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View Full Version : Few odd things when smoking butts in the UDS.


Pappy
07-03-2011, 10:08 PM
I noticed a few odd things that happened when I smoked four 9 pound butts in the UDS.


1. It barely used any charcoal or wood.
2. It made alot of greasy nasty water that dripped on the charcoal and settled in the bottom of the drum.
3. The lid was dripping moisture and running down the outside onto the concrete.
4. At 225 it took 18 hours to reach 195 degees. I wrapped at 165.

Is all of this normal?

I'm planning on using a aluminum pan to catch the grease next time.

txschutte
07-03-2011, 10:10 PM
All normal. Seal the lid with some oven rope or Nomex gasket.

Boshizzle
07-03-2011, 10:14 PM
I use a 16" terra cotter tray I got from Home depot wrapped in foil as a diffuser and it catches all of the grease. But, if you are not using a diffuser, it sounds normal.

ssbbqguy
07-03-2011, 10:15 PM
Crank the heat up for easier cooks. Whole lot less time. Try 275 and be ready. Steve.

Pappy
07-03-2011, 10:25 PM
I use a 16" terra cotter tray I got from Home depot wrapped in foil as a diffuser and it catches all of the grease. But, if you are not using a diffuser, it sounds normal.

Does it just sit on top of the charcoal basket?

Boshizzle
07-03-2011, 10:28 PM
I installed a grate that sites about 4" to 6" above the charcoal basket that I sit the terra cotter tray on. The grate the food I'm cooking on is sitting about 12" from the top of the UDS. It works perfectly.

Johnny_Crunch
07-04-2011, 09:10 AM
I usually count on 2 hours per pound at 225 on my UDS. Seems normal to me. I don't have a moisture issue on my lid though and I also added an extra grate I will simply put a piece of foil on to diffuse the drippings and get them to burn off up top.

Randbo
07-04-2011, 10:14 AM
I cooked two 7 lbs butts and two 10 lbs briskets in my UDS at 250 degrees . 10 hours for the briskets foiled them after 8 cooked two more hours then rested wrapped in a cooler. The butts took 11 hours. I have a large 20 quart water pan on a rack 4" or so above the charcoal basket. The pan is 18.5" diameter so it catches most of the drippings. I use it with water in it as I don't want the burning grease flavor that some like so well.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3054/5871333739_9ffcdc4503_z.jpg
Here is the brisket.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5111/5871332677_ec08bc681a_z.jpg

Here is the pulled pork shoulder

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/5839075605_7dd4f24d00.jpg
Here is a pic with a single brisket with the water pan down below.

Seems to be working good so far and I am trying to understand why more UDS user don't have water pans?? My UDS is fairly close to a WSM with the big water pan in it. All new to me. Good luck with your cooks!

---k---
07-04-2011, 12:15 PM
If you're getting moisture on your lid, try turn up the heat a little more so that it is more likely to evaporate than condensate.

I'm not an expert, but I like to cook up around 240* - 250* on my UDS at the center of the grate with a 16" TC pot diffuser. This tends to give me around 230* along the edges. My logic is that if I go for the magical 225* at the center, the edges are down around 200*. This is too low in my opinion: meat along the edges takes too long to cook and your below water boiling point so more likely to get dripping water. I've had really good results up at 275*, but the shorter cook times usually doesn't work as well with my cooking (sleep) schedule.

18 hours sounds a bit long. I'm guessing a lot of the meat is in a cooler part of the drum than where the temp probe is.