• Start a personal food blog, or, start a community food thread for all.

MikeUSMC: "Bury Me in Smoke"

Ok, I started with a Jim Beam barrel on Craigslist for $100



Sanded it down with a wire wheel on an angle grinder on the bands.
80 grit, then 120 grit, then 150 grit sandpaper "flapper" wheel on the oak
Cleaned it up nice


5/8" self tapping stainless screws (predrilled pilot holes) in every stave to hold the bands up, and to stop the barrel from falling apart when I cut the top off. This took FOREVER


Off comes the top, out comes the loose char. Smelled like smoky bourbony awesomeness


Little 14" Weber "Smokey Joe" for the bottom. I drilled a ton more holes in this for better airflow, and altered the legs a little so it would sit lower




Access door to refill water pan/charcoal




Four 3/4" threaded pipe air vents w/ caps to control the airflow. High-temp, food grade caulk in each stave joint



Somewhere along the way, after all the hardware was on (holes drilled), I was ready for paint. I love the textured look of this stuff. (Spray paint) "Forged Hammered Antique Pewter"



A coat of stain, and BOOM!

'MERICA. :cheers:









Boss, let me know if you want me to delete any of the double posted pics. I'm not looking to get in trouble here :)
 
Hey, its the Iron Man! Good to see you posting again. Looks like you been sharpening your smokin skills even more! Looks delicious.
 
Been doing a lot of big cooks (100-200 people :shocked: ) lately too. Most of them at my union hall at the monthly meetings. I’m trying to appoint myself as the official “Ironworker BBQ Liaison” down there 😉

5F7F4A41-CFB5-41CA-9833-058266F434CE.jpeg
23945168-A22E-4E04-BCBA-9F82D30D9CB3.jpeg
8E6DE9AE-3A06-44D9-826F-E8A758F36BDA.jpeg
4F441921-9AA7-48E7-A306-2BAAA9F20FF4.jpeg
59BB476F-01BB-4A0B-8E1A-C8D0C34C81F3.jpeg
ED0C5EFD-972A-4B21-BCDE-29B422CD4AB8.jpeg
993ED387-F943-43EC-B7B3-EE4B167E5DA7.jpeg
8F594988-DF6B-4A46-996A-1A5092400451.jpeg
0D731291-8301-4453-B343-1506CA9A1DAC.jpeg
57E40F4C-BAFE-4502-A9E4-BC5268DB5069.jpeg
B4D0C1F9-A263-4188-B3ED-139328300853.jpeg
FD72BC69-9C99-4E12-B73B-46BDD3A9F2CB.jpeg
90FA1CD2-4FAE-481B-8088-3AB9816968F4.jpeg
29216AC7-A489-49C1-95FE-410561699FBF.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I’ve been dying to get a chance to smoke a whole pig, and the opportunity finally presented itself about a month ago :party:
BB12A09F-0BB5-4A87-AAEA-C754C0A0A7B9.jpeg

60 pounder
C6174183-78F0-45C8-9E61-D70AD64F3E5B.jpeg


“Uhhhhh..... now what?” 😂
A5B309D4-F00F-4A59-BA33-D4E7A62C7D2A.jpeg

Time to get to work! 😉
2A350A90-778D-4874-9B12-B5C2E6CA482B.jpeg

Wanna know how to keep the tenderloins nice and moist throughout a 10 hour cook? Pro tip: stuff that spinal cavity with ground sausage...
41F847CE-FDCA-4FAB-83EB-5656EFEE562D.jpeg

... then drape it with a few pounds of BACON! 👍🏻
5643E9A2-4B9C-4D75-A1C9-8FDDEBEEFD44.jpeg

Final coat of rub:
D443B521-291F-4D9F-A772-8D38128B0DBD.jpeg

Low and slow, baby!
F54E7953-4155-402B-AA01-A58E151B007A.jpeg
2AB9C9E4-414C-451A-8868-7642D5C36413.jpeg

