UDS rack and meat rotation

dedmete · 04-03-2009, 07:54 PM

I made a new, taller lid last weekend and added a second cooking rack. I am planning on cooking 4 butts this weekend, 2 on each rack. How often would you rotate the racks? How about turning the butt's?

Weiser · 04-03-2009, 08:04 PM

Why would you bother turning them or rotating for that matter?
Drink beer instead. It is much easier.

What style of exhaust are you using on the taller lid?
That could influence my answer.

Weiser

Quote:

Originally Posted by dedmete

I made a new, taller lid last weekend and added a second cooking rack. I am planning on cooking 4 butts this weekend, 2 on each rack. How often would you rotate the racks? How about turning the butt's?

Bbq Bubba · 04-03-2009, 08:56 PM

No rotating or turning.....its a drum!

smooookin · 04-03-2009, 09:08 PM

You cant get 4 butts on one rack?

thirdeye · 04-03-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dedmete

I made a new, taller lid last weekend and added a second cooking rack. I am planning on cooking 4 butts this weekend, 2 on each rack. How often would you rotate the racks? How about turning the butt's?

I start them fat side down, and in a couple of hours turn them. You will notice the characteristic stripes on that first turn. Then I smoke them for about 3 more hours and turn the fat down again. Within 4 hours they are usually done. When doing two racks full, the lower one will need turned earlier, and to balance out the cook I swap the upper for the lower after 90 minutes, turning the butts on the grate that wind up in the top position. Often when it's time for the next turn, the butts will have shrunk enough to get all of them on the upper rack.

Having two people makes rotating the racks quick and easy, but if you don't have that option, set-up a table near the cooker

Desert Dweller · 04-04-2009, 01:04 AM

Kinda what Thirdeye said...

I start mine fat side down, after 1.5 hours turn em, and turn em again after 4.5 hours total time.... Then let them go till done. I always make sure one butt is fat side down during the last hours of cooking and directly over the fire basket; The fat rendering drips create more smoke without having to add wood.

dedmete · 04-04-2009, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smooookin

You cant get 4 butts on one rack?

I've got 2 cooking racks, you can see my setup here:http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...postcount=2711

Thirdeye, are you saying your butts only take a total of 4 hours? Or 7? What temp are you cooking at? It always take me around 12 hours in my gasser @ 220 to get them done (for pulled pork).

Cliff H. · 04-04-2009, 08:01 AM

If I tried to rotate or turn meats on my drum, I would have 500 deg fire before I was done.

Bbq Bubba · 04-04-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smooookin

You cant get 4 butts on one rack?

It's doable but not recommended....

You'll notice, no flipping or rotating.

hav · 04-04-2009, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff H.

If I tried to rotate or turn meats on my drum, I would have 500 deg fire before I was done.

Especially if I used KF Comp, that stuff heats up fast!

thirdeye · 04-04-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dedmete

I've got 2 cooking racks, you can see my setup here:http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...postcount=2711

Thirdeye, are you saying your butts only take a total of 4 hours? Or 7? What temp are you cooking at? It always take me around 12 hours in my gasser @ 220 to get them done (for pulled pork).

Sorry for the confusion, it's 9 to 10 hours for me, and this is for bone-in butts in the 7 to 8 pound range. (I copied my post and put the actual hours hours in parentheses) Drums cook a little faster because of both direct heat and convection. With butts I keep my drum around 250°, so I'm cooking hotter than you are. If they are not done by hour 11, I will go ahead and prepare them for the cooler rest by wrapping in foil , but instead of going to the cooler, I will return then to the cooker for an hour or so. This usually gets them where I want them, then I cooler them (with newspaper for insulation) and rest for 2 more hours.

I start them fat side down, and in a couple of hours turn them. (hour 2) You will notice the characteristic stripes on that first turn. Then I smoke them for about 3 more hours (until hour 5) and turn the fat down again. Within 4 hours ( by hour 9) they are usually done. When doing two racks full, the lower one will need turned earlier, and to balance out the cook I swap the upper for the lower after 90 minutes, turning the butts on the grate that wind up in the top position. Often when it's time for the next turn, the butts will have shrunk enough to get all of them on the upper rack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff H.

If I tried to rotate or turn meats on my drum, I would have 500 deg fire before I was done.

Turning is no problem for me, but by rotating time I usually have just one or 1-1/2 plugs open , and I do put them in before rotating to reduce any flare-up. The one thing when cooking on two full racks, that 40 or 50 pounds of meat has dripped quite a bit of fat into the basket....so a little purge by flame helps sometimes. It dies right back down when the lid goes on.

JD McGee · 04-04-2009, 09:12 AM

I'm a flipper too...half way thru the smoke I turn and rotate my butts (ala Paul Kirk).

04-03-2009, 07:54 PM	#1
dedmete Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 02-08-09 Location: Reed City, MI	UDS rack and meat rotation I made a new, taller lid last weekend and added a second cooking rack. I am planning on cooking 4 butts this weekend, 2 on each rack. How often would you rotate the racks? How about turning the butt's?

04-03-2009, 08:56 PM	#3
Bbq Bubba somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-07 Location: New Baltimore, Mi.	No rotating or turning.....its a drum! __________________ Owner of Bubba's BBQ & Catering L.L.C. Beer Snob I cook the #bestbrisketnorthoftexas. Get over it. #detroitporkmafia BBQ Person of the Year 2013

04-03-2009, 09:08 PM	#4
smooookin is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 03-04-07 Location: KC Mo.	You cant get 4 butts on one rack? __________________ "Foil is a BBQ mans duct tape" my wife.

04-04-2009, 01:04 AM	#6
Desert Dweller Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-03-08 Location: Mesa, AZ Not exactly hell, but the zip code is very close...	Kinda what Thirdeye said... I start mine fat side down, after 1.5 hours turn em, and turn em again after 4.5 hours total time.... Then let them go till done. I always make sure one butt is fat side down during the last hours of cooking and directly over the fire basket; The fat rendering drips create more smoke without having to add wood. __________________ [FONT=Comic Sans MS]Bo Compton in Mesa, AZ, KCBS CBJ[/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]Weber Ranch Kettle, BDS Mega, OTS x 2, Weber Platinum[/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]18.5 WSM w/Stacker from ProQ, 22.5 WSM, Reverse Flow Lang Clone 80 butt capacity mounted on 25 foot trailer with attached awnings[/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=#ff0000]LFSA RED Thermapen,[/COLOR] [/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS]And 1 2010 Victor brand Hot Dog Cart[/FONT]

04-04-2009, 08:01 AM	#8
Cliff H. is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 03-03-07 Location: Jonesboro Arkansas	If I tried to rotate or turn meats on my drum, I would have 500 deg fire before I was done. __________________ Cliff Triple 5 Competition BBQ Formerly know as : Metro Appliances and More Cooking Team

04-04-2009, 09:12 AM	#12
JD McGee somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-28-07 Location: Duvall, WA	I'm a flipper too...half way thru the smoke I turn and rotate my butts (ala Paul Kirk). __________________ "The team formerly known as "Wine Country "Q"... PNWBA "Team of the Year" 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017... We cook on MAK Grills and Bullets...