UDS air flow help

[Hotrodguy_34]

Using my UDS for a pork loin this weekend.... first time trying a loin.

I’ve been having air flow issues

I have a 2” exhaust stack open all the way

I HAVE a 2” intake with a tear drop damper flap but barely have it cracked open and either draws and gets too hot or fire chokes out

I added a 3/4” ID nipple at the bottom on the other side for a second air intake.

I’m adding a ball valve to it to help control the airflow in


I added the latches to the kid because the lid does not fit perfect and I added gaskets to help keep air from pulling in from the top

Some of The images Are from my first rib smoke

Any help would be helpful for this loin as it will be a long smoke. It’s 9lbs and I have lots of charcoal briquettes. Thinking about loading it up full t make sure I don’t have to add more but also worried it will go crazy hot or choke out

Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[FLHX]

what type of fuel are you using? Maybe too much ash building up in your basket? I have a similar setup except I have three 3/4 inch holes around the bottom. I start my basket of KBB with 6 or 8 lit coals and let that get going good. I then place wood chunks on top of the lit coals then put the lid on with all the vents wide open. temp with climb to over 350 pretty quick. I then close two of the three bottom vents and close the third a little over half way. I always leave the top exhaust wide open. within about a half hour she settles in and chugs along between 225-300 for 7 or 8 hours. after that I may have to start adjusting the bottom vents to keep the temps up. Hope this helps. you just gotta find what works for you and your particular cooker.

 

[Hotrodguy_34]

Charcoal and such

I use kingford long burn and the bottom of the basket it open grate 14” grill rack so there’s plenty of ash to drop through (I had th basket about 3/4 full of charcoal but only ended up using about 1/3 Of that

I used about 8-10 self light briquettes and let them burn for a good 15-20 before dropping them in the center. I make a little bed for them to sit in the middle and throw in 3 pieces of hickory chunks. One on the hot coals and the other two are buried within the charcoal

When I did the ribs I was able to dial in at 235-250 for the better part of of 3-4 hours. It did die down to 200 at one point and I just blew a lung or two into the large intake and it ramped back up and held again

I opened it up to get up to 260-275 for the last 30 minutes to crisp up the bark

I’m just nervous I get into a hot mess with a large piece of meat on its first long smoke attempt

 

[Hotrodguy_34]

I also open it up but try to dial in before I go over the target temp so I don’t try to control the starting temp but rather build up to it and then fiddle for about 20 min to hold it steady. My digital temp probes def have helped with alarms but I know it’s not a top end drum so I anticipate some fiddling along the way

 

[FLHX]

I also open it up but try to dial in before I go over the target temp so I don’t try to control the starting temp but rather build up to it and then fiddle for about 20 min to hold it steady. My digital temp probes def have helped with alarms but I know it’s not a top end drum so I anticipate some fiddling along the way

I find it easier to start above the target temp, then settle down to the desired range with the lower vent adjustments. I built my drum from scratch and can guarantee that she is not even close to "top end", but she puts out!

 

[Hotrodguy_34]

My drum was from m dad who made it over 30+ years ago so I had Do some major mods to make it even close to controlling the temp. So I hear you!!

The first time I ran some sausage and bacon in it I left a center ring in the basket and the start coals in it all the way to the bottom of the basket and I think it drew too much air as it wouldn’t tame down no matter what. So I burrowed a cavity for the ribs and didn’t make the opening al the way through and that helped a lot. I had also sealed it up a lot more as well so that may have helped

I cut the loin into two pieces so it would be easier to work with and easier to monitor temps and cook more evenly. But I’m considering freezing one half and just doing a 4.5lb piece to see how it will handle a longer run thst the ribs

 

[FLHX]

yah, to me pork loin is a tricky cut. I have never tried a low and slow with pork loin, always hot and fast on the grill. I find a 7ish lb pork butt to be a very forgiving cut with a long enough cook time to let you learn your cooker. fairly wide temp swings don't really hurt a good sized butt in my experience. I probably did three or four of them before I felt confident enough with the cooker to do other more expensive cuts of meat like pork ribs, beef rib roast, brisket etc...

 

[Nuco59]

I had only a slider intake- about 3" tall -on my SS drum. I'd have it open (about 3 x 3 inches) on startup but had to close it down as the temp came up. Was hard to keep my temps in the 275 range without having it *almost* completely closed (maybe cracked 1/8" inch). Small changes in width = big changes in sq inches of intake- was tuff to control. I was ready to turn it into a burn barrel.

I added a 3/4 Ball valve. Now as it comes up to temp, I slam the slide shut and run purely off the 3/4" ball valve- and only have it open 2/3rds or so to cook at 275.

This worked for me. will it be your answer? dunno.

 

[Hotrodguy_34]

Follow up from smoke

Follow up from today’s smoke.... got the fire started at 5:30. Had it to temp (~235-250) at 6:00 am and meat on! Was internal temp of 155 by 10 am Turned it up to 270 for an hour and wrapped in foil with butter and bbq sauce. Was done by 12 at 170 internal temp. Still had lots of juice and taste amazing!