half an oil drum and looking to upgrade

[Susie]

Hello,
So I have half an oil drum with a bit of mesh I cut to size as a grill top, sat on a metal base I got from an old coffee table. It has worked for a couple of barbecue parties. Last time someone brought Squid to barbecue on it, which impressed me so much I thought I'd randomly mention it here.
Anyway it is a functional barbecue in that it contains fire, ( I cut a few vents in the side with an angle grinder for air flow so it actually works quite well). However despite being handy with an angle grinder etc, I'm still a girl and my half oil drum barbecue is rather ugly and rather too big to have permanently set up on my otherwise nice patio, so I thought I'd look at getting a new one. I was looking online and stumbled across this website, suffice to say I spent a couple of hours reading through old posts last night and have learn a lot about barbecuing. I'm not sure whether I'd be better getting a traditional charcoal or a gas barbecue, but there is enough information on here for me to make my mind up. I am rather intrigued by 'smokers'. I can't find it now but I'm sure I read somewhere that you can use them as a mini 'normal' charcoal barbecue, like a drum barbecue if you want to, is that right? Because mostly we would be cooking for 2-4, so I was thinking we could grill on the top, but then fill it up if we wanted to smoke a chicken or had a few more people over.
Also I have zero idea, and I'm sure it varies, but roughly how much is it to buy a full gas tank, and roughly how much is a refill?
Many thanks for your help.
Susie

[Smoky Joe]

Hi Susie

Welcome to the site. I hope that you can find a lot of good information on the forum like i have. I would recommend charcoal as the gas BBQ in my opinion is just not good and you can do so much more on charcoal as well. If you are just starting to get in to BBQ then I would recommend a Weber 57cm premium. This is a great all-round BBQ that you can do most things with. Hope this helps.

Regards

Gav

[PeanutZA]

Susie,

I recently attempted to replace my trusty half drum with a Weber One Touch premium. They are fantastic bits of kit and very versatile. It could also be said that it will look the best on your patio as they have some nice colour choices!

I have kept the half drum and am actually busy sourcing a new grill/grid for it. I find for just straight braaing (grilling) it is simply superior in terms of cooking space and coal distribution. Especially if you are cooking for a while. I am also about to purchase a smoker as the One Touch has limitations in this area and I really want to learn the skill.

The Weber One Touch is a good catch all and I am glad I have one. There is something very special about a fillet when done properly in a Weber kettle. I would strongly recommend charcoal over gas, but that might just me being a bit sentimental about cooking on a fire - not a flame.

[CyderPig]

I cooked for years off of half oil drums and turned out some good food, it was when I learned that if you put a lid on on it you could make some fantastic food, I still like to cook some meats over wood flames,steaks,burgers,chops etc, but Low and Slow takes some beating.
Si

[uds paul ash]

i would advise you get a charcoal bbq with a lid , you can cook your food with indirect heat(coals one side, food on the other side just like cooking in an oven) you can the add wood chips to smoke the food .you can also use it to grill (burgers steaks etc) get used to that first then maybe think about smokers

[Susie]

Thanks all. I will stick with the oil drum for parties, and perhaps try and make a cover for it. I have been given a small and cheap barbecue with a lid which will do for occasional evening barbecuing for now. I have looked at the Weber but it seems a lot of money to get a lid!

[CyderPig]

Susie
Build an Ugly Drum, really easy to make, cheap, and cook as well if not better than some expensive smokers!
Plenty of posts on here about them.
Ask and all will be revealed.
Strechie put up a fantastic post about them.

Si

[Backyardsmoker]

What happend to the other half of the drum? if you can locate that then there is your lid. throw some hinges on and a handle, attach a chain on the inside both sides and to the lid and the body to stop the lid going all the way over and away you go.

If you go on ebay and type in heat proof paint then cans of spray paint will come up. its only matt black but it will protect your drum for a long time. just dont do the inside.

i onloy got into all this recently and it all started late last summer when i bought a £50 smoker from argos, and now its snow balled into big expensive things haha . But this is down the me building a big brick grill/smoker (photos to follow soon) and im laying decking down and building a summer house. so its not just some thing to go and cook on it is now an area to socolise with family and friends.

Its strange the word of grilling and smoking because the more you read on here or other sites the more you learn, which means you end up asking more questions and getting deeper and deeper into the rabbits hole. i like it though. it gives me something to do with my spare time and i enjoy it.

It is also as expensive as you want it to be depending on your skills of creating or cooking and the long term commitment of wanting to continue on with it all.

Keep us informed on what you eventually do with your drum.

good luck

Ben