It’s one of the dreaded questions by charcoal grill lovers everywhere: Is Charcoal Grilling Bad For You?

While there is no scientifically conclusive answer to this, and there are many opinions from both sides of the barbecue pit, there are some things that are worth learning about to help you make the best decision on whether you should grill gas or charcoal.

The biggest concern about most charcoal that raises the health question is that it contains many additives that can potentially not only pollute the environment and cause possible respiratory problems, but that it may also be carcinogenic and cause cancer. Many manufacturers do not list the ingredients that go into making their briquettes, which can make it even more confusing for consumers to make healthy decisions. Different types of charcoal can have everything from borax to coal and other chemicals added to it. Using lighter fluid (which we don’t recommend!) also adds to the potential risks.

Before this scares you from cooking over charcoal completely however, it should be noted that cooking any food can actually be bad for you – whether over the stove, in the oven, or the microwave. Mark’s Daily Apple has an interesting post on safe cookware – you may be surprised at the potential dangers lurking right in your own cabinets! So it’s probably safe to say that while yes, certain types of charcoal may not be the healthiest thing for you, there are probably thousands of other things in the environment that you use every day that are far more worse for you than the occasional barbecue.

Fortunately, if you are interested in reducing and eliminating the potential risks as much as possible, there is charcoal available that poses very little health risk to you and your loved ones. Finding additive free wood charcoal is possible in many areas, especially in home and garden stores that offer a wide selection of grilling products. However, the safest and best charcoal for you is coconut charcoal like the type pictured below. It is made from the shells and meat of the coconut. There is no petroleum, no additives, no chemicals, and nothing else to worry about when it comes to using it.

What are your thoughts? Is charcoal grilling bad for you? Do you use natural lump charcoal or coconut charcoal? Or do you prefer gas grilling? Comments are always welcome below!

Learning how to make a charcoal grill and where to find plans for building a charcoal grill can not only save you the money of buying a grill brand new, but it can also be a fun way to earn bragging rights with family and friends that you really did make your very own grill by yourself! You can also add personal touches and customizations to make it have everything you truly need and want and make the outdoor kitchen of your dreams.

We have already covered building a grill out of a 55 gallon drum which is one of the most popular basic designs that many people decide to use. However, there’s quite a few creative grills out there and so we’ve decided to give a few pointers and ideas for different things you can use as well as what to consider when designing and planning your new charcoal grill.

When building your own grill, you’ll want to consider the following:

Materials: There are many different materials that can be used. The most popular choices for commercially available grills are metal and ceramic. You will want to assure two very important things: 1. It is flame resistant and can withstand high temperatures and 2. It is non-toxic. Obviously, you do not want a grill that will catch on fire or crack from high temperatures. You do not also want to grill in or on something that could potentially release toxins into your food, so use only appropriate materials. If you follow these two basic rules however, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what to use and what not to use.

Size: The size matters if you do a lot of frequent outdoor cooking for guests or have a large family or group to feed. A tiny surface for cooking could mean that you won’t be able to make very much at once. If you live by yourself, then this would only make sense since you would not want use more charcoal than you really need.

Portability: You will want to consider if you want to have a stationary cooking surface or if you want to be able to move it easily from one location to another. You could build a grill out of bricks and mortar, but then you would not be able to easily move or transport it. If you do all of your grilling from home, this could be an excellent option for making a decorative outdoor cooking room. But if you plan on taking your grill to tailgate parties at football games or camping or just like to move from the front yard to the backyard, it may be better to make something that is lightweight and portable. You can make a portable charcoal grill out of a metal bowl and a grate.

Special Features: There are a variety of features you may be looking for. Perhaps you would be able to like to adjust the height of the grate, or have plans for using it as a smoker and would benefit from having a chimney or other ventilation system in place. These are all other things to consider when deciding what to build.