BOOM.
EEBF1DAD-C203-453C-93A9-9F7ACC9AD741.jpeg

Tenderloins stayed juicy as hell too 😉
845DB7A7-1915-450D-9C22-00F0BD0BC44D.jpeg
9AAF13E5-E3D7-46D1-B37E-737F5CEDD3F7.jpeg

I can’t wait to do another one!
:cheers:
This was one of the ribs from the top rack (a few pics up). Lunch, while we were cooking the pig 🐷
5FEE96B1-82A9-4981-8EF4-0B779B9F58EF.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Hey, its the Iron Man! Good to see you posting again. Looks like you been sharpening your smokin skills even more! Looks delicious.
Rick, thanks, man! Great to be back! I’ve got my first (amateur) competition coming up next month! Wish me luck! Only 3 categories though; pork ribs, chicken thighs, and the 3rd is a “dealer’s choice” plate (protein). I’m thinking about doing Dino ribs.

Did I mention I got another new toy a few months ago? 😉
FFFD4488-48F5-4BB6-8110-0754271568FC.jpeg
 
Another decent size cook I did last month that I almost forgot about. I started teaching the apprentices at my union hall last year, and we (the instructors) threw them an end of year party. We had so much fun that we’re going to make it an annual event from now on

34D3B313-777A-4A7E-B9FE-2E13618333B1.jpeg
92D45CDD-399B-4A8E-B00C-42C860435774.jpeg
7B123FFD-BAA6-4A42-A083-9CC1A11394CE.jpeg
FC7946E6-11D3-478C-9F4C-1F3F8D750143.jpeg
E81AA911-1D3B-4E61-A64C-A5949A0D1950.jpeg
84EB0EE5-1291-4B33-981F-530925E9B50C.jpeg
842FDF53-7E77-4DDE-9332-AB15128D2229.jpeg
48537D42-287F-4F49-B8A1-2378A5BC04A8.jpeg
BCE61E88-4C82-40E4-9A5E-D500A7647D82.jpeg
CCFC4169-33DD-4136-9284-205804076EE3.jpeg
41D88FFF-8344-4082-B125-9D6615D8D9BA.jpeg
41DD5525-AF59-462F-A19E-E74F2CDD26F1.jpeg
4759D5CC-E4A3-46D1-A712-67125D632AC8.jpeg
3B687D58-4005-4732-AFCC-91C38435EC7D.jpeg
A9D36762-B86F-4B72-A7F7-61E00C8C6D23.jpeg
B6A54585-1C86-4749-B82E-147867093899.jpeg
C001389E-6504-4009-9C91-9E4B4EDF211A.jpeg

Back at my house, right after the park closed 😁
2C6007F0-BFE2-4EB3-BA7B-6135F496E58C.jpeg


Facebook “Karen” in my town :rofl:
16256E57-5AE6-478C-9995-578A7175C953.jpeg

👆🏻Park doesn’t open until 8am, but I got in early because I rented the pavilion. This lady tried following me in the gate (in her car) at 6am and I told her that I was sorry but, I couldn’t let her in. The gate attendant would be in at 8am. It was an insurance thing (I had to purchase a one day policy for the party). Everybody online was like, “Oh my God... shut T.F. UP, lady! The guy rented the pavilion; YOU DIDN’T! It’s ALWAYS closed at 6:30am! Get over it!” She wouldn’t let it go (in the comments) and got wrecked, lol

I’ve got another party to cater in a couple of days, and another big one to do in 2 weeks (150+ people)

Busy, busy, busy! :cheers:
 

Attachments

  • 665CF5E0-0733-4E46-9A7E-24EF51E193D1.jpeg
    665CF5E0-0733-4E46-9A7E-24EF51E193D1.jpeg
    241.5 KB · Views: 83
Last edited:
She FLIPPED OUT on me for not letting her in. At first, I was trying to be polite to her but, eventually, after she started swearing at me, I just laughed at her, locked the gate behind me, smiled and waved goodbye to her, and made my way up to the pavilion in my truck :rofl:

A few hours later, people were sending me those screenshots, like, “Dude, was that YOU?! This lady’s going nuts!” 🤣
 
Back
Top