Redrum

Hell Fire Grill · Posted: May 27 2009 Post subject: Redrum

What a great weekend for tinkering with a UDS.

I picked up a red weber kettle off craigs list for $10 on friday.

I had a different air supply and charcoal basket design I wanted to try, to see if I could improve an already efficient cooker. The pipe on the right is capped off for now.

The charcoal basket is roughly 18" wide and 10" tall and held #32 of Lazzari mesquite charcoal and about 40 wood chunks that were 1" thick and about 2" wide. The basket isent perfectly round because I had to do all the bending by hand.
I put a partition and a hole (or whatever you want to call it) in the basket attempting to make the coals "Minion".

The partition dident work like I wanted it to at first. I must have started the fire on the wrong side of it because it jumped to the other side and burned to the right for the rest of the burn. I think I can fix that problem by adding a piece of metal that goes to the bottom of the barrel under the basket, preventing the fire from getting under the unlit charcoal on the other side.

I started the fire at about 5:00 saturday night and let it burn through the night, at about 240-250*, to season the drum. At 4:00 sunday morning I went out to see if it was still burning. It was sitting right at 240*, despite the fire jumping the partition. I threw a small #6-7 brisket on at 7:00 sunday morning. The drum stayed between 240-250*

Here it is finished around 4:00.

When that was finished there was still alot of charcoal in the basket. So I rubbed a small chuck roast real quick and threw it in there.

At 10:00 PM sunday, after drinking about 30 bloody marys and a half rack of beer throughout the day, the chuck was 185* and I was done for the day.

I smothered the coals and this is what was left in the drum when I checked it this morning.

The charcoal weighs in at about #11 including the wood chunks. So I figure it burned approximatly #21 of charcoal in 29 hours which is about .72 lbs per hr.

westmichguy · Newbie Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 71

Instead of putting metal under the basket you could just put another piece of steel in the basket. Placed about 2-3" away from the first one for a sort of a fire break. Just a thought.

Teleking · Posted: May 27 2009 Post subject:

polock · Posted: Jun 04 2009 Post subject:

i kinda like this idea on the fire ring... let me know when you get the bugs worked out
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J0K3R-X · Posted: Jun 04 2009 Post subject:

I love it man! Redrum!!! That is a great name... Great concept on the basket also! I may try something like that...
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Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

I added a piece of steel under the partition and doubled walled it. When I test burned it, it dident backfire this time. Burned all the way around like it was supposed to. The burn time and fuel consumption was about the same.

I have some other ideas in mind that I think can make the basket work a little bit better that I am going to try soon. I want to add handles to the basket so I dont have to bend over to get the basket out of the drum also.

k.a.m. · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

American West, I like this concept you have, I am wondering if this would not make the basket I built for Mrs.K.A.M.'s more efficient. It measures 6'' deep and 17'' in diam. What are your thoughts?
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RedneckRocket · BBQ Super Fan Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 441

That is a very cool idea with the basket. I have been thinking of building one of these for my brother and that basket would be an awesome treat!

R.R.

Smoker420 · Newbie Joined: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 28 Location: Azusa, Ca

Hey American West, where did you get that top grate? I like it.

Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

The basket evolved since this moring. Here is what happened.

I took the entire basket apart and rebuilt it. So now its about 17 1/2" wide and 7" deep. The doubled up firewall extends all the way through the basket instead of sitting in it. It is not sitting on steel plates any more now it sits on the bottom edge of the sides and the bottom is raised up 3" into the basket. The center is supported by 3" of the hole in the center that I cut off and welded to the bottom. And it has handles.

Time for another test burn.

I start with 1/2 a chimney. Thats about 250* worth.

Some time in the next couple of days I will post the results of the burn test. Summer salmon opens tomarrow and runs through the the 4th so I might not get it posted untill after that. Thanks for looking.

Skidder · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 1720

AW very nice work and thanks I'm going to give this a try. Did you ever think of mounting an 18" pizza pan to the bottom so when you lift it out the ashes come with it.

Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

k.a.m. · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

American West, thanks for the updates. I look forward to hearing about your results. And Good Luck on your fishing expedition Very Happy

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Smoker420 · Newbie Joined: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 28 Location: Azusa, Ca

Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Nov 02 2009 Post subject:

Hey all. The redrum is still cooking. I never did follow up on my last post on this partly because my wife got POed at our internet provider and decided to part ways with them all of the sudden. Then summer salmon turned into fall chinook and me and the kids were fishing fools untill they went back to school. I never did weigh the charcoal that I used in June. So after seeing the intest of others, through PMs and a post in the cooker forum, I thought I would revive this experiment.

I am going to use Stubb's briquetts this time instead of Lazzari lump. I have not changed anything but the charcoal since June because it has been working very well with approximatly the same fuel consumption as stated in the original post. Im interested in finding out myself for sure.

I have exactly #20 of stubb's in the basket and a boat load of hickory chunks, about 3 times what you can see in the picture, at 6:15 AM PST.

A happy brisket. 10.46# I might have to fast track this so we can have dinner before 9:00. I dont wana put it in the white box shaped thinghy that lives in the kitchen.

BluzQue · Posted: Nov 02 2009 Post subject:

Hell Fire Grill Thanks for all the build info & pic updates.
Looks like you've built one fine & efficient UDS!

I've tried alot of briqettes & lump. I'm stickin' with Stubb's &
Royal Oak Lump.....they just burn best for me in my cookers.

Wonder if you used the center cavity of basket primarily for your wood chunks during cooks? Just a thought?

Cool

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Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Nov 02 2009 Post subject:

SmokeHound · Posted: Nov 02 2009 Post subject: