I just watched some vids on them. It looks like you get more grill area compared to the 18 inch WSM. No water pan, so the meat drips on the coals! I was just wondering how the results were compared to the WSM. Do them barrels rust out over time? They are pretty much 200 dollars by the time you buy the fire box too!
Have any of you cooked on an UDS (ugly drum smoker)
- Thread starter dean
- Start date
Mike P.
TVWBB All-Star
Dean, The UDS are used in a lot of competition cooks (of course, so is the WSM) or by folks who smoke a lot of meat at once. Just the wife and I here now and the occasional party so the WSM more than meets our needs. Also, it takes a lot more fuel to git a UDS up and running for long smokes.
The BBQ is very good from a UDS but I don't think it's any better than a WSM.
Just my .02
The BBQ is very good from a UDS but I don't think it's any better than a WSM.
Just my .02
MKEvenson
TVWBB Wizard
I am making one now. One of my comp team mates loves his and just took 5th place at our most recent comp in ribs. I have been using WSMs for over a year but wanted a winter project. Original food grade drum, $20 on CL. I have a Weber kettle lid but don't even need it. I have extra cooking grate. Bout 2 cans of high heat paint for the out side, $10. bought $20 worth of hardware including a ball valve for intake, don't really need but for convenience. Once you rub the inside down with peanut oil and cook on it I don't believe it will rust. Some of the hardware may after a few years unless you use stainless. There are several BBQ sites out there where the UDS is used a lot. do a google search if you want to know more. I was hesitant to bring the subject up here but since you started it.......
Will give my impressions in a couple weeks after a few more cooks.
Mark
Will give my impressions in a couple weeks after a few more cooks.
Mark
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Cooked on one I made for a couple of years or so. Right off the top of my head, advantages are that they turn out 'Q significantly quicker than a wsm, and that temps well over 300* are much easier to obtain.
Disadvantages are that all those drippings vaporizing in a closed environment isn't necessarily a good thing, and cleaning, as well as transport aren't as convenient. I understand that there are some high-temp paints that really are HH resistant, but yes, I went through a lot of black spray paint and the outside of the drum will be very prone to rusting. Great cooker for roadside chicken, and also a good cooker for cooking at HH in pans, if that's your thing.
Disadvantages are that all those drippings vaporizing in a closed environment isn't necessarily a good thing, and cleaning, as well as transport aren't as convenient. I understand that there are some high-temp paints that really are HH resistant, but yes, I went through a lot of black spray paint and the outside of the drum will be very prone to rusting. Great cooker for roadside chicken, and also a good cooker for cooking at HH in pans, if that's your thing.
Mike P.
TVWBB All-Star
ScottE
Closed Account
I had a large BDS (Big Drum Smoker made in North Carolina for about -3- years and I feel the 22.5 WSM is far superior than a vertical drum smoker. Way easier to clean as well. They both cook on the same principles but the fit and finish of the WSM won me over. Both churn out championship quality Q!!
John Solak
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I built one and love it. I hardly ever use my WSM anymore. I have around $100.00 invested in mine. If you are patient and scrounge around you can make one for far less money.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Scott, "old fashioned pit flavor" is much less "concentrated" than what you get with a UDS since the drum is such a closed environment. The "fat in the fire" flavor can just become too much, depending on how much meat in the cooker and yes, personal taste. Mine sure atracted the flies, that's for sure.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Dean, it's not too much of a project, especially if you just use magnets to cover holes for vents. They're not bad cookers, but I'd recommend not messing with two grates if cooking butts/briskets. You just get too much grease in the fire and temps will soar if you have to fiddle with the top off for any time.
That's the disadvantage I didn't mention earlier. Think it's bad in the wsm with a dry pan? Well, a UDS can shoot up QUICK if you have the top off much, fiddling with the meat. The thing is though, since you're cooking direct, you'll get more even cooking on the UDS if you flip the meat. I cooked direct most of the time but often used a ECB charcoal pan as a diffuser when cooking ribs.
That's the disadvantage I didn't mention earlier. Think it's bad in the wsm with a dry pan? Well, a UDS can shoot up QUICK if you have the top off much, fiddling with the meat. The thing is though, since you're cooking direct, you'll get more even cooking on the UDS if you flip the meat. I cooked direct most of the time but often used a ECB charcoal pan as a diffuser when cooking ribs.
My brother has one and it has been used in KCBS comps.
He does decent pulled pork but for one reason or another the brisket, ribs, and chicken are superior in a WSM or other indirect heat.
His briskets come out on the dry side and he has not been able to dial in ribs yet. Could be the cooker vs the cook but in my opinion I'd rather have a 22 WSM.
Also his is dialed in for about 250 or so but he can't get it in the mid 300s as easy as a WSM. But this could be his air flow settings as well.
