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I know folks really like those 'vortex' baskets, but I have a hard time believing the air flow in a charcoal smoker is high enough for it to really work as claimed. I know when my WSM is puffing along at 250*F it's literally just puffing, there's not a fast moving stream of air coming out of...

If you want high temp and leave the lid on, if you put the lid on a bit ajar so it's partially open you can easily peg the thermometer. Basically slide the lid over so it's resting on one of the handle brackets on the side w/a small opening around the opposite side. It'll get HOT.

Are the legs secured to the dolly? If not I don't see it making any difference - it's still sitting on three legs. I thought about building a dolly for mine, but then I'd want to attach the legs to the dolly, which would make ash clean up more of a hassle.

Yep, should be good to go. I've never touched the legs down at the wheels during a cook, but I don't think they get that hot, they're aluminum so they shed heat pretty fast.

I've got an 18" WSM and the wheels just don't get that hot, heat isn't worth worrying about. The heat shield does a good job of blocking heat. And with the 22" the wheels are even further away from the cooker than my 18". I will say this - get the biggest wheels you can. Mine are pretty...

Pork tenderloin has to be one of my favorite easy cooks. Good weeknight meal too. I've done them a few ways, grilled direct, grilled indirect, smoked, and on a rotisserie. I've decided I like grilling indirect best, and I've found it's really important to make sure you don't over cook it...

How long did the cook last? In other words, how long did it hold a steady temp before the temp started raising?

With a busy schedule and some travel coming up this was our last weekend for low and slow cooking for the year. Smoked a rack of baby backs using the 3-2-1 method. As much as I love a hands off style to smoking (put the meat on and then don't touch it till it's ready), the 3-2-1 just flat out...

Maybe some coals shifted, knocked off ash, opened up air flow, and boom - higher temp? Maybe the temp probe started reading differently? I wouldn't worry about it either way, 35 degrees won't make or break anything IMO. My temp will slowly waiver up and down throughout a several hour cook...

That's why I use lump instead of briquettes. No need to let it 'ash over', no chemicals to burn off, no bad smells.

Agreed. There's no way it should take 4hrs to cook a pizza. Fire is a pretty simple thing...

My advice, as an owner of a TTT, a kettle, and a WSM: Just use the WSM, set the vents correctly and you don't need to baby sit it, and no need to use the TTT. Don't use a water pan (or at least, don't fill it up with water). With the vents set correctly it'll hold a steady enough temp all...

You'll only use as much charcoal as it requires. When done just close the vents.

Okay here's how I do it, took pics last night when grilling, and kept an eye on the time. Coals were on the grill in about 5mins. I do the exact same thing when smoking on the WSM. Again, I use lump, so I don't have to wait for it to ash over completely. Here's the lighter I'm currently...

The grate shouldn't fall of course. But, what I do if I'm cooking on the upper grate and not using the lower, I put a drip pan on the lower grate, and don't use the water pan at all.

This would be a really boring video. When you say 'fire', exactly what are you looking for? Flames coming out of the chimney starter? You don't need that, you just need the coals lit. When using the WSM you don't have a traditional fire the way we usually think of a fire, it's more...

That's been my working theory as well. It puts off a good deal of heat when it's running, so while something might come sniffing around they're not too likely to mess with it. That said...it's a good concern, and I won't be doing any more overnight smokes with mine sitting on the deck. I live...

The WSM isn't designed to use just wood for fuel. To get a clean burn with wood you need a lot of air flow, and the temps would be really high in the cooker as you found. Charcoal for heat, a few chunks for smoke.

I read that all the time, but haven't found it to be the case. I think a lot of it comes down to time and temp, maybe chicken is easy to oversmoke if you do a low and slow cook with it? I always cook chicken hot and fast, so if I want some smoke flavor I put several chunks right on the coals.

I've wondered about this as well...will be interesting to hear if any other members have had issues with critter interference on an overnight cook.