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View Full Version : First dance with MaryJane (UDS)


CajunSmoker
01-13-2008, 08:16 AM
I did my first cook on my new UDS yesterday and it was interesting to say the least:biggrin:

I loaded my smoker up with a brisket, a rack of BB's and some homemade cajun sausage that was farking nuclear hot:icon_devil. Everything was looking good. I pulled the sausage off after about 2 hours for breakfast.
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/4620/img0390do9.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0390do9.jpg)
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/587/img0392vf3.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0392vf3.jpg)
When I sauced the ribs at 3.5 hours, I noticed that the temps didn't seem to be responing on my thermostats to the opening and closing of the lid or the adjustments I made to my ball valves.:confused: After 4 hours the temps bottomed out at 150* and I knew the ECB pan was not going to cut it.:roll: I looked inside and sure enough the ashes had damn near choked the fire out. I tried to shake the pan around and clear the ashes but to no avail. So I had to make a decision. I still had a brisket that I was determined to cook in my new smoker.:evil: So I pulled and sliced the ribs and made a quick trip to Home Depot to get the stuff to make a basket like NorcoRedneck has posted on the UDS thread.(like I should have done in the first place:roll:)
http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/6621/img0396bq4.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0396bq4.jpg)
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8605/img0394qh4.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0394qh4.jpg)
So I got the new basket made out of 8" wide 3/4" expanded metal and wrapped it around a charcoal grate from an 18" weber kettle. I didn't want to waste a lot of time with trying to get the coals out of the ECB pan so I loaded up with 10# of new charcoal (8#unlit 2# lit) and some pecan chunks.
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/221/img0393iu3.th.jpg (http://img244.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0393iu3.jpg)
This picture shows the brisket at 4 hours when I pulled it out to change the charcoal basket out.
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8454/img0395za7.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0395za7.jpg)
The brisket finished up in only 8 hours.:cool: All I can say to describe it is farking awesome. Deep smoke ring and the perfect texture. Put some slices on a bun with some of my sweet sauce and it was wonderful.
http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/7128/img0398qy5.th.jpg (http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0398qy5.jpg)
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/345/img0399oy8.th.jpg (http://img244.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0399oy8.jpg)
I decided to leave the coals burning in the new basket to see what kind of burn time I was going to get out of it. The following picture was taken down into the barrel after 6 hours of burn time. You can see that there is lots of charcoal left and even some wood chunks.:cool: I checked it up until 10 hours and it was still holding 240* at 10 hours burn time. I think this is the perfect basket for the UDS:!:
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/6051/img0400zg1.th.jpg (http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0400zg1.jpg)
I love my new UDS and I already have 4 other people that are wanting to build one.

Bbq Bubba
01-13-2008, 08:24 AM
Aren't they awesome Rodger, new basket look's good, same design i'm putting in mine!!:mrgreen:

Smokin Gator
01-13-2008, 08:35 AM
I was really curious about the ECB pan. It did seem like there wasn't going to be enough space for the ashes to fall through. I'm glad you tried it and when it didn't work still recovered the cook. That was impressive.

Talk about impressive... the smoke ring on that brisket is awesome!!!

smooookin
01-13-2008, 08:39 AM
The grub looks awesome. Be careful, these things are like Lay's potato chips, nobody can make just one.

redy2smoke
01-13-2008, 08:46 AM
MARYJANE looks awesome and sounds like you got her dialed in. Good looking eats!! It doesn't take long for friends and buddies to hop on the UDS band wagon especial after they sample some of the pron they are capable of producing.

Crüe-B-Cüe
01-13-2008, 09:13 AM
Great job Cajun! I've been reading all the threads on the UDS. I've been wanting to build one for quite a while, and I think it's about time I bite the bullet. Luckily I have a drum remanufacturer about 10 miles from me. I can get open head reman drums for 30 bucks. I'll have to start scrounging for a weber lid though.

Ron_L
01-13-2008, 09:27 AM
Great looking food! Congrats on the maiden voyage for Mary Jane!

All of these UDS threads are getting to me. I may have to build one just to do it...

Norcoredneck
01-13-2008, 10:16 AM
All of these UDS threads are getting to me. I may have to build one just to do it...
Half the fun in owning one is bragging that you made it. The other half is split between napping while it chugs along and eating the great food that comes off it. Break out them tools Ron.

DaChief
01-13-2008, 10:37 AM
Great looking spread and congrats on the maiden cook.

SmokeWatcher
01-13-2008, 10:47 AM
All of these UDS threads are getting to me. I may have to build one just to do it...
Once you have one, you'll wonder how you did without it. They are so easy and don't need a lot of attention. It quickly became my favorite cooker.

keale
01-13-2008, 11:37 AM
Good Job Rodger! Nice recovery too! With 10lbs of charcoal you can easily get 15 hrs or more at 230*... Wait till you do a Pork Butt, "easy peasy" LOL!

