How many vents do you use?


 

John09

TVWBB Fan
I'm settling in to my new wsm still. I'm pretty much using it for low and slow cooks so far and its done fatties and all that quite well. Minion it and open all 3 vents until its about 10-15 degrees off target and then start closing them and then use the vent that faces away from the wind as my temperature regulator.

Last night I decided to do an overnight cook on a couple butts and I don't have a wireless therm. As I was dialing it in though I started to wonder if just having one vent open might make the burn rate through a long cook less stable. I then spent way more time fiddling with trying to get all 3 cracked the perfect tiny amount rather than bumping the one between 1/3rd and 1/4 open. Worth the hassle or does it do fine with just 1 vent as temp regulation.

On that note, it seems like one vent open 1/3rd on a 45 degree night seems like maybe it shouldn't be enough. Possible air leak? I've tweaked my door to fit very tightly but the charcoal bowl and dampers might still be a little beat up from shipping damage and maybe there is a leak there still.
 
As stated in other / previous posts -

Expect your new WSM to run a little "hot" at first. Once it accumulates a little seasoning-crud, it will seal-up better, and will probably require you to crack the vents a little more than in your first few cooks.

For a low-n-slow cook, I usually try to crack all of my vents at least a sliver - so that the fire "breathes" from several directions. Like you said - I think it makes the fire more stable. I also stir the coals once in a while (after about 4 hours & every 2 hours, until I need to add more charcoal - I use Lump)
 
John,
I've been cooking for many years with one vent only 1/3 open. The important thing for me is that when I shut all vents, the fire goes out - which mine does.

Ron,
If you're stirring coals after 4 hours and every 2 hours, you like playing with fire (not that there's anything wrong with that)
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Using lump, filling and packing my ring, I have no problem getting over 12 hours without ever touching the fire.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jerry N.:
The important thing for me is that when I shut all vents, the fire goes out - which mine does.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

This is one of my favorite things about the WSM. Knowing I can dump as much charcoal as I want into it w/o worrying about waste. When i'm done just close the vents and there is some left for next time I smoke or grill.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jerry N.:
Ron,
If you're stirring coals after 4 hours and every 2 hours, you like playing with fire (not that there's anything wrong with that)
icon_biggrin.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You're probably right - Where do I go for a minor case of "Pyro-rehab"?
 
Some people say that balanced setting of all 3 vents promotes balanced burn of the fuel. Maybe so, but why should we care? Maybe the temps are less even across the grill surface this way?

It's easier to close two vents completely, using one to set the temperature and it seems to work fine.
 

 

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