WSM lump slump


 
D

Dave Russell

TVWBB Honor Circle
I'm wondering what the deal was with a thigh cook in my 18" yesterday. 25 small thighs using both grates, OE '09 big pot water pan, almost 3/4 full hot/boiling water. 2/3rd a chimney of almost fully engaged RO lump dumped into middle crater of 3/4 ring of same lump. Smoker protected from wind and sun, so I just went by instinct and dome gauge, which went up to 250 fairly quickly.

So this is my question. I was gone to run an errand 40 minutes tops, only to come back home and find the gauge at about 210. Now I know that lump is much more sensitive to air deprivation than briquettes and doesn't burn any hotter in a wsm, but I left with all the vents wide open, except for the back one at 1/3 since it has my ATC adaptor. I usually light lump with 1/2 chimney or so of briquettes and don't have any issues. What do ya'll think?
 
Did you foil your pan top and bottom? Water can find its way between foil sheets and travel to lit coals.
 
Was lump packed tight so it could ignite with ease? I always hand pack lump because pouring in alone will create airpockets and unlit coals.
 
That is odd that you went from 250 then down with all vents almost opened.
The big pot water pan might of been the culprit, but just a guess, cause I have the shallow one.
I've never had a bad bag of lump (damp) like you sometimes get with briquettes. Granted you do get some brands that burn faster, and have some so and so mixed in, but for the most part they hold steady or rising temps.
I'm with you Dave, puzzled also.

Tim
 
I have no idea, Tim. The bag came from Walmart and didn't look like it has ever gotten wet. It didn't smoke hardly at all, either, like damp charcoal does. That's why I used two chunks of hickory.

I did notice that there was so much humidity in the cooker that some moisture dripped out of one of the bottom vents.
 
When I go with no pan, like a drum smoker than I do get some drops in temps from the drippings watering down the coals. But you had the shield in place, so kinda weird.

Tim
 
did the lump look carbonized when you poured it from the bag,ive had royal oak and cowboy bags where the lump was not completely carbonized
 
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