I've been using my WSM for 5-6 years now, but all at lower altitude - maybe 1400 ft. I bought a smoker for my dads house and am firing it up today, but his house is at about 7000 ft - very thin air. Anyone have any experience using a WSM at high altitude? Kingsford doesn't change but there is less oxygen to combine with it, so I assume I'll have the bottom vents more open than I'm used to in order to maintain the same cooking temperature? Any idea how much more open? Dramatic or minor change? I know all other cooking aspects take longer as well as water boils at about 200F instead of 212F here. And on that note, I assume the water pan will act as a more substantial heat sink at high altitude than it did back home.
Changes for high altitude cooking
- Thread starter Ken Grove
- Start date
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
I smoke every time at 6000 feet and I've had my WSM at the base of breckenridge at ~8500ft elevation.
The only difference is a little more fuel consumption/vents a little more open for the same temps. Otherwise it works the same.
Also, don't use water in your pan, and be prepared to take some countermeasures against wind, if necessary.
Poke around on here you'll see lots of posts asking about using an empty/foiled water pan instead of water in the pan. It makes a big difference.
The only difference is a little more fuel consumption/vents a little more open for the same temps. Otherwise it works the same.
Also, don't use water in your pan, and be prepared to take some countermeasures against wind, if necessary.
Poke around on here you'll see lots of posts asking about using an empty/foiled water pan instead of water in the pan. It makes a big difference.
I want to make sure I understand... You're recommending no water specific to my high altitude situation? Or you are one of the dry pan cookers and would have recommended it regardless of my altitude?
I've thought about switching to dry to conserve fuel, but frankly out of pure laziness I'd rather burn a little extra coal and not have to pay as much attention to my cooker. If I get to the point where it won't hold enough coal to last the full cook, that's when I'll make the switch. Maybe high altitude will change the cook enough that I've reached that point. It did occur to me a dry cook might be necessary because the altitude will cause water to boil off at about 200F here, so the heat sink will tend to moderate the cooker temps I'm guessing that same 10F lower.
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
Specific to high altitude yes but it works so well id probably cook without water at sea level too.