1st time on new WSM - Long


 
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I turned out some good ribs and chicken my first time on the WSM (longtime ecb user). I had more problems maintaining heat that I expected. Have read all the cold weather faq's on this site and tried to follow directions. Was about 38-40 degrees, 0 to very light breeze so did not set up the wind screen. Used minion method with about 15lb.s of kingsford and half a chimney of coals to start. Used about 3 quarts very hot water in the pan. When temp got up to 250 I put ribs and wood on. All vents fully open. Temp got to about 220 then started down so I closed 1 vent (downwind vent) and temps worked up to to 247 (2 hours into cooking). I had to remove the lid to put the chicken on and temp went back up to 220 and started dropping. Stirred the coals to no avail so started half chimney of coals and put them on to get temps up. Had to do that again about an hour later. Bottom line is I maintained the temps in the 220-250 range with more effort than expected but the results were very good. I now have what appears to be a full pan of gray but not completly burned coals. Should I just throw a full chimney of coals on this the next time I BBQ? Things I will try different are only use 1 quart of hot water, and let my temp get up to 280 or so before putting my meat on. I hate to think my new WSM was running 50 degrees hotter than normal (I read new ones run hotter). Any advise or comments are welcome. Just joined the PNWBA and looking forward to meeting some others on this list.

John
 
If keeping the cooker hot is a problem, go for the other method for starting your coals. I believe Chris calls it method #1 on the "Firing it up" page. Start with a chimney full of kingsford, get it lit and flaming, then pour the coals into the charcoal chamber. Now add unlit charcoal until the chamber is full and wait till it all turns gray. Assemble the cooker and fill the water pan (I usually use cold water to get temp down). You will probably need to close the bottom vents to get the temp down. Be sure to leave the top vent fully open. Cooker temp should be 300 - 325. Put the meat on and it will go to 275 or below.

Remember, the main benefits of the Minion Method is to get the initial cooker temp low and to get you cooking quicker. One of the things that you will find out is that it is easier to raise the temp on the WSM than to lower the temp once it gets high.

When I first bought my WSM, 2 years ago, I also had a hard time getting the temp up and keeping it at 225. My problem was cheap charcoal and not filling the chamber to capacity.

Keep at it and enjoy the cooker, its a blast!

SC Que
 
I smoked a pork butt this weekend and had much better results maintaining temp than I did the first time. About the only thing I did different was set up a 3-sided wind screen. Apparently it only takes a light breeze on a cool day to mess things up.

I got 14 hours of very consistent burn on just under 20lbs. of kingsford. I used the minion method again only with 3/4 full chimney instead of half like first time.

I basted a 6.3lb. bone-in butt with mustard sauce and rub the evening before and then started mopping half way through cooking time with a vinigar based sauce. Took the butt off when temp at 194. Put on at 7:35am and took off at 9:15pm. 14 hours and a pig butt later I was enjoying pulled pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw and some hush puppies on the side.

John
 
John
With ribs and chicken a long burn is not really needed. You need 225- 250* pit temp for 6 hours aprox.
Light off more chrcoal and use bottom vents
to bring down pit temp. Can also use cold water in waterpan to bring down pit temp.
When the pit temp dropped after you put on the chicken, opening all the bottom vents should have gotten your temp back up in the Q range.
Consider that when your pit temp is over 275* when cooking pork or beef and if you have sugar in your rub, you burn that sugar.
With cold outdoor temps I use more hot charcoal to start the burn. It will become easier to maintain the temps you want as you use the cooker more. A new cooker that has no build up inside on the walls the temps
do run higher than a well seasoned unit.
I clean the the inside of pit walls and lid only once a year unless the buildup starts to flake off.
Jim
 
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