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UDS versus PBC

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    #16
    The great thing about making a UDS is it is totally customizable. If you just wanted to make a simple PBC like version I'm sure you could do that for a hundred bucks or so (including the price of your $35 drum) with a little scrounging.

    If you want to go wild with intake/exhaust pipes, ball valves, cool graphics, etc. you can go down that rabbit hole also.

    I don't buy into the PBC hype. I'm pretty sure the only reason PBC settled on using a 30 gallon drum was due more to shipping costs than any specific magical properties of that size drum. I see that they are now selling a smaller version of their original so is that size magical also?

    I think a WSM is a better choice for many folks. Far easier to transport and far easier to clean. Weber used to sell a hanging rack but they quit selling them a few years ago. I've used mine to hang ribs in my WSM for years. There is a company that does sell a hanging rig that works on at least one size of WSM's (18"-er if I remember correctly).

    I certainly understand why so many folks buy a PBC rather than building their own UDS - not everybody has the time/tools/talent/interest in doing so. There is nothing wrong with just clicking one button on Amazon and having a shiny new PBC cooker show up on your doorstep ready to use outta the box!

    Comment


      #17
      convert your dad's offset to a pellet grill!

      Comment


      • jfmorris
        jfmorris commented
        Editing a comment
        Haha, I’ve seen some of those pellet smoker boxes to use on the side of a drum, and they don’t come cheap. Those cost more than a PBC. If I went that route I would buy a pellet cooker. I’ll keep the offset for occasional use, just prefer the convenience of something smaller and more efficient for frequent use.

      • bten
        bten commented
        Editing a comment
        I bought my Camp Chef Smokepro SE off season. ($180). If you want to buy one in the future, start checking the price (I use the Walmart app) after labor day......

      #18
      The PBC is a no risk investment--you will love it, guaranteed. You have it set up and cooking within minutes and, after a few cooks, have it dialed in. The 30 gallon size makes it portable and efficient while the meat-hanging aspect makes its capacity hard for any cooker to beat. Bottom line, you'll never regret buying a PBC!

      Comment


      • jfmorris
        jfmorris commented
        Editing a comment
        I am sure I would / will love when I pull the trigger.

      #19
      Histrix. Yeah, I had been thinking about the 22" WSM for a long time, so bringing that up is good. I guess that is still something to consider. If you take out the water pan and rig some hooks, no reason you cannot hang stuff in there too, or cook on two 22 inch grates. The two things I smoke the most are ribs and Boston butts, and I expect the occasional brisket, chuck or pork loin.

      We have lots of summer parties, and the reason I am looking at a drum smoker at all is for something that would be more "hands off" than my offset, and also more portable, with a small foot print. It was a real pain this past weekend moving the offset from its normal location to get it under cover for smoking on a rainy day, and I had to displace some of the furniture out there to make room for it. With the small footprint of a PBC, UDS or even a WSM, that would not have been necessary.

      As it was, I had the offset going, the Weber Performer going, and at one point the Genesis as well, all rolled up under the pavilion. It was pretty crowded AND smokey.

      Ironically, the one local friend I talk to much about this stuff, who texted me at 9:30pm last night to let me know the local Kroger had an unadvertised 99 cent per pound sale on Boston Butts (I went up there and got a half dozen 9-10 pounders!) also bashed me for considering spending $299 on a PBC, and is pushing the UDS. Of course, he runs with a crowd who cannabilizes Weber kettles to get the lids and upper airflow control for their UDS. I told him I am not a kettle killer! Haha....
      Last edited by jfmorris; April 25, 2018, 08:46 AM.

      Comment


        #20
        What boggles my mind when you start googling "PBC versus UDS" on the Internet is how many places on the web someone has innocently asked a question about the PBC over the past few years, only to have the UDS crowd rush in on the attack. Apparently the UDS crowd in general thinks the PBC is nothing different than their UDS, and has no different cooking results. It always seems to be the same arguments too:

        1. The PBC is only 30 gallons because they can ship it cheaper than a 55 gallon drum.

        2. PBC is ripping people off and everyone should be building a UDS instead - saw a good post somewhere debunking this, showing that if you compare apples to apples, it would cost about $40 more to build a PBC than to buy one ($100 of that was due to the porcelain finish).

        3. The UDS holds more therefore is better than the PBC.

        4. The UDS has more/better temperature control.

        One thing I saw in an article on building a UDS that jumped out at me - seems most of the UDS charcoal baskets tend to hold near an entire 20# bag of charcoal in order to burn 10-12 hours. That's a boat load of charcoal, on par with what my offset would use for the same period of time if using charcoal alone.

        I'm still considering both options, and while Histrix was good to bring up the WSM, I think I would have to have the 22" WSM to meet my needs, and the reviews on temperature control without replacing the door on that size are not so good. And the cost gets on up there.

