Mark
somebody shut me the fark up.
Smoke-eater:
If the inside rusts, it's proof of nothing but pure plain steel; thus safe.
If the inside rusts, it's proof of nothing but pure plain steel; thus safe.
I'm still a green horn and still learning on my UDS so I can only speak from my experience over the last few weeks. I have tried mixing lump and Kingsford briquettes and I have used briquettes only.
The mix lights faster, seems to burn a little hotter but also had me tinkering with the ball valve more to handle temperature fluctuations. Take off the lid and she really gets going and is hard to get the temperature back down.
Plain charcoal on the other hand is a little tougher to light but burns longer and steadier, seems to hold the set temperature better for me. This is what I use for all my cooks now.
As far as taste, hell everything seems to be good off the UDS if cooked right.
I have also found that if I need to do much work under the lid, wrap in foil or turn meat, that if I take lift the grate out with the meat and put the lid back on to keep air from getting to my fire, do what I have to do, then put the meat back in, it keeps flare ups or heat spikes down to a minimum. In other words, keep the lid on as much as possible.
Just my 2¢ worth. Hope it helps.
David
Thanks for that info. So you have noticed no odd taste from the briquettes? What type are you using?
I have a SS 55gal drum and I really do not want to attempt to remove the top w/ a saws-all and cutting wheel.
So do any of you know what types of companies use these Barrel-deheaders?
Sorta like a putting cup?me any good in a UDS? I can add bolts to the bottom to raise it up.
One thing I have not seen come up on this thread (and yes, I've read it all) is directing the air flow through the firebox. On the SFB, I concocted a baffle that blocked air from going around the charcoal basket. This would seem like a good idea on a UDS, but nobody has mentioned it. I'm thinking fold-down flaps on the charcaol box that would conform to the inside contour of the drum. After you put the firebox in place, you would just knock the flaps down, creating a barrier, forcing all air to go through the fire. It should allow you to create a hotter fire with less fuel. meaning that the charcoal should last even longer at the lower temps we smoke at. Or is the air flowing around the firebox needed to create that "convection" effect you guys mention frequently? It might also make it easier to clean the bottom out. You would be bringing the bottom up with you everytime you took the charcoal box out. Any thoughts? Seems logical to me, but what do I know? I'm new at this.
I have been reading this thread for at least a hour a day for over a week, and I so want to build one of these! My problem is I can't find a food-grade barrel, no one in this area sells new barrels, and to buy a new barrel, or even a used one, from out-of-state adds about 50 bucks to the price.
I have a few potential leads on barrels that have contained motor oil, hydraulic fluid, and gear grease - would any of these be safe to use [after a burn-out, of course]?
Actually hondad, an unlined barrel that contained motor oil, is safer than a lined barrel that you have to burn out. Just clean it out with some strong detergent and see if it starts to rust. If it does, you're good to go.