K.I.S.S. method

I started smoking on my WSM using Gary Wiviott's K.I.S.S. charcoal lighting method (Keep it simple, stupid!)...If you are not familiar with it, here it goes:

- Fill charcoal ring halfway with un-lit lump (about two chimneys full)
- Place 2-3 woodchunks of top of the un-lit charcoal
- Fill the chimney up with more lump, about halfway
- Dump this on the charcoal and wood already in the bowl (this should bring the lump just below the top edge of the ring)
- Fill ANOTHER chimney FULL with lump and light this one
- Dump lit chimney on top of unlit charcoal then add MORE chunks of wood.

Here's my problem: I've used this method about four times now and EVERY time my cooker starts off painfully slow - that is, around 200-225F for the first 1-2 hours of the cook. Towards the 2-3 hour mark, the lump really starts to engage and my cooker gets into that perfect 250-275 range. This almost ALWAYS occurs towards the end of my cook - I usually am cooking a couple birds or ribs - nothing that warrants 6-7 hours of fire.

Has anyone tried Gary's K.I.S.S. method to perfection? I can't seem to engage my coals to get hot enough for the beginning of the cook.

The K.I.S.S. method calls for A LOT of lump and A LOT of wood, but I get why Gary suggests this method - it forces you to learn how to manage a fire in the smoker and get a feel for how long the K.I.S.S. method will last for long cooks. I've learned how to use less wood and lump for things like ribs and chicken, but, can't I just use the minion method? What's the major difference between these two?

Thanks guys.
Tim

Not to throw water on Gary's K.I.S.S. method (it is a good method), but I think the Minion method is much easier and straight forward. I've used it for the last five years and have no problems with it. I also use Kingsford briquettes more often than not. I have used lump, but I like the consistency of KF. Give the Minion method a shot and let us know how it worked for you.

Tim O said:

Here's my problem: I've used this method about four times now and EVERY time my cooker starts off painfully slow - that is, around 200-225F for the first 1-2 hours of the cook. Towards the 2-3 hour mark, the lump really starts to engage and my cooker gets into that perfect 250-275 range.
Tim

Click to expand...

Tim, the method you've been using is what I call a "modified Minion", because it's still pouring lit on top of unlit to prolong a cook. If you're having problems getting up to temp in a timely manner now, it'll be even slower if you start with less lit charcoal, as Jim Minion did.

At the start of a cook, we're cooking a lot hotter than it appears if going by the dome gauge or checking with a therm on the grate next to cold meat. The alternatives are to measure exhaust temp through the top vent, measure the temp of the fire with a probe hanging just UNDER the grate, and although not as consistent, measure the fire on one side with a probe between the cooker wall and the meat, just below the grate.

In any case, I suggest starting with hot or even boiling water, and assuming you're using the huge pan of the '09+ wsm, you don't have to fill it more than about halfway. If cooking a lot of meat and using both racks, you might even try skipping the water altogether and maybe just foil the pan or use a clay pot base for a heat sink. Of course, be sure to leave the bottom vents open all the way until you get up to temp, at least in your case.

When you dump the lit lump don't assemble the WSM right away, let it get some time to get hot.