Ugly Drum Smoker

[Mr. Sinister]

Waiting for the paint to dry on my first UDS, plan to do my first smoke this weekend after a couple of seasoning burns. Thanks for the all the info fellas!

[Puget BBQ]

Ive been reading this thread for t months and still have almost 200 posts to go. I still think the queue is growing faster than I can read them.

[RIK]

In the middle of my UDS build and was wondering is a water pan needed when smoking or not? does it make a difference? any reply would help, thanks.

[funugy]

Originally Posted by RIK

In the middle of my UDS build and was wondering is a water pan needed when smoking or not? does it make a difference? any reply would help, thanks.

This is something that you will have to test for yourself and decide what is best for you. I don't know of anybody that uses a water pan filled with water in the UDS, but I am sure there are a few around. Most either use nothing or some sort of diffuser to even the heat across the cooking grate.

The reason I don't use a water pan is that on longer burns, which is most of my cooks 8+ hours) the water would evaporate and the temp would spike. One of the beauties of the UDS is simplicity without needing to do much once you get the fire going.

[vafish]

Originally Posted by rufio

Quick Q,

Living in Ireland there is zero old Weber Kettle Grill Lids knocking around so i'll be getting my lid straight from Weber.

Obviously I'll be looking for the 57cm (22inch) lid. But I don't know which option to go for.

http://www.weberbbq.co.uk/product/one-touch-premium/
Width 63cm Depth 74cm Height 109cm

http://www.weberbbq.co.uk/product/one-touch-original/
Width 59cm Depth 66cm Height 99cm

http://www.weberbbq.co.uk/product/sm...untain-cooker/
Width 59cm Depth 65cm Height 124cm

Opinions would be much appreciated - Note: I don't have a barrel yet, so if any of the above doesn't confirm to a "standard" drum then please let me know.

If you get the WSM there really isn't much reason to build a uds. It pretty much does the same thing.

I like the classic one touch, I really don't think the more expensive one touch gold really adds much.

I almost got a trip to Shannon this weekend, could have brought you a lid. But a couple of my coworkers are going instead.

[Pitmaster T]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJUKa...ature=youtu.be

[rufio]

Originally Posted by vafish

If you get the WSM there really isn't much reason to build a uds. It pretty much does the same thing.

I like the classic one touch, I really don't think the more expensive one touch gold really adds much.

I almost got a trip to Shannon this weekend, could have brought you a lid. But a couple of my coworkers are going instead.

Thanks for the reply. Wasnt planning on buying the wsm jist wondering if thered be a benefit to having the pid from one on the uds versus a more standard kettle lid.


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[Novak]

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Here is my new uds just made three weeks ago. First ribs cook pretty impressed with it so far. Thank God for this huge THREAD!!

[arne]

Ok, just a quick result of my UDS last Monday. I did a very nice 14.5 hour session to get a great pulled pork.

Off the barbecue after 14.5 hours:

Pulled pre-sauce:

Ready to eat!


As you can see in the graph, I still need to work on temp control, but hey, I think I have done nicely for a first timer. ;-)

[AZBBQ]

OK well I smoked my first butt. BUT I had to finish it off in my oven for the last 4 hours. Not cool.

I filled up my basket with one and a half bags of Kingsford competition and about 10 chunks of Hickory. Did the minion method with the bottom of the chimney starter and got it goin. I did use a water pan. Temp took about an hour to get to 250. Set the 8 lb butt in and had to tend to the drum every 90 minutes due to temp flux. Ended up drilling while cooking to keep the temp up above 200. I now have 8 3/4" holes wide open. Started at 12:45am and by 7am the temps tanked. I looked at the charcoal basket and it was all burned up. Top was on most of the time unless I needed more heat then I removed to get something burning better then put it back on. long night

Pretty sure I am going to buy a smoker, too much time and money in this thing that I can't get to work.

I may try a different charcoal basket but man I am running out ideas here. I shouldn't need two or three bags of charcoal for a 12 hour burn should I.

[funugy]

Originally Posted by AZBBQ

OK well I smoked my first butt. BUT I had to finish it off in my oven for the last 4 hours. Not cool.

I filled up my basket with one and a half bags of Kingsford competition and about 10 chunks of Hickory. Did the minion method with the bottom of the chimney starter and got it goin. I did use a water pan. Temp took about an hour to get to 250. Set the 8 lb butt in and had to tend to the drum every 90 minutes due to temp flux. Ended up drilling while cooking to keep the temp up above 200. I now have 8 3/4" holes wide open. Started at 12:45am and by 7am the temps tanked. I looked at the charcoal basket and it was all burned up. Top was on most of the time unless I needed more heat then I removed to get something burning better then put it back on. long night

Pretty sure I am going to buy a smoker, too much time and money in this thing that I can't get to work.

I may try a different charcoal basket but man I am running out ideas here. I shouldn't need two or three bags of charcoal for a 12 hour burn should I.

Try without a water pan. Heating the water takes a LOT of fuel. What type of lid do you have? Are the vents open on the lid? Is the basket elevated off the bottom of the barrel?

[Toney Marconi]

Something is not right there. Pics of drum and basket may help.

[AZBBQ]

Flat lid that came with barrel, took out plug only. Here are some pics

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7...5/IMAG0436.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-A...2/IMAG0440.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t...5/IMAG0442.jpg

[olewarthog]

AZBBQ - something definitely out of sorts here. An hour to get to 250 doesn't sound right. I only have three 3/4" nipples & I will be at 200 & closing one nipple in less than 10 minutes. I can run 250-275 with a ball valve half open on just one nipple.

I would say your basket needs to be raised a little more, but that would just to keep the ash buildup from choking the fire late in a cook.

If your fire spiked with the lid open then quickly dropped after closing, I'm thinking you are not getting enough air drawing thru. Do you have a 2" bung hole open in the lid? Anything smaller probably will not draw enough.

[AZBBQ]

Yep has the 2" bung hole wide open. Also, I added boiling water so to heat up the water pan shouldn't have been an issue. Yeah the charcoal basket is only about 1" set above the bottom right now. But I wouldn't think that would be an issue for at least a few hours in?