1st Cook on 14.5 - ribs and pork butt


 
Jeff Padell

Jeff Padell

TVWBB Pro
Well the 1st cook is history. Loaded a full load of charcoal in the ring, right to the top. took about 15 out and put them in the chimney and when ashed over added to ring, but middle and top on. I was getting 260 for a good couple hours, then the temp kept dropping. I added 8 lit coals and stirred it a bit.
I think my temp problems were due to the 20-30 MPH wind and 50 degree temps. I put two pieces of plywood on the windy side and the temp climbed back to 250, it had dropped to 200.
The rib rack and 2 racks cut in half just fit on the top and the bottom shelf held the pork butts, when I opened the pork it was in pieces so the biggest I cooked on the grate the others I did in a pan. They when 4 hours, the bigger piece I moved to the 22.5 to finish while we had our Halloween party. Took it off after 6 hours and it was great.

I think the 14.5 is going to be more susceptible to wind, and maybe cold but definitely wind. I am going to rig a shelter for both units.









 
Thanks for the "test drive" review. This assures that I'll be waiting to pick one of these little guys up used at some point, as I already didn't see them as practical for my personal needs - now I'll wait for a used bargain.
 
I think the pluses on the 14.5 WSM outweigh the main negative I felt it had, that of being susceptible to a heavy wind. First the overall construction is sturdier than the SJG or SJS, the middle section construction blows away a aluminum tamale/taco pot. The handles on both trays are real nice. The charcoal ring blows away my gutter guard ring. On the SJ mini I set the top grate down 4 inches so the shallow top didn't matter, on the WSM the top grate is right up there at the top and the domed lid can limit the size of a cut rib in a rib rack, but the taller wider ones in the middle not on the ends. The issue of wind, is being dealt with by a couple pieces of wood.
I am going to experiment to see if part of the issue I had with temp control was the wind or the FULL load of KBB in the ring, could ash have slowed down the combustion?

On the whole I like the 14.5 and am glad I bought it, and it looks neat like the offspring of my 22.5 and I am hoping that when it grows up it will grow up bigger than it's father R2D2, I have named the new one R2D1.

I am keeping my SJ mini for camping so I don't have to take the 14.5 WSM.
 
In the fourth photo from the top I see that the meat has receded about 1/2 to 1 inch from the tip. That's a good sign that the ribs are done. At that point I'd grasp two bare ends and see how difficult they are to separate. With a slight resistance and subtle snap, they're done.
 
6-0 now.

tjkoko thanks for the tip, I will watch for that. The ribs did come out good and people liked them, but I didn't. They bit through without pulling off the bone, but the rub I put on them, just a bit of this and a bit of that and WAY too much garlic powder - well I didn't like them, didn't like the taste. The pork butt pieces were not quite done but the party started and they had to come off, they weren't that bad, in fact people liked them, but I was looking for pork nirvana. :wsm:
 
So comparing the easy of maintaining temps on the 14.5 to the 22.5 you have or say the 18.5, you would think the 14.5 is a little more difficult to be consistent?
 
My SJ mini was very consistent, and during the seasoning my 14.5 was also but there was no wind. In my cook the next day there was a 20-30 mph wind, very windy, and I had the temp change quite a bit.
I don't know if it was the wind or if it is the 14.5, I am going to cook again Saturday mainly to see what happens. Right now I would say in the wind it is more susceptible to wind, it is small less burning coals and the vents closer together so it might make sense.
 
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