Editor's note: THANKS Bubba! Please start a new thread for any UDS questions- or tips... these can be added to this tutorial as required!
Here's your basic build for a UDS.
Start by dividing your drum into 3 segments and draw a level line from top to bottom.
Now mark and drill 1" holes, 2" from the bottom for your intakes
Mark 7" from the top and drill 1/4" holes for the cooking grate bolts
I use 1/4" x 2" bolts for my grate support
Install 3-3/4" close nipples (thread right into a nicely cut hole) with caps and a 3/4" ball valve for your intakes
Firebasket consists of a piece of expando rolled and fastened in a circle and attached to another grate with 3-3 1/2x3/8 bolts installed as feet to keep the basket off the bottom of the barrel for better circulation
Exhaust can be either the 2" bung in the lid or drill 8 1/2" holes evenly spaced around the lid.
Shelf mod...
Handles and an 8" piece of PVC for an exhaust...
Weber Kettle lid, handle extension and rolling base...
And yes, drums are good enough for competition cooking. (ask Rich)
Editor's note: DDAve adds some tips and answers
UDS Cooking Tips
Some UDS cooking tips that I've found helpful.
Put more charcoal in your basket than you think you'll need for your cook. It's kind of tricky to reload after you've been cooking for awhile. After several cooks, you'll get a feel for how much to use initially. Your seasoning run is a good time to get a reference point. Keep track of how long it lasts and the temps your drum was running at. For a given amount of fuel, the drum will run longer empty than with food but it will give you a reference point.
Check the laws in your state, but I believe it is state law that you cook a fatty during the seasoning run. Start fewer briquettes (or lump) initally than you think you'll need. It's easier to bring the temp up than to bring it down. If you're using a chimney, light maybe 10 briquettes to start.
Close the valves down farther early on than you think you'll need. Let it warm up SLOWLY. Same reason as above. Easier to catch the temp on the way up than it is to bring it back down. Don't lift the lid unless you absolutely have to. (If you're lookin' you ain't cookin'.)
Before you lift the lid, close the intakes for a bit then open them up when you put the lid back on. A piece of crumpled up foil or a pipe plug works great if you don't want to mess with the valve position.
When yoiu lift the lid to do something, get in, get the job done, get out, and put the lid back on as quickly as possible.
If you need to do something to the meat that is going to take a little time, like foiling, take the meat, (or the entire grate) out, and set it on a work table and put the lid back on while you're doing your thing.
When the cook is over, close the intakes down all the way. This should snuff out the fire. After the charcoal cools, shake out the ash and you can reuse what charcoal is left over for next time.
Consider using an ash pan (a cheap table top grill bottom works) under the charcoal basket for easy cleanup. Not required but makes cleanup much easier.
If you need to adjust the intakes to adjust the temp, make small adjustments and give the drum 15 or 20 minutes to stabilize. After a few cooks you'll probably find a 'sweet spot" where your drum will like to run. For many people, with 3 - 3/4" intakes, that is 1 cap on and the ball valve about 1/3 open. That worked well on mine with regular Kingsford, Lazzari Mesquite Lump and Royal Oak briquettes. Then, when I started using Kingsford Competition Briquettes it became both caps on and valve about 1/2 open. That stuff burns HOT! Spend some quality time with your drum to learn its sweet spot.
If things have been running smoothly for several hours and for no apparent reason the temps start to drop, "rattle the can" to shake the ash loose before messing with the intakes.
There is no need to feed in new wood/charcoal. The charcoal basket is typically 13.5" diameter by 8" tall and will hold MORE than enough fuel/wood to outlast anything that you are likely to cook.
It is not uncommon to get burn times in excess of 16 hours if necessary. The only thing you need to do is "shake the drum" once in awhile to knock the ash loose from around the charcoal.
Some folks have made an "access door" on the side.
Yes. It is very difficult to get the access door or drawer opening air-tight. This makes it very difficult to control the temperature. There is really no need for one anyway because of the long burn times possible with the basket.
Editor's note: Glued2IT has a point...you DO have to light it at some point...
I had posted this on another forum and thought that I should share it here as well.
This is only my method and not a set procedure.
I start by filling the charcoal basket partially(about 1/2).
Then I add a stick of wood and fill with the reminder of the 10lb bag of Ozark Oak lump charcoal.
Then I use my Berzamatic torch to light the top center.
After getting the coals started I usually leave the lid off to get it going a little more to save the propane.
This procedure only takes about 5-10min. depending on outside conditions.
If using a chimney starter only fill it about a 1/4 of the way.
