Fuse Method in WSM 18.5


 

BruceS

TVWBB Member
Has anyone ever tried the fuse method in the 18.5 WSM? If so, what was the length of the cook and was the temperature as easy to control as the minion method?
 
Most people do it solely for low heat cooks, like smoking sausage or bacon. The temperature control is probably slightly easier than minion but at the expense of the length of the cook. Now a ton of people use it for low and slow on the kettle.
 
I've used the fuse method in my 18.5" WSM several times; each time was for smoking bacon. My goal is to have it cruise at about 150* for a few hours and then bump it up to about 195* and get the bacon up to about 145* or 150*. Temp control is the same as every other minion cook that I've done. It always stays within about a 10* range until I bump it up.
 
I've used the fuse method in my 18.5" WSM several times; each time was for smoking bacon. My goal is to have it cruise at about 150* for a few hours and then bump it up to about 195* and get the bacon up to about 145* or 150*. Temp control is the same as every other minion cook that I've done. It always stays within about a 10* range until I bump it up.

My experience is about the same - I've just done it a few times for jerky. I aimed for 165F and it'd hold for a few hours fairly reliably - I have graphs somewhere.

13112790_10206350316738688_6195824199728207768_o.jpg


13087060_10206350321098797_5586882823207630096_o.jpg


13086849_10206340709138504_4945380545634648097_o.jpg


13122888_10206355420706284_7147019591106501309_o.jpg


13119915_10206355422026317_7250135807831439118_o.jpg


I've found that it requires more babysitting, and sometimes the whole thing ends up lit, so the amount of fuel available is especially important.
 
This is interesting...I use a different configuration for my coals than Clint does. I'll embed a pic, but what I do is make a big "G" with the charcoal. It's two briquettes high with wood on top. Then, when I want to bump the temp up, I just move the remaining unused coals to the part that's currently burning. It's interesting to see everyone's techniques...so many ways to achieve the same result!

TuFLSN3l.jpg
 
Here's one I did in my 22.5. I bump up the temp by having more briquettes in the snake. I should have made this a row or 2 longer. I was smoking some andouille sausage.

 
I've used the snake approach a few times. I don't remember what I was cooking but there was once I wanted very low temps for the first couple hours and then wanted somewhat higher temps for the rest of the cook. I did a single line of briquettes from the center to outer wall and then ran briquettes in both directions from there around the perimeter. It worked almost perfectly.
 

 

Back
Top