Everything takes longer in my UDS

Atombomb182 · 10-26-2020, 09:41 AM

I've been cooking on my UDS for just over 7 years and wanted to share some experiences with the community to see if anyone has seen similar results. I'm not sure if the laws of physics don't exist inside the can, but everything seems to take much longer on my UDS. This weekend, I smoked a 19lb brisket for 32 hours, the meat temp got to 185 before I had to pull it as dinner was approaching. I usually smoke at 225 but allow 15 degrees on either side before adjusting valves. I did have about a 1 hour period where the smoker temp dipped below 200 before I woke up enough to realize.

I've noticed similar results with butts. Baby backs on my UDS are underdone at 6 hours and perfect at 8.

As for my setup, I have a charcoal basket elevated off the bottom of the can by about 1.5" the basket is about 10" tall and the food grate is 18" above the coals. There's about 8" between the food grate and the lid. I'm usually reading the smoker temp just below the food grate. For this cook, the meat probe was in the largest part of the point.

Asking purely out of curiosity. I have a Big Joe III on it's way and will retire the can.

NoNotTheDuo · 10-26-2020, 10:09 AM

When I cook in cans (UDS or Gateway, both are the same), I cook at a much higher temp. Usually right at 300. To me, this is the biggest benefit of a can. Briskets are done and rested in less than 6 hours for me!

cclinard1 · 10-26-2020, 10:13 AM

UDS shines doing hot/fast. Try going up to 275-300 and you'll see better results.

Atombomb182 · 10-26-2020, 10:17 AM

I wish I would have asked this question 7 years ago.

Stlsportster · 10-26-2020, 10:20 AM

For the record it doesn’t have to be 300. I smoke in my drum at the 260-275 range all the time as well with great results.

I also smoke briskets and pork butts at 275-300 regardless of what smoker I use..even my stick burner.

Chicken likes 325-350!!

JS-TX · 10-26-2020, 10:21 AM

I would bet your thermometer is way off.. under by 50*

SmokerKing · 10-26-2020, 10:29 AM

I start all smokes off at 225-250 for 2 hours, then 275-285 rest of cook

mcyork28 · 10-26-2020, 10:35 AM

What kind of thermometer are you using? If it's not digital there is a good chance you might be cooking a lot colder then you think.

Atombomb182 · 10-26-2020, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JS-TX

I would bet your thermometer is way off.. under by 50*

You got me curious. I'll boil some water and test.

Atombomb182 · 10-26-2020, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcyork28

What kind of thermometer are you using? If it's not digital there is a good chance you might be cooking a lot colder then you think.

Maverick ET-732

Atombomb182 · 10-26-2020, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atombomb182

You got me curious. I'll boil some water and test.

Seems to be right on the money

thirdeye · 10-26-2020, 12:48 PM

Usually it's the other way around, early on people commented that drums cooked 25% faster. What I found was the short stem thermometers mounted in the side read low by 40° or so when compared to the actual temps at the grate. I did some testing with cable probes clipped on the grate, then wound up buying 12" long TelTru thermometers and mounted it so the stem is a few inches under the top grate. So 250° on my side thermometer equals 280° on my 12" thermometer.

The first mod I did was a hanging rack, so with the thermometer fully inserted I can't to a 360° spin of my rack, so I mounted it in a sleeve so I can retract it. I also have to take it out to lower my charcoal basket.

rovster · 10-26-2020, 04:17 PM

My new drum cooks a lot faster than my kamado. I do run it a little hotter but overall it’s a cooking machine and reasonably efficient.

I also would guess your thermometers are off or you’re placing them too close to the meat and it’s throwing you off.

One thing I’ve learned with my cookers (kamado first then drum), get the thing humming at the temp you want THEN put the meat on and don’t touch anything! Just like hot air heats the meat, cold meat cools the air!

JEStucker · 10-26-2020, 05:21 PM

My drum that I built about 3 or so years ago seems to like running at 275* (give or take 15*) - I can go hotter, usually maxing out about 350* if necessary, but it doesn't like to hold 350* at all (lots of fluctuation).
Once I dial in my vents to where I feel comfortable, it'll run 275* for 10-16 hours depending on how much charcoal (briqs or lump) and wood I've fed it,
I've tried 225* to 250* and it always wants to stabilize at 275*, so I just go with it.

If you're truly running 225*, then 32 hours for a 19lb brisket wouldn't be far off... most cooking information says 1.5 hours per pound, so you're looking at 28.5 hours just based on weight alone (that is a MONSTER brisket by the way) - figure you lose heat every time you open the drum to fiddle with something, of even when adding more coals or wood...

rus_bro · 10-26-2020, 05:29 PM

32 hours? at some point you have to give in and crutch that thing :)

rb

10-26-2020, 09:41 AM	#1
Atombomb182 Found some matches. Join Date: 10-20-13 Location: Flower Mound, TX	Everything takes longer in my UDS I've been cooking on my UDS for just over 7 years and wanted to share some experiences with the community to see if anyone has seen similar results. I'm not sure if the laws of physics don't exist inside the can, but everything seems to take much longer on my UDS. This weekend, I smoked a 19lb brisket for 32 hours, the meat temp got to 185 before I had to pull it as dinner was approaching. I usually smoke at 225 but allow 15 degrees on either side before adjusting valves. I did have about a 1 hour period where the smoker temp dipped below 200 before I woke up enough to realize. I've noticed similar results with butts. Baby backs on my UDS are underdone at 6 hours and perfect at 8. As for my setup, I have a charcoal basket elevated off the bottom of the can by about 1.5" the basket is about 10" tall and the food grate is 18" above the coals. There's about 8" between the food grate and the lid. I'm usually reading the smoker temp just below the food grate. For this cook, the meat probe was in the largest part of the point. Asking purely out of curiosity. I have a Big Joe III on it's way and will retire the can.