ModelMaker
01-13-2008, 11:43 AM
The biggest thing you'll have to et used to are 3.5hr ribs, 1hr fatties, and 6-8hr butts.
It's just a fact of life these drums are like microwaves.
Not a complaint mind you just different.
ModelMaker

biffleg
01-13-2008, 01:11 PM
Looks like a great first ride - welcome to the UDS club!

Ron_L
01-13-2008, 02:29 PM
Half the fun in owning one is bragging that you made it. The other half is split between napping while it chugs along and eating the great food that comes off it. Break out them tools Ron.

Once you have one, you'll wonder how you did without it. They are so easy and don't need a lot of attention. It quickly became my favorite cooker.

The part that you guys are missing is just how inept I am with tools! I can screw up the simplest project without trying :rolleyes:

txschutte
01-13-2008, 02:45 PM
The part that you guys are missing is just how inept I am with tools! I can screw up the simplest project without trying :rolleyes:
C'mon, man! I'm getting a drum for Wyatt this week. I will help with layout, and a bit of supervision, but it will be all his! I f a 9yo is ready, so are you!

Norcoredneck
01-13-2008, 04:41 PM
Could do a web game show. "Are you as handy as a 9year old"

Dr_KY
01-13-2008, 04:49 PM
lol @ Norco

Go for it Ron It's only a few holes and some nuts and bolts. I don't have a welder like some owners but we can make this happen.
-----------

Sorry to change the tune but congrats on the first smoke. I can't the weekend is here to finish and fire mine up.

wlh3
01-13-2008, 04:50 PM
Way to go bro. Gotta love them drums. Nice recovery...even with stopping and starting them drums roll on:icon_bigsmil8-)

Irrad8
01-13-2008, 05:10 PM
Are you running on just those two intakes? If so, how open do you have them? Looks real good!

CajunSmoker
01-13-2008, 06:55 PM
The part that you guys are missing is just how inept I am with tools! I can screw up the simplest project without trying :rolleyes:
It really is pretty simple to build Ron_L, the hardest part to me was bending my fat arse over and starting the nuts on the nipples inside the barrel:roll::icon_blush:
Could do a web game show. "Are you as handy as a 9year old"
Now that's funny chit there:biggrin:

Are you running on just those two intakes? If so, how open do you have them? Looks real good!
Yep, just the two intakes and I had them nearly closed for the first 6 hours and then just opened them wide open at the end to burn the coals on out.


They really are fun to cook on and I just noticed that Swamp has posted a thread on a rotisserie:cool: Gotta go check that out.:rolleyes:

Irrad8
01-13-2008, 07:23 PM
Thanks, I'm going to do something similar. How far off the bottom did you drill your intake holes and how far off the bottom is your fire grate and then your first meat rack?

Kevin
01-13-2008, 07:34 PM
Thanks, I'm going to do something similar. How far off the bottom did you drill your intake holes and how far off the bottom is your fire grate and then your first meat rack?

There are a "few" details here:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436

Smokin Gator
01-13-2008, 07:39 PM
Bro... I am really proud of you and your cook... I am also proud of you for building (actually painting) the absolute ugliest drum of all!!!

Go Gators!!!!

Norcoredneck
01-13-2008, 07:44 PM
There are a "few" details here:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436
Not enough info or TMI?:biggrin:

Irrad8
01-13-2008, 08:12 PM
:biggrin:LOL Kevin, I read that thing (took awhile). I figured that would come up. I was wondering if he did it any differently.:icon_cool

I was measuring and marking my own, and it seemed like I might not have enuff room for a second grate if I went with the other thread.

CajunSmoker
01-14-2008, 06:12 AM
:biggrin:LOL Kevin, I read that thing (took awhile). I figured that would come up. I was wondering if he did it any differently.:icon_cool

I was measuring and marking my own, and it seemed like I might not have enuff room for a second grate if I went with the other thread.


I may have fudged a little bit on the lower grate:rolleyes: I measured 24" from the bottom of my coalpan not the top. That gave me enough room for the lower grate. I don't expect to use that grate to often so I figured it would be ok. During the first run the temps on the 2 grates were dead even. It may be a problem with flare up from the grease though. I plan to try it next weekend and I'll let you know the results.

I bored my intake holes 2" off the barrell bottom. My new basket has the weber grate at 3.5" off the bottom.

Hope that helps some.

PS - Thanks Gator and everyone else for the nice comments on MaryJane, and a special thanks to everyone for the UDS builder thread, it is a great learning tool.:cool:

Irrad8
01-14-2008, 09:39 PM
Thanks Cajun! Keep me posted.(pun intended)