Getting the Smoker under 250 degrees


 
M

Mike Burnham

New member
Everytime I cook on my WSM I use the minion method in the following fashion.

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>I fill up the charcoal area about half way up while mixing in wood chunks.
<LI>I light about 1/4 of a chimney and lay that on top (with a couple of wood chunks up there.
<LI>I fill up the water pan with cold water and let everything go for 15 minutes wide open.
<LI>After 15 I close the bottom vents about 1/4-1/2 and the smoker sits beautifully at 250 for 4-6 hours when I don't tinker
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My question is this. What do you recomend for getting the tempurature down to around 225? I'd like to try smoking ribs or anything else for that matter at a lower temp. Should I stop complaining cuz I have 250 locked in? Any advice will be appreciated.
 
Also, don't wait 15 minutes, assemble and load your cooker as soon as you dump on the lit. Then you can catch the temps on the way up.
 
What do you recomend for getting the tempurature down to around 225? I'd like to try smoking ribs or anything else for that matter at a lower temp. Should I stop complaining cuz I have 250 locked in? Any advice will be appreciated.
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Mike, depending on your set up and where the temp. is being taken, but 250° at the lid (using water in the pan) should give you around 225° at the grate. You really don't want to go much lower for ribs, IMO. Why do you want to go lower?

Erik
 
Less lit to start is key. Also, I always just leave my vents in the partially closed position, probably 1/3 open. I imagine that if you start your vents where they end up after you close them down, you'll get 225 degrees. Be patient, it takes me about an hour to get to 225, but while the heat is building it gives the meat an excellent opportunity to absorb the smoke!
 
Like the others said, assemble cooker right away and catch the temp on the way up. I use 200* as the point I start shutting down the vents.

I use K so I don't put the meat on until the stink has left the cooker which is usually not long after temp has been reached. I see about 235-240* at the lid with a 6" probe.

Remember, it's easier to raise the temp, then to lower it.
 
All the ideas sound good.

The temp of 250 is taken at the grate with a remote thermometer. I will try to keep things closed up and creep slower to 225. 250 makes great ribs, don't get me wrong. I just want to try the lower temp to make sure I'm not missing something special. I also have read that you can use more sugar in your sauces/rubs if the temp is lower.

(maybe the reason is that at slower temps the cook takes longer...more time to "tend" the fire with an "emergency" beer to prevent any fires)
 
There is nothing magic about 225. After cooking tons of brisket and butt 235 to 250 does the job just fine.

Jim
 
Mike, watch the amount of wood chunks you use as well. Too much isn't a good thing. It can even cause problems with temp control if you have dry wood that is literally aflame.
 
The only problem I see with trying to get too low on temperature is the chance of having your smoke wood smolder rather then burn.

I would definately advice starting your fire with less lit and catching on the way up. If the fire is just too big it will be hard to keep the temps down. You basically just want to allow it to "grow" to the temp you are looking for, as opposed to trying to choke a large fire down.
 
I ususally have the bottom vents opened up about 15% once my target temp is reached. I can stabilize at 230-240. I'm sure I could get it down a little lower but like Jim, there probably really isn't anything magic about idling at 225.
 
I wonder how difficult it would be to keep the temps down to ~150? I have a load of red jalapenos and I'm hoping to make chipotles. I'll try some of the advice in this thread and see if I can keep it low enough.
 
Originally posted by Trev:
I wonder how difficult it would be to keep the temps down to ~150? I have a load of red jalapenos and I'm hoping to make chipotles. I'll try some of the advice in this thread and see if I can keep it low enough.
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Not too hard. Use minimal charcoal. Maybe 3 lbs or so. I did some cherry peppers and they were very nice.
 
I'll tell you, it was a real struggle keeping the temps below 200 yesterday but I managed to keep an average of ~175 for the most part. 150 was out of the question, and at one point it was just over 200 but it did come back down. I learned a lot about using the top vent in conjunction with the bottom vents to keep the temps low. I got about 14 hours of smoke on very little fuel and mesquite wood. I did one rack of chipotles (jalaps) and one rack of chilis. Pretty powerful stuff; The whole house smelled like chipotle powder when I ground it up this morning! Can't wait to give it a try in some marinade.
 
i cooked some ribs at 225 this weekend...im no pro but this is how i did it. Minion method 1/2 ring with 2 chunks of wood. Whole chimney (3/4 would have been better). No pre-heat time, top vent open bottom ones just cracked. 225 all day long
 
Originally posted by Trev:
I'll tell you, it was a real struggle keeping the temps below 200 yesterday but I managed to keep an average of ~175 for the most part. 150 was out of the question, and at one point it was just over 200 but it did come back down. I learned a lot about using the top vent in conjunction with the bottom vents to keep the temps low. I got about 14 hours of smoke on very little fuel and mesquite wood. I did one rack of chipotles (jalaps) and one rack of chilis. Pretty powerful stuff; The whole house smelled like chipotle powder when I ground it up this morning! Can't wait to give it a try in some marinade.
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I'd caution against doing this.
I did the same thing with some whole fish - maintained around 175 for a few hours before raising it to 225 - but the wood just smoldered and gave the meat a nasty metallic and acrid flavor.
If you close the top I think you risk smoldering and depositing nasty flavors (even if you've only got a handful of coals going).
 
Originally posted by Jim Minion:
There is nothing magic about 225. After cooking tons of brisket and butt 235 to 250 does the job just fine.

Jim
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Agreed Jim. After cooking almost everything for the past 2+ years at 300º+, It's all good in my book.
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