BASICS TIPS FOR SMOKING W/AN UGLY DRUM SMOKER
As you know smokers are not grills. Don’t exceed 300 degrees F – smokers are ideal at lower temperatures. Any higher will result in scorching. You should also be aware that when you open the lid to the smoker, you should keep the exposure to the air as brief as possible, as too much oxygen may ignite at grease buildup that’s on the sides of the grill, so be sure to give it a thorough cleaning after each time.
Ugly Drum Smoker best Practice Tips
Lighting the UDS
There are a few different ways to light your UDS. If you’re inexperienced, it’s a good idea to wait at least one hour if not two for the temperature stabilize after ignition before you place meat inside. One method is simply using coals. Fill the basket nearly the top with charcoals, but don’t use any kind of self-lighting fire briquettes, because they contain petroleum and fluid that will give your meat an odd flower.
The most efficient way to ignite a UDS is to use a chimney lighter.
Some people prefer to use a fire starter cube instead of a chimney. Once your coals are lit up, all you need to do is add some wood chunks and wait a while for the temperature to stabilize.
Preparing to smoke
It’s important to control the temperature carefully and not let too much oxygen in. Depending on the model of the UDS, there are either a pair of ball valves or a sliding vent door, which you can open or close depending on whether you want to raise or lower the temperature.
When you first start adjusting the temperature using the vents, the charcoal will emit a thick white smoke. Wait for this to settle down before adding the meat! This can take about thirty minutes or longer. The ideal smoke has a thin, bluish appearance.
Once the white smoke disappears, open the lid and place your meat on the grates. At first you’ll want to monitor the temperature to be sure it doesn’t exceed the ideal smoking temperature of 225°F to 240°F.
Post smoke
After smoking, it’s important that you clean it out.
This technique is called “seasoning” a smoker and is designed to burn away any leftover oils, grime, or other materials. Take either vegetable oil or a cooking spray and apply it all over the inside of the drum. Light it up as usual and let it burn around 250°F for a few hours while the flames purify the inside. It’s advised to add some bacon to the grates to give the smoker a naturally delicious aroma and keep the air inside clean and smoky.
Once you’re all done either seasoning or just smoking, it’s important to carefully shut down the UDS. When it’s time to shut it down, all you have to do is close all the vents and wrap the chimney in heavy-duty aluminum foil. This will prevent air from flowing back in and fueling the fire, which will eventually extinguish itself due to a lack of exposure to oxygen. It’s pretty simple.
Just make sure that the next time you go to start up your smoker, you shake out any ashes from the coal basket and add fresh coals to the top of it.
So those are the basics of handling a smoker, but what’s the best technique for heating and smoking a proper rib? Of course, every rib smoking expert will have a slightly different technique that they prefer, but there is one method that is a tried-and-true favorite by beginners and experts alike. Read on for some instructions for this easy-to-manage smoking technique.
