Not a newbie to smoking but am to the WSM, got this one cheap and today I fired it up.
I've read a LOT of posts on how folks operate these things so I had a pretty good handle on the process, so this is how it went.
Had a Canadian Bacon curing that needed to get smoked, to help fill it up, put a venison roast and 2 racks of ribs on it at the same time.
I was concerned about the amount of charcoal to use and opted for a "C" shaped fuse, with 5 chunks of cherry wood. I also used water in the pan to keep temp down. Everything went well and with the small amount of fuel was able to keep the temp down around 200-215 for the C Bacon. Bacon came off at 145 deg. in 3 hours, Venison came off at the same time at 148, or med, med. rare. So far so good.
Ribs looking good, Temp up to 230 but then starting to drop. Checked and the fuse was nearing the end, I had started with about 6 lbs of reg. KK briquets, Added a few handfuls and that helped but needed more. So....lessons learned. Use more charcoal! and settle it in, not loose. The Fuse method actually worked! I was apprehensive it wouldn't be effective. I figure I can "shape" the fuse thicker toward one end and regulate the temp up if I do bacon with something else again, or just go with a version of the minion. I had the top vent open and 2 bottom vents open which probably burned the fuel up, but the small amount of charcoal kept the temp down. The factory temp. gauge actually tracked the same as my digital probe thermometer, that was a surprise, plus the door barely leaked smoke at all after I tweaked it.
Anyway, it all worked out, pretty easy cook, even though I was working against myself by trying to go low, then hotter in the same cook. Might as well jump into the deep end right off,lol
Bacon is very good, Venison too, ribs still better then I can get around here, so I'm pleased with this thing.
Just want to say thanks to all who have posted, and those who answered questions, it made the transition to the WSM easy.
I've read a LOT of posts on how folks operate these things so I had a pretty good handle on the process, so this is how it went.
Had a Canadian Bacon curing that needed to get smoked, to help fill it up, put a venison roast and 2 racks of ribs on it at the same time.
I was concerned about the amount of charcoal to use and opted for a "C" shaped fuse, with 5 chunks of cherry wood. I also used water in the pan to keep temp down. Everything went well and with the small amount of fuel was able to keep the temp down around 200-215 for the C Bacon. Bacon came off at 145 deg. in 3 hours, Venison came off at the same time at 148, or med, med. rare. So far so good.
Ribs looking good, Temp up to 230 but then starting to drop. Checked and the fuse was nearing the end, I had started with about 6 lbs of reg. KK briquets, Added a few handfuls and that helped but needed more. So....lessons learned. Use more charcoal! and settle it in, not loose. The Fuse method actually worked! I was apprehensive it wouldn't be effective. I figure I can "shape" the fuse thicker toward one end and regulate the temp up if I do bacon with something else again, or just go with a version of the minion. I had the top vent open and 2 bottom vents open which probably burned the fuel up, but the small amount of charcoal kept the temp down. The factory temp. gauge actually tracked the same as my digital probe thermometer, that was a surprise, plus the door barely leaked smoke at all after I tweaked it.
Anyway, it all worked out, pretty easy cook, even though I was working against myself by trying to go low, then hotter in the same cook. Might as well jump into the deep end right off,lol
Bacon is very good, Venison too, ribs still better then I can get around here, so I'm pleased with this thing.
Just want to say thanks to all who have posted, and those who answered questions, it made the transition to the WSM easy.
