The WSM "hot squat"


 
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Doug Parizo

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OK, I'd like to know how crazy and/or common the following habit is:

Halfway through a cook, the urge to "fix" the fire becomes overwhelming and you do the "hot squat". By that, I mean you grip the center section by the top ridge, squat down, and LIFT all of
* the hot center section
* the hot food
* the hot water pan
* the boiling grease-water
* the hot lid
* the hot grates

and place them on the ground.

After fooling with the fire you do another hot squat and put it all back together.

I'm still sort of a beginner (although I've done 7 or so good cooks so far and my crowds are getting bigger.) In every cook, I found one reason or another to do the hot squat. The last time, I had 2 big precariously balanced beer can chickens in there, and I realized mid lift that I had flip-flops on. I'm thinking to myself, if that boiling oil-water sloshes onto my foot, I'm going to lose control of this whole thing bigtime.

In other words, I know one of these times I'm gonna get burned good, but I still can't resist.

Do I have to break this habit, or does everyone do it?

Doug
 
Check out the other side of the WSM, there is a door for tending the fire. Seriously I have never had the urge or need to remove the whole thing. Like they say there is no wrong way, your end product will speak for itself. If it works for you go with it, there is no wrong.
 
Doug, Count me in. Works great for me.Been doing it that way since day one
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Bryan
 
I have not done this in the middle of a long cook, but I have done it between cooks. That is, after I have removed the meat. I also don't use water in the pan so I don't have the steam issues to deal with.

I'll pass.
 
Never tried that one, Doug.

Heck you might get famous and this will become known as the Parizo Method... but wait... need to match letters... like MM = Minion Method. This would have to be... hmmm... Parizo Practice! Yeah, that's it!
 
If i have to go in and stir the coals i do the Hot Squat. Plus you don't get a temp drop or a temp spike cause it's so fast. Not to mention no ashes all over the food.
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Bryan
 
I did it routinely with the Brinkmann Gourmet I used to use, mainly because I'd have to add more charcoal at about the 6 hour mark of a long cook. The Gourmet came with handles to make the maneuver easier (and less risky). So I added handles to the WSM - but with the longer burn time, I haven't had to lift the center section. I did it once just to see if it worked (it did, of course).
 
Why do I keep picturing the opening sequence of Kung Fu, where David Carradine (aka 'grasshopper') gets those cool tiger and dragon brands on the insides of his arms by lifting up that big ol' hot whatchamacallit (and then cooling his arms in the snow)?

Hey, maybe Weber will add something like that for us diehards!
 
I've done this on more than one occassion. You do have to be very careful not to spill the water. And make sure you plan ahead where you're going to put the thing down so you don't have to reach over the coals!
 
If I had the urge to play with the fire, I'd get handles. Actually, if I wanted to play with fire, I'd get some fire wood and make a camp fire.

I'm with Larry D., I haven't had the need (or desire) to touch the fire in any of my cooks. I wonder if Chris can do a survey or what, but I wonder how long the longest burn has been (using say a full ring of Kingsford).

The Kung Foo thing - Funny! Maybe Weber can put little kettle brands on the center section. A wsm on one arm, a kettle on the other.
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Doug P,

I have done that many times. I've been lucky! I keep saying to myself, "I gotta stop doing that", but I haven't yet!
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I do recommend adding handles to the middle section if you insist on doing this squat!

(something I haven't done myself)
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Jim
 
If you feel the need do yourself a favor, add handles on the middle section and switch to sand in the waterpan. This well help you protect yourself from you.
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Cooking Beer Butt Chicken and performing the "Hot Squat" is a no win situation. Get yourself a chicken stand if you must remove the
the middle section.
Jim
 
The first time I had to stir the coals during a long cook, ashes went everywhere. After that incident, stirring the coals includes a hot squat.

The hot squat helps retain heat, while allowing excellent access to the charcoal. Of course, using sand makes for a more confident execution.
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I try to lift by placing just my fingertips below the lip at the top of the middle section. I allow the section to pivot freely with as little input from me. I figure the unit will find it's own balance point, and nothing will spill or fall out. Kinda' like a cup holder on a sailboat.

I never need to do it though, just on the really long ones.
 
As they said about the Corvair many, many years ago, "unsafe at any speed", I say about removing the center section with water in the pan during a cook. With sand you can reach in with welder's goves and carefully remove the pan, first, then the center section. By starting with enough fuel at the beginning, monitoring the heat, gently stirring the coals and tapping the ring, and adding coals through the access door, I think you can make it through the longest cook - one which would reach the capacity of the WSM.

Just my 2 CW.

Paul
 
If you take the center section off...doesn't it stir up the coals even more, like when you take the access door off? How can there be no spike?
 
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