First timer


 

Paul D. CA

New member
It was a hot summer day in central California. Most people were hunkered down in their air-conditioned homes or their neighbors pool as the temperature was rapidly passing the three-digit mark. It was on this day that our intrepid smoker decided to try out his new 18" WSM cooker. He chose the tri-tip for this maiden feast! The setup followed the owner's manual instructions exactly. A full chimney of fresh charcoal covered the chamber while a half chimney of charcoal was set ablaze. When the coals reached their full potential, they were gently spread out on top of the waiting unlit coals. Three chunks of mesquite were added to impart that rich smoky flavor. One gallon of water filled the pan to ensure the low and slow process would be flawless.
What a wonderful story if it only had a happy ending. We actually all lived happily ever after but the meat didn't turn out as expected. So, I am asking for some help with my cooking. As for my prose...beyond help.
After adding the meat and the lid, the internal temp quickly passed the 300-degree mark and smoke streamed out of the lid vent. To control the grill temp in the 250-degree range, the lid vent was left full open while two of the lower vents were completely closed. Eventually the third lower vent was almost completely closed. From this point on, there was no smoke. There was very little smoky aroma and no smoke. After about 3 hours the tri-tip was done. When slicing the meat, I immediately noticed that there was no smoke ring. I have previously cooked tri-tip on the Weber kettle grill; higher temp, no water, indirect heat and wood chips instead of chunks. The meat always had a nice smoky flavor and thick smoke ring.
It seems like I had choked off so much air to keep the temp in the 250-degree range that the wood chunks never burned, they just blackened.
I was expecting a thick smoke ring, billowing smoke and rich smoky flavor. I didn't get any of this. Were my expectations unrealistic?
 
Hey Paul! For a first post that's a great explanation of how you did it and welcome to the board:wsm:
Few things come to mind, you used a standard method instead of the Minion method. The MM uses a smaller amount of lit and it's easier to control your temps on the way up (even with water)
You start shutting down your vents when you're roughly 25d light on target temp. More lit coals makes it harder to bring it down.
I've never cooked a tri, but I would go with what you know and has worked, higher temps, no water and use the foiled pan for indirect.

Tim

Tim
 
In addition to what Tim said, I would caution on the use of mesquite. I've never used it because of all the warnings I've read online. It allegedly has a very strong flavor. Some people apparently like it but it's probably not the best wood to start with. Fruit woods are usually considered the mildest, with nut woods generally being a bit stronger.

You definitely do NOT want billowing smoke. Ideally you'd like to smell it more than see it, having just a tiny bit of thin blue smoke coming out the top vent. Early on as the charcoal is still lighting you'll likely get more smoke, particularly if you use regular Kingsford in the blue bag. It gives off quite a bit of white smoke until it ashes over. This is not the smoke you're looking for. Most people don't think it imparts an objectionable flavor. Once it's lit the smoke you see will be from the smoke wood or the grease coming off the meat. The smoke wood chunks will often not burn down to ash. That's okay. They'll still have given their all flavor-wise. What's left is charcoal you can use on subsequent cooks if it holds together.
 
Paul welcome to the site. Sorry to hear your first cook on your 18"WSM didn't turn out the way you had hoped. But it was your first cook, so if anything you learned a few things on how your new smoker works.

I am in no way an expert, but I have cooked a lot of tri-tip over the years due to my job. I've cooked in 55 gallon drums, kettles and my new favorite on the WSM.

This is the method I use that seems to yield the most consistent results: fill up the coal ring in the WSM to the brim. Take the center out and place in a chimney. Basically form a volcano in the center. Bury some wood chicks in the coals 3-4 fist size chunks. I prefer peach but any hard wood will do. Light the coals in the chimney that were from your "volcano". When they are fully lit place in the center. As you assemble the smoker skip the water in the bowl and wrap in foil. Open the top vent wide open and open two of the bottom vents fully. Get the WSM to about 300 and start adjusting the bottom vents until it maintains this temp. Allow an hour to an hour and
15 minutes after placing the lit coals before putting the truck-tips on. This allows the heavier white smoke to dissipate. Once you place the meat on the cooker the temperature will come down roughly 20-30 degrees. This is where I like to cook tri-tip 275.

For the cooking portion I try and keep at 275. After the meat reaches 135 internal (125 if you prefer very rare) pull and double wrap in foil, wrap in a towel and place in a cooler for an hour. Also when and enjoy. If you happen to have another fire going say on a kettle I really like to pull at 125, then sear the tri-tips on the grill to 135 then wrap in foil, towels
And then the cooler.

Anyway it was your first cook. It will get better. Enjoy learning how your WSM works. Trust me none of us were experts on our first cooks.
 
In addition to what Tim said, I would caution on the use of mesquite. I've never used it because of all the warnings I've read online. It allegedly has a very strong flavor. Some people apparently like it but it's probably not the best wood to start with.

You have never cooked using mesquite & caution using it because of what you have read online? Please... first hand knowledge is most preferable.

I cook with/use mesquite all the time. Good stuff. Works very well with beef, imho.
 