10-26-2020, 10:09 AM	#2
NoNotTheDuo On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-20-16 Location: De Soto, KS	When I cook in cans (UDS or Gateway, both are the same), I cook at a much higher temp. Usually right at 300. To me, this is the biggest benefit of a can. Briskets are done and rested in less than 6 hours for me! __________________ KCBS Cooker & CBJ. Gateway Drums! Harold's Hot Meat Smokers In Loving Memory of Harold W Colston

10-26-2020, 10:13 AM	#3
cclinard1 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 04-29-20 Location: Wilmington, NC Name/Nickname : Chas	UDS shines doing hot/fast. Try going up to 275-300 and you'll see better results. __________________ Yoder YS640s Orange Comp Cart \| Weber GB 26.75 \| Weber MT OB 22.5 \| UDS \| Breeo Phoenix 19

10-26-2020, 10:35 AM	#8
mcyork28 is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 11-15-13 Location: West Linn, OR	What kind of thermometer are you using? If it's not digital there is a good chance you might be cooking a lot colder then you think. __________________ LSG 20x42 BPS Drum Blackstone 24 Weber Kettle Weber Genesis Weber Smokey Joe Passed on to a new home Tejas 2040 Deluxe Humphrey's Long Weekender

10-26-2020, 12:48 PM	#12
thirdeye somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming	Usually it's the other way around, early on people commented that drums cooked 25% faster. What I found was the short stem thermometers mounted in the side read low by 40° or so when compared to the actual temps at the grate. I did some testing with cable probes clipped on the grate, then wound up buying 12" long TelTru thermometers and mounted it so the stem is a few inches under the top grate. So 250° on my side thermometer equals 280° on my 12" thermometer. The first mod I did was a hanging rack, so with the thermometer fully inserted I can't to a 360° spin of my rack, so I mounted it in a sleeve so I can retract it. I also have to take it out to lower my charcoal basket. __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *KCBS - CBJ & CTC* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery

10-26-2020, 10:17 AM	#4
Atombomb182 Found some matches. Join Date: 10-20-13 Location: Flower Mound, TX	I wish I would have asked this question 7 years ago.

10-26-2020, 10:20 AM	#5
Stlsportster Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-09-16 Location: Random Point In Time and Space Name/Nickname : Parental Assigned Label	For the record it doesn’t have to be 300. I smoke in my drum at the 260-275 range all the time as well with great results. I also smoke briskets and pork butts at 275-300 regardless of what smoker I use..even my stick burner. Chicken likes 325-350!!

10-26-2020, 10:21 AM	#6
JS-TX is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 02-17-10 Location: San Antonio, TX	I would bet your thermometer is way off.. under by 50*

10-26-2020, 10:29 AM	#7
SmokerKing is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 09-07-10 Location: Sunny AZ	I start all smokes off at 225-250 for 2 hours, then 275-285 rest of cook

10-26-2020, 04:17 PM	#13
rovster Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-20-20 Location: Miramar, FL Name/Nickname : Daniel	My new drum cooks a lot faster than my kamado. I do run it a little hotter but overall it’s a cooking machine and reasonably efficient. I also would guess your thermometers are off or you’re placing them too close to the meat and it’s throwing you off. One thing I’ve learned with my cookers (kamado first then drum), get the thing humming at the temp you want THEN put the meat on and don’t touch anything! Just like hot air heats the meat, cold meat cools the air! __________________ Love to cook, live to eat. Primo XL, Weber 22”, Hunsaker Orange garbage can....

10-26-2020, 05:21 PM	#14
JEStucker Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-17-17 Location: That one particular harbor, So far, but yet so near Name/Nickname : Jeff	My drum that I built about 3 or so years ago seems to like running at 275* (give or take 15) - I can go hotter, usually maxing out about 350 if necessary, but it doesn't like to hold 350* at all (lots of fluctuation). Once I dial in my vents to where I feel comfortable, it'll run 275* for 10-16 hours depending on how much charcoal (briqs or lump) and wood I've fed it, I've tried 225* to 250* and it always wants to stabilize at 275, so I just go with it. If you're truly running 225, then 32 hours for a 19lb brisket wouldn't be far off... most cooking information says 1.5 hours per pound, so you're looking at 28.5 hours just based on weight alone (that is a MONSTER brisket by the way) - figure you lose heat every time you open the drum to fiddle with something, of even when adding more coals or wood... __________________ VERY Ugly Drum Smoker, 22" Weber Kettle

10-26-2020, 05:29 PM	#15
rus_bro Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-15-16 Location: Humble, Tx	32 hours? at some point you have to give in and crutch that thing :) rb __________________ Shirley Patio : WSM : Kettle : Weber Genesis - KCBS CBJ - Smoke On The Bayou BBQ Team