Homemade Whiskey Barrel Smoker
Barbecue enthusiasts are always looking for ways to enhance the flare and flavor of the food they smoke. Using a whiskey barrel provides a unique style, and it provides two very powerful flavors, which will penetrate the food smoked, oak and whiskey. The most famous of all American whiskey is from Kentucky and Tennessee; however, if the barbecue enthusiast looks hard enough, he can also find old Scotch whiskey barrels, imported from Scotland. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Preparing the Whiskey Barrel
Recently emptied whiskey barrels are still wet, and easier to work with, than dried aged barrels. Cut a door in the whiskey barrel for adding and removing food--30 inches high by 18 inches wide is standard. Cut a 3-inch-diameter hole ventilation hole in the top of the barrel. If you plan to use an external heat and smoke source, cut another 3-inch-diameter hole in the lower side of the barrel. Do not throw away any of the cutout pieces.
Building Out the Whisky Barrel
If the smoker will have internal heat and smoke, then place a cast iron Dutch oven in the bottom of the whiskey barrel to hold the heat and smoke source. If the heat and smoke source is from an external firebox, then use wood burning stovepipe running between the whiskey barrel and the fuel source. Reattach the door with iron hinges. In addition, drill a hole in the middle of the door for the thermometer. Attach a small gate handle to open and close the door.
The Cooking Area of the Smoker
Because this is a smoker, which uses low heat, there should not be much concern for catching the barrel on fire. Use standard barbecue grills purchased at a hardware store as the food surface. Take the cutout pieces from the door and holes and cut them into smaller pieces to use as shelf supports. You should have three or four per shelf. Attach the wood pieces to the inside walls of the whiskey barrel with stainless steel screws, and place the barbecue grills on top of them.
External Fire Source
Using an external fire and smoke source can protect against accidentally catching the whiskey barrel on fire or burning the food. There are several methods; one of the simplest is a metal trashcan with a lid. Cut a hole in the side of the trashcan the same diameter as the hole cut in the whiskey barrel smoker. Install wood burning stovepipe and a damper between the external fire and smoke source and the whiskey barrel.
Tags: whiskey barrel, smoke source, heat smoke, heat smoke source, 3-inch-diameter hole, barbecue grills, barrel fire