New UDS and pr0n! PIC HEAVY

Got my UDS built this weekend and couldn't wait to do a cook, so after a 2-3 hour season burn at 350-400, I choked her down to 225 and put on a 4 lb. butt, and my first ever fattie. Fattie was stuffed with sauteed green peppers, onions, garlic, and pepperjack cheese.

Burnin' it out


Paint's Gone!


Basket


Greased down with ashpan (not big enough)


Season burn


First ever fattie!


4 lb. rubbed butt


Had a nice bacon weave, but it was cheap bacon...


'Bout 3.5 hours later - Looks yummy


Is this done enough? Not sure how much of that is smoke ring...
Was pulled at 175


Butt pulled at 180 for slicing/chopping


Didn't really want to cut yet, it was late, but just for the pr0n


Comments, questions, advice?

I wasn't sure whether that fattie was completely done or not. The sausage looks very pink. It was a thin layer of sausage, so I'm not sure how much of that is smoke ring. But it was reading 175+ when pulled. We then foiled it for about an hour before we sliced.

The butt tastes really good, except the rub we used is a little too spicy. Note to self: a little less cayenne and chili powder next time.

I was really pleased with the UDS. It was about 50 degrees (F) outside, and sprinkling/misting rain for about half the cook, but with about 6 lbs. of charcoal briquettes (K), I did about 2.5 hrs at 350-400, then about 8.5 hours at ~225 and I still have some fuel left. I'm not sure how much, as it was getting late and I just closed all the vents and put it inside my shop after it cooled down. I took a peek and saw some fuel left, but not sure how much yet.

I also do not have a suitable therm yet, had to use an oven therm, and had to open the lid several times to check temps. Temps would dip, then spike after opening the lid. I could see how this thing would be rock steady when I get that resolved.

I think I'm gonna love this UDS.

Thanks to everyone with their tips and build pics.

Phubar said:

If I must say as a Rookie...my UDS got a new sister!:-D
Very nice looking UDS!:eusa_clap
2 comments...did you use some wood to smoke and......install those bolts for your upper "Leftover Grate"....trust me!:wink:

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Yeah, used some hickory chunks. I didn't do it this weekend because I wanted to get cookin' on it so bad, but I'm going to install the bolts for the second rack soon.

Gotta get some paint on it too. Was gonna paint it Saturday, took it outside, sprayed about 5 spurts, then it started raining. :icon_pissed

Well, I mainly wanted some paint on it to keep it from rusting, not so much for looks.

JiveTurkey said:

The smoke ring will be on the outter edge of the fattie. The pink ring in your pic looks like the meat didn't cook all the way. Maybe when you checked temp it didn't go all the way to the center.

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That's what I thought. I mean, I have smoked stuff before in an old Brinkmann, or whatever brand. That sausage just didn't look done to me.

How do you guys check a fatty with a meat therm? I tried just barely pushing it into the top layer past the bacon, tried the middle, where it was obviously mainly cheese and peppers, then tried to go all the way through and just barely pierce the bottom. Everywhere I had the probe it read 175+. I was gonna take it off at 165, but the time I checked it prior to that, it was about 155-160, then when I checked again it had jumped to 175 or a little over.

Anyway, since I couldn't prove otherwise, I ate a bit of it, and it was good, but I just wasn't convinced the sausage was done.

Phubar said:

Some transparent coating paint?:biggrin:
Sorry but I just love the looks of your UDS!:-D

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Thanks.

That's an idea, maybe spray graffiti on it, then cover with clear coat, or polyurethane? :mrgreen:

Thanks everyone.

Here's a link to the fullsize pic of the fattie internals. I see some browner sausage towards the middle, so maybe it's ok.

If I don't die of E-coli in the next few days, I guess it was ok... :shock:

LINK TO FULLSIZE PIC

Maybe the cheap bacon making the smoke ring look weird? I dunno....

Phubar said:

...only if you know a certified graffiti artist...:biggrin:

From the looks of your phatty maybe the pinkish color on the inside is a smokering but it seems you used a very thin layer of beef then.
The bacon layer seems as thick as the beef or thicker.

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It was a thin layer of sausage. That was cheap, crappy bacon. I'll probably try another one soon, and see if I can't top that one, but it sure tasted good! :-D