Rob - TexasRob
TVWBB Member
Hello All,
I'm staring to get to use my 18.5 more and been cooking some chicken on it. I am fairly new to the cooker so I know it's probably me just having to get more comfortable on my time table it takes to bring it to temp and getting used to it. I am having a difficult time getting my cooker to stay at the 280-300ish temp. At first I'm not adding enough lit coals from my chimney, so I open the door to add the extra draft. I then try to adjust the dampers, but at that point I think it may be to far gone ( to many hot coals), because my temp gets to like 325. I am using my Mav-ET 732 to monitor the grate temp.
Perhaps I need to be a little more patient ...keep the front vent open, top open, and the sides dial in at half open and just let the temp raise SLOWLY instead of giving it a rush of oxygen to get it going quickly. Perhaps I need to allow myself more time to bring her to temp up slowly. What would you say is a realistic time to bring it to this temp (approx)
I'm loving this cooker, I feel that my timing is WAY OFF being a newbie( the time I think the cooker will come to temp and get to add the food vs how long it actually takes is way off). I realize if I let it come to temp more slowly, it will be easier to control it by tweaking the dampers ...maybe eventually have the front open at 3/4 and sides almost closed once it has been going for a while to keep it in this desired range.
What settings do the veterans out there use to attain that temp of 280-300ish? How much charcoal do you add to the ring for this type of cook, 1/2, 3/4 full? How briquettes many do you add to your chimney to start? What settings do you start off with the dampers( Front, Left, Right, Top)? What do you find yourself adjusting them to finally to keep that range of 280-300ish?
I also realize that I may have answered my own questions as to why I'm overshooting my range, the fact I'm just not being patient enough, dampers opened to much, to much charcoal to start( I have been filling it up)...but would love to hear from the veterans of the WSM, as I m still a JEDI Padawan in this realm! Love this site! Love this cooker!! Thanks in advance!
-Rob
I'm staring to get to use my 18.5 more and been cooking some chicken on it. I am fairly new to the cooker so I know it's probably me just having to get more comfortable on my time table it takes to bring it to temp and getting used to it. I am having a difficult time getting my cooker to stay at the 280-300ish temp. At first I'm not adding enough lit coals from my chimney, so I open the door to add the extra draft. I then try to adjust the dampers, but at that point I think it may be to far gone ( to many hot coals), because my temp gets to like 325. I am using my Mav-ET 732 to monitor the grate temp.
Perhaps I need to be a little more patient ...keep the front vent open, top open, and the sides dial in at half open and just let the temp raise SLOWLY instead of giving it a rush of oxygen to get it going quickly. Perhaps I need to allow myself more time to bring her to temp up slowly. What would you say is a realistic time to bring it to this temp (approx)
I'm loving this cooker, I feel that my timing is WAY OFF being a newbie( the time I think the cooker will come to temp and get to add the food vs how long it actually takes is way off). I realize if I let it come to temp more slowly, it will be easier to control it by tweaking the dampers ...maybe eventually have the front open at 3/4 and sides almost closed once it has been going for a while to keep it in this desired range.
What settings do the veterans out there use to attain that temp of 280-300ish? How much charcoal do you add to the ring for this type of cook, 1/2, 3/4 full? How briquettes many do you add to your chimney to start? What settings do you start off with the dampers( Front, Left, Right, Top)? What do you find yourself adjusting them to finally to keep that range of 280-300ish?
I also realize that I may have answered my own questions as to why I'm overshooting my range, the fact I'm just not being patient enough, dampers opened to much, to much charcoal to start( I have been filling it up)...but would love to hear from the veterans of the WSM, as I m still a JEDI Padawan in this realm! Love this site! Love this cooker!! Thanks in advance!
-Rob
