Need Opinions about first UDS attempt

Bartkowiakj · 09-09-2010, 09:02 PM

Just made my first UDS and tried my first burn tonight after I sprayed everything with Pam. I am using a garbage can cover for an ash collector at the bottom of the barrel with the fire bowl (16"diameter x 9" high) up 3.5" from the ash collector. My first grate is approx 2 " from the top of the barrel and the next one is approx 8" below that. I poured 2 Weber chimneys of charcoal in the fire bowl and lit the 3rd and poured that in the fire bowl. I opened all vents for about an hour and the temp reached a high of 450-475 on the second rack and about 50degrees less on the top rack. I then corked 3 of the vents and the temp fell to about 225-250 and stayed pretty steady for about the last 4 hours. I think the coals may be dying down now. I am wondering if everything sounds ok to start cooking or should I be modifying something? If so, what?
Also -- any ideas on what to use for the first cook and still be good to the wife (nothing spicy). Any recipes. Was thinking of brisket or shoulder but looking to each off you for your opinion and especially if I am good to go.

Boshizzle · 09-09-2010, 09:15 PM

Shoulder is hard to mess up, so it might be a good choice for a first cook. As long as your temps stay in the 225 to 290 range, you should be good to go.

Personally, I only need about 12 - 15 briquettes poured on top of a chimney of unlit briquettes, but you might need more for a longer cook. I also use a diffuser.

Go for it! Just keep your temps under control (which should be easy with a UDS) and you will be fine.

N8man · 09-09-2010, 09:17 PM

Sounds like you're good to go...
Traditionally the First Cook of Choice is a Fatty.....

Paul B · 09-09-2010, 09:25 PM

Do a quick and easy chicken, or two or three. Then jump to ribs and then to the long cook of a butt. My first butt took 11 hours, typical. My second butt only took 6 hours. Used the hot and fast method and (I) couldn't tell the difference nor anyone else. So my future method will be the hot and fast. Yours may very.

Smoke on............

Paul B
SS UDs
SS Auspit
SS ROL

Boshizzle · 09-09-2010, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul B

Do a quick and easy chicken, or two or three. Then jump to ribs and then to the long cook of a butt. My first butt took 11 hours, typical. My second butt only took 6 hours. Used the hot and fast method and (I) couldn't tell the difference nor anyone else. So my future method will be the hot and fast. Yours may very.

Smoke on............

Paul B
SS UDs
SS Auspit
SS ROL

+1- hot and fast! Four hours cook time, 2 hours rest.

chaddie · 09-09-2010, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N8man

Sounds like you're good to go...
Traditionally the First Cook of Choice is a Fatty.....

N8man said it, but my first cook was a whole chic, not to hard to screw up, but I'd do a Fatty>

citrus · 09-09-2010, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul B

Do a quick and easy chicken, or two or three. Then jump to ribs and then to the long cook of a butt. My first butt took 11 hours, typical. My second butt only took 6 hours. Used the hot and fast method and (I) couldn't tell the difference nor anyone else. So my future method will be the hot and fast. Yours may very.

Smoke on............

Paul B
SS UDs
SS Auspit
SS ROL

I agree

blackdog043 · 09-09-2010, 09:33 PM

I think you have it right. Just remember that you may have to adjust your intakes with different weather conditions, to get your temps where you want them.
First cook I'd go with a fatty and a butt. This way you can snack on the fatty while your butt is still cooking.

Boshizzle · 09-09-2010, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackdog043

I think you have it right. Just remember that you may have to adjust your intakes with different weather conditions, to get your temps where you want them.
First cook I'd go with a fatty and a butt. This way you can snack on the fatty while your butt is still cooking.

I like your approach! Chicken, ironically, is much harder than a butt.

Captain Dave · 09-10-2010, 05:47 AM

A shoulder or butt would be my choice to break in a uds. They are very forgiving and will allow you to have temperature fluctuations as you go thru the learning curve you get with any new smoker. Slight as it may be with a uds. Best tip I can give you is that it takes less wood then you think too... and time. Last one I did came out really good with only two fist size chunks and somewhere around 8 hours @ 225. Save the brisket for when you get temp control down perfect.

Ron_L · 09-10-2010, 06:35 AM

I'm on the fence between two schools of thought.

1. Cook something cheap and quick like chicken - this gives you almost instant gratification and you can brag sooner

2. Cook something low and slow like a butt. This let's you learn fire control and the butt is very forgiving in case the temps get out of control. Plus, when you brag you can tell folks that it cooked for Xx hours

Either way a naked fatty is mandatory.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BlkJeep · 09-10-2010, 12:05 PM

As others have said a fatty is a must. As for changes, maybe try only lighting 10-12 coals. Also what type of garbage can lid are you using? Is it galvn? If so, I'd steer clear of that mod. Good luck!!!

1FUNVET · 09-10-2010, 01:22 PM

MOINK'S and a fatty

expatpig · 09-10-2010, 02:21 PM

Cook everything, and enjoy it!

bob80001 · 09-10-2010, 02:22 PM

Do a butt, and toss on a couple of ABT's so you have some appetizers early on...

