Sammy_Shuford
is Blowin Smoke!
Nice looking UDS, the door seems to seal nicely. No stains at the edges.
Enjoy!
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
Enjoy!
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
Ugly Drum Smoker
- Thread starter jgh1204
- Start date
H
hankll
Guest
difference in RO or Kingsford
I had been using Kingsford, but at the notification of a brethren member, I found some 16# RO bags at Kmart on sale for $2.49 a bag. I grabbed 10.
At about the same time I added ball valves to all my intakes, and on two I installed the ball valves on top of a 2' pipe riser
And at the same time I bought the RO at Kmart, they also had one of the Weber 18" portable grills, which I then converted to used as a ash pan under my charcoal basket. I drilled 1" holes around it
Now my problem was that suddenly I couldn't get anything higher than 275* with all intakes open. Not bad if you wanted to stay below that temp for a good low and slow smoke. I was going to be smoking a Thanksgiving Turkey, and it needed to be smoking at a more like 350* setting in order to have a crisper skin.
I put a bag of apple wood chips in with my RO and managed to get the temps to 325*, so it did finally get there.
Today I did a beef brisket in 5 1/2 hours. I removed the ash pan, and laid a piece of tinfoil under the basket.
Result --- 400* within an hour. shut down one of the ball valves, and it went to 350*, another valve shut off, it down to 310*, so my control of temps was back by removing the ash pan. I will probably re design it so there isn't so much of a wall blocking the air flow. I still need to be able to easily get the ash out of the bottom of the drum with out a mess.
I had been using Kingsford, but at the notification of a brethren member, I found some 16# RO bags at Kmart on sale for $2.49 a bag. I grabbed 10.
At about the same time I added ball valves to all my intakes, and on two I installed the ball valves on top of a 2' pipe riser
And at the same time I bought the RO at Kmart, they also had one of the Weber 18" portable grills, which I then converted to used as a ash pan under my charcoal basket. I drilled 1" holes around it
Now my problem was that suddenly I couldn't get anything higher than 275* with all intakes open. Not bad if you wanted to stay below that temp for a good low and slow smoke. I was going to be smoking a Thanksgiving Turkey, and it needed to be smoking at a more like 350* setting in order to have a crisper skin.
I put a bag of apple wood chips in with my RO and managed to get the temps to 325*, so it did finally get there.
Today I did a beef brisket in 5 1/2 hours. I removed the ash pan, and laid a piece of tinfoil under the basket.
Result --- 400* within an hour. shut down one of the ball valves, and it went to 350*, another valve shut off, it down to 310*, so my control of temps was back by removing the ash pan. I will probably re design it so there isn't so much of a wall blocking the air flow. I still need to be able to easily get the ash out of the bottom of the drum with out a mess.
Lawdog's Smokewagon
Well-known member
When was that RO on sale? I need me some!
Lawdog's Smokewagon
Well-known member
My NEW UDS Pron
Well here it is, finally finished it friday night after work. Did a seasoning burn same night held it at 350 for about 3 hours then opened it up and let lit burn all night. Was at 100 next morning almost no charcoal left. It has a nice beautiful black coating on the inside now.
First cook today. 5lb boston butt. Put it on about noon held 275 under center of grate for 7 1/2 hours til meat temp hit 195. Rested 30min and pulled. Man I love this smoker. Only a sandwich bag full of meat left after dinner!
Thanks for all the info Brothers in BBQ.
Well here it is, finally finished it friday night after work. Did a seasoning burn same night held it at 350 for about 3 hours then opened it up and let lit burn all night. Was at 100 next morning almost no charcoal left. It has a nice beautiful black coating on the inside now.
First cook today. 5lb boston butt. Put it on about noon held 275 under center of grate for 7 1/2 hours til meat temp hit 195. Rested 30min and pulled. Man I love this smoker. Only a sandwich bag full of meat left after dinner!
Thanks for all the info Brothers in BBQ.
Attachments
Sammy_Shuford
is Blowin Smoke!
Now that a UDS. Roll Tide!
chobint
Knows what a fatty is.
