Question for UDS owners with multiple racks

[Infamous Dave]

For those of you who have more than 1 cooking rack in your UDS, how do you handle turning the meat on the bottom rack? Obviously you must take the top rack out with all the meat that is on it. Isn't that a pain? Is it worth it to cook on multiple racks in a UDS? I can just see myself dropping all that glorious half-cooked meat on the ground while trying to tend to the stuff on the lower rack!

 

[Alan in Ga]

I have multiple racks and yes it can be a pain but make it easier for youself and go to home depot and buy the weber racks with the handles about $18 a piece. Remember that most of your cooks will use only one rack unless your doing a butt load of chicken or a big cook for alot of people so just have fun with it and don't stress.

 

[Neil]

I have three drums with double racks and I agree it can be a pain but it gets the job done. I'm able to smoke eight 8 lb. butts per drum. You just have to be quick when transfering top to bottom/bottom to top or you get a good grease fire going. I take the top grate off put the lid back on for a minute then take the bottom grate out then the lid back on and so forth. I also shut the air intake when transfering loads. Until I can afford a unit that's capable of cooking many butts, this will have to do. The end product is what counts.

Alan ^^^^^has a very good point regarding Weber racks. If double racking, you definately want the heavier, sturdier Weber grates because you need to tilt the bottom gate at an angle to get past the top grate supports. I used the cheaper Wallyworld grates once and almost lost a couple butts to the fire gods.

 

[Phubar]

What ^^^^ said.

 

[Smoke & Beers]

It's not that difficult...an assistant to manage the lid while your shuffling the racks always helps...and while your at Lowes or HD, pick up a pair of leather gloves for handling the hot grates.... and a channel lock pliers for grabbing a hot empty grate.
And if you have that lonely Weber kettle sitting near by that you "borrowed" the lid from...put him to work...they like that. Set him near by and he will be glad to hold your lid or one of the racks that you are shuffling around.

 

[expatpig]

What distance did you put between your top and bottom grate? I'm thinking 7".

 

[thirdeye]

I cook on two racks at once all the time, in two cookers...:mrgreen:​

Seriously, when I do use both racks in a single drum I do about what Neil does. I have a folding table I have set-up during my cooks, so I just set the loaded grate on it. It's alumunim and cleans up real nice.​

 

[Bbq Bubba]

I cook with 2 racks. No flipping necessary. Put large cuts on the bottom.

 

[Neil]

I cook with 2 racks. No flipping necessary. Put large cuts on the bottom.

I agree with putting large on bottom but (no pun intended:biggrin), when cooking eight 8 lb. butts on one UDS, don't you think transfering grates is appropriate for even cooking?

 

[Infamous Dave]

I agree with putting large on bottom but (no pun intended:biggrin), when cooking eight 8 lb. butts on one UDS, don't you think transfering grates is appropriate for even cooking?

Good question Neil about transfering grates. I never even thought about doing that but it seems like the most reasonable thing to do.

 

[Desert Dweller]

I have used both grates in my Mega-BDS when I had a butt load of meat to cook, and I found rotating top to bottom after about 1/2 the projected cook time balanced the cook time for both shelves, I also turn the meat at that point and I end up with evenly cooked food. I either put the Platinum or the Ranch Kettle nearby so when I pick up the top grate I can set it right down on the grill while I transfer or flip meat on bottom rack. Now that I have the Ranch I don't even need to check to see if I put the 30 inch mega grate evenly balanced on a 22 inch kettle, as the Ranch is 36.5 inches across. The larger Ranch also makes it easy to transfer meat from top grate to bottom.

 

[Teleking]

I cook with 2 racks. No flipping necessary. Put large cuts on the bottom.

+1 here, no flipping here.

 

[Phubar]

I cook with 2 racks. No flipping necessary. Put large cuts on the bottom.

True...
Breasts under wings in MUDS:

 

[Cliff H.]

I don't flip either but I do belive that the meat on the bottom rack devolops a better looking bark given the same time in the smoke as the meat on the top rack.

 

[stiffy]

If I happen to need both racks, i.e. I am cooking 8 Boston butts like mentioned, then it can be a dance shuffling the meat around I normally wait until after 4 hours at which I wrap my butts in foil and at the same time I flip them all over, when I have them all foiled and wrapped they are still separated between what was on bottom and what was on top and then I reverse it when I put them back on. It CAN be a PITA, but like mentioned if you have a good helper to remove and replace the lid while you, the operator, are doing ya thing.