WSM overheating

Cooked a 4 1/2 lb. Butt this weekend using the Minion method and no water in the pan. During the entire cooking session, I could not get the temp below 290. First problem was I filled the ring completely to the top with unlit Kingsford. Probably too much without water in the pan. Then, I started it with about 20 - 25 lit briquettes. Vents were left wide open for the first 20 - 30 minutes. My thermometer that I installed in the lid, went "south" and would not read temps above 205. I got suspicious after 30 minutes and put a Taylor digital on the cooking grate, and sure enough the temp was really 290! I closed all of the bottom vents for the remainder of the cooking session. The temp climbed to 300 and stayted there for the next 4 - 5 hours.

I know that my unit, where the bottom bowl and the bottom of the mid-section join together, are out of round. I have tried working these two sections to get them to fit better, but it must not be good enough, since I always have a hard time getting the temps down to 225.

Can someone measusure the diameter of the rim of the bottom bowl and the bottom rim of the mid-section to help in getting these two to fit better? Also, once assembled, should the midsection be able to "rock" within the confines of the bottom bowl? This seems to indicate that my two sections are not fitting tightly and is allowing air to enter the charcoal ring.

Any help or other advice for getting my temps down would be greatly appreciated. For now I will use 3/4 ring full of charcoal for future cooking sessions.

Thanks,

SC Que

J. Barry...

Maybe 2 things to help you out.

My WSM was a little out of round also when it was new. I suggest you put the middle unit on and rotate until you get rid of MOST of the gaps. You may not get them all out but just this little bit will help. Also, as you use it more often the "gunk"(highly technical BBQ term) will build up and totally eliminate any gaps. Until then you may have to COMPLETELY close the bottom vents...I had to do that.

Next, I would encourage you to continue the FULL charcoal ring if you want those long burn times. What you need to do is turn down your bottom vents MUCH sooner that 20-30 minutes!

Not sure why everybody seems to be experimenting with these units without the water pan!!!! What does it add?? They are manufactured to be used WITH a water pan!! I love to experiment, but I find no added benefit to using WITHOUT the pan. Better taste? Longer burn times? Less charcoal?

Any thoughts on this will be met with an open mind...

Good Luck!!

Stogie

I did use the water pan, just didn't put water in it. I usually fill the pan with water and keep it filled during the cooking session; but, I was experimenting to see if more of the grease would release from the butt in the drier heat.

I did close the vents completely, but because of the errant temp gauge, it was done too late. However, on most cooking sessions I always run with the bottom vents completely closed when I fill the charcoal ring. And when I say fill, the top layer of charcoal is generally at a slightly higher level than the sides of the charcoal ring. I always have a time getting the temps down on my WSM.

If you get a chance, please measure the diameters so that I can have an idea if my unit is close.

To be honest, cooking at 300 wasn't too bad as the meat still had a good taste. Butts are forgiving!

I think you've got a good handle on what's causing the situation:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>


<LI>Continue to work on the out of round situation to avoid air infiltration...without a good fit, you'll have a hard time getting your temp down.

<LI>Get a good quality thermometer and test it occasionally for accuracy.

<LI>When using no water in the pan, it's hard to get the temp back under control if it gets too high. As you said, you've got to start shutting those bottom vents down earlier, based on an accurate reading from your thermometer.

<LI>I would cut back on the fuel a bit. I know many like to use a full load no matter what they're cooking, but for a 4-1/2 lb butt you're talking 7-8 hrs cooking time, not that long, so you don't need as much fuel.

[/list]


On my WSM, the outside diameter of the bottom of the cooking section varies from 17-3/4 to 17-7/8, depending on where I measure. The outside diameter of the charcoal bowl is 18-5/8" no matter where I measure.

So my unit has a perfectly round charcoal bowl and a slightly out of round middle section.

My cooking section does not rock when inserted in the charcoal bowl.

Stogie, as to why there's so much experimentation with no water in the pan, I think it's because of what LAScott has been saying about it and the super-long burn times he gets with so little charcoal. My take on it is that the unit is designed to be used with water, so I'll use it that way with cuts of meat that benefit from the moisture it provides, like ribs, chicken, turkey breast, and brisket.

I do some pork butt without water and show that technique on the Web site. I kind of like it because the outside meat seems to get crunchier that way. Butt has so much fat in it that I don't think it really needs the moisture from the water. But the trade-off is that you have to keep closer tabs on your fire, since you don't have the water helping to moderate temperature.

I'm doing a 5-6lb Butt this morning using the Minion method WITH water.

I'm trying the Mustard method that Chris had posted.

My problem is that now that the meat is on, I have a hard time getting it below 255 , even with all of the bottoms vents almost closed.

I plan on closing them all the way to see if that helps.

I'm using the Polder and have it "draped" into the top vent with the curved end where the wire attaches hanging outside.

Adding a couple of turkey breast on the top grill shortly should help bring the heat down as well.

This new unit seems a bit out of round, but nothing major. The darn door is still leaking a bit even after an attempt tp bend it a bit. The knob got real loose and I had to try to tighten it a bit after I inserted the wood.

Smoke smells good , from my cigar and the cooker. Wish me luck.

Steve

Hey Chris,

Sounds like we need the Virtual Weber Bullet CIGAR FORUM!!!

kev

Hey Steve,

The Minion Method can be a bit tricky to control if you let the temp get too high in the beginning. Don't be afraid to shut down those bottom vents completely if necessary to bring it under control.

Let us know how it turned out!

I will go to the guestbook before I'm
done tonight but a couple suggestions on keeping the temp down. If your not going to use water in the pan start out with 8-12
briquettes, less is better to let you keep
control. Second try Wally World briquettes
they burn cooler.
If you lose control add a small amount of water to the pan, will bring the temp in line quicker.
Hope this helps
Jim


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Jim: Thanks for the advice, but I am probably going to go with some advice that you supplied to me last year(on Ray's forum) when I first got my cooker. A full ring of charcoal is too much for 4 - 5 lbs of meat. I really like your method ("The Minion Method")for pork butts, but for some reason my best ribs have come from getting all of the charcoal to gray ash before putting the meat on the cooker. In the future, I will use fewer lit coals for starting the fire on my butts.

Kevin: I will probably refrain from not putting water in the water pan anymore. I definitely get better temp control with the water in the pan as the unit was designed!