I have been having reasonable success with my WSM but this success has been at the price of constantly monitoring the temp of the smoker. This was especially painful with a 15 lb brisket last fall.
Last Saturday I did a 9 lb butt and was having the same problems. My assumption has always been that the charcoal wasn't getting enough oxygen. As it turns out, my problem was that it was getting *too much*. The flow of air was such that I had to have the coals really burning to get the temps up to smoking realm. Anyhoo, at one point I got sick and tired of running out to mess with the smoker and reflected on the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results).
So I closed her up. Had the door cracked and vents all the way open. Closed the door and watched the temps. Dropped a little and then started to climb. At 240 or so, I closed the bottom vents to around 2/3.
Now that was a valuable epiphany. Temps in the smoker stayed steady for the next 4 hours. Without messing with it. I cannot say the series of events that led me to believe that the coals weren't getting enough oxygen, but I think it all started with not letting the coals get hot enough before loading the cooker. And the spiral of confusion commenced, reinforced by my unfamiliarity with smoking practices and impatience.
Anyhoo, I am sure there is more learning in store for me.
Hey, if it results in the quality of smoked meat I am getting now - or better! - I say, bring it on!
Last Saturday I did a 9 lb butt and was having the same problems. My assumption has always been that the charcoal wasn't getting enough oxygen. As it turns out, my problem was that it was getting *too much*. The flow of air was such that I had to have the coals really burning to get the temps up to smoking realm. Anyhoo, at one point I got sick and tired of running out to mess with the smoker and reflected on the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results).
So I closed her up. Had the door cracked and vents all the way open. Closed the door and watched the temps. Dropped a little and then started to climb. At 240 or so, I closed the bottom vents to around 2/3.
Now that was a valuable epiphany. Temps in the smoker stayed steady for the next 4 hours. Without messing with it. I cannot say the series of events that led me to believe that the coals weren't getting enough oxygen, but I think it all started with not letting the coals get hot enough before loading the cooker. And the spiral of confusion commenced, reinforced by my unfamiliarity with smoking practices and impatience.
Anyhoo, I am sure there is more learning in store for me.
Hey, if it results in the quality of smoked meat I am getting now - or better! - I say, bring it on!