Yes Tuna, you could do some indirect heating on there or just put a thin layer of coals to regulate the heat. We cooked between 225 and 240 this time, but IMO we should have went down to 200 - 225. The one thing about the oil barrel laid on its side is the grate is not really high enough from where the coals are. To smoke meat it generally needs to be higher....
The burn down barrel here is overkill. What I see alot is a 55 gallon drum with a square cut in the bottom, then they drill holes in insert rebar kindof like a tic tac toe pattern where the wood burns high and the coals fall through the rebar openings. Very easy to make, and if you have or can get the wood its cheaper than lump charcoal.
What you can't see b/c I didn't get a pic of it is the burn down barrel is not open on the top, rather a "window" is cut in the side on the back near the top which allows you to add wood and also for the smoke to escape. This is cool because it could pour rain and your fire stays lit. Pretty cool.
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1994 Wellcraft V21
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