09-09-2010, 09:02 PM	#1
Bartkowiakj Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 06-04-10 Location: Western MI	Need Opinions about first UDS attempt Just made my first UDS and tried my first burn tonight after I sprayed everything with Pam. I am using a garbage can cover for an ash collector at the bottom of the barrel with the fire bowl (16"diameter x 9" high) up 3.5" from the ash collector. My first grate is approx 2 " from the top of the barrel and the next one is approx 8" below that. I poured 2 Weber chimneys of charcoal in the fire bowl and lit the 3rd and poured that in the fire bowl. I opened all vents for about an hour and the temp reached a high of 450-475 on the second rack and about 50degrees less on the top rack. I then corked 3 of the vents and the temp fell to about 225-250 and stayed pretty steady for about the last 4 hours. I think the coals may be dying down now. I am wondering if everything sounds ok to start cooking or should I be modifying something? If so, what? Also -- any ideas on what to use for the first cook and still be good to the wife (nothing spicy). Any recipes. Was thinking of brisket or shoulder but looking to each off you for your opinion and especially if I am good to go.

09-09-2010, 09:15 PM	#2
Boshizzle somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-26-10 Location: Virginia	Shoulder is hard to mess up, so it might be a good choice for a first cook. As long as your temps stay in the 225 to 290 range, you should be good to go. Personally, I only need about 12 - 15 briquettes poured on top of a chimney of unlit briquettes, but you might need more for a longer cook. I also use a diffuser. Go for it! Just keep your temps under control (which should be easy with a UDS) and you will be fine. __________________ Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member - I am Obsessive Compulsive about BBQ. Google it.

09-09-2010, 09:17 PM	#3
N8man Babbling Farker Join Date: 05-09-07 Location: God's Country Ossipee-Osceola NC	Sounds like you're good to go... Traditionally the First Cook of Choice is a Fatty..... __________________ N8man Average Joe Backyard Enthusiast How I Fire Up That Ugly DrumPit Smoker!!!!

09-09-2010, 09:33 PM	#8
blackdog043 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 01-21-10 Location: Denver, NC	I think you have it right. Just remember that you may have to adjust your intakes with different weather conditions, to get your temps where you want them. First cook I'd go with a fatty and a butt. This way you can snack on the fatty while your butt is still cooking. __________________ [B][COLOR=black]Bill[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=black][COLOR=red][B]Red[/B][/COLOR] [/COLOR]Performer 1993 Green Performer 1998 22.5 OTG 22.5 OTS UDS Mini WSM Super Fast [COLOR=red][B]Red[/B][/COLOR] Thermapen :thumb: [B]Got butt ? Smoke it !![/B]

09-10-2010, 05:47 AM	#10
Captain Dave is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-29-09 Location: Luling, Texas 78648	A shoulder or butt would be my choice to break in a uds. They are very forgiving and will allow you to have temperature fluctuations as you go thru the learning curve you get with any new smoker. Slight as it may be with a uds. Best tip I can give you is that it takes less wood then you think too... and time. Last one I did came out really good with only two fist size chunks and somewhere around 8 hours @ 225. Save the brisket for when you get temp control down perfect. __________________ Thanks for noticing Last edited by Captain Dave; 09-10-2010 at 05:57 AM.. Reason: omission

09-09-2010, 09:25 PM	#4
Paul B is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-08-09 Location: Datyona Beach, Fl	Do a quick and easy chicken, or two or three. Then jump to ribs and then to the long cook of a butt. My first butt took 11 hours, typical. My second butt only took 6 hours. Used the hot and fast method and (I) couldn't tell the difference nor anyone else. So my future method will be the hot and fast. Yours may very. Smoke on............ Paul B SS UDs SS Auspit SS ROL

09-10-2010, 06:35 AM	#11
Ron_L Moderator Join Date: 12-09-04 Location: Wandering, but not lost Name/Nickname : Captain Ron	I'm on the fence between two schools of thought. 1. Cook something cheap and quick like chicken - this gives you almost instant gratification and you can brag sooner 2. Cook something low and slow like a butt. This let's you learn fire control and the butt is very forgiving in case the temps get out of control. Plus, when you brag you can tell folks that it cooked for Xx hours Either way a naked fatty is mandatory. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ "Ron Rico, Boss. You can call me Captain Ron..." Naked Fatties Rock! PKGo X 2/PK360/Weber Q1000/Blackstone Camping Griddle/Pit Boss Pro Series 850

09-10-2010, 12:05 PM	#12
BlkJeep is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-02-09 Location: Centralia, MO	As others have said a fatty is a must. As for changes, maybe try only lighting 10-12 coals. Also what type of garbage can lid are you using? Is it galvn? If so, I'd steer clear of that mod. Good luck!!! __________________ Jud 1-Weber Silver 22.5" 1-Jeep® UDS 1-Topless 22.5" Red Weber Kettle

09-10-2010, 01:22 PM	#13
1FUNVET Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-16-09 Location: Lake Charles La	MOINK'S and a fatty

09-10-2010, 02:21 PM	#14
expatpig is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-20-10 Location: Cochrane, On.	Cook everything, and enjoy it! __________________ "When I was in Canada, I had a lot of time to think."- Doug Sahm [B][COLOR=red]UDS x 5[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=red][B]Weber Performer[/B][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=red]Napoleon Apollo[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=#ff0000][B]GOSM[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=blue][B][I]CSBBQA, KCBS, NOBS(Northern Ontario Barbecue Society)Professional Barbecue Team. USAJFKCENMA.[/I][/B][/COLOR]

09-10-2010, 02:22 PM	#15
bob80001 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-06-10 Location: Germantown, Wisconsin	Do a butt, and toss on a couple of ABT's so you have some appetizers early on... __________________ Don - UDS \| Weber Kettles rescued from craigslist

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