Controlling Heat in 22.5 WSM


 

Frank Eriksen

TVWBB Super Fan
On my last two cooks I've had trouble keeping the temps below 260 dome. 300 top grate. I started each with a full charcoal ring and 50 lit briquettes. I've had boneless pork butts on since 10am. 10 hrs later, they're at 175. Been wrapped in foil for an hour. Was using the Pitmaster IQ-110 but took it off. Anyone suggestions? Usually have no trouble keeping heat down. Started with 1 gallon water in pan.
 
Is it a new wsm? If so it will run hot on the first several cooks. Also check to see if the cooking section is out of round,you might have a air leak. Or try starting with less lit, I'll do about half a chimney, and perhaps back down your vents earlier. maybe at 200°back them down to half and see what happens. good luck keep us posted.
BTW, good to see another Coloradoite here!
 
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Just got my 22.5 today, coming from 4 great years of 18.5 usage (selling to a friend in a few weeks).

I'm nervous about temp control as well as I'm reading tons of 270F+ posts, but I've got some Nomex gasket and RTV sealant leftover from my 18.5 install, and plan to place it either flush with the rim of the charcoal bowl, or flush with the bottom of the cooking section (I don't think the latter will work). I also own a HeaterMeter and a 6.5CFM Auber fan, so hoping that thing can do its job. I'll have to get some more gasket for the top area when I order another UnknownBBQ hinge (don't miss out -- get one of these -- it's invaluable!)

But....

Overall, the construction of the vents is def crappier than the 18.5, as it feels like air will leak in, and overall the whole unit just doesn't feel quite as tight. Mine may need adjustment in the cooking section a tad, but I'll find out soon. Guess it's time to take a break from the last month's onslaught of pork and beef and get to cooking chicken wings, thighs, tenders, etc.

Cheers, and hopefully we'll both get it under control! I'm doing first burn-in tomorrow. Following Harry Soo's instructions on Amazon.com review for "break-in", because why not. I also hope to master no-water cooking. The water bowl is so different from the 18.5!!!
 
I've had my 22 for almost a year now. I had struggled a bit with keeping a 225 temp, because I tried to operate it the same way I do my 18. With the 18, I start with all 3 bottom vents fully open until the temp reaches about 200, then start dialing back on the vents to hit my target. But, on the last few cooks I've learned that I can control temps better in the 22 if I start with only one bottom vent fully open, the other two completely closed (top vent always fully open). Let the fire settle in and the temp creep up. As it approaches 200, I crack the other two as needed to get to temp. The fire doesn't get so hot and "out of control" from the start. My coals don't burn up as quickly and it is a much smoother cook. I start with about 20 lit. The 22 is a beast, and not as forgiving as the 18, in my opinion.
 
About 6-8 cooks into my 22" WSM, and I've got a pretty good handle on temps...

Like Steven, I tend to close down one vent (usually the down-wind vent) and use the other two to control the flow. The only temp spikes I get are during wind gusts. Then again, I typically cook below 275...
 
On my last two cooks I've had trouble keeping the temps below 260 dome. 300 top grate. I started each with a full charcoal ring and 50 lit briquettes. I've had boneless pork butts on since 10am. 10 hrs later, they're at 175. Been wrapped in foil for an hour. Was using the Pitmaster IQ-110 but took it off. Anyone suggestions? Usually have no trouble keeping heat down. Started with 1 gallon water in pan.

Frank, was the weather different for this cook compared to other cooks? Warmer temp or more or less wind? 50 lit briquettes seems like a lot to me but i haven't used the 22" WSM I use the IQ on an 18". I will say the probe on the IQ reads cooler then my maverick, likely due to the fact that the IQ probe has an alligator clip that shields it and the maverick probe is exposed. I compensate accordingly by setting the IQ lower: if i want 275 i generally set the IQ at 250-260.

My last few cooks with the IQ were in cold weather and i started with 15 lit briqs. Maybe try starting with 25-30 or so? The IQ pan will will blow air to increase the burn if its not coming to temp. Check for air leaks around the rims and door too.

There is a chance the probe on your IQ is bad but testing it would be trick so i would i try the steps above first.
 
