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View Full Version : new to cooking on the drum (taste question)


chromestacks
01-10-2011, 05:56 PM
I built my first UDS a few months back and have been experimenting quite a lot. I love the UDS for how it is a set and forget cooker. This past Friday night I put on a 12.5lb brisket. I had to work the over night shift and was hosting a party for my wife's family saturday. I was pretty impressed that when I left for work (about an hour into the cook) the drum was holding 250* perfectly. I worked 9 hours an hour away from home so I was gone for 11 hours. When I got home Saturday morning, the drum was still chugging but slightly low 220*. I immediately checked the brisket and it was done to perfection (IT @ 195*) the thermo pen slid in like going into hot butter. I pulled the brisky off and let it rest 1/2 hour before slicing. When I was cutting, I had to take a few quality samples right? I noticed that the charcoal tast was quite intense. I should mention I loaded the fire basket with 8lbs of charcoal and several fist size chunks of well seasoned apple wood. I usually cook with wood on my RF stick burner but was unable to be home to tend the fire. maybe thats why the taste seemed to overwhelm me. If I were to add a difuser pan or plate to the UDS, would I still be able to get the nice bark but keep some of the charcoal taste off the meat?

blackdog043
01-10-2011, 06:09 PM
It will give it a different taste, because you won't be dripping the juices on the hot coals. You might want to use less chunks, you will still have bark. You will use more charcoal also. It will be a different taste from a stick burner since your cooking over a fire.

Captain Dave
01-10-2011, 06:31 PM
Use better charcoal. I use Stubbs.

wheelterrapin
01-10-2011, 06:44 PM
I second Stubbs, it has become my charcoal of choice and I have tried a lot of them, Just my opinion.

Teleking
01-10-2011, 07:07 PM
Use better charcoal. I use Stubbs.

Stubbs makes LUMP??? cause any lump would be better IMO:-P


also a water pan is a must if you want sitck burner flavor


YMMV MDN:wink:

Contracted Cookers
01-11-2011, 05:03 PM
probably want to wrap around the 140 mark. or when you get good color.