Aaron Franklin book, a clean fire and the WSM


 
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Danny B (Albany GA)

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I've read most of his book(haven't gotten to the sauce chapter) and find it very informative. I've reread the smoker chapter and his description of a clean fire which he says is a fire that flames with wood. He mentions offsets, reverse flows and barrel smokers but didn't even mention the WSM at all. He did frown on a smoldering fire which as we all know if what wood chunks do in our WSM's. He also recommends a humid environment so if he was ever to use a WSM I'm sure he would be a water in the pan guy.

Based on this I tried a Franklin style brisket this past Sunday. I wanted to try to burn the cleanest, hottest fire possible but still use water. My set up was a coffee can minion start with Wicked Good weekend warrior lump and K comp briquettes to top off since I didn't have enough Wicked Good to top off the ring. I sprayed the water pan with Pam and filled with hot tap water. Put the WSM together and had all vents open 100%. I waited until all smoke cleared and even pre heated the chunks on the middle grate before putting them around the lit coals in the center of the ring. My temps stayed between 256 and 301 during the cook(275 is his recommended temp) according to my Maverick 732. I did have to crack the lid the last 2-3 hours to keep the temp up. I did also have to put fresh hot tap water in several times.

I felt like I had a pretty clean fire but I still noticed some white smoke on occasion. However I can't say I noticed a big difference in the finished product.

My question for the group is what do you think is the best "clean fire" set up for our WSM's? Thanks.
 
The WSM falls into the barrel smoker category. I prefer lump with some well season wood. Having a "clean" burn means your cooker is just running right. Your charcoal or lump isn't being choked out. Your wood is nice and seasoned. Not wet or rotted. Your fuel is burning at the right temp and not smoldering. Nice thin blu smoke.
 
I find a clean burn is when you get the smoke right, and them temperature settles down a bit. Might be 230, might be 255. I use and ATC for comp cooks, etc. to really zero in on the ideal cook temp, but at home, It's a simple ride...
 
I also think moisture in the cooker is important along with many others before me. At least on brisket and pork butt but not chicken and ribs.
 
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Danny B (Albany said:
My question for the group is what do you think is the best "clean fire" set up for our WSM's? Thanks.
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A few tips (I gained from the board ) that IMO works for a cleaner burn.
Split your fist sized chunks into 4 or 5 smaller pieces. > You get out of the thick white smoke much faster and into the TBS that we all love.
Scatter those same pieces on top of your un-lit and spread the lit over them. > The white smoke has to pass through the lit which helps to burn of any of the nasty stuff.

Tim
 
Todd Phillips said:
I can't remember the last time I used the water pan on my WSM. It's the same exacts theory as the UDS,PBC
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This gives me an idea. Next time I'm going to take the water pan out but am going to put the brisket in a disposable pan on a rack so smoke can get all the way around it but I can also put water in the pan for some humidity as Aaron Franklin recommends. I've cooked chicken many times with no water pan and seem to remember a lighter smoke without the pan. Thanks for the idea.
 
Danny B (Albany said:
This gives me an idea. Next time I'm going to take the water pan out but am going to put the brisket in a disposable pan on a rack so smoke can get all the way around it but I can also put water in the pan for some humidity as Aaron Franklin recommends. I've cooked chicken many times with no water pan and seem to remember a lighter smoke without the pan. Thanks for the idea.
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To tell you the truth! I have a Stumps XL cooker and I prefer to do Briskets on the WSM with out the pan. It's alot more baby sitting at times then Stump, but IMO it yeilds better results.
 
I had written a brilliant reply to this, but I'd forgotten to sign in. And when TWVVB forced me to sign in, it dumped my brilliant post. Too bad. It was Pulitzer Prize worthy. Now I know. Sign in - then post.
 
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