# Rump Roast Fail! (Creosote)



## deano (Dec 1, 2014)

Had the UDS up and running again at the weekend but did not go as planned! I tried to use the minion method for lighting it but when I cleaned it out, not much more than the full chimney of coal I had started with seemed to have lit? I rubbed the meat with SPOG before putting it in the UDS when the temp was up to 220 ( got there pretty quickly). I put the cap on the my 1" hole about 180 and half closed both ball valves. It had choked out last time when I tried running it with 1 valve half open when trying to get the temp down so the thinking was having some airflow from either side would stop this happening! Temp continued to rise and seemed to settle at 280 after a while so I closed the ball valves a bit more! Was fiddling with the bung holes on top (one large, one small) and it was in my foolishness of closing both them for a while to try and get the temp down when I think I've ruined the meat ( amateur, I know[emoji]128532[/emoji]). In my defence because the way my lid sits some smoke does seep out the sides so I thought this would be ok to let some smoke out but clearly wasn't. 

The meat was in for only around 3-4 hours and I took it out when the temp was 150. It was in and out a bit while I tried to use a pizza pan as a baffle to try getting lower temps and when I was checking how much coal was lit under the pan but for the most part it was cooking around 280-300F. It looked the part but I have to admit most of it tasted like chewing a bonfire because the stale smoke had gotten to it.

From what I've looked at so far I think my problem was either starting with too many coals or letting the temp get up too high before trying to get it down, easier to raise temp slightly than try and lower it once it high, so I hear! This beef was bought on the cheap and expected to go slightly wrong so no big deal but as always guys,any advice is welcome AND NEEDED!













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## pc farmer (Dec 1, 2014)

Heres my plan.

Fill your basket with charcoal and remove some from the side of the basket.  ( maybe 8-10 )

Put them in your chimney.   

Once they are going good dump in the spot that you removed them from.

Its gonna take abit longer to get hot but easier to so the temp down when you get close to target temp.

I use a modded pizza pan.

Never close the exhaust, got to get the smoke out.

Let the drum run where is seems to be stable at.

Some it maybe 225, 275.   I doesnt really matter.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Dec 1, 2014)

Sorry for the bump in the road you encountered! I all part if the learning process. First off I always leave both of the bung openings (1", and 2") open all of the time. Only use your inlets to control temp. One thing you discovered is that it is harder to get a UDS to drop temps once it gets too high. I have found the best lighting method for me is to use a propane torch and light one side of the filled (not always full) basket. Depending on the torch this can take seconds (weed burner) or five to ten minutes. When I use the weed burner I put the basket in the drum and torch one spot. If I use my propane torch I will leave the basket out and torch one side until 3-5 coals are going good. Then I put the basket in the drum. With both of those methods all my vents are open. I'll start closing things down when the temp is about 15 degrees below my target temp. I have (3) 1" valved vents and depending on the wind I'll typically close them down evenly. I'll typically go 5-10 degrees above where I want to be then put the meat on. The temp will drop then start to rise again. I'll keep closing down the inlets until I hit a stable temp. Once again leaving the exhausts wide open.


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## wade (Dec 2, 2014)

Hi Deano

You can fine tune the temperature using both vents however as you found you should not close them completely. If your top vents are optimum size to start with then they should be fully open, however if they are too large then they can be shut down a little. I see that you have two vents so as part of the tuning you may want to try closing one of them off - but not both. As said above, if you can control it just using the bottom vents then that is ideal. It is all about getting the balance right and all smokers are different.

Also overshooting is always a bad idea - though I know sometimes it is unavoidable. It is always easier to gradually increase the temperature to the desired point than try to bring it down again afterwards. Before I learned patience with my smokers I used to have the same problem - try to raise the temperature too quickly and it is very likely to overshoot. Bring it up slowly and as Case says gradually throttle back the bottom intakes as the temperature approaches the desired IT


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## kc5tpy (Dec 2, 2014)

Hello Deano.  It's a darn shame when it happens but it has happened to us all.  Just last week I was "experimenting" in the kitchen; Tex-Mex dish I have made many times in the past but THIS time I had to muck around with it.  The dogs REALLY liked it.  I had a sandwich.  We all had to learn and there is a learning curve with every new process and every new smoker.  Stick with it and you will get there soon.  The guys gave you good advice, I have nothing more to add other than patience and persistence. Keep Smokin!

Danny


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