To flip or not to flip...

SmokeWatcher · 10-27-2007, 08:33 AM

I'm almost done building my first UDS and setting the inaugural fires, but I'm not sure about whether I should flip the meat or how often. What do you all recommend?

Jeremiah · 10-27-2007, 09:08 AM

Depends, what are you cooking?

If we're talking pork butts and briskets, I don't flip either of them. For me briskets go fat cap down and stay that way until they're done. Given the location of the heat source on a UDS, I would do the same on there as well.

smooookin · 10-27-2007, 09:22 AM

I usually start with the fat down for the first hour then turn fat cap up for the rest of the cook. The UBS turns out some darn good pork butt!!

Meat Burner · 10-27-2007, 09:39 AM

Try diffenent ways to see what you like. I do brisket fat cap down and dont
't flip, butts don't flip, chicken, fatties, and ribs I usually flip and baste. Sometime I foil the brisket and butts but most of the time just let er smoke. IT"S ALL YUMMY! Let us know how it works out. Good luck!

swamprb · 10-27-2007, 11:07 AM

Depends what you are cooking. I always flip butts, picnics, ribs and brisket. Spatchcocked chicken and thighs too.

michiana mark · 10-27-2007, 11:15 AM

Put me down as a never flipper. I know I'm boring.

SmokeWatcher · 10-27-2007, 04:21 PM

Seems like the opinions are about even. I have the first fire in her now to see how she holds up. No meats right now....just getting her seasoned. I picked up a butt for tomrrow though.

Norcoredneck · 10-27-2007, 05:49 PM

Usually always sleep through my cook

. Only flip when I;m awake.

thirdeye · 10-27-2007, 05:55 PM

I'ma flipper. On butts and briskets, I start fat down for 2 or 3 hours then turn for a couple more, then turn back again.

First flip

Next flip. Still about 4 or 5 hours until they are ready.

When I cook on both levels, the lower grate cooks faster, so I start the bigger stuff there. I will rotate both racks on that first turn, and sometimes swap out stuff between racks on the next turn.

Meat Burner · 10-27-2007, 06:27 PM

Thirdeye, not trying to hijack SmokeWatchers thread but maybe this will stay on his topic...how much quicker does the lower rack cook. Mine has two cooking levels but I haven't done much on the lower level..only when I used the flat lid for fun and not the weber dome. Hope this is helpful to SmokeWatcher as well.

thirdeye · 10-27-2007, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meat Burner

Thirdeye, not trying to hijack SmokeWatchers thread but maybe this will stay on his topic...how much quicker does the lower rack cook. Mine has two cooking levels but I haven't done much on the lower level..only when I used the flat lid for fun and not the weber dome. Hope this is helpful to SmokeWatcher as well.

My lower rack is somewhere around 24" from the basket. I much prefer cooking on the upper (31" above) but when I have used only the lower, it shaves about 1-1/2 hours off of a typical 10 hour cook. The downside is, it's harder to turn meat because it is 1' down from the rim.

When both racks are used, It's quite a bit faster, maybe as much as 25% if the conditions are right. By that I mean a full load on the lower rack robs some of the direct heat getting to the upper. That is why I rotate meats. One thing I have done when cooking 3 briskets is to start the big one on the bottom. About halfway through the cook, they have shrunk enough for all 3 to finish on the top rack.

SmokeWatcher · 10-27-2007, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meat Burner

Thirdeye, not trying to hijack SmokeWatchers thread but maybe this will stay on his topic...how much quicker does the lower rack cook. Mine has two cooking levels but I haven't done much on the lower level..only when I used the flat lid for fun and not the weber dome. Hope this is helpful to SmokeWatcher as well.

YES.....inquiring minds want to know.

Bill-Chicago · 10-27-2007, 07:12 PM

I've never flipped anything in the smoker, but I dont know enough about the UDS to give good info.

Sorry

ipls3355 · 10-27-2007, 07:40 PM

a very wise man once said
"I don't remember flipping"

Who was that man

Meat Burner · 10-27-2007, 07:50 PM

Thirdeye, thanks as that is very helpful. My UDS seems to be about the same deminisions as yours. I will be cooking on both levels next week for a benefit cancer patient at work. Sweet lady with a great attitude about everything. Cooking about 100# brisket and butts on 3 UDS's and want it great for her. Thanks for the help.

10-27-2007, 08:33 AM	#1
SmokeWatcher is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-06-07 Location: Florence, Az	To flip or not to flip... I'm almost done building my first UDS and setting the inaugural fires, but I'm not sure about whether I should flip the meat or how often. What do you all recommend? __________________ If it ain't right, don't do it....If it ain't true, don't say it....If it ain't yours, don't take it.

