First smoke on UDS.... some questions.

[92hatchattack]

Ok guys, so i had my first cook on the uds, really my firstsmoke ever and i have some questions for you all.

1. The food came out tasting ok, maybe just a little smokey. But a couple hours later i was burping up a terrible smokey flavor. Is this from the food, or from standing next to the smoker inhaling the smoke for 5 hours?

2. When taking the ash pan out after the cook i accidentaly hti one of my grate supports and nocked ash all over. Most went to the bottom but some got on the upper walls of the drum. I blew as much off as i can, but some remails stuck to the oil. Is this ok or do i have to get it all out?

3. The day after its use the inside of the drum smells kinda nasty. Im guessing this is to be expected? Smells really strong of smoke of course, but you can smell alot of ash as well. Is this normal? How often do you have to clean these things and how do you go about it?

Thanks all!

 

[BeeRich]

1. Probably food. Why were you standing beside it? Smoke is a solid, so don't get it into your lungs.

2. I would take a brush to it when she cools down. Shop-Vac handy?

3. It's a smoker. What are you using for fuel? Lump charcoal is better than briquettes.

 

[92hatchattack]

1. It was my first time using the smoker, i spent most of my time hanging out next to it, drinking beers, and getting used to how making vent adjustments regulated temperatures.

2. Take a brush to it? Do i need to completely clean off all the oil that i just got done seasoning onto the drum?

3. I used stubbs.

 

[BeeRich]

1. Yep I hear ya. Next time stand upwind. Get some feedback on the temperatures.

2. Inside. Light brush. After vacuuming, maybe an air hose?

3. I'm not familiar with stubbs. I would see what's in it. Usually briquettes are filled with filler stuff. Lump charcoal is excellent stuff. What you want.

 

[ScottyDaQ]

What did you cook?
How big?
How much fuel?
How did you light it?
What kinda wood did you use, and how much?
What were your vents set at?
What color was the smoke?


The ash on the sides is fine...
Yeah pits smell... but shouldn't REEK. When the sun hits them you should be thinking...Mmmm who's BBQ'ing?

 

[92hatchattack]

cooked a fatty, some single ribs that my dad had on hand(not really sure what the heck they were), some chicken, baked potatoes, and some beans.

Probally started with about 11-12 pounds of stubbs briquettes. With 2.5 hours seasoning time, and 2.5 hours cook time + an hour to cool off completely i had about 1/3 of the fuel remaining.

Lighten minion style

Used hickory from Lowes. I think about 3-4 chunks were in there, but only 2 got burn durring cooking.

Top vent wide open, bottom vent used to regulate temp. Seasoning and most of the cooking at 250. Raised to 350 at the end to finish off the chicken drumsticks.

Smoke seemed to be white. A little hard to tell as winds were high yesterday, 15-20mph, but i did have the vent facing away from it.

In this pic there is not much smoke, but at times there was a good deal flowing from the stack.

too much smoke?

 

[BeeRich]

Too much smoke? Hell no. I'll be posting a video soon of my smoke. I could barely see the pork on the top shelf of the WSM.

 

[Puff1]

Quite a few gizmos on the outside of that drum
I'm diggin' that bottle opener. It is a bottle opener right?

 

[BeeRich]

Yep, bottle opener. 3 ear cleaners too.

 

[92hatchattack]

Im wondering if maybe my exhaust vent isnt big enough.

 

[Tri Tip]

First off, once again good looken smoker. The Hickory is giving you those burps. Especially of over smoked. Use at most 3 chunks. Stay away from the smoke. You’ll find some smoke like Red Oak smells like heaven while Hickory smells pungent. All of it will give you a head ache especially when combined with a hangover.

Just dump and brush out the ash with a hand broom. Some will mix into the grease, no worries there. Don’t clean that thing ever. Just brush out the flakey stuff. On the last episode of BBQ Pitmasters you may have heard Harry Soo say it took over a year to get his smokers seasoned. Well that is true. The thicker the gunk the better the flavor and the better the cook.

 

[bbquzz]

First off, once again good looken smoker. The Hickory is giving you those burps. Especially of over smoked. Use at most 3 chunks. Stay away from the smoke. You’ll find some smoke like Red Oak smells like heaven while Hickory smells pungent. All of it will give you a head ache especially when combined with a hangover.

Just dump and brush out the ash with a hand broom. Some will mix into the grease, no worries there. Don’t clean that thing ever. Just brush out the flakey stuff. On the last episode of BBQ Pitmasters you may have heard Harry Soo say it took over a year to get his smokers seasoned. Well that is true. The thicker the gunk the better the flavor and the better the cook.

Tri Tip are you saying I should not be cleaning the center section of my WSM .... ever? I noticed some of the "flakey stuff" blowing around from the lid this last cook and was going to clean that as well as the center section. Sorry to tag on 92hatchattack's post, but a similar question and I have wondered about too much cleaning ... I am a little OCD and like things clean


BTW 92hatchattack -- That drum looks great!

 

[92hatchattack]

Thanks guys. The black flaky stuff you mention is the creosote right? That's the stuff you wanna get rid of from the lid. None of that going on for me yet.

What is a milder type of wood for me to use? I hear apple is good but I don't know where to locate it here in jersey. All I can seem to find at stores is the apple chips, not the chunks.

 

[BeeRich]

Any fruit wood. Cherry and Apple I like to use for pork and turkey.

 

[Tri Tip]

First off, once again good looken smoker. The Hickory is giving you those burps. Especially of over smoked. Use at most 3 chunks. Stay away from the smoke. You’ll find some smoke like Red Oak smells like heaven while Hickory smells pungent. All of it will give you a head ache especially when combined with a hangover.

Just dump and brush out the ash with a hand broom. Some will mix into the grease, no worries there. Don’t clean that thing ever. Just brush out the flakey stuff. On the last episode of BBQ Pitmasters you may have heard Harry Soo say it took over a year to get his smokers seasoned. Well that is true. The thicker the gunk the better the flavor and the better the cook.

Tri Tip are you saying I should not be cleaning the center section of my WSM .... ever? I noticed some of the "flakey stuff" blowing around from the lid this last cook and was going to clean that as well as the center section. Sorry to tag on 92hatchattack's post, but a similar question and I have wondered about too much cleaning ... I am a little OCD and like things clean


BTW 92hatchattack -- That drum looks great!

In over 4 years I never cleaned out the inside of my WSMs
I just brush off the flakey stuff.
I keep the outside emaculate and shinny.
The seasoning and buildup = more consistant temps and better flavor in my opinion.

 

[bknox]

I don't know about your UDS question but I am TOTALLY going to add a bottle opener to my cooker. That is excellent!

 

[bbquzz]

Thanks TT, I'll just use my little broom

 

[Puff1]

I don't know about your UDS question but I am TOTALLY going to add a bottle opener to my cooker. That is excellent!

Same here. A couple of those ear cleaners too. 8)

 

[92hatchattack]

Lol, leave my tool hangers alone!

So, does anyone think that maybe my exhaust is too restrictice, and im am possibly not getting a clean burn? Should i look into adding a 3" stack?

 

[Smokey Lew]

I'm with Mike (Tri-Tip), the less cleaning the better. When my WSM starts looking funky, I just squirt a hose to knock down the flakey stuff. Also, I don't use the hickory in it. It's to easy to get a petrol taste from it in such a confined space. My choice is pecan and some apple or sometimes cherry wood.