In my opinion 50 lit briqs are toooooooo much. I start my minion side method with 8/10 lit briqs. Need to wait 1 hour or 1:30 hours before T reaces 250T but no cooking T problems!
 
Yeah I missed that part when I posted earlier -- 50 briquettes is a ton! OP needs to cut down on startup burn.

You should have maybe half a chimney of coals to light. Do this -- place coffee can in middle of charcoal run, fill the "donut" with coals and wood like normal. Then take 10-20 briquettes and light in the chimney. I'd guess I guess about 12-15 on my 18, and it works perfectly. I expect about the same amount to work the same way for the 22". Then just take that coffee can out and dump the lit coals in the "donut hole".
 
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In my opinion 50 lit briqs are toooooooo much. I start my minion side method with 8/10 lit briqs. Need to wait 1 hour or 1:30 hours before T reaces 250T but no cooking T problems!

1 to 1.5 hours to reach your target temp? You have a lot more patience then I! I always love to read everyone's methods and how they do things differently. Thats what makes this site great!
 
1 to 1.5 hours to reach your target temp? You have a lot more patience then I! I always love to read everyone's methods and how they do things differently. Thats what makes this site great!

If it's anything like my 18.5 (I still havent done a burn-in yet on the 22 ---- stupid latch screw anchor came out when i tried to install it on the cajun bandit door), then using the method we just outlined, I usually was up to temp within 1 hr, but typically got to atleast 175 within 20 mins tops. It was from about 180 to 220 ish that took a while.

Remember, BBQ is not something to hurry. I learned long ago to make a 4hr window for large cuts (butts, brisket, etc) and 1-2 hr window for something like ribs. That way I never have to rush anything. Simply put, getting a good put environment established takes a bit of time.

If you dump 50 lit briquettes in on a Minion-method charcoal bed, you're doing 2 things:

1. You're inserting WAY too much red-hot heat in there. Each of those coals is likely at peak heat. Would you dump 50 coals into a Weber kettle if you wanted to cook steaks at 225 (hypothetical) ??? Heck no! 50 briquettes gets a kettle RAGING at 600F or higher.

2. You're letting the lit fuel completely ruin your Minion method because the WHOLE coalbed is now lighting up, instead of slowly radiating outwards from the donut hole towards the donut.

Make sense?

Finally, another option to consider is getting the 18.5 charcoal ring. My 18.5 isn't being sold for another couple weeks, so I may try that once I get my initial 22" burn-in done.
 
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Interesting to learn about the way others set their vents.
I don't know how many briquettes I light (1/2-3/4 chimney).
I usually start with a full fire ring with a can in the middle I pour the lit coals into but sometimes I pour the lit coals across the top of the coal bed. The wood chunks are always added when the lit coals are added.
It doesn't seem to make much difference how the lit coals are added.
I assemble the WSM immediately.
Exhaust vent open 100%, only one intake vent open a crack.
In about an hour the top grate temp settles in between 200 and 230.
I keep an eye on it for the first two or three hours and make very small adjustments to get the temperature I want.
After that it will run 10 hours pretty much hands off.
The only mod I have made is to attach the fire ring to the grate with SS tie wraps.
I cook with a dry foiled water pan.
 
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I cooked a top-grate's worth of assorted chicken cuts and a bottom-grate's worth of bacon today to "season" the insides with smoke and grease, and I came across something interesting.

I filled the charcoal area about maybe 1/3 the way full at best, then lit 2/3 of a chimney. After 30 mins of that setup being inside the WSM, I was still sitting at 225F, which was crazy!!! Dome read 225, probe grommet readout was 180. I expected 300F no issue, albeit a shorter amount of time overall, but nope! That was vents wide open, etc.

I think the takeaway I had more than anything else is that if I wanna do a short smoke, I should grab an 18WSM's charcoal ring. I've got my current one, but it's being sold so will have to grab a new one. I'm really surprised at how it kept low...........until I dumped a full chimney of raging lump coal on the entire pile. Had to get that chicken crispy! It was at 325F in no time after that.
 
I bought a gasket set and a CB door after I got my 22 and after a couple cooks I can control the heat very well. I just finished a 14.5 lb. brisket smoke today that took 12 hours but the smoker held a steady 250 for 17.5 hours.
 

 

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