Best way to keep temp around 180 for smoking fish


 
M

Mike Arnold

New member
I have been researching smoking bluefish and it is recommended with a temperature around 180.

What is the best way to set up the WSM to achieve this temperature?
I have smoked other things at 225-250 and higher, but never this low.

Would I use the minion method where I would add less than a chimney full of lit coals over unlit coals?
My guess is that I would have all 3 bottom vents closed and maybe close the top on half way.

I would need to smoke for 3 hours max.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks.
Mike
 
I made beef jerky a couple weeks ago, keeping my grate temp right at 160° for 10 hours in my 22" WSM.

I used the snake method - running a layer of briquettes (Stubs) around the inside of the charcoal ring and then lighting one end of it - I ended up with one vent about 1/4 open. I did have to add some charcoal at about 9 hours and that spiked the temps, but by then it didn't matter.

I also put a shade umbrella up to keep the sun off of the smoker.

Good luck.
 
Hi Mike,

I smoke salmon and steelhead here in the pacific nw. I am playing with a slow temp build from 120 to 180 over a 6 hour period. It's all boils down to how many and how to stack your coals. AND how many lit ones you start with. I have a ATC (DigiQ) and that gives me the feedback/airflow needed. No more than 6 lit coals and then a snake configuration on the unlit.

I'd even play with a burn test without fish to get a feel.

jz
 
This is the picture from the bacon article of their snake. I would guess for 180, you would want to go two wide.

bacon14-1024.jpg
 
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I use the snake method for low temps. No water. When I smoke sausage I'll smoke at 150 for the first few hours and bump it up to 180 to finish it off. Usually I do a row of 2 and then when I want the 180 I stack another row of 2 on top.
 
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