Setting Up Your Backyard Dream BBQ Area With A Barrel Grill 

If you’re looking for a grill that’s portable and can burn for a while, this grill should definitely be on your radar.
Oklahoma Joe’s Barrel Charcoal Grill
We’re starting off with the ALEKO grill because we like that it’s a 2 in 1. It’s a smoker and grill which we love because you can use charcoal grills as a cheaper alternative to buying a smoker these days. It has 18-inch racks and the grill itself stands at 22.5 inches. It is a small cooking area at 213 square inches so you can probably put a few pieces of small sized meat such as burgers on this or ribs, but they’ll have to be cut in half. The grill is made out of steel so it can handle the high temperatures and there is a removable ash tray that comes with this so you can change the charcoal while grilling, smoking, and more.  There is a temperature gauge on the top, as well as an air vent so you can control how much comes out and in.

What is a barrel grill?

A barrel grill is a grill made from a 55-gallon barrel.  The vents are usually cut into the top and bottom for ventilation.  There is usually a lid to help retain the heat so that you can get the perfect cook on your foods.

Pros and Cons of a Barrel Grill

Pros

Char-Griller Charcoal Grill-Smoker
Because of the ventilation on both sides of the barrel, air does go out. So, if you’re trying to grill/smoke in the winter, you’ll have a harder time to keep the same temperature. You’re better off using a barrel grill spring/summer where temperature isn’t normally an issue.
Pros:
In our opinion, it would be the Char-Griller Charcoal Grill / Smoker because it’s massive, reliable and has wheels for portability.
Finally, we have the Barrel House Cooker Smoker that we thought was worthy enough to be on this list. Made out of 20-gauge metal and porcelain enamel inside, you can be rest assured that you will still see the quality for years. It stands up to 35.5 inches and has 18 inches of space.  This grill/smoker can use 8 pounds of charcoal briquette which means it has 6 hours of burn time which is perfect for smoking most food.
We love this Dyna Glo Barrel Grill because it’s easy to maintain and it’s super portable as it got wheels. You can wheel it to anywhere that you want to grill/smoke at.  It stands at 50.5 inches and is 60 inches wide. The grill is made out of steel with a black powder coat finish. The cooking space that you get is 576 square inches, so it’s big enough for all your grilling/smoking needs. You also get the shelves and extra storage underneath to store your BBQ utensils and more.  So if you’re looking for authentic BBQ flavor to give to a crowd, the Dyna-Glo got your back.

Cons

Cons:
You can use wood chips, charcoal and pellets if you choose to get the fire/heat going.  If you have an even bigger barrel grill, you can even fit wood logs if you should so choose.
Flexibility

Tips for using a barrel grill

They are usually larger due to being longer thanks to their barrel shape. This means that you can put more food on it without the fear of overcrowding.

Make sure it’s clean before using

Perfect for Slow Cooking

Put in charcoal or wood chips

Pros:

Don’t open the grill often unless you have to

Doesn’t retain heat well

Add more charcoal/wood chips

You aren’t really a pitmaster until you have a barrel grill. Why? These types create that authentic flavor by using charcoals and will grill/smoke your food for however long you would want it to. They are usually 2 in 1 making them a very good value for money and why they are getting more popular for the BBQ enthusiasts. 

For maintenance, put a cover over it

Char-Griller is a popular brand and today we’ll be talking about one of their best barrel grills, which is the Char-Griller 2137 Outlaw. It’s a 2 in 1 grill/smoker with 725 square inches to cook on and you also get 338 square inches of another cooking area, so you won’t have to stress about how much room you have. It stands at 50 inches and weighs a whopping 112lbs, but it has wheels so that you can move your grill around if you need to.

6 Best Barrel Grills

ALEKO Barrel Charcoal Grill with Smoker

You’ve seen smaller barrel grills/smokers, but now it’s time to talk about bigger ones. The Oklahoma Joe’s barrel grill is bigger standing at 47.5 inches and is 60 inches wide. There is 540 square inches you can cook on and you get a removable ash tray which is perfect because you’ll probably be using that more. The Oklahoma Joe is made out of high-quality steel and the grates are made from cast iron, so it can retain and distribute heat very well.  This grill even has shelves so you can put your utensils down as well as a temperature gauge and air vent. There is storage underneath the grill if you would like to put your bag of charcoal on it.

FAQ

Which is better: a kettle grill or a barrel grill?

Cons:

What is a barrel grill?

How do you make a grill barrel?

Some barrel grills can rust very easily if left out in the rain or other extreme weather.  So, it’s very important that you can cover your grill or at least bring it inside.

What is the best charcoal grill to buy?

If you want the really big ones, you’ll have to pay more.

The Bottom Line

Pros:
Size