Could the WSM be a low cost Miron Mixon Smoker - Hear me out....


 
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Olly_G

New member
Ok so i've been looking at those H20's and like the idea of them, specially for hot and fast, it got me thinking, my wsm pretty much is configured to do the same thing, minus the log splits.

I recently installed another top vent to give me hotter temps, for those times you need quick heat for chicken etc.

But the other day when running a pork butt hot and fast I filled the water pan and managed to get it running in the 300-320f range (the water was boiling pretty quick and I had to refill once), the meat cooked quick and came off perfect, I think the best i've done, so have I found something new or just caught up with you dudes accross the pond.
I'm from the UK, we're roughtly 10 years behind you in terms of bbq smoking :eek:
 
I'm personally not convinced the water does anything, but typically low and slow you really don't get it boiling. Without modding the WSM you can't get those temps with a full water pan. You have to have the 2nd top vent. The H20 as I understand it automatically fills the water when it gets low. The WSM is somewhat of a pain to fill while you are cooking. It sounds like you might be on to something, though. Most people don't do hot and fast with water. I've certainly never tried it.
 
My view is that the water is there as a bit of a crutch to help maintain typical low and slow temps. In my WSM 18.5" it's very difficult to get the temp much above 275F with water in the pan. It really wants to stay about 240F. The water is there as a heat sink. It obviously does provide for higher moisture levels but I don't think that's the primary point.

I've pretty much abandoned water, instead learning to control the temp with the vents and the amount of fuel that's burning. The one benefit I can see to using water is it lets you have a hotter, cleaner fire without running the cooking chamber temp up too high. Without water I've sometimes had to close down the bottom vents almost all the way and end up with more of a smoldering pile of charcoal rather than a burning one. I'm a bit concerned about some of the flavors imparted by the low oxygen burn.

As to the Mixon H2O smokers being similar to the WSM, the only similarity I see is with the position of the fire being below the food rather than offset.
 
JayHeyl said:
My view is that the water is there as a bit of a crutch to help maintain typical low and slow temps. In my WSM 18.5" it's very difficult to get the temp much above 275F with water in the pan. It really wants to stay about 240F. The water is there as a heat sink. It obviously does provide for higher moisture levels but I don't think that's the primary point.

I've pretty much abandoned water, instead learning to control the temp with the vents and the amount of fuel that's burning. The one benefit I can see to using water is it lets you have a hotter, cleaner fire without running the cooking chamber temp up too high. Without water I've sometimes had to close down the bottom vents almost all the way and end up with more of a smoldering pile of charcoal rather than a burning one. I'm a bit concerned about some of the flavors imparted by the low oxygen burn.

As to the Mixon H2O smokers being similar to the WSM, the only similarity I see is with the position of the fire being below the food rather than offset.
Click to expand...

I agree on small smouldering fire, it really doesn’t give the best flavour ie bad smoke.

When I open her up and get that thin blue smoke the taste profile is great. I also run compressed oak chunks, they ignite very nicely.

having a nice fire with lots of air makes this thing very much like a fan oven, I’m all about hot and fast these days, but a very long rest in a cooler.
If I don’t run water I spritz quite heavily, helps my bark
 
I did on that occasion as I was running a bit late, but I think you could get away with not doing it till you rest at the very end
 
I've kind of wondered if you create similar conditions to foiling in the whole smoker with that high heat and high humidity. Interesting stuff!
 
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