Minion method mayhem


 
S

Steven Paul

TVWBB Fan
I seldom use the Minion method because I can't seem to keep it much below 270ish. I put an 8 pound picnic on this morning using the MM (ring about half full) because I wanted to get some more sleep, I just checked it now and its 275!

Am I the only one who has this problem with the MM?
If so why?
Thank you:smokeyjoe::wsm22:
 
I think we need a little more info, such as what type of smoker/kettle and lump or kbb, vent settings, etc.
 
Only one vent was half open, I added some cold water just now and it dropped to 250 (that's fine, tho I like 240 tops) I used the MM because I wanted to go back to bed for a few hours but I got the high temp that I didn't want, I'm just wondering if anybody else seems to think the temp runs high the first few hours with the MM,thanks
 
Last edited:
1 bottom vent half open, top vent full open, water pan half full, Kingston briquettes, I had about 12-15 lit coals, 2-3 chunks of hickory, that's about it... Had 275 after 2.5 hr

I guess what I'm asking is why I don't seem to be able to light it with the mm and then go back to bed for a few hours, I seem to always have a problem with high temp particularly for the initial few hours, thanks
 
Last edited:
How many lit briquettes are you starting with? Are you putting the meat on right away? Temps will run hot only if there's enough fuel and oxygen. When I start my cooks with the MM it sometimes can take an hour to reach 250°.
 
That seems like a lot of wood. Common wisdom is 4-5 fist-sized chunks. I've got an 8.5 pound Boston butt on now (9 hours in), and it hung around 230 with 50% vents overnight. It dropped earlier, but some leg knocking brought it back up. Sitting at around 250 now. I used a full chamber with about 20 lit spread out on top. Started with all vents open for about 20 minutes, then down to 50%. Put the butt on (cold, like 45 degrees) with WSM at 225 and climbing. It stabilized at 240 after an hour. Had a rum and turned in.

I have had the same problem occasionally. I haven't been able to pinpoint why it happens. I find that if the first half hour the temp climbs slowly and evenly, the entire cook goes pretty smooth. If it's jerky at the start, I'm gonna have trouble all the way. More rum may be the answer.
 
Yeah the wood was a typo, I edited it. I'm glad to hear that someone else has this problem at least occasionally, the only thing I could think to change is to start with a full waterpan, which I probably will try next time. Thanks Jay, I'll buy this round :)
 
Never had it happen unless I've lit too many coals. Start with 10-12 lit
 
Last edited:
I start with a full pan of hot water. When I dump the lit coals, I try to make sure that all the wood gets some contact. There's a lot of smoke for about 20-40 minutes, but then it tapers to a steady light stream. That's when the meat goes on. Good luck with the rest of the cook.
 
First, you cannot light it minion and go to bed. It takes a while to come up to temp and a little longer to get it stabilized. I give myself about an hour. Second, I've never understood all this talk about how many coals are lit at the beginning. Fire needs fuel and air. I'm sure if you lit an entire chimney, it'd be hard to control, but throw some hot coals on there and once you get around 200° start closing the vents. Third, if you want to get some sleep, why are you filling the ring only half full for a butt? Load that sucker up. You have about 10 to 16 hours of cooking ahead of you. Finally, if my WSM settled in at 275°, I'd be happy with that and go to sleep. Pretty much anything between 250° and 300° (lower being better) and I'm happy. I can generally run pretty stable at about 250° with top vent open and two bottom vents fully closed and one open about 2/3rd's. Your WSM will be different, but you will find a spot over time that will work. Once you have that, it's pretty much set it and go to sleep. I run all vents open until about 200° and then close two and set the one at 2/3rd's, come back in about a half hour and it's usually right where I want it to be. Then it's time to get some sleep. Oh, and stop using water. Among other things, it causes temp fluctuations as it evaporates.

In any case, I'm sure your butt will turn out well. Let us know.
 
I'm with Jerry (except on the stop using water part......I don't experience the fluctuations he described, but there are MANY opinions on water or not, decide what works for you!!) ......you definitely need to monitor and adjust until everything is stable. On my WSM, one vent half open on the bottom will run hotter than 240 (in "usual" California weather.) My method for lighting/stablizing is:

- Full ring of Kingsford, bottom vents 100% open, full pan of HOT tap water (no need to heat cool water, and full pan means more "heat sink".....you can, of course, replace water pan with flower pot, or remove it.....your choice)
- Use a MAPP gas torch to light four spots in the pile of charcoal (hold torch on each spot about 30 minutes), add whatever smoke wood I'm using
- This gives me about 12 coals that are partially lit
- Watch temps and adjust lower vents as necessary to "catch" pit temp on the way up as it goes to my target
- Add meat when at target temp (or a little before)
- Continue monitoring to ensure stability, then go to bed (if an overnighter)

Works for me every time.

