Homemade Oil-Drum Cooker Plans

Cooker Types

• You can turn an old oil drum into a cooker by following plans for several different types of cookers. The simplest option is constructing a grill that uses the oil drum as a housing for a wood or charcoal fire. A more complex option involves turning the drum into a smoker, which seals in the smoke from a fire and slowly cooks meat over a period of hours. An oil drum can also provide the basis for a pressure cooker or deep fryer.

Layout

• Each type of oil-drum cooker relies on plans that specify a different basic layout. A barbecue grill only requires adding a grate to the top of the drum and perhaps cutting it down to a reasonable height so a small fire will still reach the food on the grate. To build a smoker, you'll need to create a diagram that shows the location of several internal grates: from bottom to top, these include a grate for the fire, one for a pan of water and one for the meat itself. An oil-drum smoker also needs a door that seals to contain the smoke but also gives you access to the inside.

Process

• Following pre-drawn plans or your own diagram to create a cooker from an oil drum involves some of the same basic techniques and tools, regardless of which type of cooker you plan to build. A hacksaw or circular saw with a blade for cutting metal will allow you to create a door or shorten the oil drum for your cooker. Likewise, a drill with a carbide bit will produce holes that allow you to insert a grate directly into the drum from the inside. You'll need to scour the inside of the drum to remove all rust and debris before cooking to ensure that the food you produce is safe.

Safety

• Even the most thorough oil-drum cooker plans can't ensure safety for you and your family. Cookers reach high temperatures, which means the only way to avoid fires and burns is to locate the cooker away from combustible material and to keep children and pets away from the area, even after the fire is extinguished. It's also important to use a thermometer to ensure you're cooking meat to a safe temperature. This is especially important in a smoker, where it can take up to eight hours to properly cook a large cut of meat, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.