WSM in Colorado

If you live in Colorado where the altitude starts at a mile high you know that we have a whole different learning curve.

My first cook on my new WSM was the turkey this thankgiving. Loaded the pan with two chimneys full of charcoal made sure they were all gray added wood added turkey on top rack with a dry pan.
With all vents wide open the temp never got over 300* at the lid.
Is this what I should expect here?
Please let me know if you live in Colo. so we can exchange notes.

Thanks

-Steve S

Hi Steve,

While you're waiting for responses, click "search" at the top of this page and do a search on "altitude". You'll find two posts with "altitude" in the title that contain info from folks in CO and NM cooking at high altitudes.

Hope this helps,
Chris

I smoked a turkey here in Utah yesterday. My experience was exactly like yours this time. My lid temp wanted to stay right at 300* the whole cook. I had to add 3/4 chimney of lit coals to the 2 already there to get it in the 325 - 350 target range, and that only lasted about 1-1/2 hours of the 3-1/2 hour cook. I also took the access door off twice, which did boost the temps temporarily. The turkey still turned out great.
I think the outside temperature played a big role in this. It was around 35* here yesterday. Back in early September, the WSM had no trouble staying in the 325 - 350 range when smoking my first turkey. The outside temps were in the 80's back then.

Jeff

Steve,
The only way that I was able to maintain anything over 300 on Thursday was to have the access door opened at the top about two inches. I went through a lot of fuel but it was the only way I was able to maintain temps. I have noticed that cooking in Colorado with the wind and the altitude makes it a little harder to maintain a constant temp. I am slowly starting to get a feel for what I have to do to get my WSM to maintain a steady temp. My next project is to mount a tel-tru in the lid so I can see what the temp is and have a "constant" place to take temps. I am not sure I trust my Maverick much after my last cook. I think it may have gotten hot and now it is not very accurate.

Mark

To get temps over 300 I usually start the 2 full chimneys as suggested. Then I have to leave the door open for at least 20 minutes. Then I can usually put the door on and the WSM will stay up in the 350 range with all vents wide open.

However, that was this last summer. Since winter has hit and the breezes with it, I'd suggest the 2 inches on the door trick suggested earlier.

Easiest way to get the door to stay open just a bit is to cut a clothes hanger. Bend a small hook at one and and a larger hook at the other end perpendicular to the small one. Hook the small hook on the lip of the WSM where the lid sits, and the large hook over the door nob.

Tweak the length a bit and you can have your door stay open just as much or as little as you want. I have about 4 of them of various lengths with the smallest only allowing about 1/2 inch of opening.

Thanks for the replies.
I will try the open door trick next time this happens.
I did another turkey on Saturday ( the outdoor temp was much warmer)I put in many more coals added the bird dry pan and in just a few minuits I buried the temp guage past 400. I shut the bottom vents 50% and the temp went to 350* no problem. In two hours and ten minuits the bird hit 160*. Life is good on the weber WSM /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

-Steve S