Keep in mind, a UDS is NOT a competition smoker... It is however a decent backyard smoker that can yield excellent results (in my mind equal or superior to any similar budget smoker I have seen). You are probably using more charcoal than you need. As others have said, you want to keep your temp below 250 for most things. You can also use most webber accessories on a UDS as the 22" webber kettle grill is practically the same diameter as a 55gal drum. Criticisms aside, for a first attempt, you did a great job. Your UDS looks good, and I figure by now you have learned how to make good use of it. Do not buy wood chips unless it is a wood type you can not get your hands on. Find a saw mill in your area, or talk to some arborists (tree trimmers). Either one is likely to be able to get you scraps of oak, cherry, hickory, apple, alder, etc. ask for scraps. You do not need a whole log. A couple limbs off a tree that has been trimmed will do wonders for your wood supply on the cheap. I personally am fond of using roughly 4" chunks of apple wood when smoking pork products (though more often than not I use hickory because there are 1100 acres of hickory and oak behind my house in which to find downed tree limbs after storms) and occasionally spraying them with apple juice. As you are in Missouri, you likely will also be able to find mesquite available. I will put the wood chunks in a 5 gal bucket of water overnight. Other pit masters I know prefer to use dry wood for smoking, but dry wood burns faster and hotter, so it produces less smoke. You may also wish to get a cheap loaf pan at the grocery store (real metal, not disposable aluminum. Around here they are $5-10). Pick one up, and place it on that baffle plate with a bit of water in it. That adds steam to the smoke chamber, which helps keep your meat super moist. I used one in my smoker when I was a professional pit master. I do not know that it had MUCH effect on the butts, but it worked wonders for the ribs and other smaller or leaner cuts of meat. If you want to do some research and learn more, pintrest has loads of charts for wood type to meat type pairing as well as loads of time and temp charts. UA-cam, Facebook, and the web in general have TONS of info on smokers and BBQ. Good luck with the BBQ. I am sure you are well on your way to making a fine pit master.
I have friends who win with these. Yes they have big trailer pits for quantity but they always run 3-4 of these. At the end of the day it's the cook but these smokers can put out some good Q as good or better than a 10,000 dollar vertical stick burner.
I beg to differ that you cant cook with these at a competition, we went to judge a comp, and there were two groups that were using them... They came in 1st for there entry.
Hey there. Good job. Don't know if you're going to read this but there are a lot of good and helpful comments below. Would be interesting to see how far you have come with the UDS in the last couple of months.
I am building one without the kit, . Looks like you are grilling with it. Try some wild hog shoulder or packer brisket, never seen anyone put brats in a smoker down here in Texas....
That breakfast sausage is what some people call a fatty. Try putting your favorite rub on the meat. Nice uds. For me personally 300° is a little hot. I like low and slow around 225-250ish.
Same here as far as temps. Did 2 racks yesterday with a mustard/brown sugar rub at 4.5 hours never more than 235. At 300 I would be afraid the sugars in the rubs would be borderline to burn.
powers3910 yeah for most cooks 225-250 is good but you want a higher heat for a fatty especially if it's bacon wrapped 👍🏻 give it a go & see what you think 👍🏻
Perhaps, It just depends on what you are trying to accomplish, I personally don't have the tools or resources to build on completely from scratch. But if you do, more power to you, I hope this video helps.
I have watched a lot of UDS videos and I just want to say that you did a fantastic job creating this video!
Thank you I appreciate it
Keep in mind, a UDS is NOT a competition smoker... It is however a decent backyard smoker that can yield excellent results (in my mind equal or superior to any similar budget smoker I have seen). You are probably using more charcoal than you need. As others have said, you want to keep your temp below 250 for most things. You can also use most webber accessories on a UDS as the 22" webber kettle grill is practically the same diameter as a 55gal drum. Criticisms aside, for a first attempt, you did a great job. Your UDS looks good, and I figure by now you have learned how to make good use of it.
