4 meats on one WSM 22.5


 

Jason Greer

New member
I would like to try and do some Comps this up coming summer, using just one WSM 22.5 and a party q. Does anyone have a basic time guild on when to place each meat on and what part of the grill. Im new to bbqing. I would like to see someones break down sheet if possible.
 
If you'll be cooking at 250°, you'll need about 8-9 hours for your pork, and 10-11 hours for your brisket. Maybe more depending on size, I'd suggest practicing to figure that part out.
Assuming that you'll bump up the temps to 275° for Ribs and Chicken, you'll probably want to start ribs at 7:30 to 8am, and chicken at 9:30 to 10am in order to have them cooked by turn in time. (Assuming we're talking KCBS w/ turn in times starting at 12 noon)
With that said, I'd start brisket at 8pm, and pork at 9pm, wrap around 2am, and hope to have them out of the smoker by 7am or before. I'd check the charcoal and add more at that time if it's running low or if needed to bump up the temps.
Big meats would be vented a bit then into a cambro to hold until turn ins.
 
Friggin awsome my freind. So you have done all 4 on yours?
When you said add more charcoal, about how much would you put in. How many wood chunks do you start with. When add charcoal for round 2, do you add wood to the coale for the Ribs & Chicken ?
 
doing different meats on one pit hasn't worked for me, because I have to lift the dang lid - releasing smoke, heat, steam. and something turns out underdone, something turns out too done. and plus I have to work too hard - hehe.

good reason to go ahead and take the plunge ... get a second, or third, etc. we've all done it. I bought 3 used kettles on CL for $90 - less than one brand new one. you cant kill a weber they never die.

don't lift the lid...
 
Jason, the best thing you can do is try it a couple times to see what works for you. There are many variables that we can't always foresee.
Example, how many butts and briskets are you planning to cook? What size are they? Flats or packers?
As suggested, read Harry's stuff several times.
also remember that once foiled, you can stack your butts and briskets on the same rack which will leave an open rack for ribs.
Oh, and when you do your practice cooks, TAKE GOOD NOTES! Otherwise, if you're like me you won't remember the next day what you did :eek:
 
Friggin awsome my freind. So you have done all 4 on yours?
When you said add more charcoal, about how much would you put in. How many wood chunks do you start with. When add charcoal for round 2, do you add wood to the coale for the Ribs & Chicken ?

I don't do all 4 on 1, but I do cook chicken in a pit that cooked pork and brisket overnight. I use 8 chunks overnight, and for ribs and chicken I just monitor the smoke and add a chunk through the door as needed.
 
I think you would have a lot less stress and probably higher scores if you found someone who would loan you his WSM. Having two would make it manageable IMHO. I have 22.5 and usually do two, sometimes three at a time. One big meat, brisket or butt, and ribs or chicken. I have pulled and foiled the big meat and moved the ribs to bottom rack and added chicken. Good luck in your comp whatever you decide.
 
I started out with a WSM and "progressed" through a Superior Smoker and then a couple Jambo's. I have sold my latest Jambo and so last weekend took a single 22in WSM and an 18in Weber kettle to compete at Flames on the Flint in Bainbridge, GA (KCBS). Plan was to cook the chicken on the kettle. The reality was that my ribs were done early so I was able to move my chicken to the WSM after about 10 minutes on the kettle. So I basically did all 4 on the WSM. I used no power draft or temp control at all other than manually adjusting the vents.

I finished with a 5th in chicken, 1st in ribs, 15th in pork, and 10th in brisket. Reserve Grand against 43 teams including many of the top teams in the country.

So YES you can do a contest on a single WSM without using any additional technology (1 brisket, 2butts, 3 ribs, 12 chicken) However, I am buying another WSM as it will be much easier with two and make the timing not as critical for when the big meats have to be off to make room for ribs.
 
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I think you've gotten the good info here.

I have two 22.5" at home and it's much simpler to do all the meats. The downside though is two fires to manage, which ends up being more than twice the work.

The key to using one smoker is that the big meats MUST be done in time for the little meats to go on. Ideally you're cooking your brisket and butts overnight so they're done early in the morning. That gives you time to build your fire up, refuel, etc. for your ribs to go on. If you're juggling the meats, i.e. butts are done but brisket needs a little longer while the ribs go on, you'll end up opening the smoker too much and get yourself behind. Also you'd better nail each category because there's just not room for too many of anything. You basically get what fits on a single rack.

Harry Soo can do a full KCBS on a homemade 14", but he's got the skills to make sure he nails it with a brisket flat, a single butt, a rack or two of ribs, and 6 chicken thighs. No room for mistakes there.
 
Jason if you have to ask questing about everything involving cooking anything I'd say you're not ready for a competition
 
Four on one? Ck these guys out:

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I would like to try and do some Comps this up coming summer, using just one WSM 22.5 and a party q. Does anyone have a basic time guild on when to place each meat on and what part of the grill. Im new to bbqing. I would like to see someones break down sheet if possible.

I had a similar issue this weekend and ended up using the WSM for the brisket, pork & ribs, and cooking the chicken on a 22.5" Compact with indirect heat. Put the brisket (top grill) & pork (bottom grill) on at 2130 and foiled at 5am. When the ribs were ready to go on at around 7am, I moved the foiled meats onto the middle shelf and used a rib rack on the upper for 3hrs before foiling and placing back on the top grill (removed the brisket & pork to rest). I based my timings on allowing 45 minutes before turn in times for the meats to be fully ready for cutting/presentation, and kept them warm in a polystyrene box until 20 minutes before turn in time for boxing up.
 

 

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