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h20loo 11-15-2010 05:27 PM

[QUOTE=jcinadr;1458139]I think there are two common methods for lighting. There is the chimney method - where you put a dozen or so fully lit coals on the basket of unlit - and there is the weed burner method.



Most of the Q'rs up here use the veg oil paper towel method. Quick easy and smells good.

Paul B 11-15-2010 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unfathomable Bastid (Post 1458230)
Southern,

I have both a flat barrel lid and a weber kettle lid. I plan on drilling the hole for the thermometer in the flat lid (my weber kettle lid already has one). Unfortunately, my kettle lid doesn't fit the barrel tightly. It kinda balances on top of the rim, actually, even though the seal seems to be fairly good.

-Bastid

My lid, not a weber, balanced on the rim too. My fix was to put 4 nuts and bolts angled inward in the lid so it wouldn't slip off. I also added stove gasket to complete the seal. You can see the bolts here:

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...2/DSCF5288.jpg
gasket was added later.

With gasket:
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...DSCF5292-1.jpg

Just a thought.............

Paul B
SS UDS

Unfathomable Bastid 11-16-2010 09:16 AM

My version 1.0 UDS -- we'll see how she cooks
 
2 Attachment(s)
She held 225 degrees for four hours on a minimal amount of charcoal. Cooking a brisket this weekend. I'll keep you folks posted!!

As a sidenote -- I'm the first redneck jew in the history of UDS!! :-P I loved this project and am truly thankful to BBQ Brethren for making all this knowledge available to a tool like me...

-Bastid

jcinadr 11-16-2010 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h20loo (Post 1458513)
Most of the Q'rs up here use the veg oil paper towel method. Quick easy and smells good.

Can you explain the details of the veg oil paper towel method - sounds a lot like the used peanut oil method that I never quite mastered.:rolleyes:

I tried using the basket as a chimney and just stuffed crumbled up newspaper under it - and that did not work. I used veg oil soaked paper under an actual starter chimney a few times for my webber grill with good success.

Quite often, I open the lid and look in the drum and see there is still plenty of charcoal for one more burn. So just hitting the top with the weed burner w/o even touching the basket is the laziest thing to do. If I was actually pulling out the basket - I guess putting an oil soaked paper towel under it, and lighting it would be the next easiest. (currently don't have any nipples, so would need to light the paper towel before putting the basket back in...)

h20loo 11-16-2010 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcinadr (Post 1458983)
Can you explain the details of the veg oil paper towel method - sounds a lot like the used peanut oil method that I never quite mastered.:rolleyes:

I tried using the basket as a chimney and just stuffed crumbled up newspaper under it - and that did not work. I used veg oil soaked paper under an actual starter chimney a few times for my webber grill with good success.

Quite often, I open the lid and look in the drum and see there is still plenty of charcoal for one more burn. So just hitting the top with the weed burner w/o even touching the basket is the laziest thing to do. If I was actually pulling out the basket - I guess putting an oil soaked paper towel under it, and lighting it would be the next easiest. (currently don't have any nipples, so would need to light the paper towel before putting the basket back in...)

I take a couple paper towels and wipe up the left over grease from pan fried bacon. I sandwich bag them and throw them in the freezer and that way I always have a supply of "charcoal starters".

You simply light each end of the paper towel and place it on top of the basket of charcoal in the drum. As simple as that! When your temps start coming up you adjust your intake to the sweet spot and you're ready for the groceries.

stglide 11-17-2010 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul B (Post 1458643)
My lid, not a weber, balanced on the rim too. My fix was to put 4 nuts and bolts angled inward in the lid so it wouldn't slip off. I also added stove gasket to complete the seal. You can see the bolts here:


gasket was added later.

With gasket:
http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/z...DSCF5292-1.jpg

Just a thought.............

Paul B
SS UDS

Where did you get your stove gasket? I went to a local dent and repair shop and found an old stove door and got one, but would like to have a supplier for a backup on my next build...

stglide 11-17-2010 08:22 PM

Scratching my head still... Cooked a couple more times on my UDS. Did some wings and then some chicken quarters. For whatever reason, I can't get my temps to steady out. Mainly, they will hold for a little bit, then drop. The adjustable valve is wide open, and have to open up one pipe nipple to get the heat back up. Just can't seem to get it to a point of holding it's temp for any longer length of time... :rolleyes:

Any ideas? Lid is sealed, plenty of charcoal / lump (use a combination), so I'm just scratching my head as to why... :confused:

BlueHowler 11-17-2010 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcinadr (Post 1458983)
Can you explain the details of the veg oil paper towel method - sounds a lot like the used peanut oil method that I never quite mastered.:rolleyes:

I tried using the basket as a chimney and just stuffed crumbled up newspaper under it - and that did not work. I used veg oil soaked paper under an actual starter chimney a few times for my webber grill with good success.

