Cooking on another man's pit tomorrow...

TonyT · May 22, 2015

Staying at a new family member's place this weekend for a memorial day party. I guess he cooks a lot of BBQ (never tried his food) and has a 55 gallon UDS. He's out of town for work until tomorrow afternoon, so I told him I could start the Q early. He told me his UDS doesn't have a diffuser, or a thermometer, but he's going to stock up on supplies so I don't have to bring anything. First time on a UDS, no diffuser or therm, don't have to pay for anything? Sounds like fun to me!

Got here an hour ago and noticed:

1. He has 10 new bags of matchlight (did he not see the KBB sale next to it??)
2. Next to the matchlight are 3 big bottles of lighter fluid
3. He has a Chimney (yes!), when I asked why I can't find newspaper at his place: "recycling was yesterday, we don't have any newspaper or magazines, use the lighter fluid"
4. The lid is warped and has more gaps than clean points of contact
5. The air intake is a 6x8" rectangle, no adjustments, just a hole
6. No charcoal ring
7. The entire UDS smells like burnt lighter fluid

His house, his pit, his way... will be an interesting experience. Going to use some paper towels to light the chimney, burn the chit out of that matchlight and hope for the best

ray:

dad2jsc · May 22, 2015

Good luck bro!

Bludawg · May 22, 2015

Tony come to the dark side:shock::heh: You need to take him under your wing & educate him in the finer points of BBQ

Fwismoker · May 22, 2015

LOL, make e'm proud!

grantw · May 23, 2015

Kinda funny he has match light and lighter fluid, fine for grilling i guess, but he should be fined for using it in a smoker

1buckie · May 23, 2015

Maybe burn down some Matchlite (did I just Capitalize that word?) then go stickburner or burn down wood to coals on the thing......may be safer than trying to add any coals?

Other Thoughts Dept. :

Sledge hammer to straighten out the lid?

Brick to slide in front of the intake?

Only observations.....take whatever you can use......:heh:

SGH · May 23, 2015

Good luck man. No more than it costs, I think I would at least try to round up something other than matchlight. That would win half the battle right there.

TonyT · May 23, 2015

1buckie said:
Maybe burn down some Matchlite (did I just Capitalize that word?) then go stickburner or burn down wood to coals on the thing......may be safer than trying to add any coals?

Other Thoughts Dept. :

Sledge hammer to straighten out the lid?

Brick to slide in front of the intake?

Only observations.....take whatever you can use......:heh:

Not gonna mess with another man's pit... But I'm going to ride this thing till the lid comes off... which it very well might. Would actually be a favor to him if I did :laugh:

I know it's not a major deal, but looking in the cupboard, there's only table salt. Anyone have tips for adjusting the ratio? By weight still work?

mikemci · May 23, 2015

Straighten the lid
pick up some decent charcoal
find something to control the intake
if he has 2 grates, use one on the bottom with bricks or rocks under it in lieu of a charcoal basket
give it a good burn-out before the cook
when he comes home tell him you don't have any experience cooking the way he does.
see if he notices any difference between what you cook and his usual
this shouldn't offend him

He did leave you in charge of the cook....

Bob C Cue · May 23, 2015

Do you have time to build a UDS?

SGH · May 23, 2015

Bob C Cue said:
Do you have time to build a UDS?

A PBC would be a real lifesaver about now :biggrin1:

mikemci · May 23, 2015

TonyT said:
Not gonna mess with another man's pit... But I'm going to ride this thing till the lid comes off... which it very well might. Would actually be a favor to him if I did :laugh:

I know it's not a major deal, but looking in the cupboard, there's only table salt. Anyone have tips for adjusting the ratio? By weight still work?

weight works.
he has a scale?????

TonyT · May 23, 2015

mikemci said:
weight works.
he has a scale?????

I brought the scale haha

redline bovine · May 23, 2015

You can do it man.:-D

1buckie · May 23, 2015

This could get really good....I mean all-timer, really good !!!!

Stingerhook · May 23, 2015

We really need some pictures of this cook.

BigBobBQ · May 23, 2015

I think I would bite the bullet and swing by Walmart and spend the $8 on 30lbs of charcoal especially if you are eating as well. I would also see if I could find some big flat refrig magnets to help with the intake control. When he tastes the difference you can teach him what you did different and explain why. Good luck with the cook.

LarryO1947 · May 23, 2015

Go for it!!!! You can do it!!!!

Doog · May 23, 2015

Go get some Stubbs for the cook, show him what real Q tastes like. Might also need some beer... Does the lid have a ring?
Keep us posted.

lantern · May 23, 2015

The only thing I can see where this isn't completely caustic is if the matchlight is being burned all the way down in the chimney and then shoved in periodically through the big hole in the bottom. It would explain the lack of any vents or diffuser. Sort of Carolina style. Would make for some good eating if ya had some good charcoal or wood to burn down. It would also explain the salt. Ya lay heck with that stuff and the crust formed protects from when ya get a little hot.

Cooking on another man's pit tomorrow...

is one Smokin' Farker

Knows what a fatty is.

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somebody shut me the fark up.

is Blowin Smoke!

Babbling Farker

is Blowin Smoke!

is one Smokin' Farker

Babbling Farker

Quintessential Chatty Farker

is Blowin Smoke!

Babbling Farker

is one Smokin' Farker

Full Fledged Farker

Babbling Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

Babbling Farker

is one Smokin' Farker

is Blowin Smoke!

is One Chatty Farker

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