Long Burn UDS Basket design Ideas?

[JPinSTL]

So I'm very happy with my UDS for everything I've cooked so far. Chicken, Ribs, Butts, Pizza, etc. No problems on the less than 10hr smoke sessions. But I did a full 17lb packer brisket over the weekend and about 12hrs in and the fire was dying out. I am running the square basket from UDS Parts and was using Kingsford Blue Bag Briquets. There was still plenty of charcoal left, it just seemed to be snuffed out by ash. I usually walk by every couple hrs and give the UDS a shake if/when the temps start to dip but that trick was not working. So I pulled the brisket, removed the hot basket and really shook it down, then added a lit chimney at 12pm, and it ran the other 4hrs until 190º internal temp at 4pm.

I'm wondering if anyone has tried a perforated pipe insert in the center of the basket to allow more airflow in an attempt to not get snuffed out by ash??
A round "donut" type basket? Same idea?
An insert to do a minion method maze type burn?
I actually prefer lump, but used KBB for the more consistent burn, but may try it on the next one since lump has no extra clay fillers.

I put the meat on at 8pm Fri, checked/rattled it at 12am, again at 6am, 8am, and all was good. Left at 9am and came back at noon to low temps. I can live with the current performance of 6+hrs unattended.

[towtruck]

Looks good and that burn time seems good to me. I would just plan on reloading once around the time I would wrap if you wrap.

[ajfoxy]

I generally have my basket off the bottom. I put 4 legs on it and weld the legs to an ashpan. It keeps the bottom of the basket out of the ash. And I can lift the whole thing out to take out the ash when finished cooking. If I am careful I can get it out without tipping ash and unburned charcoal into the drum.
Alternatively Frank and the boys used to sell a door thing that you grafted to the side. You can open it up and add more fuel. Not sure if they still sell it though

[Big T]

I've used a maze in an old vertical cooker that I built years ago and it worked pretty good. I've also seen a lot of guys that light the charcoal basket from the bottom so that it burns from the bottom to top, they say that it solves the choking out issue.

[JPinSTL]

The basket from UDS Parts is about 12x12x12 and is raised off the bottom 3in or so with an integral ash pan of sorts. Not a real big pan, but does the job. I put an aluminum water heater pan in the bottom to make cleanup easier too. The basket had enough ash internally that it was snuffing out the coals. It was not from bottom up below the basket. I will try dumping the lit charcoal in the bottom of the basket and filling with unlit on top. See how that goes next time? If I'm still not happy I think a horse shoe shaped basket design would be pretty easy by adding an insert, or making a new basket.

I've been doing briskets naked, but reloading charcoal 10 hrs in is not an issue. The overnight cruise is the best part!!

[towtruck]

The basket from UDS Parts is about 12x12x12 and is raised off the bottom 3in or so with an integral ash pan of sorts. Not a real big pan, but does the job. I put an aluminum water heater pan in the bottom to make cleanup easier too. The basket had enough ash internally that it was snuffing out the coals. It was not from bottom up below the basket. I will try dumping the lit charcoal in the bottom of the basket and filling with unlit on top. See how that goes next time? If I'm still not happy I think a horse shoe shaped basket design would be pretty easy by adding an insert, or making a new basket.

I've been doing briskets naked, but reloading charcoal 10 hrs in is not an issue. The overnight cruise is the best part!!

Just watch out for sparks......

[Chromeski]

The basket from UDS Parts is about 12x12x12 and is raised off the bottom 3in or so with an integral ash pan of sorts. Not a real big pan, but does the job. I put an aluminum water heater pan in the bottom to make cleanup easier too. The basket had enough ash internally that it was snuffing out the coals. It was not from bottom up below the basket. I will try dumping the lit charcoal in the bottom of the basket and filling with unlit on top. See how that goes next time? If I'm still not happy I think a horse shoe shaped basket design would be pretty easy by adding an insert, or making a new basket.

I've been doing briskets naked, but reloading charcoal 10 hrs in is not an issue. The overnight cruise is the best part!!

Just watch out for sparks......

My thoughts exactly.... still better than frying bacon

[Dirtytires]

10 hours is pretty good in my opinion. Everyone needs to reload the fuel at some point.

[richy20]

I have done several long cooks with the basket I made but I use Royoal Oak Lump charcoal. Last time I did a brisket and pork butt. Started on a Friday night 10pm and put the food on at 10:30pm and in the morning about 7:00am wrapped and it was done by noon. Never had to add fuel and have about a 1/4 still left in the basket once done. Didn't have to do anything kind of like my Gravity feed. Also, I forgot to mention that I used a BBQ guru. Not sure if Lump charcoal made a difference or using the BBQ guru fan. Anyhow, good luck.