Hi all, I've had a 22.5" WSM for a couple of years now, but I've never done anything besides ribs and poultry on it, so the longest I've had it fired up was about 6 hours. This spring I'm hoping to do at least a couple briskets, and I'm a little concerned about the long cook time. I always see that you should be able to get a WSM to stay at temp for 14-18 hours, but this seems to mostly refer to the 18". I've used Minion Method for my shorter cooks, but after they're done, the coals don't look like they'd go for even 10 hours, let alone 14 or 18. They're pretty burnt out. I usually spread out about 2/3 chimney of hot coals on the unlit coals, is that too many? Anyone had success with long cooks on the 22.5" and is it a lot different from the 18"? I'll probably do some experimenting beforehand so I don't ruin an expensive brisket, but thought I'd try to get as much info as possible first. Thanks.
Dwain Pannell
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I've run long cooks on the 22.5". Just fill the charcoal ring to the top and add about 1/4 to 1/2 a large chimney of lit on top.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html#minion
...but - I've had much better results with brisket using the "high heat" method. It's faster and IMHO more moist than low N slow.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisket4.html
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?54865-Hot-and-Fast-Brisket&highlight=igrill
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?7188-High-Heat-Brisket-Method-A-Compilation
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html#minion
...but - I've had much better results with brisket using the "high heat" method. It's faster and IMHO more moist than low N slow.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisket4.html
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?54865-Hot-and-Fast-Brisket&highlight=igrill
http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?7188-High-Heat-Brisket-Method-A-Compilation
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Dustin Dorsey
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I'm a low and slow guy for the most part and I've done a lot of long cooks on the WSM. Generall I'll put a whole 20 lb bag of KBB in the charcoal ring and put 4 or 5 big chunks or 6 to 8 little chunks in with it. Then I light it with about 12 lit coal sthat I just pile on top of the unlit in the center. There are a lot of ways of doing this that work. During the summer I kept the smoker going for 24 hours no problem.
During the summer and spring you should have no problem doing long cooks without refueling provided you aren't using water in the pan. Heating up all that water takes a ton of heat and you'll go through more charcoal. I'f your brisket is wrapped by the time you need more charcoal, you could just dump in some unlit. If its not wrapped you might get ash or dirty smoke.
During the summer and spring you should have no problem doing long cooks without refueling provided you aren't using water in the pan. Heating up all that water takes a ton of heat and you'll go through more charcoal. I'f your brisket is wrapped by the time you need more charcoal, you could just dump in some unlit. If its not wrapped you might get ash or dirty smoke.
Enrico Brandizzi
TVWBB Honor Circle
With my 22 WSM I usually smoke @250F for up to 15 + 2 h heating time. In summer time more then that. You will need 1 dull 20 lb bag of briquettes. 2/3 weber lighting cubes buried in the briqs just in front of one of the bottom vent.
Like this
IMG_4921 di BBQness, su Flickr
IMG_4922 di BBQness, su Flickr
This was NOT just in front the vent due to the ATC BBQ GURU fanwhich was settled on the opposite side of the lighting cubes.
Like this
IMG_4921 di BBQness, su Flickr
IMG_4922 di BBQness, su Flickr
This was NOT just in front the vent due to the ATC BBQ GURU fanwhich was settled on the opposite side of the lighting cubes.
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
Water will burn your fuel up much more quickly at the same temperatures than sand or empty heat shield will.
Dustin Dorsey
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I just foil the pan and leave an air gap so that juices don't burn when they hit the pan. Temp control is a little harder. You might have to have 2 vents closed, one at a sliver and the top at 50% to get 225 if you let your temp overshoot but typically it's not that much harder than with water. I've done long water cooks too. I'm not against it except you will burn more fuel and the cleanup is harder. I can't dump the water because my dogs will be rolling around in it. Sometimes I'll dump the water in a trashbag with my ashes or I let the water boil off towards the end of the cook.
Charles H.
TVWBB Super Fan
I operate my 22" WSM very similar to the way Dustin described.
I have never used water (or anything else other than foil) in the pan.
Outside temperature, wind, and rain affect the vent settings and the burn time.
In the summer I get 235 with one vent open a crack and it will run unattended for >12 hours then need a vent adjustment to hold temp another 4-5 hours.
Three weeks ago I got 250 with all three vents open more than a crack, it was high 30 's and intermittent light rain. I had to open the vents a couple times during the cook to hold temp, the charcoal was spent at 12 hours.
I wrapped the meat and finished in the oven.
I almost always start every cook with 20# of charcoal in the fire ring minus about 1/2 chimney.
I have never used water (or anything else other than foil) in the pan.
Outside temperature, wind, and rain affect the vent settings and the burn time.
In the summer I get 235 with one vent open a crack and it will run unattended for >12 hours then need a vent adjustment to hold temp another 4-5 hours.
Three weeks ago I got 250 with all three vents open more than a crack, it was high 30 's and intermittent light rain. I had to open the vents a couple times during the cook to hold temp, the charcoal was spent at 12 hours.
I wrapped the meat and finished in the oven.
I almost always start every cook with 20# of charcoal in the fire ring minus about 1/2 chimney.
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