10-27-2007, 09:08 AM	#2
Jeremiah is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 09-10-07 Location: Brooklyn, NY	Depends, what are you cooking? If we're talking pork butts and briskets, I don't flip either of them. For me briskets go fat cap down and stay that way until they're done. Given the location of the heat source on a UDS, I would do the same on there as well. __________________ Heavy Metal BBQ

10-27-2007, 09:39 AM	#4
Meat Burner Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-22-07 Location: Springfield, MO	Try diffenent ways to see what you like. I do brisket fat cap down and dont 't flip, butts don't flip, chicken, fatties, and ribs I usually flip and baste. Sometime I foil the brisket and butts but most of the time just let er smoke. IT"S ALL YUMMY! Let us know how it works out. Good luck! __________________ my avatar swiped fatties from the plate....look how sorry he is. ________ Meat. NB Bandera with mods Weber 22 .5" x 2, 26.75" x 1 UDS x 3 KCBS CBJ Created "The Great Spam Revelation of 2011." www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111155

10-27-2007, 11:07 AM	#5
swamprb somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-27-06 Location: Bothell WA	Depends what you are cooking. I always flip butts, picnics, ribs and brisket. Spatchcocked chicken and thighs too. __________________ Brian - Left Hand Smoke BBQ PNWBA 2010 Team of the Year BGE's/WSM's/Pellet Pro WSM/BWS Gater/BDS Clones/Cookshack 008/Weber Performer w EZ-Que/Cajun Bandit/Rib-O-Lator Test Pilot/La Caja China/BBQ Guru/Weber 1000 RK Drum Coffee Roaster Follow Left Hand Smoke on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/pages/Left-H...462391?sk=wall KCBS CBJ/PNWBA CBJ www.pnwba.com

10-27-2007, 11:15 AM	#6
michiana mark is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-28-07 Location: South Bend IN Name/Nickname : Mark	Put me down as a never flipper. I know I'm boring. __________________ Looking for the truth, in the thin blue smoke Weber Silver 22.5X2, UDSx2 KCBS-CBJ #16571, Member GLBBQA Roadmaster BBQ comp team Proud member of the Blue Thermapen Association Certified MOINKballer Class of 2008

10-27-2007, 09:22 AM	#3
smooookin is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 03-04-07 Location: KC Mo.	I usually start with the fat down for the first hour then turn fat cap up for the rest of the cook. The UBS turns out some darn good pork butt!!

10-27-2007, 04:21 PM	#7
SmokeWatcher is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-06-07 Location: Florence, Az	Seems like the opinions are about even. I have the first fire in her now to see how she holds up. No meats right now....just getting her seasoned. I picked up a butt for tomrrow though. __________________ If it ain't right, don't do it....If it ain't true, don't say it....If it ain't yours, don't take it.

10-27-2007, 05:49 PM	#8
Norcoredneck somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-11-06 Location: Norco, Ca.	Usually always sleep through my cook . Only flip when I;m awake. __________________ *Low and Slow.....* *The Prontologist is in...* *Ok let's see your Butt!*

10-27-2007, 05:55 PM	#9
thirdeye somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming	I'ma flipper. On butts and briskets, I start fat down for 2 or 3 hours then turn for a couple more, then turn back again. First flip Next flip. Still about 4 or 5 hours until they are ready. When I cook on both levels, the lower grate cooks faster, so I start the bigger stuff there. I will rotate both racks on that first turn, and sometimes swap out stuff between racks on the next turn. __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *Barbecuist ~ Charcuterist ~ KCBS Master Judge & CTC* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal, SnS Deluxe Kettle Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it's hard to verify their authenticity” ~ Abraham Lincoln

10-27-2007, 06:27 PM	#10
Meat Burner Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-22-07 Location: Springfield, MO	Thirdeye, not trying to hijack SmokeWatchers thread but maybe this will stay on his topic...how much quicker does the lower rack cook. Mine has two cooking levels but I haven't done much on the lower level..only when I used the flat lid for fun and not the weber dome. Hope this is helpful to SmokeWatcher as well. __________________ my avatar swiped fatties from the plate....look how sorry he is. ________ Meat. NB Bandera with mods Weber 22 .5" x 2, 26.75" x 1 UDS x 3 KCBS CBJ Created "The Great Spam Revelation of 2011." www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111155

10-27-2007, 07:12 PM	#13
Bill-Chicago somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-11-03 Location: Chicago Southwestern Burbs, but always south of Madison Ave. Name/Nickname : Professor Dickweed	I've never flipped anything in the smoker, but I dont know enough about the UDS to give good info. Sorry __________________ . Bill-Chicago The death of "willkat98" Me: If you aren't woke, that means you're still sleeping, right? Kid today: That's racist! Bandera, M-BGE, WSM, Gold Kettle, Kenmore Gasser, 36Qt Turkey Fryer, ECB, Dutch Oven, Black Iron BBQ Viper-M, Blackstone 36" Griddle

10-27-2007, 07:40 PM	#14
ipls3355 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-27-07 Location: Mattoon, IL	a very wise man once said "I don't remember flipping" Who was that man __________________ Chris Crankin out Q on my ECB since 2005 UDS born September, 2007 22" Weber Kettle 18" Weber Kettle

10-27-2007, 07:50 PM	#15
Meat Burner Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-22-07 Location: Springfield, MO	Thirdeye, thanks as that is very helpful. My UDS seems to be about the same deminisions as yours. I will be cooking on both levels next week for a benefit cancer patient at work. Sweet lady with a great attitude about everything. Cooking about 100# brisket and butts on 3 UDS's and want it great for her. Thanks for the help. __________________ my avatar swiped fatties from the plate....look how sorry he is. ________ Meat. NB Bandera with mods Weber 22 .5" x 2, 26.75" x 1 UDS x 3 KCBS CBJ Created "The Great Spam Revelation of 2011." www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111155

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