Hey guys, I was having trouble for a while getting steady blue smoke output from my smoker and thought I might share a technique I tried recently. In the past I've either found that the fire would burn up my chunks too quickly or would be running too efficiently to get the chunks going properly... so i decided to try this. It burns really hot and blue, with steady smoke output. I've had trouble in the past where the smoke is blue but a little too faint. Does anyone else use a similar technique? I know this is nothing new b/c I stole it from a weber kettle thread.
PS: If anyone has a link to the weber thread I'd love to see it again.
The coffee can is empty.
PS: If anyone has a link to the weber thread I'd love to see it again.
The coffee can is empty.
Bbq Bubba
somebody shut me the fark up.
There is no such thing as too faint of smoke. Your smoke should almost be clear.
Bbq Bubba
somebody shut me the fark up.
O.K. :doh:
Door not necessary.
Door WILL leak therefore defeating the point.
Why would you need a door on a cooker that will run 14+ hrs?
Carbon
is Blowin Smoke!
I don't miss the door on my ECB either. My UDS rocks.
chobint
Knows what a fatty is.
If you are using flash photography for a night picture and still have to squint to see the smoke, then its too faint.
smokingj
Full Fledged Farker
I've always found the lighter the smoke the better the taste. I'm trying to eat food not take pics. The coffee can method just slows down the rate the fuel burns giving a longer burn. Be warned though that can give you hot spots on certain parts of your grill as the coals burn since it's not uniform across the grate.
coewar
Knows what a fatty is.
Very interesting. I will try this out. I don't have a problem at all (use plain charcoal briquettes). But this option (if it works well) has the benefit of providing you with a clock. So based on the speed that fire moves, you can place wood chunks along the way to keep the smoke going steady or have it increase at certain times or whatever.
smokingj
Full Fledged Farker
You could use a piece of expando rolled into the same size as a coffee can that way you'll have oxygen hitting from all angles as well.
Time_1
Knows what a fatty is.
New guy here!
Hello everyone!
I found this thread by doin a search for a UDS. I cant stop reading it and I started from the beginning! I have a LOT more reading to do but I wanted to post.
I went out and bought my drum yesterday from a guy for $10 with a lid. Its a food grade drum that is really clean. Theres a sticker on the outside saying it had apple juice in it. What I dont see in it is a liner. It looks like there is paint on the inside. Is that what they use for liners? Heres a couple pics.
I know I should start a big fire in it and I plan on doing that. Is there something I should do before that? I plan on going out and getting all the parts for the smoker in the next day or so. Im sure Ill have more questions on the way. And thanks for having me here!
OH, I didnt mention that I have zero experience in smoking food. I can bbq/grill, just not the smoking part. :-D
Hello everyone!
I found this thread by doin a search for a UDS. I cant stop reading it and I started from the beginning! I have a LOT more reading to do but I wanted to post.
I went out and bought my drum yesterday from a guy for $10 with a lid. Its a food grade drum that is really clean. Theres a sticker on the outside saying it had apple juice in it. What I dont see in it is a liner. It looks like there is paint on the inside. Is that what they use for liners? Heres a couple pics.
I know I should start a big fire in it and I plan on doing that. Is there something I should do before that? I plan on going out and getting all the parts for the smoker in the next day or so. Im sure Ill have more questions on the way. And thanks for having me here!
OH, I didnt mention that I have zero experience in smoking food. I can bbq/grill, just not the smoking part. :-D
Big_Alvin
Full Fledged Farker
yup, looks like the dreaded red liner. i got 4 barrels earlier this year and i had them sandblasted out to remove the liner.cost me $55 total to have them blasted. mine held cranberry concentrate. i've yet to begin the builds yet due to time constraints but its my winter project. best of luck on your build.
Last edited:
H
hankll
Guest
Unfortunately, that was about 2 months ago.
P
Paul Worth
Guest
That is the "Dreaded Red Liner". Make your intake holes first, then fill it with wood, start the fire, and point a leaf blower at the holes once the fire is going. If you're lucky, this will remove most of the liner. Of course, all this needs to be done outside, away from trees, houses, cars, etc. If you can get an unlined drum for three times the price you'll be better off.
Time_1
Knows what a fatty is.
Im having a hard time finding unlined drums. The ones I have found have had chemicals in them like linex and oil.
1FUNVET
Babbling Farker
Have plenty of beer on hand to do this :becky:
If ya have room, ya can lay it on it's side and after 1/2 hour or so,slowly roll so you are burning a different area.
