Brisket in a drum question

lastmajordude

lastmajordude

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This you tube video has a brisket being cooked at 300 deg in a drum. It appears he doesn’t use a heat diffuser of any type so the fat hits the coals. Is this normal and what about the hot spots I always heard about? Video below

https://youtu.be/YLQNtgyUwJw
 
I'm fairly new to drum smoking, but have been smoking for a long time. I ruined my meat at the last competition by using a diffuser (no electricity at event, so I used my new drum). Cook times were way off even though I had a probe on the grate level, and the analog thermometer was 50+ degrees off at times. I took the diffuser out and it fixed everything. It doesn't burn the food like you would suspect it would, and the drum evens out the temperature pretty well. Mine measured almost exactly the same temperature on the side of the barrel where the analog thermometer is as it did in the middle where the digital probe was. I'll probably never use the diffuser again, or if I do I'll modify it to have more air passing through.
 
My experience cooking with drums + large pieces of meat (pork butts, brisket, etc) was that the fat and juices did indeed drip onto the coals as you would expect, and that did change the flavor compared to another style cooker that isnt burning off that moisture on coals. I personally do not care for that flavor though people have obviously been quite successful using them. If I cooked big meats on a drum it was usually over a pan.
 
I cook untrimmed briskets, fat side down in the drum. Love the way the fat crisps up. It's delicious! :grin:
 
I always use a foiled clay pot diffuser....I cook at about 300 on the therm that is on UDS. That thing is off by about 25 degrees i think...close enough
 
A lot of people here dont like the taste of the fat on the coals. I cook both ways depending on my food. As far as hot spots go, I think you get hotter spots around the outside with a heat shield that is not very open. Plus I noticed it has an effect on the airflow. If you use dont use a heat shield, I believe you have consistent temps all around. Also, I think I read 24 inches from the fire, will not burn the meat. Unless the science guys prove otherwise.
 
Most comp people cook without a diffuser and foil after a couple of hours. The hot spot nonsense is drastically overblown.
 
For the record I have a Hunsaker with a vortex charcoal basket. It works very well but I’m thinking along the Cowgirl line. I love crispy fat but I didn’t want to ruin a good piece of meat. Thanks guys/gal.....
 
The Vortex diffuser plate prevents any hot spots that typically comes up with just plain coals in a can. It just comes down to if you like the smell/taste of fat on that plate. I don’t mind it.
 
No need for diffuser in barrel. Never had a problem. Can honestly say that I like barrel grub better than other smokers. For me it seems to have a more pronounced flavor that I really dig. Plus, I get better bark without diffuser.
 
lately all my pulled pork, brisket and ribs have been in the pbc.... no difuser or pans just hang the meat and let it drip on coals
 
If there are hot spots, it would only matter for grilling directly over the fire anyway. At the cooking distance heat will be evened out.
If you don't care for the fat dripping directly into your fire, use a plate o' some kind.
 
I've cooked on mine 3 times now...the food has spectacular flavor! No diffuser, just damper control.
 
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