2 Questions: Lighting My Mini WSM & Cooking Half Pork Shoulder

[Stan Condit]

I'm a brand new Mini WSM owner and new to this forum...love it!! I've read lots of threads but do still have a couple of rookie questions.

1. How should I light my Mini WSM? I will mainly be cooking chicken breasts, ribs, and smaller pork shoulders (less than 5 pounds) so I won't have 6+ hour cook times or anything. I'm totally lost as to how much charcoal to use and whether to light it all, just a few pieces, whether I'll need to add more after an hour, etc.

2. We bought some Pork Shoulder Blade Roast (Boneless) and it's about 5 pounds. I'd actually like to cut that in half and cook half of it (around 2.5 pounds) just so I can try this out without having to cook 7 hours. Is this something that can be done or is there a reason I shouldn't be doing it that way?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mike Freel]

I do not have direct experience with a mini WSM but the principles are the same. Make a ring of unlit charcoal and add enough lit tob fill the center. This is a minion method. As to the cook times, the smaller piece of meat will cook faster. Main thing is to jump in and try.
Good luck.

Mike

 

[Dwain Pannell]

Though I am also new to the mini, I do it like my kettle or WSM but downsize: I like to light 10 or so coals and place on the unlit. NO reason you can't cook as small a piece as you'd like or as large a piece (that will fit). Like Mike said: you'll figure out what works for you.