Once you have considered all of these needs, you are ready to start planning how you will make your grill. People have made grills from everything from simple cinder blocks and a grate to a trash can to many other unusual items. If you’re looking for something a bit more sophisticated than creative, these plans for building a charcoal grill will help you get started in the right direction:

Quikrete Barbeque Plan: Quikrete is one of the leading concrete manufacturers, and this printable guide offers step by step instructions for building your own grill.

Wilbur D. Hog Pit: This is an interesting and seemingly well designed barbecue pit that features everything from materials list to pictures as it was constructed.

DIY Network: The DIY Network has step by step instructions for building an outdoor barbecue pit with pictures.

The Filing Cabinet: This one is just too unusual not to list – it is a grill made out of a filing cabinet! The bottom drawer is used for the charcoal and the top is used for cooking. I don’t know how well it works, but it certainly wins an award for creativity!

If you have any tips for how to make a charcoal grill and where to find plans for building a charcoal grill we would love to hear them in the comments section. You can also send us your own pictures and plans if you would like us to post them up to brag and share with others on our site! Send your BBQ and Grill Pics here.

Learning how to build a grill out of a 55 gallon drum may seem pretty intimidating at first, but many people have done it before and have been very pleased with the results. Not only will you have the pride of knowing that you built the grill all on your own, but you will also be able to save a lot of money, since it is relatively much less expensive to build your own grill than purchase one in similar size and functionality.

It should be noted that this guide on how to build a grill out of a 55 Gallon Drum should only be for those exeperienced and comfortable with using power tools and welding equipment. We take no responsibility if you attempt to build your own grill and without proper equipment or experience end up getting hurt!

The single barrel model is probably the easiest to make, though there are more advanced plans for a double barrel grill made with 55 gallon drums. This picture below of the Apex Single Drum Charcoal Grill shows an example of a pre-built single drum barrel grill available from Amazon.com.

To build a grill like this, you will need the following items:

• A Clean 55 Gallon Drum Barrel (Note: Because the grill is used for cooking, you will want to make sure that the barrel is either new or recycled from holding a food substance such as cooking oil. DO NOT USE A BARREL THAT PREVIOUSLY HELD TOXIC SUBSTANCES. )
• A Reciprocating Saw (AKA Sawzall, with appropriate blade for cutting through metal per manufacturer’s specifications)
• Grinder for smoothing rough edges
• Metal Mesh & Bars to use as a grilling grate/surface
• Hinges & Handle for the Grill Lid
• Welding Equipment and Supplies
• Metal to use for legs/stand
• Safety Glasses & Equipment (Hey, we don’t want anybody getting hurt!)

Directions:
1. Using masking tape or a marker, measure and mark one quarter of the barrel drum. This will be the “top” or lid of the grill.

2. Using your reciprocating saw, cut along the edge of quarter section to cut out the lid part. If the edges are rough you may wish to sand them down with your grinder.

3. Install Rods for Grilling Surface: You can do this by welding bars on each end and two supportive ones in the middle. This will allow you to remove your grate easily. Be sure to weld any rough edges to not only protect users of your grill from getting hurt.

4. Attach Hinges & Handle to the Lid: Inexpensive simple hinges and a handle from your hardware store will help make it easy to open and close your grill.

5. Attach Base: Depending on what you use for the base of your 55 gallon drum grill, you’ll want to weld the legs on and make sure they are sturdy enough to support the grill. Anchoring the bottom with another piece of mesh or horizontal bars from one side to the other can help stabilize it. (You’d hate for your homemade grill to fall over with a nice rack of baby back ribs on it, wouldn’t you?)

And that’s pretty much it! You’ve now learned the basics on how to build a grill out of a 55 gallon drum! You can now add any special finishing touches to it. If you’d like a more advanced design that features TWO 55 gallon drums (definitely for the serious rib cookers out there!) there’s a great tutorial with pictures available here, including how to incorporate a smoke stack into your grill.

Happy grilling! Please be careful when welding and using power tools and follow all manufacturer’s instructions when building your own grill out of a 55 gallon barrel drum. If you make your own grill or have made one in the past, we’d love to see your creations! You can contact us here to send us your pictures!