How to Build an Enclosed Barbecue Smoking Area in Your Yard

Rinse out a stainless steel drum with a pressure washer to remove any grease, oil or dirt on the inside. Oil drums are useful for making an enclosed smoker. Pry out the rubber gasket inside the lid of the drum with a butter knife.

Measure the circumference of the drum with a cloth tape measure and then divide the circumference by 3. This gives you a drilling distance for ventilation holes. Drill holes around the base of the drum, about 3 inches from the bottom, at the distance you just calculated. Use a 1-inch step drill bit for best results.

Mow down an area of your lawn with a lawnmower to place the oil drum for smoking. Once the grass is shortened, lay down a series of bricks for the drum to stand on. This helps prevent a risk of fire.

Burn the inside of the drum by placing a piece of firewood and some newspaper into the barrel and lighting it. This helps eliminate any remaining debris or residue inside the barrel. Notify your neighbors when you do this because there will be a lot of smoke during this initial burn.

Drill holes for the grate in the drum by measuring down 7 inches from the top of the barrel. Space the holes by dividing the drum circumference by 4 and using that number as the distance in inches between holes. Place a 1/4-inch bolt into each hole with a lock washer and a metal bolt holding it in place inside the drum. Place a grille grating into the barrel so it rests on the bolts.

Add a cylindrical flexible metal mesh around the outside of the grille grating to prevent the food from touching the sides of the barrel.

Attach fridge magnets to the holes at the bottom of the barrel. The more holes are covered during grilling, the lower the temperature of your fire. The more air getting into the fire, the hotter it is.

Add wood and newspaper to the bottom when grilling and then place the lid over the top to keep it enclosed during operation.