To flip or not to flip...

[smokewatcher]

I'm almost done building my first UDS and setting the inaugural fires, but I'm not sure about whether I should flip the meat or how often. What do you all recommend?

 

[bbq bubba]

UDS=direct heat=flipping

 

[crewdawg52]

Totally agree with BBQ Bubba. With a BDS/UDS, you are cooking over direct heat (be it low), so you need to flip meats. Drum smokers cook/smoke with a combination of radient and convection heat, thus allowing you to cook meats usually faster than with an off set or verticle smoker.

Poultry: Flip every hr

Ribs: Start bone down, flip every 1 - 1 1/4 hr

Butts: Start fat side down. Flip and mop/spritz after 1 - 1 1/2 hr. Turn, flip and mop again after 3 to 4 hrs and there after.

Brisket: Start fat side down. Turn and mop after 1 1/2 hrs. Turn and flip again after 3-4 hrs, and there after.


Hope this helps.

 

[smokewatcher]

I got the first fire in her now, no meats....just getting her seasoned and see how well she holds up. I picked up a butt for tomorrow.

 

[crewdawg52]

Good luck and let me know how it goes. I love my BDS! Makes excellent Q!

 

[richoso1]

I'm with bbq bubba on that one.

 

[smokewatcher]

Guess I started with too many hot coals. As soon as I put in the coals, about a chimney's worth on top of the basket holding about 10 lbs, it shot up to around 320. It's been holding there for 3 hours now. Guess a half chimney's worth will be about right next time.

 

[coz]

I start with 16 briquettes in the chimney and for my barrel its about right.What are the rest of you doing?

 

[crewdawg52]

Go by weight. For short smokes (ie-under 6 hrs), 4-5 lbs do the trick (I zeroed out a plastic bucket and marked where different wts were). Long smokes (10 + hrs), I use about 12 lbs. Start the charcoal with a weed burner (propane torch) hooked up to a p tank.

I get to play with fire, and the coals get lit very quickly!

 

[sksmoker]

I used between 20-25 in my chimney for my smoker. Seems to work well. I tried the full chimney, ONCE, and almost had to call the fire dept. 400F! :P