Charcoal Smoked BBQ Tutorials

Want to learn more on how to get the best out of your DrumBo? Follow us on Instagram and Youtube for our latest tutorials and recipes.

Intro Videos

DrumBo 101 Walkthrough Videos that will make it easy to jumpstart your charcoal grilling experience.

Using Your DrumBo

Join Matt and Alex on Youtube and Instagram for full walkthroughs, tutorials, tips and recipies.

Recipes

What to see taste the flavor produced by championship winning Pitmasters? Check out our tried and true recipies.

Getting Started

How to get up and running with your new custom Charcoal Drum Smoker, Built in Canada

Maintenance

Find out how to keep your charcoal barrel drum BBQ smoker maintained and producing great BBQ for years to come.

FAQ

Our comprehensive FAQ will answer all your questions about charcoal bbq and grilling and just how easy it can be.

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Overview Video

Using Your DrumBo

food reference

This cooker is designed to run Hot and Fast to give you the best results. The DrumBo Charcoal Barrel Smoker excels at cooking all the classic Barbecue meats such as Brisket, Ribs, Pork and Chicken. Adding small pieces of seasoned hardwood will enhance the real BBQ flavour and will be your friends and family back to the table again and again. We always say to start with small foods like chicken wings and thighs. Try sausages for supper. And big cuts of beef for parties. Don't forget to use your favourite rub or use DrumBo 'Crush' for the best results. Use it like an oven in the summer to avoid heating up your house to cooks breads, pies or any item you would bake or braise.

Seasoning Your DrumBo

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SEASONING DRUMBO BEFORE COOKING:
Follow the Lighting instructions below Liberally spray generic cooking spray all around the inside of the DrumBo including the underside of the lid. Using a full basket of charcoal burn in the drum at 300°F for 2-3 hours.

LIGHTING YOUR DRUMBO:

-Ensure your DrumBo is on a level surface away from any combustible surfaces.
-Remove charcoal basket and load with desired amount of charcoal. Minimum 1/2 full.
-Place unlit basket back inside DrumBo and light from the top down.
-We recommend a full charcoal chimney.
-Fill chimney with charcoal and light from underneath using newspaper or a small propane torch.
-Place the chimney on the top grill grate or a non combustible surface.
-Allow the coals to catch light until they are burning just below the top.
-Remove the grill grate and carefully dump the the chimney coals on to the top of the basket charcoal.
-Leave lid open for 5 minutes while fire is starting.
-DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED
-Close lid on DrumBo and start dialling down the intake valves to reach desired temperature.
-275f-325f is recommended operating temperature.
-Leave Exhaust valve wide open.
-DO NOT OPERATE your DrumBo above 350F

Temperature Control

DrumBo smokers are specially designed to retain heat to get the most consistent temperature for a perfect cook every time. Built heavy duty with above average steel thickness, two air intake pipes with spring loaded adjustable valves and a central exhaust stack to promote and even fire burning in the basket to avoid hot spots. -Run your DrumBo with the exhaust valve (Top valve) wide open for regular hot cooks. -For lower temp cooks dial it down to where you find the temp works best for you. About halfway for running at 250F. -Run the intake valves at 1/3 open on both sides for regular hot and fast cooks.

Extinguishing

Extinguishing your DrumBo Charcoal smoker is as easy as 123. When you have completed your cook, simply close the lid and shut the side intake valve covers to the closed position. Finally ensure the lid exhaust stack is placed in the closed position. These actions will snuff out your charcoal fire and extinguish within 15 minutes.It is important that when you remove whatever meat you are grilling or smoking that you shut the lid before you walk away. Always make sure you are in control of your fire.

Locking It Into Place

While using your DrumBo smoker, always make sure you are operating on a flat surface. If your DrumBo is on wheels, ensure the bottom end of the barrel is supported with a wheel chock or preferred method to prevent it from rolling away while cooking. It is important to ensure the DrumBo is in a safe operating space at all times. You are in control of your fire. Safety First.

Dress Up Your DrumBo

The Legend is designed to be user friendly right out of the box. The classic rack heights provide the perfect levels to cook Hot and Fast on. No Fear Charcoal Cooking.

