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Creosote in my UDS

SmokeWatcher

SmokeWatcher

is one Smokin' Farker
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Seems I have a creosote buildup in my UDS :sad:

What would be the simplest, best way to clean it out? Burning, chipping, grinding, dynamite?
 
If it really is creosote, it should burn very easily if you leave the top off. In fact, creosote is what causes chimney fires. It is so volatile, once you get it ignited at the bottom, it should burn right up to the top by itself leaving a surprisingly thick ash which easily brushes off.
 
Well, technically speaking wood creosote is yellowish to clear. But practically speaking it is dark brown or black the way we produce it in improperly vented smokers, or by air-tight wood burning stoves.

It looks like a glossy black coating.
 
If it's stuck on real good, one thing I have found that seems to help is running a real moist heat in it to get the insides wet, then then a dry heat and dry it out real fast. Then it kinda starts to flake apart and you can scrub it out a lot easier. This is what I do on my WSM's. I'm guessing a UDS could be similar. Otherwise, just get some good cleaner, and start scrubbing away.:wink: I'm just lazy is all.
Norcoredneck said:
Bubba's Briskets!
Click to expand...
ROTFLMAO!
 
I only clean it off the lid of my WSM if it starts flaking off onto the food. Then I wad up foil and scrub it and it comes off pretty easily.

I don't know about a UDS since I have never even seen one in real life.
 
I would be more concerned with food taste. It sounds more like not enough air is moving. Try opening up your airflow would be my thought. There are many types of drum owners on this site, meaning many different opinons. My rule is use more airflow, and counter with more mass inside. Smoker plate, water pan, and most important plenty of food in the cooker. Works for us. We also clean and spray with some form of oil. Olive, veg., corn after every cook. Usually cleaning means brushing grills, blowing out with compressed air, wipe down and spray with oil. It is normal to have some coating, but not enough to build up and flake off. Good luck, Steve.
 
It's glossy black, mostly on the inside of the lid (old weber lid) and maybe a little down the insides. Some of it is dull and flaking off, which I scrap away.

I suppose I might be building too large a fire and choking down the inlets to compensate...not sure. The exhaust is always fully open when I cook.
 
After almost a year of cooking on My BDS I decided to clean the inside a little.
I hit the inside of the drum with the weed burner than scraped the loose stuff off with a putty knife. Did the same thing with the inside of the lid.
I didnt scrape it down to bare metal, just got rid of the gunk that wanted to come off easy.
 
SmokeWatcher said:
It's glossy black, mostly on the inside of the lid (old weber lid) and maybe a little down the insides. Some of it is dull and flaking off, which I scrap away.

I suppose I might be building too large a fire and choking down the inlets to compensate...not sure. The exhaust is always fully open when I cook.
Click to expand...

Glossy black is seasoning and if it's like mine, it hard as a rock.

I've cooked on mine over 50 cooks and have no build-up of creosote at all.
The weed burner for cleaning once in a while works nice, gets the grease build-up out nicely!
 
Bbq Bubba said:
Glossy black is seasoning and if it's like mine, it hard as a rock.

I've cooked on mine over 50 cooks and have no build-up of creosote at all.
The weed burner for cleaning once in a while works nice, gets the grease build-up out nicely!
Click to expand...


What do you burn?

Challenge for tomorrow....
Photo's of UDS lids?
 
if it is dripping on to the food when cooking, then it's a problem. otherwise, no big deal. if you want to get rid of it, just build a really large fire, and it will catch. once it catches though, watch out, because it will be huge. once the fire burns itself out, the creosote will scrape away easily.
 
Bbq Bubba said:
Glossy black is seasoning and if it's like mine, it hard as a rock.

I've cooked on mine over 50 cooks and have no build-up of creosote at all.
The weed burner for cleaning once in a while works nice, gets the grease build-up out nicely!
Click to expand...
It is hard as hell and if it's the seasoning I definitely don't want to lose it. Maybe I'm mistaking it for creosote. The lid has loose stuff on it, maybe I'll torch it today.
 
SmokeWatcher said:
It is hard as hell and if it's the seasoning I definitely don't want to lose it. Maybe I'm mistaking it for creosote. The lid has loose stuff on it, maybe I'll torch it today.
Click to expand...

Don't get it too hot or it will warp.
 
Bbq Bubba said:
Glossy black is seasoning and if it's like mine, it hard as a rock.
Click to expand...

Well, mine isn't hard as a rock. It may have been heading that direction but now it is kind of soft and mushy.:rolleyes: All right, get your minds out of the gutter!!

I only had 4 or 5 cooks on it then I did the tri-tip last Sunday with a double layer of mesquite with the lid propped up a bit. The barrel got pretty hot, and then towards the end of this week the weather turned rainy and damp outside. When I checked the barrel today, the nice black coating was all cracked like it had blistered and broke and the surface was starting to flake off. Had a fire in it today to check the new Spicewine thermo and I drilled out the eight 1/2" holes in the lid to 3/4" trying to get a little more airflow. I have about the same total exhaust as a single 2" bung hole now but it is spread out around the edge.

I think I'll hit the insides lightly with a wirewheel tomorrow to get the loose stuff off, spray it with Pam, and then go about reseasoning it. If I do another tri-tip I'll set the coal basket on the middle rack to get the heat closer to grate instead of building a raging mesquite fire with the coal basket in the bottom of the barrel.

I can't help but think I am overcomplicating things, though.:roll:

Dave
 
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