Breaking in a like new 18

[Steve Petrone]

I purchased an 18 WSM that had been used for only 3 cooks. I knew there was work to be done to get it broken in and seasoned.
I'm on my first cook, brisket. It ran at 280* for 2 1/2 hours with two vents open 10% each, the third vent closed.
Finally, I gave in and closed a second vent. So with one vent open 10% --- the temp is 265*.

It may be a few more cooks before I can set and forget.

 

[timothy]

Nice Steve!
I love my 18.

Tim

 

[Clint]

I wish mine ran like that - I'm about to add a 2nd top-vent on my 18", and maybe the door mod too.

 

[Steve Petrone]

update: temps seem to have settled at 240*

Here's hoping that temp holds for a few hours.

 

[Steve Petrone]

Very smooth cook so far...no charcoal added at 9.25 hours in
had to open 2nd vent---been rock solid at 255*

 

[Steve Petrone]

The brisket went approximately 10 hours in WSM, then wrapped in foil for 2 hours in oven at 300.
All good. It was much easier for me than dealing with running out of fuel at 5-6 hours like I used to with a 14.
Very happy to be back with an 18.

 

[Clint]

The 18's a sweet size. I did the homemade 14 & it just wasn't for me. I'll have to give it another shot but if I'm cookin a butt, I'd just as soon do 2 or 4 so I could vac bag some for the freezer.

 

[MartinB]

The brisket went approximately 10 hours in WSM, then wrapped in foil for 2 hours in oven at 300.
All good. It was much easier for me than dealing with running out of fuel at 5-6 hours like I used to with a 14.
Very happy to be back with an 18.

Yup.
I did a brisket friday night. Started 630 pm, finished about noon Saturday. About 17.5 hrs. I went slow at 200 first several hrs before increasing to 250. Juicy little black meteorite, soft as marshmallow. My coal ring is extended a bit, still had some left (20%), and it wasnt even full to start.

I wrapped in paper this time...at 165, after stall over. Bark was great, brisket flat was juicy .