He does envy me when I can take the center section out of the 22 WSM and grill on the bottom section.
He does decent pulled pork but for one reason or another the brisket, ribs, and chicken are superior in a WSM or other indirect heat.
His briskets come out on the dry side and he has not been able to dial in ribs yet. Could be the cooker vs the cook but in my opinion I'd rather have a 22 WSM.
Also his is dialed in for about 250 or so but he can't get it in the mid 300s as easy as a WSM. But this could be his air flow settings as well.
He does envy me when I can take the center section out of the 22 WSM and grill on the bottom section.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
John, it's all about getting enough air. If the drum is set up with a wide range of ventilation, you can cook as low or as hot as you want, depending on the weather. I got some wicked hot temps on mine when doing roadside chicken, often because I forgot to use less charcoal in the ring than when bbqing. Put a diffuser in and all bets are off, but 375* for chicken shouldn't be a problem if you have enough ventilation.
As to briskets being dry, I never had a problem, and the UDS cooks 'em so evenly so I'm rather perplexed at your brother's experience. I targeted 240* on my cheap short probe that was mounted right below the grate. Started fat down and flipped a couple of times during the cook, and then rested a couple of hours. If it wasn't for the fact that the fat in the fire overwhelms the bark I'd still be cooking briskets like that. If memory serves, I'd pull 'em off the cooker in about 10 hours, depending on size. The middle of the grate was no where close to my target temp of 240*, though.
As to briskets being dry, I never had a problem, and the UDS cooks 'em so evenly so I'm rather perplexed at your brother's experience. I targeted 240* on my cheap short probe that was mounted right below the grate. Started fat down and flipped a couple of times during the cook, and then rested a couple of hours. If it wasn't for the fact that the fat in the fire overwhelms the bark I'd still be cooking briskets like that. If memory serves, I'd pull 'em off the cooker in about 10 hours, depending on size. The middle of the grate was no where close to my target temp of 240*, though.
MKEvenson
TVWBB Wizard
Doing a season burn today. I have 4, 1" intake holes. I have 2 of them closed and have maintained internal cook temp at 388-400 all day. started at 8AM, now 5PM. 1 basket hardwood biquets. Smaller basket. This thing just holds steady. 1/2 a bird in a bit, will cook at 270-300, hopefully.
John Carlson
TVWBB Member
I have one and love it. I use it side by side with my wsm in competition. I use magnets for the air intake, total investment was about $30. If you want, you can place a pan of water or some fire bricks on the bottom grate to diffuse the heat. As for clean up and transport, I think they're actually a little easier than the WSM. One other advantage, if I damage it, I don't have $400 invested, I just make another one. I would recommend building one.
Brian Moriarty
TVWBB All-Star
Mine are all Big Drum Smoker clones.
http://www.bigdrumsmokers.com/smokers.htm
I started out using them for competitions, but over time switched to WSM's.
At the time, I wasn't hip to turbo cooking which you are doing cooking direct with the drums. The fats dripping on the coals give the meats another layer of flavor, but some people are not used to it. I used to get Judges comment cards with replies like "too much creosote" or "tastes like liquid smoke". So rather try to change the CBJ's palates I moved onto WSM's.
Personally- I love them and the flavor of the meats they produce. Yes - you could put a heat deflector in a drum and the meats will taste like they were cooked on a WSM, but I've cooked without the pan in the WSM and it tastes nothing like the drum!
The BDS clones are so simple to make, the hardest part is collecting the parts to build one. I've built a dozen of them. My next project is a 30 gallon drum with a Red 18" kettle lid-just because I can.
If anyone is interested in the specs I use to build mine feel free to contact me.
http://www.bigdrumsmokers.com/smokers.htm
I started out using them for competitions, but over time switched to WSM's.
At the time, I wasn't hip to turbo cooking which you are doing cooking direct with the drums. The fats dripping on the coals give the meats another layer of flavor, but some people are not used to it. I used to get Judges comment cards with replies like "too much creosote" or "tastes like liquid smoke". So rather try to change the CBJ's palates I moved onto WSM's.
Personally- I love them and the flavor of the meats they produce. Yes - you could put a heat deflector in a drum and the meats will taste like they were cooked on a WSM, but I've cooked without the pan in the WSM and it tastes nothing like the drum!
The BDS clones are so simple to make, the hardest part is collecting the parts to build one. I've built a dozen of them. My next project is a 30 gallon drum with a Red 18" kettle lid-just because I can.
If anyone is interested in the specs I use to build mine feel free to contact me.
John Carlson
TVWBB Member
Why do you think the taste is different in the wsm without the water pan? Maybe something to do with the domed lid or the way it seasons with the enamel coating? I've never really noticed to be honest.