22" WSM Running hot on butt cook!


 
A

Arturo

New member
I fired up the smoker using the minion method, using kings comp and dumped about half a chimney of lit on top of the unlit. Assembled the cooker and put the meat on with all vents fully opened. Once the temperature hit 200, I closed all the bottom vents, but the temperature continued to rise. Once it got to about 270, I closed the top vent to about 25% open. Right now I am looking at 284, and it is still rising slowly. I'm not using water in the pan, so that could be contributing to the issue. Instead, I used foil on the pan to make an air pocket, to act as a heat shield.

Last time I did butts, I used water in the pan AND used less lit coal to start out with. But I couldn't get the temperature to get up to 225! That's why I decided not to use water and use more coal to get the temperature up faster. Hopefully I can get the temperature down and stabilized soon, because I want some sleep! haha! Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Arturo:
I fired up the smoker using the minion method, using kings comp and dumped about half a chimney of lit on top of the unlit. Assembled the cooker and put the meat on with all vents fully opened. Once the temperature hit 200, I closed all the bottom vents, but the temperature continued to rise. Once it got to about 270, I closed the top vent to about 25% open. Right now I am looking at 284, and it is still rising slowly. I'm not using water in the pan, so that could be contributing to the issue. Instead, I used foil on the pan to make an air pocket, to act as a heat shield.

Last time I did butts, I used water in the pan AND used less lit coal to start out with. But I couldn't get the temperature to get up to 225! That's why I decided not to use water and use more coal to get the temperature up faster. Hopefully I can get the temperature down and stabilized soon, because I want some sleep! haha! Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Arturo,
Open back the top vent 100% and then leave the bottom vents closed, the temperature will eventually decrease. Use a temperature 'range' when you're cooking, vs. trying to get and hold to a specific temp. Temps will fluctuate throughout the course of cooks. 284º or even 300º for a short time will not hurt your butts, brisket etc.

When I do overnight cooks I set a very big range on my Maverick ET-73, 210º-300º. This way my food is safe and more importantly I will not need to get out of bed in the middle of the night. The WSM's still settle in my typical cooking range of 240º-265º.

Also, start off with fewer lit coals in the beginning. Right now I use a hose torch to start my coals when doing the MM, but when I used a chimney to start, I never used more than 20 lit coals and that was if it was cold out. Even on the 22" WSM, I think 20 will be more than sufficient to 'slowly' get and hold your temps where you want them.
 
Thanks Larry!

The temperature range I was shooting for was 225-250. Before I went to bed, I opened the vent to about 75%, and when I woke up this morning it was at 246!
icon_smile.gif
I don't know how high the temp reached after I went to bed, but everything looks good so far.

Lesson learned: Be Patient! Use less lit coal and bring the temp up slowly. Don't be too specific on your temperature range.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Arturo:
Thanks Larry!

The temperature range I was shooting for was 225-250. Before I went to bed, I opened the vent to about 75%, and when I woke up this morning it was at 246!
icon_smile.gif
I don't know how high the temp reached after I went to bed, but everything looks good so far. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The temps would have had to get 300+ and sustained for a long period of time for it to hurt anything on butts.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Arturo:
Lesson learned: Be Patient! Use less lit coal and bring the temp up slowly. Don't be too specific on your temperature range. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You learn very well grasshopper! (in my best Mr. Miyagi voice)
 
Arturo,
I have had the same problem a few times when I started using my smoker. I just said to heck with it and went to bed. The Butts always came out fine. I have had my smoker for 3 years and I'm still learning and experimenting with it. I almost always use my water pan, but my buddy rarely uses his. I guess it's what you get used to. The good thing is your "mistakes" are still going to taste good.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The temps would have had to get 300+ and sustained for a long period of time for it to hurt anything on butts. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Significantly higher than that, actually. I'm with Larry and wouldn't worry about it. Note, though, that an 'air pocket' of an foiled pan will do little to act as a heat shield. No matter, I almost never use anything in the pan (just foil to create an air pocket so that drippings won't burn), and routinely cook butts at 285-300.
 
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