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How do you guys pack your UDS baskets?

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  • How do you guys pack your UDS baskets?

    I know it ain't rocket science, but I would imagine too many chunks of wood too close together would cause a flair up(flame) and spike in temp over the long haul in a smoke.

    I would love to get a good 'smoke' thru a long cook, so I was just wondering who has experimented with how they pack their baskets and if they came up with a "method" or not



    Or since it is so closed in in the barrel, does the wood chunk just smolder burn?



    ~.~
    Last edited by Eaglewing; 09-18-2012, 06:40 PM.
    *
    OKJoe's Longhorn Combo ►Traeger 575 Bronze ►Weber Q series
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  • #2
    I just dump my lump wood in there and get it started then throw on 3 or 4 chunks of my wood on top and throw it in the UDS. I'll have to watch this thread to see if I'm doing something wrong. I have tried layering the basket a bit by throwing some lump down and then a couple pieces of wood then more lump but I can't say that I remember there being much of a difference. I guess we will fine out soon when you start getting more responses.
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    • #3
      Originally posted by rbranstner View Post
      I have tried layering the basket a bit by throwing some lump down and then a couple pieces of wood then more lump but I can't say that I remember there being much of a difference.
      I'm with Ross on this one.

      Now it's usually about 1/3 deep of the basket with lump and 3 or 4 fist sized chunks of wood on the outside edges and fill it in with lump.

      You don't really have much control over the when and how much the smoke wood plays a part.

      Kind of like packing a parachute . . . load it carefully, pull the cord and hope for the best.

      Dave
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      • #4
        If I'm goin for a long smoke. I put 5 tennis-ball sized chunks around the bottom of the basket. Then I pour lump over it. I then dig out a coffee can sized hole in the middle of the lump and that's where I pour in my lit coals.

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        • #5
          OK, different styles. That's very cool really!!!

          and so far everyone uses LUMP... again, interesting.
          *
          OKJoe's Longhorn Combo ►Traeger 575 Bronze ►Weber Q series
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          • #6
            Originally posted by ThunderDome View Post
            If I'm goin for a long smoke. I put 5 tennis-ball sized chunks around the bottom of the basket. Then I pour lump over it. I then dig out a coffee can sized hole in the middle of the lump and that's where I pour in my lit coals.
            Try cutting the bottom out of the coffee can too and leave the plastic lid on the one end. Fill the can with your charcoal, dump that in your chimney and light it. While it's getting it's burn on, take the lid off the coffee can, center it in your basket and put your charcoal and wood around it as you like. Once your charcoal in your chimney is ready, dump it down the can in the center of the basket and pull the can out with a pair of channel locks. Been working great for me. Sounds like a lot of hassle, but it really ain't.


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            • #7
              My method, which has been proven by harvard scholars to be the best, goes like this.

              I take my bag of lump, dump in about 3/4 of where I want to be, and give the basket a good shaking to settle all the pieces. Then, I add several wood chunks followed by a bit more lump, then some chunks then some lump. Topped of with a basket of white briquettes.

              Another thing I've done and works pretty well is the above method but using chips that are for the big and little chief smokers. I spread a decent amount of chips across the top after I fill with lump, then shake and let the wood chips settle down into the lump. Seems to give me a nice steady stream of smoker for several hours.
              https://youtu.be/ZcqprrIlbcIli

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              • #8
                I like the idea of wood chips settling into the lump Meat Hunter!!! That along with the coffee can thing (probably not all the way down to the bottom but I get the idea) and that sounds like potential for a good plan of attack.Not trying to get too anal about it like I said, but I knew some guys would have input!


                In my vertical and horizontals, I just fill the square baskets with a mix and start a whole chimney and throw a log on top, but none of those can hold a tight seal for a slow controlled smoke like the UDS. There's no way I get "hours" out of a basket full in those.
                *
                OKJoe's Longhorn Combo ►Traeger 575 Bronze ►Weber Q series
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                • #9
                  I'll often use chips as well and I would suggest giving it a try. I must lite mine different than most people. I don't pour lit coals into my basket I just went out and picked up one of those electric charcoal irons and shove that down into the middle of my basket and that's my favorite way to start mine. If I don't have access to electricity (which is very rare) then I would pour some lit coals into my basket to start it.
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                  • #10
                    I just dump it all in the basket @ throw the weed burner to it...Hotter than a blowed coal...in the drum...4/whatever gettin woodz....I really just set it & then cut the grass....
                    Sunset Eagle Aviation
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                    • #11
                      Resurrecting this thread to make an observation:

                      During my recent smoke of a turkey breast, which only took about 3-4hours, I FILLED the charcoal basket with a very systematic way of briquets lining the bottom, layer of wood chunks and lump, more layers of wood and lump, some big chunks some just chips, around the edges and throughout, etc.


                      Looking something close to this: (from a different smoke but same idea)







                      WELL, during the smoke you have the initial heavy smoke which simmers down to a nice thin blue smoke, which gives way to just clear heat coming from the stack at about the 4 hour mark. This happened both in my 10 hour brisket cook and this recent 4 hour turkey cook which I kept temps higher..




                      I examined the basket close after the 4 hour cook and all the wood, no matter where it was placed in the basket, either burned up or turned to coal itself.
                      The basket is really about less than half full and has good lump and briquets left, but no sign of any raw wood anywhere.







                      Basically this isn't really a bad thing since our food no longer takes on the smoke after a certain temp? correct? The need for the wood to be present after a certain length of time is not really there after the meat has taken on enough of the smoke anyway?

                      Is this correct thinking?


                      I know Rich don't like the minion method and maybe this is the reason why or not, but I was wondering if this is technically correct?





                      ~.~
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                      OKJoe's Longhorn Combo ►Traeger 575 Bronze ►Weber Q series
                      ThermaPEN-Mk4 ►MEATERx2 ►FireBoard|||| and SPARK► Smokin-it Smoke Generator► INKBIRD Sous Vide► GrillGrates
                      and accessories out the ying-yang

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                      • #12
                        I only use briquettes, but I put down a light layer of charcoal, throw in 4 fist size chunks, fill the rest of the basket up with briquettes, and dump a half to full (dependent on outside temp) chimney and sprinkle it over the top of the whole basket.

                        Meat will take on smoke well past 140 degrees but what people are talking about in that discussion is the meat is forming the smoke ring up to that point. The only way to get your meat from taking on less smoke is to wrap it. I wrap all of my big meats.
                        WSM and UDS - iBQ'n BBQ Team co-founder TheBBQSuperstore.com

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                        • #13
                          6.6 Lbs of central market mesquite lump in a empty basket
                          1 mini split of pecan heart with no bark and 1 mini split of Fruitawoods cherry.
                          6.6 more lbs of lump, and a whole lit chimney starter of briquettes over all that spread out. Works like a champ
                          This is my charcoal basket

                          After I snuff the coals out, I go grab one of these

                          Take the basket out, shake it, roll out the ash, put a few chunks on top, then 1/2 chimney starter of briquettes.

                          Minimally use use unlit briquettes in my smokes unless I have to, they give a funky taste to me
                          Security without liberty is prison. Those willing to sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither!
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                          • #14
                            Wondering the same thing Mikey fashioned me up a new basket for the WSM (pics to follow) and Sat will be my first time using it, just wondering the best way to load it for the longest burn ??
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                            • #15
                              Doug, u ever try that deflector in the WSM?

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