        From what I've seen in the past day or so since asking the question, the PBC has some advantages:

        1. Smaller charcoal usage - 8# for 8 hours, so I assume about 1 pound per hour
        2. Smaller footprint due to vertical hanging method
        3. More durable finish
        4. Doesn't have temp control or multiple intakes and outlets to fiddle with like the UDS. Meaning less to worry with.

        The advantage of the UDS would be:

        1. Larger potential capacity with 2 or 3 levels of 22" grates or rebar for hanging.
        2. *POSSIBLY* lower cost.

        Am I missing anything?

        Comment


          #21
          jfmorris I have nothing at all against the PBC. It's a fine, ready to go right outta the box cooker, sold at a pretty reasonable price.

          It gets compared to a UDS because basically it is just another smoker made from a steel drum.

          A traditional UDS made from a 55 gallon drum will use more fuel than a PBC because it is bigger. Same thing goes with a 22" WSM vs an 18" WSM vs a 14" WSM.

          Just because a traditional UDS holds more than a PBC doesn't meant it's better per se - it just means it holds more than a PBC. For some folks that may be important. For other folks a PBC may hold more than they ever imagine they'll cook at one time.

          I remember when the PBC first appeared they touted how easy it was to set/maintain a stable temp - all you had to do was adjust that bottom vent cover to an opening size based on your altitude above sea level - set it and forget it. Light the basket full of Kingsford bricks with lighter fluid like we say (now I see that PBC is suggesting use of a chimney to light the fuel) and you'll soon be ready to cook - no need to further mess with a temp setting just light it and let it rip. I have no doubt that worked fine for many folks but I also know from reading comments from many PBC users that it wasn't always that easy. And rather than just letting the PBC run at its "natural" temperature (which was at a temp much higher than some folks think of when thinking low n slow cue) I've seen where some wanted to be able to control the temp themselves over a wider, traditional smoker range - a lot of bbg folks are hung up on 225°F and wanted their barrel cooker to be able to do that.

          I've also seen folks with PBC's that felt the need to modify them - some added adjustable top vents, some added analog dial thermometers. Once you start doing that you're basically taking the "light it and let it run" technique of the PBC and turning it into just another UDS.

          Both UDS/PBC's do have one small advantage over a WSM - being a one piece drum there are fewer avenues for air leaks. There is no denying that a WSM can be kinda drafty due to its segmented construction and a big door on the side that doesn't always fit so tightly. There are replacement doors available that are better made but I was able to just gently reshape my OEM door so that it fits tightly enough that it doesn't leak. Some folks use gasket materials on their WSM to seal the door and segment seams if necessary. Generally, like a lot of other cookers, once they get some use and some "gunk" builds up at the seams the WSM is not nearly as drafty.

          I've never measured the Kinsgford that I used in my old 18" WSM but I'm pretty sure it was less than 8# and on a nice day I could easily do an 8-10 hour pork butt cook.

          Like the PBC a WSM has a porcelain coating. That can be a blessing and a curse. If one is likely going to be moving their PBC/WSM around from place to place it is eventually going to start getting chips in that coating which then allows it to rust. With a UDS (and I mean a really ugly one ) you just shake that rattle can of high temp engine paint and give it a squirt to seal up any dings in the paint.

          Harry Soo has won many bbq contests and he primarily uses a WSM and Kingsford bricks. He chose the WSM mainly because it is far easier to transport than a one piece drum. For folks with a truck or a Suburban that may not be a concern.

          So...PBC, UDS, WSM are all variations on a theme - a vertical barrel shaped cooker. They all cook fine. They can all be modified if one sees the need.

          If you are pretty sure that you will be wanting to hang a bunch of ribs then I think you are back to just the PBC or UDS since a rig for hanging stuff in the WSM may not be easily available.

          Good luck with your decision, we've all spent many an agonizing hour in these type of shoes.

          One thing I will say about my WSM - I haven't used mine in a few years since I got my Karubecue (which is an awesome ribs machine!). I'm not at all suggesting that you now consider getting a KBQ - I wouldn't do that to you. Nope, not at all.

          Comment


          • jfmorris
            jfmorris commented
            Editing a comment
            And I was not talking about you when I was discussing people bashing the PBC. I was seeing posts on other websites where that was the trend. Anyway, I have the 6 to 8 hours per fueling thing going with my Kettle+SNS - now I just need the capacity for 6 to 8 racks of ribs, or several briskets or butts, without babysitting the firebox when I am otherwise busy.

          • EdF
            EdF commented
            Editing a comment
            Nah, you wouldn't suggest getting a KBQ. Nor would I! ;-)

            jfmorris, while the KBQ does take ongoing attention, it is really easy to operate.

          • jfmorris
            jfmorris commented
            Editing a comment
            @Ed and Histrix I know the KBQ will be easy to operate compared to an offset - that thermostat would go a long ways to simplifying things I bet. But having to feed the fire every 30 minutes is something I want an option to NOT do! ;-). There are very few days I have time to sit by the smoker drinking a beer, watching the fire...

