100 Briquettes

[Michael Park]

I noticed that the manual for my 18" WSM recommends 100 briquettes, approximately 1 chimney starter full, at the start of a cook. I've been using 150 or 1.5 chimneys. Does anyone know about how long it will cook on 100 briquettes? Should I use 1 chimney for chicken, 1.5 chimneys for ribs, and as much as it will hold for pork butts or briskets?

 

[Joe T Gomez]

I have a 22”wsm I have never counted briquettes when doing ribs I try tips I would use one unleaded chimney have a chimney lid. That will give me a good five hour burn When doing pork butt or brisket, I feel the charcoal basket to the top with Half chimney lid on top that will give me 10 to 12 hour cook

 

[Lew Newby]

Read about that in the Virtual Weber Bullet, link at top of page. Our host, Chris, has a ton of operating tips and tricks there. I used the Minion method for starts when doing low and slow on my WSMs. Don't have them now but learned a lot from Chris.

 

[Jim C in Denver]

Use as much as it will hold for every cook. No reason to ever do otherwise.

The amount of lit you start with will vary based on weather and how hot a temp you are shooting for.

You might start with as few as ten coals for low slow cook on a hot day. You might use two chimneys lit for a hot fast on a freezing cold day.

When the cook is over, snuff out the coals. Leave them there for your next cook.

 

[MartinB]

I ain't never counted no briquettes.

 

[MartinB]

Well I'm going to retract my previous statement. I ain't never counted no briquettes for the WSM.

I just remembered we counted briquettes to use with Dutch ovens when we was in boy scouts. There was a formula for how many briquettes you needed to cook at a certain temperature. My favorite thing to cook in the Dutch oven was a pineapple upside down cake, it was the perfect Dutch oven dessert. Beat the heck out of cobbler made from canned pie filling and biscuit dough