Heat deflector. Yes or No?

rockinshelby

New member
Several of you appear to be using heat deflectors. I've seen Pizza pans, Lodge cast iron trivets, etc... I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the subject. Pros and cons etc...

Thanks, Jeff.
 

wneill20

New member
I like mine it makes the drum temps even all the way across the grate and almost makes it like a indirect smoker. You still get a little char on the meat which is a good thing.
 

scooter

Moderator
Staff member
Agree with BP. My general rule of thumb is it depends on the fat content of the meat and how long I'll be cooking it. If I can expect to have lots of fat dripping on coals for hours then I'll put the diverter in.
My first chicken cook told me I needed to do something about that vaporized fat flavor (grill taste) that overshadowed all the other components I added like rub, smoke and sauce. Could barely taste them due to the grill flavor. I quickly designed my own diverter/deflector so it would not interfere with the semi direct nature of the drum (which to me is the whole point of a drum cooker). It allows a lot of semi direct heat through but it would divert most, not all, of the fat away from the fire. I wanted some grill flavor, just wanted it in balance with the other flavor components. I also wanted it to spread the heat around to diminish the hotspot in the middle but have since learned to embrace the hotspot.
It worked perfectly. Grill taste, rub, smoke, sauce all in balance now.

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southga

New member
I use a diverter in my drum. Neither my wife nor I like the "campfire" taste that fat on fire creates. I use mostly fruit woods -- peach, apple -- because I like the sweet, subtle smokiness they provide. Don't want the burnt fat overpowering that. I also prefer even heat rather than a hot spot.

That being said, lots of people like the flavor from the fat dripping in the fire. To each, his own. Try a couple of cooks with & a couple without to see what YOU like best. Wallyworld has disposable pizza pans that could be used a time or two. I have even had success with double layer of HD Al Foil.
 
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Kristen's Poppa

New member
I have only had my Big Poppa's drum smoker since Christmas, and began using a pizza pan as a diverter about a month ago. It seems easier to maintain desired temps and I use in on top of the cooking grate when preparing salmon(tends to flake) and asparagus(tends to fall through the grate).
 

jimsbarbecue

Moderator
Staff member
Use one all the time when fire basket in lowered position.

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We do have all juices run into the basket. you can see the juice funnel in this photo and the deflector underneath

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richsilv

New member
Dang, I should know better than this... Was just at the Huntington Pigs, Beer and Watermelon event... and I talked with someone about his Drum... He has a Cast Iron Heat Deflector in it that has a removable center....

Told me exactly what it was... Did I write it down? Did I grab his card, name, contact info? No... Are my random Google searches finding anything like it? No...

Cali BBQ or something like that?
 

cjarchow

New member
Use one all the time when fire basket in lowered position.

DSC02546-L.jpg


We do have all juices run into the basket. you can see the juice funnel in this photo and the deflector underneath

DSC02468-L.jpg

I like the look of this. I have one of those trivets already as I am a cast iron cooking fool. Just curious, did you make that juice funnel or is that something you purchased? I have a big 16" skillet that I hardly ever use that I was thinking of drilling out (if it's even possible) to use as a deflector but I like the look of what you have going there.
 

swamprb

New member
I've got a couple different setups.

The Hunsaker Smokers Vortex Firebasket

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And a charcoal tray from an Old Smokey smoker that sits in the upper charcoal grate U-bolts.

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jimsbarbecue

Moderator
Staff member
The juice funnel is a stainless steel bowl. I think a 20 quart size Measure the top rim then cut out the bottom.
 

cnick54

New member
Rack for Diffuser Question

I'm a newbie looks like a great forum, it seems like most people are using a deflector, I plan on installing a rack about 1/2 way up the drum for a diffuser and/or a drip pan and my main grilling surface 6-8" from the top. I don't plan on doing huge amounts of smoking at time. Any thoughts on this plan? Thanks
 

scooter

Moderator
Staff member
Your plan is good although you can cook more than a few racks of ribs if you use the deflector and a rib rack. After you've cooked a few things and news spreads in your circles about the quality of your Q, people will approach you and you'll be surprised how much you will be cooking at one time! lol
 

Dick Danger

New member
I use a lid from a 55 gallon drum on my 110 gallon UDS, it keeps the upper and lower grate temps within 10 degrees of each other.
 
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