UDS temperatures

[Beavis69]

Been smoking for awhile and have a question about a UDS.
What is the difference in temperature directly above the charcoal, as opposed off to one side?
Assuming you put a probe on the outer edge of the grate and it’s reading 250f and you put your rack of ribs dead centre over the coals, is there a significant difference in temperature?
Would you need to allow for probe saying 200f, knowing the middle was actually 250f?

 

[Johnny Ray]

I’m sure there is a difference across the cooking grate. I have never checked to see how much. When cooking on drum smokers I airways rotate the cooking grate 180* every 30 minutes regardless of what is being cooked.
When hanging ribs in a drum smoker you would think the end closest to the charcoal would burn up but they actually cook up quite nicely.

Johnny Ray

 

[apn73]

I can't give you actual temperatures to prove out your thought process, but I have a practical example of it. I use a Weber kettle cover on my UDS, and last year I made the mistake of placing a Boston butt directly under the air vent of the kettle cover. The bottom of that butt was like beef jerky, the more direct path of heat scorched the bottom of it. So, yes, placement of the food does make a difference in a UDS. I'm actually thinking about installing a diffuser plate in mine because of it.

 

[Beavis69]

I’m sure there is a difference across the cooking grate. I have never checked to see how much. When cooking on drum smokers I airways rotate the cooking grate 180* every 30 minutes regardless of what is being cooked.
When hanging ribs in a drum smoker you would think the end closest to the charcoal would burn up but they actually cook up quite nicely.

Johnny Ray

thanks for the comment. Rotation makes sense.

 

[Beavis69]

I’m sure there is a difference across the cooking grate. I have never checked to see how much. When cooking on drum smokers I airways rotate the cooking grate 180* every 30 minutes regardless of what is being cooked.
When hanging ribs in a drum smoker you would think the end closest to the charcoal would burn up but they actually cook up quite nicely.

Johnny Ray
Thanks for the reply. Am debating running my WSM without a deflector plate, so the rotation is a good pointer

 

[Beavis69]

I can't give you actual temperatures to prove out your thought process, but I have a practical example of it. I use a Weber kettle cover on my UDS, and last year I made the mistake of placing a Boston butt directly under the air vent of the kettle cover. The bottom of that butt was like beef jerky, the more direct path of heat scorched the bottom of it. So, yes, placement of the food does make a difference in a UDS. I'm actually thinking about installing a diffuser plate in mine because of it.

Thanks for the reply. Food for thought