# Built UDS and now black droppings on food!



## eliot clasen (Nov 15, 2014)

I have been smoking for a little over a year and decided to build an ugly drum smoker. I tested it out on some ribs and a whole chicken. I got the temp to hold steady but after a couple hours I noticed this black slime on all the food. I think it is coming from moisture from the lid dropping down on to the food. I do not know why is it black though. I read about the wood might be wet, which it possibly is, but don't people also soak their wood anyways? I have two exhaust tips on the lid. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hoping to get this thing fixed before Thanksgiving. Thanks.


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## themule69 (Nov 15, 2014)

Eliot Clasen said:


> I have been smoking for a little over a year and decided to build an ugly drum smoker. I tested it out on some ribs and a whole chicken. I got the temp to hold steady but after a couple hours I noticed this black slime on all the food. I think it is coming from moisture from the lid dropping down on to the food. I do not know why is it black though. I read about the wood might be wet, which it possibly is, but don't people also soak their wood anyways? I have two exhaust tips on the lid. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hoping to get this thing fixed before Thanksgiving. Thanks.


Could you post a pic of your UDS. No you don't need to soak your wood. That makes steam not smoke, It will start smoking after it dries. That is going to be part of your problem. What are you using for fuel?

Happy smoken.

David


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## squirrel (Nov 15, 2014)

Did you do a burn out on the UDS prior to using it? What was in the drum before?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 15, 2014)

Also what's the smoke look like? Thick white, or almost not visible at all? What kind of wood are you using?


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## daveomak (Nov 15, 2014)

and more air flow to move the moisture out of the smoker....   put the exhaust vents on the side of the drum...


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## superdave (Nov 16, 2014)

I had this happen to me yesterday and was the first time in all the years I've smoked.  It might have been a coincidence but I noticed that it happened after I lost my temperature control and it had started soring.  That may have generated way more steam than my vents were set for because that vent setting has always worked well for me before.  It was also a foggy day here yesterday so their was a lot of moisture just in the air.


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## dahoovman (Nov 25, 2014)

Could be condensation on the top of the drum dripping back down on the food.  With a bit of smoke and a bit of soot it can look like drops of black ink on the food.  This can especially happen if the vent was at the very top of the drum head and the moist cooking air hits the cooler surface temperatures of the vent.  Anything pointy on the underside of the vent, like a mount bolt, can make a drip line.


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## oldschoolbbq (Nov 25, 2014)

Your best trick will be to have patience and wait till you have good smoke ;













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__ oldschoolbbq
__ Sep 6, 2014






Then place your food in the UDS. Take the others advice and you be good to go...

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas , and as always . . .


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