use a heat diffuser/shield between the meat and the fire ?

[Boshizzle]

I will have to take a stroll through HD and look for one.

 

[dudz]

Thanks for all of the ideas, but wont a flower pot just deflect the heat to the outside or edges and still cause uneven heat?

 

[sdb25]

no, it absorbs the heat and radiates it more evenly.

 

[Boshizzle]

As I understand it, the clay pot actually holds heat and works similar to water helpiing keep the temperature steady.

 

[dudz]

I never thought of that way..good point

 

[Boshizzle]

Some people fill them with sand too. That supposedly increases the heat sink effect.

 

[dudz]

Still sounds skeptical that the heat would still be even with a large pot there, should do a bisket test to find out.

 

[Boshizzle]

Yep, I think experimenting is the only way to find what works best for me.

 

[Smoothsmoke]

Good post, I think I'm going to go with a perforated pizza pan as my diffuser.

 

[Rookie'48]

This is what I use as a diffuser, it's a "grilling wok" that I picked up at Menards a couple of years ago. It evens out the temps pretty much from the center to the sides while still allowing most of the fat to drip through to the fire.

 

[Skidder]

Been using this with great results. It's just spring steel woven through a Weber cooking grate. Lets the juices through and no more burnt ribs. And I run my UDS at 225 to 265. And the first cooking grate is 24" above the charcoal.

 

[michiana mark]

I use a big flower pot bottom...works great!

Use the same here. Put an additional rack in a couple in. above the charcoal basket, and lay a 16 or 17 in clay pot in on top. Takes a little longer to get up to temp, puts stays more constant. The clay pot cut down on my burn times though. Went from 24 hrs. to a mere 19 on a brisket smoke. Brisket came off after 12 hrs, then cooked ribs, for 5 hrs, then chicken at 300 for 1 1/2 hr, but stayed above 225 for 19 hr. Your mileage may vary. My bil uses a large aluminum chafing pan (disposable) in his.

 

[sdb25]

Notice something? Many ideas all getting great results. This is drum cooking! Dont overthink it! Heat diffuser work well, but there is no single design that makes much difference.

Good luck!

 

[Bacchus]

As mentioned, a ceramic pizza stone &/or cast iron piece will serve as a diffuser and of equal importance, a heat sink. I'm not a UDS guy but if I was I would utilize both which would add tremendous heat mass to the equation. It may take slightly longer to get up to temp, but holding a steady temp would be easier IMO.

 

[Pole D]

I haven't tried the flower pot bottom in a UDS, but I have made a smoker out of two terrecota pots and the work great.

 

[btcg]

My diffuser is the cover to a 30 gallon drum. Drilled full of various sized holes. Sits right on top of the charcoal basket. Works great. Evens out temps, fat still gets to the fire, just not so much. More pros than cons. The one con is more fuel will be used. How much? Well, never did a log comparing the two techniques but I would say about 25% more fuel for a given cook with the diffuser. Just did a 9 hour cook yesterday with a half full charcoal basket, 13" wide x 11" tall, and there was still charcoal covering the bottom. Drum ran perfectly the whole time at right around 220* Here it is.

Man, you must have been one drillin' fool there for a few hours. I admire your stick-to-it-ness.

 

[itschris]

What would be the best way to incorporate a diffuser in an offset... or is there a even a need. I've been putting a 9" square pan of water right where the firebox opens to the smoke chamber. Don't know if that's even worthwhile or not.

 

[Dave Russell]

A diffuser works for many but if your charring food you have either a thermo problem of your grate is to close to your fire. :biggrin:

I don't really disagree, but for the sake of others that might not know, I will point out that ribs cooked over a diffuser don't need to be turned. However, ribs cooked directly over the coals do. Will they taste charred if left bone down? I don't know. I never left 'em stay that way long enough after seeing how they were starting to look before I flipped 'em. (This was cooking around 225 all the way up at the top on a drum with a kettle lid.)

 

[timmy7649]

i use a perferated pizza pan. but been also thinking about a grate with bbq lava rock layered on it. any one ever try this.