Garbage Can Smoker

[94Doug]

OK, who has made the classic version of the Gargage Can smoker? Any tips? Advanced ideas beyond the standard version? I have the urge to try one, and I think I may even get the can for Fathers Day. Yay, a garbage can.


Doug

[376Steyr]

Years ago, I heard second hand about some fellows who built smokers out of garbage cans that had cadmium in their plating instead of zinc. Supposedly they were sickened and some died. Urban (or countryside) legend?

[Tom-ADC]

Not a garbage can but years ago made one out of an old refrigerator. Pulled the motor etc out of the bottom, cut a hole in the floor, and one at the top 8" in dia I installed a short pice of stove pipe with a damper at the top and a hot plate with a cast iron frying pan on top with woods chips for smoke. Just had to make sure the racks weren't galvanized. Smoked an awful lot of fish in that thing.

[Uncle Jimbo]

I don't know what you call a classic garbage can smoker, but the wife and myself have been using one for several years years. Smoke mostly turkeys, but do pork roast, ribs and beer can chicken.
All I did was get a 30 gallon metal garbage can. Hard to find now days. Got mine at the farm store. Drilled a 3/8" hole in the top to create up draft. I use about 7 brick at the bottom to make a ring. I then put 2 bricks in the middle to sit the pan on which holds the item to be cooked. The pan I use is a cast iron 12" fry pan.
Start a chimney of charcoal and put around the bottom of the ring. Put the pan of food in the middle on the 2 bricks and sit the garbage can over the whole thing. And depending on what we are smoking, I may use some wet wood chips for smoke. I can cook a large turkey in about 2.5 to 3 hours.

One ingredient I forgot and may be optional depending on you is a 6 pack of beer to drink while you watch your smoker work. :drinks:

[Tom-ADC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPfx1q5Cwdo

[zxcvbob]

I made one about 30 years ago and still have it. I don't know if it's "classic" or not. I use broken iron skillet for a firebox and made supports for a Weber grate about halfway up, and drilled a few holes near the bottom for draft.

I don't actually cook anything in it, I smoke sausage or jerky, or put a cooked roast in to smoke. So it never gets hot enough for the zinc to be a problem.