-If you are storing your DrumBo Buddy, Legend or Pitmaster outside, we recommend the All Weather cover to protect your investment.
-If you're wrapping your food with paper we suggest using the Lower heat diffuser to provide even heat throughout the barrel and to ensure you don't scorch or burn your food.
The Pitmaster has 3 option bundles:
-The Sear Stack Bundle lifts your charcoal baskets to the top of your cooker to provide you with searing action just like a Kettle Grill. The Upper Lid Heat Shield protects the finish on your lid while reflecting heat back down onto the top of your food. Steaks and burgers are easier and faster than a propane grill! Supper is ready to cook in 15 minutes.
-The Competition Bundle is specifically designed for the Barbeque circuit. With the extra Grill Grate, the Upper Heat shield and the Heat Diffuser Plate making this the perfect combo for award winning competition food each and every time. Cook Hot and Fast with steady temps and no surprises.
-The Back Yard Supreme gives you all the above options plus the DrumBo Rib Rack that allows you to cook anything you want by hanging the food from the top of the DrumBo over the live fire below. Imagine cooking 12 racks of ribs to perfection in one Charcoal Cooker. You get the Rib Rack, Sear stack, all the pieces of the Competition Bundle with the peace of mind of knowing your DrumBo is protected with the All Weather cover.
-The Barbecue Matt protects your floor from any spills that might occur.
-The side table is a real table, not something hanging off the side of your DrumBo. Lots of room to place utensils, thermometers, and of course your food in complete safety and sanitary conditions and with ultimate stability. Easy to clean Stainless Steel ensures decades of reliable service.
-The Charcoal Chimney is our recommended "fail safe" method of lighting your DrumBo. Just fill with lump charcoal and dump into your charcoal basket and you're ready to cook in less than 20 minutes.
DrumBo "Crush" is the Ultimate All Purpose Rub and Seasoning for virtually all foods. Not to Salty, Not to Sweet, Not to Spicy...Just right.

Getting Started

Lighting your Barrel or Drum Smoker for cooking BBQ

-Ensure your DrumBo is on a level surface away from any combustible surfaces.
-Remove charcoal basket and load with desired amount of charcoal. Minimum 1/2 full.
-Place unlit basket back inside DrumBo and light from the top down.
-We recommend a full charcoal chimney.
-Fill chimney with charcoal and light from underneath using newspaper or a small propane torch.
-Place the chimney on the top grill grate or a non combustible surface.
-Allow the coals to catch light until they are burning just below the top.
-Remove the grill grate and carefully dump the the chimney coals on to the top of the basket charcoal.
-Leave lid open for 5 minutes while fire is starting.
-DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED
-Close lid on DrumBo and start dialling down the intake valves to reach desired temperature.
-275f-325f is recommended operating temperature.
-Leave Exhaust valve wide open.
-DO NOT OPERATE your DrumBo above 350F

Quantities of Charcoal

Quantities is a hard one to describe. When you start using your DrumBo we suggest using a minimum of half a basket of lump charcoal and a full chimney of lump charcoal because it’s easier and quicker to bring it to the 300F operating temp. Once you get the hang of using the DrumBo this way then you can play around using more or less depending on what you’re cooking. Smaller thinner foods use less charcoal. Bigger thicker items use more is the rule.

Types of Wood

Only use quality seasoned hard woods. If you live in the western provinces for example, we suggest local woods such as apple and maple. Or go to your local BBQ store and buy the available wood chunks. You may also you any name brand pellets for smoke and flavour. Remember the wood smoke is a seasoning and don't use too much. Too much smoke will make your food taste bitter. A small chunk or two in the palm of your hand is plenty. We feel there is no need add any wood or pellets during your cook or you will risk some deep changes in your flavour with dirty smoke which will affect your sought after barbecue flavour.

Other Lighting Methods

There are many ways to light a charcoal drum smoker. Torches, tumble weeds, wax cubes etc. DrumBo recommends one method in particular to get you a lit fire every time with efficiency, speed and safety in mind. The Charcoal Chimney. The charcoal lighting chimney ensures you have lit charcoal going in your basket and it also acts as a fail safe to not leave your lid open. Do not use any gasoline or other petroleum products to ignite your DrumBo.

Maintenance

Cleaning Your DrumBo Smoker

-Ensure your DrumBo is is not alight.
-Remove the grill grates, fire
basket and lower heat shield. -Be careful lifting the lower heat shield past the thermometer probe to avoid damage.
-Using the scraper tool or a small shovel remove the ash and crud build up from the bottom. (You can also use a vacuum)
-If you want to wash out your DrumBo spray it down liberally with oven cleaner. -Do not spray oven cleaner on the outside finish.
-using a pressure washer or a hose rinse out the residue. A good place to do this is a car wash, the back alley or your friends back yard.
-Allow to dry and reinstall all components.
-Re-season your DrumBo and get cooking.

Wheel maintenance

The DrumBo Pitmaster is equipped with 4 smooth roll wheels. It is a good idea to make sure they are kept clean and lubed on the rotating bearing's as part of your regular maintenance schedule. This will keep them in good operating condition to ensure the wheels last you a long time.

Storing your Drumbo

Whether you are a seasonal griller or an all year rounder the DrumBo can be placed where you want it. The shed, garage, food truck, barbecue comp trailer, your dream outdoor barbecue kitchen or on your deck. The DrumBo is Canada's Drum Smoker and Grill. Built to last any environment thrown at it. DrumBo also carries an all weather cover to further protect your investment.

Tutorials

A step by step guide on how to use your charcoal drum BBQ smoker

Recipies

Championship winning recipes used by real pitmasters to produce delicious smoked BBQ

Questions

You got questions? We got answers. Drop a direct line to Matt and Alex and we will help you with your BBQ needs

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