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1st UDS(kinda-sorta)

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gkyork

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Hi all
I have looked around for some ideas here and around the 'web, but I am coming up dry. I have a 55 gal drum that was(is?) destined to be a UDS, but, a UDS wouldnt be big enough to cook food for my crew(8 of us- all 'healthy' eaters) -Think 8 leg quarters at once- So I am considering turnig the UDS on its side and make it an offset, I have old 20# propane tanks(emptied and devalved) for a fire box and the Pit calc to be sure of dimensions..
I have seen drum smokers with the firebox offset and in the middle of the cook chamber.... Ideas? Thoughts?
 
UMMM no.

Buying an offset presents two distinct issues- 1 MONEY and 2 I'd rather build it my self:wink:
 
A 2 grate UDS can handle 8 Whole Chickens, or 8 Butts or 4 Briskets or 6 Plates of Short Ribs or 40 Chicken Drumsticks or 20 Chicken Breast or 4 Whole Turkey or 10 Racks of Trimmed Spare Ribs or 8-12 Pork Loins or 10 Chuck Roasts or....................

So get to building a 2 Grate UDS and Run a Difusser plate about 4-6" above Charcoal Basket - Do Not Use any Galvanized Parts or Hardware - Zinc is probally OK but Stainless is Safest. If you can get a Weber Kettle Lid you have even more room. :mrgreen:


 
ok much more helpful

SmittyJonz said:
A 2 grate UDS can handle 8 Whole Chickens, or 8 Butts or 4 Briskets or 6 Plates of Short Ribs or 40 Chicken Drumsticks or 20 Chicken Breast or 4 Whole Turkey or 10 Racks of Trimmed Spare Ribs or 8-12 Pork Loins or 10 Chuck Roasts or....................

So get to building a 2 Grate UDS and Run a Difusser plate about 4-6" above Charcoal Basket - Do Not Use any Galvanized Parts or Hardware - Zinc is probally OK but Stainless is Safest. If you can get a Weber Kettle Lid you have even more room. :mrgreen:


Click to expand...

ok thanks
 
Have you gone thru the Zillion page UDS thread? If you have build questions just ask.

Verticals are more effecient than offsets - you will have to babysit an offset plus UDS is easier to build.
 
Did 3 15lb turkeys on just my top grate with a domed lid for a work Thanksgiving dinner.
Also did 6 8-10lb butts for a friends wedding (dual racks).
 
Last edited:
I have cooked 4 racks of spares St Louis cut and 2 fatties as well as MOINKS on my 2 rack UDS. It all pretty much was a comfortable fit with a regular flat drum top. With the Weber lid as many use, you could get more on it I'm sure.
 
There is a lot of room/space in a UDS with a dome lid modification. I have an offset and have not used it or even taken the cover off it since I finished my UDS. A UDS is so much easier to use. It is almost "set it and forget it". Just dial the temp you want with a ball valve or slide a magnet over an exhaust hole and the temp will stay solid for hours. An off set, your constantly having to fiddle faddel with it to get your temp and that gets old quick on a long over night cook. Just my two cents.
 
Using two racks on my lil' stubby drumpit allows me to cook more than enough chicken for some big ol' eaters...

Stubby4.jpg


Mess_o_Chix5.jpg


Thighs7.jpg
 
Lil stubby drum pit. That cooker makes me smile.

Excellent
 
mikemci said:
If you put a domed lid and 2 grates you can easily cook for 8 big eaters!
Click to expand...

I've used 2 UDS with domed lids and 2 grates in each to cook for 70 scouts on an OA ordeal (24 hrs with scant food) 3 8-10 lb butts on each shelf for 12 butts total. It was iver 50 lbs of meat on each UDS.

I've cooked brisket for 30 people in my office on 1 UDS.

If you can't feed 8 people on a UDS I don't know what to say.
 
Re: turning drum on its side and making it an offset- I would not recommend it! I did this with my old horizontal 55gal drum grill. I tried to make it into an offset cooker using another smaller drum for the firebox and all it did was make it into a heat losing, wood consuming monster which I had to sit next to and feed. The metal's just too thin for an offset setup. I ended up ditching the firebox and cooking indirect in the drum with much better results. It's become my reverse sear cooker of choice and jerk drum for Caribbean style cooking. The horizontal drum still isn't as efficient as my UDS though due to the door. I'd recommend building a UDS with two grates, and possibly a third, lower grate for placing a diffuser or drip pan for when cooking those really fatty meats. I find sometimes the fat drippings burning off can be a bit much when cooking in high volume. Check out the UDS thread for ideas, and remember simple is best!
 
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