How much cook time do you get out of a WSM 14.5?


 
I made 6lbs of pulled pork today and a huge pile of charcoal (was bumping the water bowl) netted me 5.5 - 6 hours @250f before the temperature started dropping. around 4 hours in i kicked it a couple of times to loosen the ash. i also had 4 big chunks of apple wood in there too, and i filled the water bowl with the hottest tap water i had. i was using a Auber instruments temperature controller. it was long enough for me, i just put it in the oven to finish it. i was using stubbs briquettes.

How long can you go before needing to add fuel? i feel i get a much longer burn time if i keep it at 225f and smaller cuts of meat like ribs. That big honking hunk of pork butt really cools down the small cooker.

would be nice to do an over night cook one time, but 6 hours won't be long enough
 
Last week, I smoked two butts with Royal Oak briquettes, with three to four chucks of hickory, and a full pan of water, and I went 11 hours easily. Frankly, I think I could have went another two hours, but it was getting late.

Not sure why just yet, but my 14.5" smoker seems more fuel efficient than my 18.5" model. Maybe it's because of the smaller size chamber.

Yesterday's, two butt smoke, was done with lump, but then I had to replenish the pit at about the 7 hour mark. Since you are using a quality charcoal, I wonder if it behaves similar to lump?
 
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I realize there are other factors not mentioned that can affect burn times but for you who get 10+ hours from your 14.5 how many lit coals are you starting with and do you dump them as one group, or spread them out? thx.
 
I can get 10 hours at 235. I keep the water pan empty and just cover it in foil. I use a PartyQ on mine

Did you have any issue with the partyQ? With the Auber the first time I used it it wouldn’t hold temperature very well. I had to make sure I rotated the charcoal ring so the holes in the ring aligned with the fan. I think it works OK, but I feel like I need to add a shield to direct the airflow down, right now it shoots over the top or in the middle of the charcoal pile.

Also, how do you use yours? I let my WSM get with 10-20deg of the target temp them turn on the Auber. It always seems to drop 5-10 degrees before it starts warming up again.

For all the rave reviews of the Auber I expected it to work a little better. I am sure once I modify it slightly it will work better, I just assumed it would work perfectly right off the bat
 
Did you have any issue with the partyQ? With the Auber the first time I used it it wouldn’t hold temperature very well. I had to make sure I rotated the charcoal ring so the holes in the ring aligned with the fan. I think it works OK, but I feel like I need to add a shield to direct the airflow down, right now it shoots over the top or in the middle of the charcoal pile.

Also, how do you use yours? I let my WSM get with 10-20deg of the target temp them turn on the Auber. It always seems to drop 5-10 degrees before it starts warming up again.

For all the rave reviews of the Auber I expected it to work a little better. I am sure once I modify it slightly it will work better, I just assumed it would work perfectly right off the bat

No issues with the PartyQ at all. I assemble the smoker, put the meat on and turn the PartyQ on at the same time. I figure the temp is gonna drop when I add the meat anyway, so why not do it all at the same time.
 
I realize there are other factors not mentioned that can affect burn times but for you who get 10+ hours from your 14.5 how many lit coals are you starting with and do you dump them as one group, or spread them out? thx.

I fill the ring with charcoal, pull 10-12 out of the center and put them in my chimney. One they are ready to go, I dump them in the center of the pile where I pulled them from.
 
I realize there are other factors not mentioned that can affect burn times but for you who get 10+ hours from your 14.5 how many lit coals are you starting with and do you dump them as one group, or spread them out? thx.

I use lump charcoal, so very difficult to quantify, but about 1/2 of my starter, more or less dumped to the side of the other charcoal.
I tried dumping it in the centre but, with lump being so irregular in size, that didn't work well.
I am sure that in my case it's more the ambient temperature that plays a factor than anything else

I just find the 14" WSM very efficient in fuel use
 
Longest cook time was running 265° over-full basket. No water in pan, but pan foiled and in smoker. Used side light method to light pit. (1) 9 pound butt. 14 hours burning KBB blue bag, 4 chunks cherry on top. Was 65° outside, very little wind.
 

 

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