6 shoulders in a 18.5" WSM


 
Dave, sorry to hear about your back. I too am on my way to the chiropractor after work. I had to do a dinner for 30 folks out of town last weekend. It came off great but Monday I could barely stand up. Sounds like you have other options as far as cookers. I did 6 racks of ribs on the smaller WSM by adding a 3rd grate. I have seen pictures of modifications with a 3rd grate in the middle section between the lower and upper grate. I think it would be enough room for a butt or 2. If I have to do more big cooks or get into 4 meat comps I will get another WSM.

Hope the back settles down soon.

Mark
 
Thanks Dave for the info on the UDS. The money is not really the issue on the 22WSM, but I just don't have the room right now on the patio in our house. We are moving in about a month and then I will have a bigger patio....even plan to get a Performer.
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I have done a large packer in my 18WSM and it really didn't fit even trying to tuck the ends between the grate handles. And then when I tried to put it in a big enough foil pan, the pan wouldn't fit without major hassle. Can't wait for more room on the 22.

Take care,
Kg
 
Hi Dave, I hope everything with your back gets better soon,!!...FYI....I have done at least 4 - 6 butt cooks on my 18. I set them on the bone side, in a triangle arrangement, held upright with bamboo skewers thru the top corners. The 3 bigger ones (I just eyeball them) go on the top rack. I believe that someone here had said that they set them 3 across. By using the triangle method, you can keep the edges back a little better - IMO. I use a foiled, empty water pan, as the meat is enough of a heat sink already. Pack the charcoal really tight and mound it up as much as possible. I use Royal Oak briqs, or Rancher/Trader Joe's for fuel. I Minion start with about 18 lit and use about 3 Apple & 2 Hickory wood chunks - smaller than fist size. I don't have a Guru or a Maverick, and try to cook between 260*-290*. For one of the cooks, I had a little over 64#'s of Butt on that little smoker! It took 15.5 hours, I added about 20 unlit at the 13 hour mark, and I only had to stir the coals twice. There was nothing left at the end. When I pulled them off, I wrapped in foil and put in a cooler, and rested for about 40 - 50 minutes. Pulling 6 PB's is a lot of work, so it would be good to have some help.

So, it can be done on an 18! Oh, by the way, I've gotten a drum to make an UDS, just to help with the overflow. And I will give that beer can chicken stand method a try. HTH
 
Some great ideas here guys. I like the stand on bone end and skewer idea too. I was concerned about the edge of the upper section being hotter and have expieranced this when I overpacked chicken pieces in there right after I got my WSM many years ago so I remember and respect this fact. I will try the 6 shoulders in a WSM 18 the next retirement (we average one every 3 to 4 weeks as it's a 492 employee office)

As to the back - well steroids & pain killers can be a wonderful thing. After getting loaded up by my doctor and placed on a long term decreasing oral dose, it seems to be doing the trick. At the peak of my problems it was dang near impossible just to walk down the hall for a necessary break in the "library". Today, I was spry enough to venture out to the grocery store with the wife and did ok. The root cause is still there (compressed discs), but the inflamaiton which caused the recent nerve pain seems to be addressed. If you have not expierenced a pinched nerve it is hard to describe, but think of the feeling of a hot skewer, cold ice, pulled muscle, torn tendon all at the same time in the same spot and you get the idea. It will take your breath away when it's bad. Doesn't matter if you are sitting, standing, or whatever - it just hurts for no apparant reason and hurts bad.

As to the results of my grocery outting - well they had a large marked down pack of chicken wings that caught my eye (1/2 price). Wanted to cook something on the WSM so guess what's for dinner...

Gonna go fire up the coals in a minute
 
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