Quite often, I open the lid and look in the drum and see there is still plenty of charcoal for one more burn. So just hitting the top with the weed burner w/o even touching the basket is the laziest thing to do. If I was actually pulling out the basket - I guess putting an oil soaked paper towel under it, and lighting it would be the next easiest. (currently don't have any nipples, so would need to light the paper towel before putting the basket back in...)

I have a large tin can that once held tomatoes and I drilled 4 1" holes in the sides. I take a couple of paper towels and drizzle veggi oil on them and crumple them up in the bottom of the can then I fill the can almost to the top with charcoal and light the paper towels through the 4 holes. After around 10 minutes all the charcoal is ready to place in the basket. I use long tongs to remove the hot coals and place them on top of the coals in the basket "minion style."

Last cook I did something I learned from one of the Brethren here and I took another large tomato can, cut the top and bottom out then placed in the middle of my fire basket, filled the basket with charcoal around the can. After the coals in my starter can were hot I dumped them into the can in my fire basket. I then removed the tin can (use tongs or an oven glove.)

The fire burns from the inside to the outside. It seemed to work very well but as it was the first time I need to do more research on which method works the best.

SmokerKing 11-17-2010 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stglide (Post 1460227)
Where did you get your stove gasket? I went to a local dent and repair shop and found an old stove door and got one, but would like to have a supplier for a backup on my next build...


Google Rutland gasket

blackdog043 11-17-2010 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stglide (Post 1460239)
Scratching my head still... Cooked a couple more times on my UDS. Did some wings and then some chicken quarters. For whatever reason, I can't get my temps to steady out. Mainly, they will hold for a little bit, then drop. The adjustable valve is wide open, and have to open up one pipe nipple to get the heat back up. Just can't seem to get it to a point of holding it's temp for any longer length of time... :rolleyes:

Any ideas? Lid is sealed, plenty of charcoal / lump (use a combination), so I'm just scratching my head as to why... :confused:

What are you using for a charcoal basket, do you have it 3 inches from the bottom or ash pan?

michiana mark 11-17-2010 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stglide (Post 1460239)
Scratching my head still... Cooked a couple more times on my UDS. Did some wings and then some chicken quarters. For whatever reason, I can't get my temps to steady out. Mainly, they will hold for a little bit, then drop. The adjustable valve is wide open, and have to open up one pipe nipple to get the heat back up. Just can't seem to get it to a point of holding it's temp for any longer length of time... :rolleyes:

Any ideas? Lid is sealed, plenty of charcoal / lump (use a combination), so I'm just scratching my head as to why... :confused:

Mine runs along pretty well with one cap off (3/4in) and valve half way open. If you close it down too much it can't get enough air and will drop the temp. It may actually "backdraft" and fluctuate the temp when it exhales and then inhales a large amount of air. Drums take a while to settle in, set the valves and leave it, for 30 min, before adjusting. small adj should only be needed.

Dr_KY 11-18-2010 04:41 AM

Stop looking and let it cook, only adjust when needed and wait a good 15-20 minuets for it to settle in.

barkerw 11-18-2010 10:15 AM

Success on my first smoke with the new UDS. I did some pork spare ribs, temps were hard to keep down for some reason....i wanted it at 275 and my UDS was stubbornly holding at 300-350 for a large amount of the time. It all worked out in the end but i don't know how i'm going to get it to hold a temp as low as 225. I'm wondering if it has something to do with my charcoal basket being too large in diameter (i used the small rack from a weber and did the entire circumference and about 8" tall). Anyways, Thanks everyone for the great info on this thread, i absolutely love this thing.

On another note, Can anyone tell me how long and what temp i should do a pork butt at and possibly some wings as an snack? What should the internal temp of a butt read when its done?

Southern Home Boy 11-18-2010 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unfathomable Bastid (Post 1458924)
As a sidenote -- I'm the first redneck jew in the history of UDS!! :-P

I wonder if Gefilte Fish would make a good Fatty....:confused: Sans bacon weave, of course. :heh:

Louisiana Smoker 11-18-2010 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southern Home Boy (Post 1460720)
I wonder if Gefilte Fish would make a good Fatty....:confused: Sans bacon weave, of course. :heh:

What is the deffination of a jewish dilema? Free ham

OK, to the penalty box I go :tsk:


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