UDS and heat diffuser?

cmwr · Nov 23, 2012

So I did my first turkey today. It was a 12 lb bird. I got it to a breast temp of 165 to 170 degrees. I know 180 is what's recommended so I cut the breast open on one side and it is white and done all the way. Problem is is that the outside of the bird is getting rather well done. My wife made the comment that when she cooks chicken she doesn't use a thermometer. She just cuts it open and looks at the color. So we are just gonna eat it. I am sure we will all stay healthy lol.

My question is what if in the future I put a pizza pan or an old disc blade over my charcoal basket to block the direct heat? My basket is a heavy guage mesh on bottom and sides so air and heat would still get in and escape. I was thinking of just simply laying it right on top of the basket. The heat could still escape out the sides and warm the chamber of my drum and at the same time no direct heat of flames would come in contact with my meat thus charring the outside. Any ideas on this? I don't see any point in drilling more holes in my drum for diffuser support bolts.

4uweque · Nov 23, 2012

I always use a perforated pizza pan on my basket. It has really made it better. Just try it, a pan is like $10.

Smokin' D · Nov 23, 2012

I sit the diffuser right on top of the basket. Works fine.

smokeyokie · Nov 23, 2012

I am getting ready to build my first UDS, but there is nothing wrong with the color on that bird!!!! it looks great to me.. how Did it taste?:grin:that is the main question

Crazy Harry · Nov 23, 2012

I got a cheep ss colander and put it on the charcoal basket for a diffuser, works great

willbird · Nov 23, 2012

4uweque said:
I always use a perforated pizza pan on my basket. It has really made it better. Just try it, a pan is like $10.

Agreed same here.

gtr · Nov 23, 2012

When I use a diffuser, I use a pizza pan laid over the charcoal basket. I cover it with foil for easy cleaning. Also - I only take poultry to 165 in the thigh & the breast always seems to be just right.

cmwr · Nov 23, 2012

smokeyokie said:
I am getting ready to build my first UDS, but there is nothing wrong with the color on that bird!!!! it looks great to me.. how Did it taste?:grin:that is the main question

It tasted awesome!! The butter, herb, and Coors beer injection just oozed out everywhere when I poked the bird. I had it rubbed down(both under the skin and on top) with a KC BBQ rub ,that I like to mix up, after the injecting was done. I was just afraid that if I left it in the UDS for the amount of time it would have taken to get the internal breast temp up the extra 15 degrees I may have really blackened my bird.

cmwr · Nov 23, 2012

gtr said:
When I use a diffuser, I use a pizza pan laid over the charcoal basket. I cover it with foil for easy cleaning. Also - I only take poultry to 165 in the thigh & the breast always seems to be just right.

Well then my breast was just that and the drumstick was over 180. I got one of those wireless bbq thermometers that tells me the meat temp while I am inside the house and I can select what kind of meat I am cooking. When you select chicken or turkey it auto sets the finish temp at 180.

N8man · Nov 23, 2012

That bird looks righteous!!!
Nice Job!!! So, with that perfectly
cooked turkey under your belt,
why would you want a diffuser now, if I may ask?

Rich Parker · Nov 23, 2012

I use a terracotta pot base on a third rack to catch grease and diffuse the heat from the center.

cmwr · Nov 24, 2012

N8man said:
That bird looks righteous!!!
Nice Job!!! So, with that perfectly
cooked turkey under your belt,
why would you want a diffuser now, if I may ask?

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

It was something I contemplated cause I thought the outside was cooking too fast before the inside was done. But someone posted here saying 160-165 is fine for a temp. I was worried cause the breast, although done, was only around 165 degrees.

Skidder · Nov 24, 2012

cmwr said:
Thanks for the words of encouragement.

It was something I contemplated cause I thought the outside was cooking too fast before the inside was done. But someone posted here saying 160-165 is fine for a temp. I was worried cause the breast, although done, was only around 165 degrees.

You did fine. Breast 160-165 thigh 180-185. Temp will rise a bit after you remove from the cooker and let rest.

El Ropo · Nov 24, 2012

160 for breast 180 for thigh. Don't tie up the legs, and don't fill the cavity so much that it impedes air flow through inside of bird. This way it cooks evenly from the inside and outside.

If you have a hot spot in your cooker place dark meat closer to it and white meat farther away from it. Some people ice the breast down before cooking so it will cook slower than the dark meat too.

You can clip the wing tips before cooking, or just foil them at a point when they have the color you want. Foiling bottom of legs is also done for same reason.

Temps will rise a bit during the required rest period, and you'll have a perfect bird every time.

jmoney7269 · Nov 24, 2012

I had a diffuser, I liked it at first, but it sucks for higher temp cooks 300-350. Uses more fuel and didnt seem to cook any better. I got a 1/4 diffuser

5A16D483-408D-407A-942A-E60F25287274-1747-00000240F302FCBC.jpg

Hook_Line_and_Sinker · Nov 24, 2012

N8man said:
That bird looks righteous!!!
Nice Job!!! So, with that perfectly
cooked turkey under your belt,
why would you want a diffuser now, if I may ask?

I'm with N8man , it ain't broke ....

I have a extended mini WSM ( think 2 tamale pots )
I smoked the thanksgiving hame in it this year, I started with a defuser in the bottom of the top pot ( I figured I see what all this defuser talk is about) the bottom therm showed 375 and the top therm showed 200. It ran for several hours like this with no real change. The ham was not cooking well and I had to remove the defuser to finish the cook.

The end result was 175 degrees were wasted at the defuser, sure there was even smoke and temps in the top pot, but with the intakes wide open I could only manage to reach 200 in the cooking chamber. The ham was cooking too slowly, 3 hours in and the IT was below 90.

Drh7003 · Nov 25, 2012

That is a good looking turkey. It looks like mine did. I only wish I had taken a photo

I used a big roasting pan under my bird as my heat diffuser the plus side is I got great gravy!

sbramm · Nov 25, 2012

i use a diffuser when i do things like a fatty or MOINKS as they have a lot of fat that renders out. and for a diffuser i just use a sheet of aluminum foil on the second rack and poke a few holes in it. wad it up and chuck it when the cook is done.

New Pal Frank · Nov 25, 2012

Good looking bird. The main thing is that it tasted good. I have a tough time with turkey skin in the smoker alos.

On my turkey this year, I used an enhanced bird( no brine required ) and injected it the night before with creaole butter.

Useing a turkey cannon, I put about 8 oz of my injection in the cannon. Cooked at 300-325 for about 2 1/2-3 hours then wrapped foil all around the bird then cooked until the internal breast temp hit 165.

End results was alot of very happy eaters and no one complained that I took most of the skin off.

Cooter · Nov 25, 2012

That turkey looks great.

BTW - the USDA now recommends 165 on both the thigh and the breast. So, you should be good.

UDS and heat diffuser?

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