After coals are hot, carefully dump them into the drum keeping all the hot coals on the top and in the center.
The pictures below are Taken from the from of the drum. (where the ball valve is)
You can see that the stick of hickory is placed to the side and not the front or back.
Here's your basic build for a UDS.
Start by dividing your drum into 3 segments and draw a level line from top to bottom.
Now mark and drill 1" holes, 2" from the bottom for your intakes
Mark 7" from the top and drill 1/4" holes for the cooking grate bolts
I use 1/4" x 2" bolts for my grate support
Install 3-3/4" close nipples (thread right into a nicely cut hole) with caps and a 3/4" ball valve for your intakes
Firebasket consists of a piece of expando rolled and fastened in a circle and attached to another grate with 3-3 1/2x3/8 bolts installed as feet to keep the basket off the bottom of the barrel for better circulation
Exhaust can be either the 2" bung in the lid or drill 8 1/2" holes evenly spaced around the lid.
Shelf mod...
Handles and an 8" piece of PVC for an exhaust...
Weber Kettle lid, handle extension and rolling base...
And yes, drums are good enough for competition cooking. (ask Rich)
Editor's note: DDAve adds some tips and answers
UDS Cooking Tips
Some UDS cooking tips that I've found helpful.
Put more charcoal in your basket than you think you'll need for your cook. It's kind of tricky to reload after you've been cooking for awhile. After several cooks, you'll get a feel for how much to use initially. Your seasoning run is a good time to get a reference point. Keep track of how long it lasts and the temps your drum was running at. For a given amount of fuel, the drum will run longer empty than with food but it will give you a reference point.
Check the laws in your state, but I believe it is state law that you cook a fatty during the seasoning run. Start fewer briquettes (or lump) initally than you think you'll need. It's easier to bring the temp up than to bring it down. If you're using a chimney, light maybe 10 briquettes to start.
Close the valves down farther early on than you think you'll need. Let it warm up SLOWLY. Same reason as above. Easier to catch the temp on the way up than it is to bring it back down. Don't lift the lid unless you absolutely have to. (If you're lookin' you ain't cookin'.)
Before you lift the lid, close the intakes for a bit then open them up when you put the lid back on. A piece of crumpled up foil or a pipe plug works great if you don't want to mess with the valve position.
When yoiu lift the lid to do something, get in, get the job done, get out, and put the lid back on as quickly as possible.
If you need to do something to the meat that is going to take a little time, like foiling, take the meat, (or the entire grate) out, and set it on a work table and put the lid back on while you're doing your thing.
When the cook is over, close the intakes down all the way. This should snuff out the fire. After the charcoal cools, shake out the ash and you can reuse what charcoal is left over for next time.
Consider using an ash pan (a cheap table top grill bottom works) under the charcoal basket for easy cleanup. Not required but makes cleanup much easier.
If you need to adjust the intakes to adjust the temp, make small adjustments and give the drum 15 or 20 minutes to stabilize. After a few cooks you'll probably find a 'sweet spot" where your drum will like to run. For many people, with 3 - 3/4" intakes, that is 1 cap on and the ball valve about 1/3 open. That worked well on mine with regular Kingsford, Lazzari Mesquite Lump and Royal Oak briquettes. Then, when I started using Kingsford Competition Briquettes it became both caps on and valve about 1/2 open. That stuff burns HOT! Spend some quality time with your drum to learn its sweet spot.
If things have been running smoothly for several hours and for no apparent reason the temps start to drop, "rattle the can" to shake the ash loose before messing with the intakes.
Originally posted by curious aardvark
It is not uncommon to get burn times in excess of 16 hours if necessary. The only thing you need to do is "shake the drum" once in awhile to knock the ash loose from around the charcoal.
Originally posted by curious aardvark
Originally posted by curious aardvark
Editor's note: Glued2IT has a point...you DO have to light it at some point...
I had posted this on another forum and thought that I should share it here as well.
This is only my method and not a set procedure.
I start by filling the charcoal basket partially(about 1/2).
Then I add a stick of wood and fill with the reminder of the 10lb bag of Ozark Oak lump charcoal.
Then I use my Berzamatic torch to light the top center.
After getting the coals started I usually leave the lid off to get it going a little more to save the propane.
This procedure only takes about 5-10min. depending on outside conditions.
If using a chimney starter only fill it about a 1/4 of the way.
After coals are hot, carefully dump them into the drum keeping all the hot coals on the top and in the center.
The pictures below are Taken from the from of the drum. (where the ball valve is)
You can see that the stick of hickory is placed to the side and not the front or back.