It looks killer brother!!!

A couple of tips...

-Don't use your exhaust to control the temp. Leave them all open and control the temp with your intakes only. You will have much cleaner smoke that way. Most of the time I would have one intake open and the ball valve about half way open to keep it chugging at 225.

-Find a metal coffee can... the large size. Cut out the top and bottom. Put the coffee can in the middle of your charcoal grate. Fill up the ring around the coffee can. Light about a half of a chimney of coals. Once they are ready pour them in the coffee can. Live the coffee can out (be careful... us really long tongs or welders gloves). You will have a perfect Minion method!!!

-If you notice your temps dropping a bit give the drum a shake. This really only comes in the play on long cooks, but sometimes the ash needs a little help to fall through the grate.

-Cook some pork, I would do a pork butt if I had the time or fatties if I needed to do something quicker, to season the drum. Nothing seasons like pork fat!!!

Enjoy your cooker... once you get used to it you will be amazed at what a great cooker they are.
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I know everyone is telling me to do pork butt, but I think I want to do ribs. Still haven't decided yet.
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Do it! Ribs are also easy. I rub them the night before with a brown sugar based rub...smoke them for about 2 or 3 hours...wrap them in foil and stick them back in the smoker for another 2 hours or so...take them out of the foil and slap them full of bbq sauce and stick them on a hot grill to slightly char up. Fall off the bone goodness :-)
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Got the rub on the ribs, and the smoker is a seasoning! An I bought a pork butt for Sunday!
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Sounds good!

What did you end up doing for temprature monitoring?
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I have a thermometer for my fryer that I am using, want to get the dual probe digital kind so I can monitor the meat and the chamber...analog for now
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My first attempt at smoking meat. It didnt get finished in time for dinner so I put it in the oven for 20 minutes to cook it to a safe temp.

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Looks good. :-)

No crime or shame about putting it in an oven to finish. A large number of restaurants do that all the time.

How did it taste?
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looks good, I usually smoke my ribs for about 3 hours then put them in foil with a little apple juice and finish them in the oven
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Tasted good, but they were a bit dry. Not sure if that could be due to the quality of meat...every place in town was out of spare and bb ribs cause there is a bbq competition today. I got them at a place I usually don't shop.
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That is a possibility.
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Hey,

I got mine up an running as well! I put a basic fattie on last night and within 3 hours pulled it off and sampled. The wife was amazed, and now after tasting it, she asks what are you doing next with a gleeful expression.

I'll post pics later. Mine truly puts the UGLY in UDS.
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:-):-):-)

If it cooks, it cooks!!!

A fatty is hard to beat huh!! Plus, if you think it was good today wait until you taste a slice tomorrow on a bisquit!!
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Here is mine:

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That weber kettle lid was a bomb of sorts from Smokin Gator, THANK YOU once again :-)

I plan to make a hole for a 12" Turkey fryer thermometer, but for now my probe model through one of the exhaust holes works well. Also in the future I may do another grate to take advantage of the kettle lid.
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When I was a kid, I would NEVER let my mother pass a turtle on the road, and bless her heart,
she would always pull over for me.
Now I am a man, and I NEVER EVER pass a grill lid that has flown out of somebody's truck, LOL.
Getting one that big is like finding a tortoise!
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I know this is an old thread but I'm happy to report that I'm almost done with my UDS build. First cook this Sat. :-)))
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:-):-) Good Luck!!
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Be sure to post pics George. :-)
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Oh I will, when done.....it just needs a couple more things, mainly a charcoal basket. I'm just waiting on the 48" x 48" expanded metal I ordered from Amazon. I should get that tomorrow. Then I'll season the UDS before my first cook.
You'll probably be able to see it in action if you happen to stop by at Park Drive Smokehouse this Sat. :-)
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Here's what I've got so far. I will get it real dirty this Sat....:-)
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