UDS Diffuser Throwdown

[big brother smoke]

Nice research!

[jasonalan724]

i use an 18 inch pizza pan with about 17 1 inch holes drilled in a symetric pattern it seems to spread the heat around pretty well, as well as agitate the smoke

[swamprb]

Nice job on your smoker log info.
While I don't care to use a deflector or waterpan in my drums, I realize there are those that don't care for the direct cooking and dripping fats on the coals flavoring their meats, so this should be helpful to them.

I do use foiled over pizza stones in the waterpans of my WSM's and Cajun Bandits.

One thing I might suggest is to go to a restaurant supply and get a stainless mixing bowl about @20" dia. for the 55 gallon drums. I got mine at Cash n' Carry for $24 and it fits my 22" WSM and Cajun Bandit and if I were ever to use a deflector in my drums it would be my choice.



JMO

[---k---]

Originally Posted by swamprb

Nice job on your smoker log info.
While I don't care to use a deflector or waterpan in my drums, I realize there are those that don't care for the direct cooking and dripping fats on the coals flavoring their meats, so this should be helpful to them.

I do use foiled over pizza stones in the waterpans of my WSM's and Cajun Bandits.

One thing I might suggest is to go to a restaurant supply and get a stainless mixing bowl about @20" dia. for the 55 gallon drums. I got mine at Cash n' Carry for $24 and it fits my 22" WSM and Cajun Bandit and if I were ever to use a deflector in my drums it would be my choice.

JMO

So you have a Drum and a WSM? One direct and one indirect. Do you have a preference. I have a drum and ECB. I haven't done enough smokes to know which taste I prefer - I'm leaning towards no fat drippings. I've just had such wild temperature differences between the edge of my drum and what my maverick reads at the middle. And, it varies, one day it is the same, then next it is 40*. And sometimes it varies throughout the cook. I haven't found the consistency yet. I'm hoping that some type of diffuser will get me there.

I'll probably end up with the mixing bowl. I measured one there the other day that was ~20". I might pick one of those up and also a couple smaller to try out. Then fill with sand.

I think a pizza pan with holes drilled would work well. Someone has posted a very cool [late that was CNC w/ varying sized rings. It looks like it would even out the heat really well. But I think I want something to catch the fat.

I actually started this thinking that I was smarter than Webber, et. al. and that the bundt pan was going to be the winner. I mean, if a UDS is hot in the middle and cold around the outside, and a WSM is hot at the edge and cold in the middle; then a bundt pan had to be the winner! I was hoping the air coming through the middle would spread out and merge with the edge. Didn't quite work out that way. It was just to small in diameter and gave me a hot spot to the edge. If I could find a 20" dia bundt pan, that might be a great test. But, I went through two restaurant supply stores last week, and neither had them.

[jestridge]

Just wondering What about a pan full of lava rock or a pan of those cermic bbq bricks

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by ---k---

Crap. My photos didn't show up. Google's picasa doesn't allow this. Must use photobucket... I'll fix after the last rolls come off.

Picasa Web Albums works fine. I post pics from there all the time. I'll try to take some screen shots and put together a "How to" and post it later.

Lava rocks or ceramic bricks like jestridge mentioned or sand work well as a heat sink, but you have to cover them with foil otherwise clean up is a mess.

[JD McGee]

Nice comparison...I always used a heat diffuser when I was cookin' on drums...try a flower pot bottom from Home Depot next time...works like a charm. Don't forget to foil it...

[DC-Q]

Originally Posted by JD McGee

Nice comparison...I always used a heat diffuser when I was cookin' on drums...try a flower pot bottom from Home Depot next time...works like a charm. Don't forget to foil it...

This is what I use, works great!

[---k---]

Originally Posted by JD McGee

Nice comparison...I always used a heat diffuser when I was cookin' on drums...try a flower pot bottom from Home Depot next time...works like a charm. Don't forget to foil it...

That does look perfect. I had one of those in the back of my mind when I threw the pizza stone in the smoker (I'm guessing my wife is going to want it back).


I'm guessing that that thing gets up to the same temp as the drum. Any issue with the drippings burning and giving bad taste?

[Ron_L]

Here is the Picasa Web Album "How to" that I just posted.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=96602

[swamprb]

Originally Posted by jestridge

Just wondering What about a pan full of lava rock or a pan of those cermic bbq bricks

Been there and done that too, and it works fine in my WSM's, but foil balls in the pan work just as well and are lighter.

Originally Posted by ---k---

So you have a Drum and a WSM? One direct and one indirect. Do you have a preference. I have a drum and ECB. I haven't done enough smokes to know which taste I prefer - I'm leaning towards no fat drippings. I've just had such wild temperature differences between the edge of my drum and what my maverick reads at the middle. And, it varies, one day it is the same, then next it is 40*. And sometimes it varies throughout the cook. I haven't found the consistency yet. I'm hoping that some type of diffuser will get me there.

I'll probably end up with the mixing bowl. I measured one there the other day that was ~20". I might pick one of those up and also a couple smaller to try out. Then fill with sand.

I think a pizza pan with holes drilled would work well. Someone has posted a very cool [late that was CNC w/ varying sized rings. It looks like it would even out the heat really well. But I think I want something to catch the fat.

I actually started this thinking that I was smarter than Webber, et. al. and that the bundt pan was going to be the winner. I mean, if a UDS is hot in the middle and cold around the outside, and a WSM is hot at the edge and cold in the middle; then a bundt pan had to be the winner! I was hoping the air coming through the middle would spread out and merge with the edge. Didn't quite work out that way. It was just to small in diameter and gave me a hot spot to the edge. If I could find a 20" dia bundt pan, that might be a great test. But, I went through two restaurant supply stores last week, and neither had them.

Well, you are doing your homework and are beginning to get it, but the grate temps on a direct cook will be all over the place, try a couple remote probes and watch them fly! My rule of thumb on my drum, is my temps are @ 50* higher at the grate than the pit thermometer on the side of the drum at grate level. I'm OK with it, because I flip my meats, spray with Apple Juice and use foil. It's more of a high heat cooker direct. But using a deflector will turn it into a big bullet with more stable temps and no burning fat drippings smell.

Just a side note, I had a claypot base crack in an 18" WSM and a pizza stone shatter in a GOSM gasser, so I would advise foiling them over as a precaution.



I use the WSM's for comp cookers, but I prefer cooking direct on the drums at home.

[Soapm]

Originally Posted by jasonalan724

i use an 18 inch pizza pan with about 17 1 inch holes drilled in a symetric pattern it seems to spread the heat around pretty well, as well as agitate the smoke

I've been looking for something like the one with the holes in the middle. I believe it will allow some heat through which should even out the middle temp with the sides. I figure you can flip it each cook to burn off the grease from the previous cook.

I don't have one to test but it seems like what you're talking about.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/BakerEze-3...an-Set/8071233

[jasonalan724]

Originally Posted by Soapm

I've been looking for something like the one with the holes in the middle. I believe it will allow some heat through which should even out the middle temp with the sides. I figure you can flip it each cook to burn off the grease from the previous cook.

I don't have one to test but it seems like what you're talking about.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/BakerEze-3...an-Set/8071233

thats what i have,but 18" andi drilled bigger holes, i just burn it off with my weedburner before everycook, works excelent and light weight

[---k---]

Originally Posted by jasonalan724

thats what i have,but 18" andi drilled bigger holes, i just burn it off with my weedburner before everycook, works excelent and light weight

Well, go get some crescent rolls (or any rolls) and show us how well your diffuser works.

[Dave Russell]

On my new one, I think I'll try the foiled flower pot base that JD suggested. I just won't let it get TOO hot.