Newbie UDS question

[AUradar]

First, this site is great, I've been thinking about making a smoker/grill and stumbled upon this. Great info, thanks guys

now for the stupid question. I'm sure this question has been answered, many times, but its such general question that it can be hard to find.

Can I use a UDS as a grill? Does it get hot enough?

In my mind I'm thinking of using it as pseudo BGE. Make a fire basked in the bottom and fill with a bag of lump charcoil. light when needed, put out when done. I think thats how the BGE works, correct? Would an UDS work in the same fashion?

Most of what I've seen here looks more like a smoker than a grill so thats why I'm asking. I want to be able to go outside, light'er up, and cook supper.


thanks.

I'm also thinking about converting my 2.5'x2.5'x5' sausage smoker into a real smoker. I'll probably be making a thread and asking for some advice there later.

 

[Skidder]

You sure can just raise the charcoal basket or put it on the lowest cooking grate if you run more than one.

 

[expatpig]

I made an adjustable bottom charcoal basket, check the threads and you can find it with pics.

 

[jswordy]

Neatest little trick I have seen for the UDS to be a grill is, the guy used U bolts instead of plain bolts to hold his top rack. He then welded a strip of metal in a ring around the top of his charcoal basket with an L-hook welded to that in positions to correspond with the U bolts.

This way, he could hang his charcoal basket off the U bolts, put his grate over it, and have a grill. It was GENIUS!

 

[Burk]

Neatest little trick I have seen for the UDS to be a grill is, the guy used U bolts instead of plain bolts to hold his top rack. He then welded a strip of metal in a ring around the top of his charcoal basket with an L-hook welded to that in positions to correspond with the U bolts.

This way, he could hang his charcoal basket off the U bolts, put his grate over it, and have a grill. It was GENIUS!

Here's the thread http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81063 definitely going to try this on the next drum.

 

[littlechief]

I had a buddy weld a piece of tubing that we cut in half lengthwise to the side of my basket and that sets on the bolts for the bottom rack. Works great for grilling.

 

[AUradar]

do ya'll put another vent up high for when ya'll are grilling?

 

[moda253]

I wouldn't see a need to.

do ya'll put another vent up high for when ya'll are grilling?

 

[Mark]

There is an easier way. Get 3 or 4 9" nails like the kind used to nail landscape timbers together. Drill 3 or 4 holes in the drum at the level you want the charcoal basket to be for grilling.

At least that's how I do it on my all-wood UDS. Here is my album:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/album.php?albumid=64

 

[expatpig]

Here's how I did mine, I grill on it all of the time. My basket is 16" tall and my bottom grate is 8" above it. It takes me 2 min. to raise the bottom of my basket to the top. it works great.