Am i doing it wrong? Vents


 
Rusty Breaux

Rusty Breaux

TVWBB Fan
So in my quest to beat a dead horse, i was reading up on the WSM a little more.

I have put out some really good meat on it, but wanting to figure out how to better control my Temp. The last 2 cooks i would say i had a tough time holding a good constant temp.

So im reading in a few places and everyone says to leave the top vent wide open and control with the bottom only. I have been doing the opposite, i open the bottom vents as much as i can and control with the top, THEN move to the bottom of i need to slow the burn.

Main question is, what adverse effect will doing it my way (controlling it with the top vent) have on the temp control and the fire in general?

thanks
rb
 
I believe the general idea is that by closing the top vents you are restricting the ability for the air to exit the smoker, increasing potential for very small airborne ash particles to fall onto your food rather than rising through the open vents with the smoke. I believe closing the top vents also suffocates the coals causing a dirtier fire and more ash/bad smoke.

I don't have a WSM but on my kettle I usually try to leave the top vent open as far as possible and control temperature with the bottom vent. For a low-n-slow around 225-250, I usually have my bottom vent just cracked a bit and the top vent about 1/4 to 1/2 open. I know the theory that hot air should be escaping through the top vents rather than feeding the flame, but for me I cannot keep the temp down unless I close the top part way.
 
steveD said:
I believe the general idea is that by closing the top vents you are restricting the ability for the air to exit the smoker, increasing potential for very small airborne ash particles to fall onto your food rather than rising through the open vents with the smoke. I believe closing the top vents also suffocates the coals causing a dirtier fire and more ash/bad smoke.
Click to expand...

As Steve mentioned above, the prevailing thought is closing the top vent can lead to bitter or ashy taste. But if it works for you and you don't have any problems with the flavor, then do what you want! That's one of the great things about BBQ and the WSM--there are lots of ways to do it.

Personally, I use a combination of the top and bottom vents to get the temp I want. To avoid possible issues, I adjust the top vent only after adjusting the bottom ones as far as I can go. In Arizona, the summers are so hot it can be a challenge to keep temps at 225. I will often end up with just one vent on the bottom opened a crack and only then do I start closing the the top. Throughout the process, I make sure the top vent is open more than the bottom.
 
Mark Barton said:
As Steve mentioned above, the prevailing thought is closing the top vent can lead to bitter or ashy taste. But if it works for you and you don't have any problems with the flavor, then do what you want! That's one of the great things about BBQ and the WSM--there are lots of ways to do it.

Personally, I use a combination of the top and bottom vents to get the temp I want. To avoid possible issues, I adjust the top vent only after adjusting the bottom ones as far as I can go. In Arizona, the summers are so hot it can be a challenge to keep temps at 225. I will often end up with just one vent on the bottom opened a crack and only then do I start closing the the top. Throughout the process, I make sure the top vent is open more than the bottom.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys, that all makes sense.

Mark, I am in houston, i may have the same issues keeping temp down pretty soon.

rb
 
Manipulating the top vent will have a faster effect on the cooker temp than fiddling with the bottom vents, but the flow of "clean" smoke is what gives you a deep smoky flavor as opposed to bitter. There are many things that will give you agita when trying to control temp. If you use the Minion method, the number of lit coals will pretty much determine your max temp. This changes somewhat as the fire grows, but that's the rule of thumb. Of course, the ambient condition is a factor. I used to maintain a detailed log of all cooks and knowing the ambient conditions of a cook I did a year prior was helpful in making judgements. Wind is a bigger factor than outside temperature. If you cook out in the sun in Houston, don't be surprised if your lid temp is 150 degrees before you light the fire.

Jeff
 
Check out the thread on "hot smoke barbecue" for that chaps ideas on airflow. He is talking about the kettle but, theoretically, air restriction is air restriction. I might do a test run of ribs using the "Maverick tip top" this weekend. Two racks in the freezer which I would like to use before going on vacation, good test product, I think.
Good point about lid temp Jeff, not usually a big deal here but,there are days....!
 