Do not buy wood chips unless it is a wood type you can not get your hands on. Find a saw mill in your area, or talk to some arborists (tree trimmers). Either one is likely to be able to get you scraps of oak, cherry, hickory, apple, alder, etc. ask for scraps. You do not need a whole log. A couple limbs off a tree that has been trimmed will do wonders for your wood supply on the cheap. I personally am fond of using roughly 4" chunks of apple wood when smoking pork products (though more often than not I use hickory because there are 1100 acres of hickory and oak behind my house in which to find downed tree limbs after storms) and occasionally spraying them with apple juice. As you are in Missouri, you likely will also be able to find mesquite available. I will put the wood chunks in a 5 gal bucket of water overnight. Other pit masters I know prefer to use dry wood for smoking, but dry wood burns faster and hotter, so it produces less smoke.
You may also wish to get a cheap loaf pan at the grocery store (real metal, not disposable aluminum. Around here they are $5-10). Pick one up, and place it on that baffle plate with a bit of water in it. That adds steam to the smoke chamber, which helps keep your meat super moist. I used one in my smoker when I was a professional pit master. I do not know that it had MUCH effect on the butts, but it worked wonders for the ribs and other smaller or leaner cuts of meat.
If you want to do some research and learn more, pintrest has loads of charts for wood type to meat type pairing as well as loads of time and temp charts. UA-cam, Facebook, and the web in general have TONS of info on smokers and BBQ.
Good luck with the BBQ. I am sure you are well on your way to making a fine pit master.
I have friends who win with these. Yes they have big trailer pits for quantity but they always run 3-4 of these. At the end of the day it's the cook but these smokers can put out some good Q as good or better than a 10,000 dollar vertical stick burner.
I beg to differ that you cant cook with these at a competition, we went to judge a comp, and there were two groups that were using them... They came in 1st for there entry.
👊👊👊
Suggestion, pour the coals from your starter into the basket before you put it in.then lower it into the drum with a hook
Thanks, I will try that next time!
@@DanKohan it should have been pretty obvious....
Hey there. Good job. Don't know if you're going to read this but there are a lot of good and helpful comments below. Would be interesting to see how far you have come with the UDS in the last couple of months.
Good job young buck.
Thank you!
Nice...in Missouri also. About to build one...had every other kind so time for a uds
Awesome, I hope this guide helps you! The UDS is a very practical and effective cooker!
Great 1st video
Thank you!
Nice build! What size bolts for your grate and what type of backing nut?
Nice job
Thank you!
I am building one without the kit, . Looks like you are grilling with it. Try some wild hog shoulder or packer brisket, never seen anyone put brats in a smoker down here in Texas....
Smoke your meats low and slow from 220 to 250 degrees. Try cherry, apple, pecan, hickory, mesquite and oak for various meats
Hi Indy, Thanks I Will experiment with different techniques.
That breakfast sausage is what some people call a fatty. Try putting your favorite rub on the meat. Nice uds. For me personally 300° is a little hot. I like low and slow around 225-250ish.
Same here as far as temps. Did 2 racks yesterday with a mustard/brown sugar rub at 4.5 hours never more than 235. At 300 I would be afraid the sugars in the rubs would be borderline to burn.
powers3910 yeah for most cooks 225-250 is good but you want a higher heat for a fatty especially if it's bacon wrapped 👍🏻 give it a go & see what you think 👍🏻
Get yourself a shorty chimney starter and gently pour it in. I was genuinely worried for you when you slammed the hot charcoals in there!
Ya it was a little sketchy, but I've figured out how to pour it more safely.
Smoking a turkey? For thanksgiving?
where'd you get your barrel?
Smoker Builder MFG
You did figure out that was a 30 gallon and not a 55 gallon right. You said it was a 55 gallon
I am not sure, I got it in the kit.
I would recommend before you say you smoke them is to put some kind of smoking wood in their not just charcoal just saying
Hi, John, I did put some chips in it off-camera, but I didn't have any smoking sticks.
Update video?
* thermometer, a thermostat is something completely different ;)
he did correct himself the second time he mentioned it.
Kits don't count as building it yourself.
Perhaps, It just depends on what you are trying to accomplish, I personally don't have the tools or resources to build on completely from scratch. But if you do, more power to you, I hope this video helps.