What Makes a Barrel Smoker the Perfect Option for Cooking Away from Home?
Grilling and barbecue are the heart of great outdoor parties and events. Especially once Spring rolls around, there is nothing better than quality food for your picnic or cook out. But what if you could take that experience with you? Making good food away from home is often difficult due to the size that many smokers require and the availability of fuel. Drum smokers, the most portable charcoal grills, are specially crafted to meet all your grilling needs perfectly whether at home or on the road. The relatively small size and simple design of a charcoal-burning barrel smoker make it easy to transport long distances with little to no stress. This one cooker can do what you may use five appliances to do in your own home, while being easy to use and move around. Whether you want to bake, roast, smoke, or grill, a charcoal cooker is equipped to meet your needs. With a barrel smoker, great barbecue can go anywhere with you, whether you are heading to a tailgate party down the street or out for a week-long camping trip.
We will dig into the seven main advantages of using a drum smoker or barrel when cooking on the road or away from home.
1. Portability2. Cooking Capacity
3. Consistent Temperatures
4. Charcoal
5. Durable Design
6. Easy to Clean
7. Versatility
In this guide, you find several advantages to using a barrel smoker when traveling as well as what makes a barrel cooker so special. Read on to learn about just a few of the reasons that a barrel smoker is the perfect fit for your barbecue needs away from home!
Advantages of a Barrel Smoker for the Traveler
With their unique and versatile design, drum smokers can be easily taken with you for any event or trip.
1. Portability
The design of a barrel smoker is as simple as it gets – a barrel with a fire in the bottom. This simplicity means there is very little to pack up, you just pick up the barrel and go. There are a few odds and ends that make cooking easier for you, but you can toss all the extras into the barrel when it is time to go. The barrel will fit well in trucks, most vans and SUVs, and even some sedans. The sturdy side handles on the barrel make moving it from your car to your cooking area a breeze. Any accessories will fit inside the barrel as well, making it easier to keep track of everything and set up at your destination to get cooking that much faster. When you are ready to head home, just toss it all back in the barrel and go.
2. Cooking Capacity
3. Consistent Temperatures
One of the biggest advantages of a barrel smoker is the “set it and forget it” design. Many smokers require constant monitoring of the fire, fuel supply, and vent settings to maintain a consistent temperature. When using a barrel smoker, you just need to set the vent once, light it up, and let it go. There is no need to monitor the barrel temperatures, just check your cook times using recipes created for the temperature range of a barrel smoker. Play some games, fish nearby, or take a nap while your barrel smoker does all the work for you. It will maintain consistent temperatures for 6-7 hours, long enough to cook anything you might have on the grill.
4. Charcoal
A charcoal cooker also means you won’t be tied to an electric outlet or gas tank. Just toss a bag or two of charcoal in the car and you can cook anywhere. Any charcoal you have available will do the trick, whether that’s briquettes or natural hardwood lump. No need to add wood for flavor, the vertical hanging design of a barrel smoker allows the drippings from your food to vaporize on the coals. This creates a flavorful smoke fog that will give anything you make an unforgettable flavor. Take your smoker down the street to a block party or out in the middle of the woods, no matter where you are it will turn out the same amazing food you would get in your own backyard.
5. Durable Design
When you opt for a high-quality manufactured barrel, they can last for years and stand up to a few bumps in the road. Many electric and gas smokers have bells and whistles that can make smoking exciting, but the more parts you have the more potential there is for something to break. The simplicity of a barrel smoker means the drum itself would have to be significantly damaged to stop you from cooking. You won’t need to be afraid that a rough ride may leave a few dents and dings. Your cooker will still perform great and should have a long life ahead of it. Steel coated with porcelain enamel further ensures that your barrel cooker stays strong and durable.
6. Easy to Clean
7. Versatility
What Makes a Barrel Smoker Special?
The original barrel smokers were made at home using repurposed oil drums, earning them the name Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS). Over the years this basic idea has developed into a variety of shapes and sizes. More recently, the barrel smoker has become a barbecue phenomenon, now with barrels specifically designed and manufactured with smoking in mind. This means everything from the size and shape to the materials used are catered to creating the perfect cooking environment for all your barbecue needs.
Components
Begin a new journey with your barrel smoker today!
Camping, vacations, picnics, and holidays do not get any better than this. Gone are the days of worrying about transporting some heavy barbecue grill from home to your outdoor events. With a charcoal-burning barrel cooker, fantastic food is always readily available regardless of where you are. Grilled, fried, baked, or smoked, a barrel cooker will get it done. A well-designed barrel smoker will hold up wherever you need to take it and yield the best results you could desire, no matter the occasion. The durable build and wide array of recipe options will satisfy any traveler’s mealtime needs.
Whether you are a barbecue aficionado or just need some variety in your travel meals, a barrel smoker will not disappoint. It is the perfect purchase for anyone who loves great food and wants to take it beyond their own backyard.