Rich
 
Last edited:
I have a WSM 22", and here is what I do:

- full load of charcoal (unless I'm doing a very short cook, but never less than 1/2 full)
If there's leftover briquettes from last time, I shake off the ash and pour fresh on top.

- make a well in the center (usually not all the way down to the grate), and add 10-12
fully-ash-covered coals in the well. Then I place the smoke wood (3-4 chunks) touching
the hot coals, then assemble the smoker.

- top vet fully open throughout. Bottom vents fully open until 150 degrees at the grate,
at which time I close 2 bottom vents fully. At about 200 degrees, I close the third
bottom vent about 3/4 closed, and the grate temp will coast up to anywhere from 220
to 275, depending on temp, sun/clouds, wind, etc. Once it stabilizes, I'll open/close the
one vent to adjust the temp to about where I want. At 220-225, it's not unusual to have
all three bottom vents fully closed (I don't have gaskets, so there's enough leakage
to keep the fire burning)

- once the temp stabilizes, it's rock steady, rarely varying by more than +/-5 5 degrees.

The biggest key for me is to start closing off the vents early, so the fire doesn't build too fast. Once charcoal ignites, it's not going to go out on its own, so once the temp gets too high, it's really hard to get it back down.
 
Yep, just what the bear said. Thanks Jerry.
My only question is regarding water, you never use it, if I understand? I use water mainly to help control my temperature, adding it when the temp goes up. I'm curious how no water affects the meat's moisture, thank
 
Yeah, for minion method, I light 20 coals max. Spill them in a well in the center of a full ring of KBB. Choke the vents on the way up. I use a full water pan, and after the temp stabilizes, I go back to bed. The Maverick wakes me in an emergency!
 
My mobile is killing me today, sorry for all the edits. What I'm trying to say is I have a highly insulated WSM (Kaowool), I use a lot less charcoal than an uninsulated smoker. I know this affects my temperature, burn time etc. I think I went wrong trying to rush it, I didn't let it stabilize before I went back to bed.

I hit the stall 160 @ 5 hours & foiled. At six hours I added about half a chimney. I've been steady at 240 since the initial spike (if 270 can be considered a spike?). I'm going out to check the temp right now, thanks for all the input!
 
Last edited:
Steven,

'No water' does not affect the meat's 'moisture' since the meat's 'moisture' in reality comes from the liquid gelatin, which comes from the denaturing of the contractile protein collagen.


Bob
 
full ring of unlit coal, place 10 or so lit coals atop, NO water in pan...
three bottom vents open only one quarter way, top vent ALWAYS wide open...
steady 250ºF.
 
Steven Paul said:
Yep, just what the bear said. Thanks Jerry.
My only question is regarding water, you never use it, if I understand? I use water mainly to help control my temperature, adding it when the temp goes up. I'm curious how no water affects the meat's moisture, thank
Click to expand...

I have used water but gave it up a long time ago mainly because it's a pain to clean up after. I don't know if it impacts the texture/taste/moisture of the meat. A lot of people on this forum say it doesn't and I take their word for it. What I am sure of is that I can control the temp without it just fine. And the variation I spoke of is the change in temp as the water evaporates and you lose your heat sink.

I'm a simple guy. Once I light my fire, I don't add charcoal and obviously, I don't add water because I didn't start with any. When I read your comments, it hurts a little bit thinking of you adding charcoal, adding water, chasing the temps . . . Load the charcoal ring full (as much as it will hold) and get rid of the water and your BBQ life will be a lot easier. Then, stop worrying what your temp is (within a 25° to 50° range) and enjoy your WSM. A funny thing happens when you don't care about a precise temp - your WSM runs more stable. Seriously, I don't open the door or touch the vents after it stabilizes in the first hour. I will point out that I also have a spot on a porch where wind is not an issue. That helps a lot.

I see your cook is done - Looks Good!
 
I can't use that much charcoal, I have a heavily insulated WSM. I used maybe a half ring altogether today (including the half chimney I added at 6 hours) for a nine hour cook and it was still 200+ for several hours after I took the meat off.

I have posted a picture of my kao-wool insulated WSM in modifications.

I use water to tweak the temp a few degrees, as my insulated pit tends to run a little hot, also I feel the WSM was designed for water so I'm comfortable using it. Thanks all for the input.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top