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Guest
Guest
I would like to share some thoughts and experiences I have had during the past 3 weeks with regard to GETTING THE WSM TO TEMP QUICKLY and MAINTAINING A LONG CONSISTENT BURN TEMP.
Having worked for a large industrial bakery for the past 9 years I have been exposed to quite a bit of technology with regard to flame combustion and oven heating. Having recently purchased a WSM I naturally wanted to experiment with some of what I have learned in this regard.
Without going into a lot of theory I want to share the great experiences I have had:
1. Start by bringing a full chimney of Kingsford to the point of being coated with a light covering of ash - conventional method.
2. Fill the charcoal ring about half full, then by hand, stack the briquettes into a ring around the inner perimeter of the charcoal ring...this will bring the level of coal to the top of the ring resulting in a "hole" in the middle.
3. Next, pour the chimney of hot coal into the "hole" in the middle of the ring.
4. Add smoke wood, onion, garlic, etc...
5. Assemble (within minutes you will be @ 225' F).
6. Add meat & Cook.
Please try this.
The benefits of this method relative to other methods are that you can put the WSM together immeditately, and by closing the bottom vents to 50% and opening the top vent to 100% you can expect to be at temperature (225' F) within 10 minutes or so.
The primary principle behind this method is the "venturi" effect similar to that which is used to quickly bring a chimney of coal to temp.
By concentrating the heated coals in the middle of the ring together with proper vent control you are able to maintain a high enough concentration of combustion to promote a draft from the bottom of the cooker up though the hot coals on the coal grate. In doing this you make the most efficient use of the energy contained in the hot coals as well as controlling the rate at which the hot coals ignite the perimeter coals.
A side benefit to this method is that you can place additional pieces of your smoking wood on the perimeter coals, which will not come to temp for a couple of hours, thereby controlling and, if desired, prolonging the introduction of the smoke throughout the cooking process.
The difference between this method and the Minion method, as I understand it, is time. the result is somewhat the same with regard to length of burn. I have been able to achieve an 20 hour burn (225 F) repeatedly with this method...the extra hour or so comes with the ability to come to temp and begin cooking so quickly.
I hope some of you are able to try this method and respond with results, quetions, etc.
Tom Kitslaar
Having worked for a large industrial bakery for the past 9 years I have been exposed to quite a bit of technology with regard to flame combustion and oven heating. Having recently purchased a WSM I naturally wanted to experiment with some of what I have learned in this regard.
Without going into a lot of theory I want to share the great experiences I have had:
1. Start by bringing a full chimney of Kingsford to the point of being coated with a light covering of ash - conventional method.
2. Fill the charcoal ring about half full, then by hand, stack the briquettes into a ring around the inner perimeter of the charcoal ring...this will bring the level of coal to the top of the ring resulting in a "hole" in the middle.
3. Next, pour the chimney of hot coal into the "hole" in the middle of the ring.
4. Add smoke wood, onion, garlic, etc...
5. Assemble (within minutes you will be @ 225' F).
6. Add meat & Cook.
Please try this.
The benefits of this method relative to other methods are that you can put the WSM together immeditately, and by closing the bottom vents to 50% and opening the top vent to 100% you can expect to be at temperature (225' F) within 10 minutes or so.
The primary principle behind this method is the "venturi" effect similar to that which is used to quickly bring a chimney of coal to temp.
By concentrating the heated coals in the middle of the ring together with proper vent control you are able to maintain a high enough concentration of combustion to promote a draft from the bottom of the cooker up though the hot coals on the coal grate. In doing this you make the most efficient use of the energy contained in the hot coals as well as controlling the rate at which the hot coals ignite the perimeter coals.
A side benefit to this method is that you can place additional pieces of your smoking wood on the perimeter coals, which will not come to temp for a couple of hours, thereby controlling and, if desired, prolonging the introduction of the smoke throughout the cooking process.
The difference between this method and the Minion method, as I understand it, is time. the result is somewhat the same with regard to length of burn. I have been able to achieve an 20 hour burn (225 F) repeatedly with this method...the extra hour or so comes with the ability to come to temp and begin cooking so quickly.
I hope some of you are able to try this method and respond with results, quetions, etc.
Tom Kitslaar
