a grill designed for that purpose.

 

geek with fire

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• Apr 11, 2009

• #2

Before I got my drum, I would use my offset for grilling, but not in the firebox. I like to grill in the range of 500+, and you just aren't going to get that from the firebox. However, I really never liked doing it, because you get ash all over your nicely seasoned smoking chamber, and cleaning it to remove the ash, removes the season.

I later built a drum form smoking, but am able to grill on it as well. I find the drum is like a kettle on 'roids. It is a very good grill.

 

meat hunter

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• Apr 11, 2009

• #3

You mean a UDS? By the way, I take it that stands for upright drum smoker?
Do you have more that one rack in that? Ive seen some on here, but have not paid attention to them. It looks as if one simply removes the top lid to access the food being smoked. Is that correct? If so, do you have more than one rack in there? I take it you would have to remove the top rack to access 2nd rack or does your have a side door cut in on it? You got me going on this. Im supposed to be out in the shop right now but now Im going to have to spend more time on the comp researching the drum smoker. LOL. I swear this place is addicting.

 

ddave

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• Apr 11, 2009

• #4

UDS means Upright (or Ugly depending on your interpretation) Drum Smoker. If you add a Weber lid, or something taller than the flat lid, you will have room for two racks. Yes, you must remove the top rack to get to the food. No, to the access door. It's pretty tough to make an access door air tight and then it becomes very difficult to keep the temps low enough to smoke.

Dave

 

meat hunter

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• Apr 11, 2009

• #5

Ok, that answers some questions. Thanks dave. Now that ball valve on the bottom, it that your air inlet? I do not see a chimney stack. Do these not use em? A Weber lid will fit on these? No mods to them to make them fit?

 

geek with fire

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• Apr 11, 2009

• #6

No the lid won't fit without mods. Do a search for some of Bubba's Drum posts. He found an old kettle at a garage sale and cut the cuttom out of it. Then mounted the remaining lip on the drum so the lid would seal.

My old kettle isn't the larger size, so my lid is way too small to use that process. I just took another lid for an old 55 gallon drum and torched a hole in it; just slightly smaller than the kettle lid. This allows me to do a beer butt turkey without the bird getting too close to the heat source.

 

shooterrick

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• Apr 11, 2009

• #7

Ok I have a Lang offset. I have at times and recently for a neighbors kids birthday used it as a large grill for burgers and bratts. I simply built a big enoeph fire to raise the temps to 375-425 and away we went. No probs with ash and all was done in short order. The pecan I had with lump got lots of compliments from the party goers. If you have a thin walled offset the high heat may I guess be a prob but I really don't know.