          #22
          May the Q be with you! Click image for larger version

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          Comment


          • jfmorris
            jfmorris commented
            Editing a comment
            Now THAT is a smoker!

          • Polarbear777
            Polarbear777 commented
            Editing a comment
            I don’t think that’s the one you’re looking for...

          #23
          Ok, decision made, and agonizing over it is done.

          Remember that my reasons for looking for another smoker were as follows:

          1. Kettle + SNS lacks capacity
          2. Offset has capacity but has too large a footprint for my rainy day cooking spot
          3. Don't always have time to tend the offset
          4. Don't want to spend the money needed for a pellet cooker right now
          5. Want the "set it and forget it" cooking of the kettle + SNS which I have dialed in pretty stable for 6-8 hours at a time now.

          I think since I really am looking for capacity and "set it and forget it while I do other stuff" the PBC wins over the UDS, as any smoker I build I will likely be tweaking all the time. And the footprint of the PBC wins too, along with the ease of setup with no burning out of barrels, painting, drilling and messing around required. I reserve the right to build a UDS at a future date, but it seems all signs are pointing to the PBC.

          I've got a cart ready to go, and while I would *LIKE* it prior to Memorial Day, in deference to my wife and Mother's Day being here in two weeks, as an exercise in self control I will make myself wait a month or so, so that she can give it to me for a Father's Day present from the "family" to me. I look forward to getting it and getting cooking on it in mid June! Unless MCS overcomes my resolve before then...

          Comment


          • VideoWolf88
            VideoWolf88 commented
            Editing a comment
            Awesome! What accessories did you decide on?

          #24
          VideoWolf88 I decided I will get the following to start:

          1. Ash pan. I think this is a must.

          2. Cover. I prefer to keep covers on all my cookers, as otherwise, my grills tend to get covered with pollen, bird crap, or just plain rain. I did not cover them for years, but do now.

          3. Pit Grips. I've got some silicone heat resistant gloves that someone gave me as a gift that suck rocks. I could not find anything cheaper or better than the Pit Grips on Amazon.

          4. MAYBE the hinged grate. Too bad this is not standard. I can see the attraction of cooking something else while hanging several racks of ribs or chickens, without firing up the other grills.

          5. MAYBE one or two extra packs of hooks. I could make hooks, but it comes down to whether I really need to double hook slabs of ribs. If I want to hang 8 racks of ribs at once, I sure don't want any of them ending up in the fire.
          Last edited by jfmorris; April 26, 2018, 04:19 PM.

          Comment


          • VideoWolf88
            VideoWolf88 commented
            Editing a comment
            Sweet. I got your first three plus the chimney starter when I bought mine. I need the hinged grate too, and probably the turkey hangers.

          • jfmorris
            jfmorris commented
            Editing a comment
            VideoWolf88 I was gonna get the chimney too, but since I have at least 3 of the Weber full size chimneys, will try and make use of those, even if it means raking the lit coals into place once I dump them. I could probably saw one of the 3 Weber chimneys in half...

          • Mudkat
            Mudkat commented
            Editing a comment
            Extra hooks a must!

          #25
          Sorry so late in responding. I own both and love both of them. PBC is the best chicken cooker EVER. I like the temperature control better on my UDS. It seems no matter what charcoal I use in the UDS I can get it under control. The PBC seems to respond to Kingsford the best. I have tried wood chunks/chips in the PBC and have noticed very little difference in taste from using charcoal only, but that is ok because the PBC has a wonderful unique taste. I use the PBC now if I need a brisket or butt sooner than later (always for chicken). I do prefer the taste of my ribs, butt, and brisket from the UDS because I can use wood more effectively. You cannot go wrong either way in my opinion. I have owned my PBC for 4 years now and it is awesome. I hope you are enjoying some good cooks without the stress of playing fire marshal!!! My recommendation is not using wood in the PBC, too many flare ups and temp swings. Good luck and happy cooking!!

          Comment


          • jfmorris
            jfmorris commented
            Editing a comment
            Thanks for the response. I’ve done nothing as of yet, and keep cooking with the cookers I’ve got. Too many bills came up to spend the money, and not enough time to make a UDS yet. At some point that will change.

          #26
          I built my Uds I knew not a thing about PBC I’m happy with Uds but the price of the PBC is pretty comparable with my Uds if you figure in my time if knowing what I know now the PBC would be my first choice
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          Comment


          • jfmorris
            jfmorris commented
            Editing a comment
            Interesting to hear. I have figured that if I do a UDS the way I would want to build it, I save at most half the price of the PBC, and as you point out, I would expend a lot of labor. Right now my MCS has eased off, and I can run 6 racks of ribs without a rack in my offset, or 12-15 if I use rib racks.

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