J Hasselberger said:
Manipulating the top vent will have a faster effect on the cooker temp than fiddling with the bottom vents, but the flow of "clean" smoke is what gives you a deep smoky flavor as opposed to bitter. There are many things that will give you agita when trying to control temp. If you use the Minion method, the number of lit coals will pretty much determine your max temp. This changes somewhat as the fire grows, but that's the rule of thumb. Of course, the ambient condition is a factor. I used to maintain a detailed log of all cooks and knowing the ambient conditions of a cook I did a year prior was helpful in making judgements. Wind is a bigger factor than outside temperature. If you cook out in the sun in Houston, don't be surprised if your lid temp is 150 degrees before you light the fire.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Jeff, thanks for the insite. You make a good point that the temp swings quicker with the top vent control, but im not really worried about swinging the temp much as much as holding a good temp. I am thinking the 15mph winds that were howling last cook was REALLY messing with me, especially since i have the bottom vents wide open. It seems fighting the wind would be a little easier if i wasnt letting it whip into the bottom of the smoker so much. HHMMMMMMMMM

I love this meat smoking thing. If a baker follows a recipe to the letter, the cake will be perfect. TOO EASY... we need variables :)

rb
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
Check out the thread on "hot smoke barbecue" for that chaps ideas on airflow. He is talking about the kettle but, theoretically, air restriction is air restriction. I might do a test run of ribs using the "Maverick tip top" this weekend. Two racks in the freezer which I would like to use before going on vacation, good test product, I think.
Good point about lid temp Jeff, not usually a big deal here but,there are days....!
Click to expand...

Tim, is that Maverick for the kettles only? I saw it around here for the first time yesterday and wondering if it would do anygood on a WSM?

Good luck w/ that thing brother, let us know how u like it.

rb
 
Mark Barton said:
As Steve mentioned above, the prevailing thought is closing the top vent can lead to bitter or ashy taste. But if it works for you and you don't have any problems with the flavor, then do what you want! That's one of the great things about BBQ and the WSM--there are lots of ways to do it.

Personally, I use a combination of the top and bottom vents to get the temp I want. To avoid possible issues, I adjust the top vent only after adjusting the bottom ones as far as I can go. In Arizona, the summers are so hot it can be a challenge to keep temps at 225. I will often end up with just one vent on the bottom opened a crack and only then do I start closing the the top. Throughout the process, I make sure the top vent is open more than the bottom.
Click to expand...


Hey Mark from what I'm seeing on the news starting this weekend you can put the KBB away. Just set that WSM out in the sun and bingo 225 easy. Like you said a no fire temperature reading in the Phoenix sun would be interesting. I'll trade you some heat for some of our lousy winds had 50* swings on the 18.5 WSM Saturday when trying to do some ribs. Constant 35mph, gusts to 50mph.
No vent settings would work although for the above reasons I don't shut the top vent unless there is no other way.
 
Rich Dahl said:
Hey Mark from what I'm seeing on the news starting this weekend you can put the KBB away. Just set that WSM out in the sun and bingo 225 easy. Like you said a no fire temperature reading in the Phoenix sun would be interesting.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they're predicting 120° F here on Sunday and 121° F on Monday! I am planning on putting the Maverick in for a few hours on one of those days just to see the temp. I'll post my results.


Rich Dahl said:
I'll trade you some heat for some of our lousy winds had 50* swings on the 18.5 WSM Saturday when trying to do some ribs.
Click to expand...

Ugh. Sounds nasty. But I would still make that trade!
 
Rusty,

You could 'technically' have a rip roaring 'fire' even with the top vent totally closed. Straight line winds entering one of the bottom vents which provide a whole bunch of air for combustion. The hot gasses then exit out the other two bottom vents. Possible... Yup. Likely... Nope
 
Rusty, from what I gather, this would work on a WSM just fine. It's a very clever contraption, I like the simplicity of the bimetallic thermostat concept. "Ambient temp + degree of declination for desired temp" I like it. Full report will indeed be posted. When I get around to it
 
Bob Bass said:
Rusty,

You could 'technically' have a rip roaring 'fire' even with the top vent totally closed. Straight line winds entering one of the bottom vents which provide a whole bunch of air for combustion. The hot gasses then exit out the other two bottom vents. Possible... Yup. Likely... Nope
Click to expand...

I think the bigger concern is that most WSMs tend to be leaky, either through the door or around the lid. So even if you're closing your top vent there's the possibility that gasses are exiting through leaks.
 
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