Last edited:
You have never cooked using mesquite & caution using it because of what you have read online? Please... first hand knowledge is most preferable.

I cook with/use mesquite all the time. Good stuff. Works very well with beef, imho.
Most of what I've learned in my life has not been from first hand knowledge, nor was it taught to me by people who acquired it first hand. Are we to ignore calculus because we didn't derive it from scratch like Newton did? Should we ignore reports of failures and poor results because they weren't acquired first hand?

I passed along what I thought was useful information that I've seen repeated in virtually every article I've come upon regarding woods for smoking. I clearly labeled it as not first hand knowledge so the reader could factor that in to their assessment of what I wrote. If you want to write only about things you've personally experienced, that's entirely your prerogative. I will continue to pass along information I deem to be useful regardless of how I acquired it. I will advise against the use of pine as a smoke wood even though I've never tried it. If you want to ruin a cook acquiring that bit of knowledge first hand, be my guest.
 
Most of what I've learned in my life has not been from first hand knowledge, nor was it taught to me by people who acquired it first hand. Are we to ignore calculus because we didn't derive it from scratch like Newton did? Should we ignore reports of failures and poor results because they weren't acquired first hand?

I passed along what I thought was useful information that I've seen repeated in virtually every article I've come upon regarding woods for smoking. I clearly labeled it as not first hand knowledge so the reader could factor that in to their assessment of what I wrote. If you want to write only about things you've personally experienced, that's entirely your prerogative. I will continue to pass along information I deem to be useful regardless of how I acquired it. I will advise against the use of pine as a smoke wood even though I've never tried it. If you want to ruin a cook acquiring that bit of knowledge first hand, be my guest.

I was wrong & apologize. I had no idea I was dealing with a person of acquired knowledge.
 
Most of what I've learned in my life has not been from first hand knowledge, nor was it taught to me by people who acquired it first hand. Are we to ignore calculus because we didn't derive it from scratch like Newton did? Should we ignore reports of failures and poor results because they weren't acquired first hand?

I passed along what I thought was useful information that I've seen repeated in virtually every article I've come upon regarding woods for smoking. I clearly labeled it as not first hand knowledge so the reader could factor that in to their assessment of what I wrote. If you want to write only about things you've personally experienced, that's entirely your prerogative. I will continue to pass along information I deem to be useful regardless of how I acquired it. I will advise against the use of pine as a smoke wood even though I've never tried it. If you want to ruin a cook acquiring that bit of knowledge first hand, be my guest.

I'll admit it, I hate Mesquite. I purchased a big bag of it more than ten years ago. I prolly still have it in the shed. I tried it a couple of times, and I can't stand it. I much prefer oak, pecan and hickory if I'm cooking something that needs more smoke.
 
I'll admit it, I hate Mesquite. I purchased a big bag of it more than ten years ago. I prolly still have it in the shed. I tried it a couple of times, and I can't stand it. I much prefer oak, pecan and hickory if I'm cooking something that needs more smoke.

Good comment. Thanks.
 
Paul - Welcome to the adventure that is TVWBB / WSM

Showing no fear when starting out can be a good thing. (Over time, you'll learn from your mistakes - most stuff is good, but some is just WAY better.)

I'm no expert either - but from what I've seen and tried:

MEAT - Tri-Tip usually seems to respond better to Grilling / High-Heat cooking, much like Sirloin. If I were cooking it on a WSM, I would go with no water pan and vents full-open.
(Due to the relatively low fat content and make-up of the fibers in that type of meat; Low and slow tends to make it tough / rubbery.)

Next time, I would try Pork Butt / shoulder - it LIKES low-and-slow and is very forgiving.
If you want to try something quicker easy, tasty, and less costly if you screw-it up (ask me how I KNOW this...) try brining or marinating some chicken halves
(I REALLY like the way that they turn-out marinated in some Mojo Criollo.)

WOOD - As others have stated, I feel that Mesquite is more suitable as a "Grilling" wood than for Smoking.
(Not that you can't or shouldn't try it - If I were using it for smoking, I would just use less.)

Just don't lose your faith in the trusty ol' WSM - new ones work better after a few cooks to "Season" the insides and build-up some "gunk" that really helps to seal-up the seams and lid and makes everything easier to control.

If you want to learn and speed-up the learning curve - you certainly have come to the right place!
 
Last edited:
I like mesquite just fine. I like hickory, apple, and cherry best though.

I've not cooked tri-tip before...so can't help much there.

But one thing that stands out to me in your story is a 300+ degree smoker with a gallon of water in the pan, I'm surprised you were able to get the temp that high while also boiling water. Are you sure your thermometer is correct? If it's showing too high a number, then when you got it down to 250ish you may have actually been much cooler, which is (maybe) why you didn't get the smoke ring you were after.

Also remember the smoke ring is pretty, but doesn't actually mean anything as far as flavor, so don't get too hung up on it.

EDIT to add, for low-and-slow the fire really doesn't need much air. I use lump, not KBB, for fuel, but when cooking at 225ish I have two lower vents closed, and the top vent and one lower vent open about this much:

XT9tybc.jpg
 
Last edited:

 

Back
Top