BRITU - Anybody have this problem?


 
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Daniel Israel

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My wife loves ribs, so this weekend I decided to make her some BRITU. I followed the recipe, which seemed simple enough. However, when the ribs hit the cooker, the temperature dropped to about 230, then after a little while (an hour) it started dropping dramatically. I started opening the vents, and at 190, I opened all 3 to 100%. It went up a little, but never got back to 200! I got fed up and pulled the ribs and put them in the oven to finish. An hour later, I checked hte smoker and it was at 250?!?!?!?! Stayed that way for FIVE MORE HOURS!

Nevertheless, I finished the ribs in the house and they were still very, very good, but this was a strange experience I had with the smoker. Anybody else ever have a problem like this?
 
This is coming from a beginner but I have been reading the posts on the forum for about 2 weeks while I waited for my WSM to arrive. A couple of things occured to me. Weber being one of the largest selling commercial Barbecue Grill companies did not put a thermometer on the WSM for a reason. So the average user/buyer would not get rattled by checking the thermometer when changes occurs via either adding the meat or the wind picks up or whatever. So if you add 2 chimneys worth of charcoal either the standard method or minion you should have a stable temperature inside the cooker for a very long time. Last night I let my cooker with the vents open even after I cooked and we had eaten. 5 hours after it was still producing the same temperature. You have to remember that I was once a boyscout and we cooked over open fires or coals on a regular basis and I learned how to measure temps by placing my hand over the heat source. It's not perfect but think really long and hard about this. Why did Weber NOT put a thermometer in the WSM???? It's been around awhile and I believe that the engineers designed it so well that it doesn't need one. And now the others will chime in. This ia all just my honest opinion and I am entitled to it. Good Luck
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Daniel Israel:
[qb]...this was a strange experience I had with the smoker. Anybody else ever have a problem like this? [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>You're not giving enough info to make an informed reply. How much ribs, by weight? How much charcoal, lit by what method? What outside temperature? Wind, or no?
 
I disagree with Bryan. Adding a therm only makes it easier to reproduce quality Q and share info. Mighty hard to say "temp was a shade below hand burning" as a refrence point for other Q'ers. I this case, without knowing all the X factors, Sounds like a large load of meat was put on at once, WSM needed to be allowed to adjust. Perhaps too much meat for amount of charcoal?
 
Ribs, or any meat is, like your water in the water pan, a heat sink. The more meat you have, the lower your temps will tend to run. With this in mind, you might start with little or no water in your pan, then add water as the temp gets up there (and it will). I'd recommend the Minion Method (found elsewhere on this site) for lighting your charcoal.
 
Bryan

I agree with much of what you've said. I doubt if Weber anticipated our compulsive/obsessive group of temp control freaks when they created the WSM (I include myself in that group). I used the WSM according to Weber's instruction for many, many years before this site was created and was never disappointed. However, I couldn't have done pulled pork with very, very long cooks without the info I've received here.

I think knowing the temp inside the unit is important and helps make a good thing better. If you tested the heat with your hand you'd be taking the lid off a lot. I would not want to go back to no thermometer and ignoring the temp.

I take somewhat of a middle of the road approach to the temp issue, but I believe a good, steady low temp within a desirable range is important to good Q and would be more difficult without a thermometer.

Paul
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Doug D:
[qb] <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Daniel Israel:
[qb]...this was a strange experience I had with the smoker. Anybody else ever have a problem like this? [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>You're not giving enough info to make an informed reply. How much ribs, by weight? How much charcoal, lit by what method? What outside temperature? Wind, or no? [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Like I said... I followed the BRITU recipe, so I had 3 racks (about 2 lbs each) and did the lighting method on the recipe (one chimney lit, add another chimney and wood, wait until flaming, assemble cooker, wait a while).

The outside temp was pretty stable the entire day. Not really cold (high 50s to low 60s) and almost no wind.
 
When I measured the temp with my hand I was measuring from the top vent. I know that everytime you take the lid off it takes around 15 minutes for the cooker to get back to temp. I probably will buy a thermometer, already looking at a Teltru BQ 250. But I have got to buy all the seasonings and baby back ribs for BRITU before I go buying a thermometer. Like any other hobby if you want to do it right you have to get all the accesories/toys to get the full adjustment. But one of the reasons I bought the WSM was it's ability to maintain a steady temperature over long periods of time. Smoke On!
 
I'm wondering if you took a cue (no pun intended) from Chris' BRITU cooking notes and had all your bottom vents totally closed in the beginning. His cook took place on a warm summer day, and his notes mention the cooker coming into full sun at some point having an effect. Perhaps if your vents were similarly closed with no warm outside air or solar gain, the seemingly relatively small mass of ribs in combination were enough to cause the drop. Why it would take an hour to do so, though, is still a puzzle.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bryan Wadkins:
[qb]Why did Weber NOT put a thermometer in the WSM???? It's been around awhile and I believe that the engineers designed it so well that it doesn't need one.[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>The WSM has been around now for about 21 years and has never had a thermometer. To the best of my knowledge, the only Weber charcoal grill to come with a factory-installed thermometer is the high-end Performer model, introduced a few years back.

I'm not sure why Weber believes thermometers are useful in gas grills, but not in charcoal grills.

Regards,
Chris
 
Bryan, try doing a cook under windy conditions without a thermometer. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
 
If Weber put a thermometer on the smoker, would most of the people on this site be happy with it? My guess is not. Realistically, they wouldn't be putting a $40 thermometer on it, or there would be a lot of people that wouldn't pay the extra money.

What would be useful is some ports, with metal plugs, that would take various thermometer sizes without the drilling....
 
Like most all of us here, I put a therm in the dome of my WSM as soon as I bought it.

I am getting a second WSM soon and probably will NOT drill and install the dome therm.

I have been using a cheap digital probe therm stuck through a potato half laying on the top cooking grate. So far it has worked well and I know what my cooking grate temp is. I check its accuracy regularly in boiling water. Much easier than having to remove a permanent mount therm to check calibration.

It all boils down to personal preferences! Whatever floats ones' boat! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
 
If they put holes and knock-out plugs for thermometers, then some people would feel they got gypped* out of a thermometer. It's a no-win situation.

(*It's the correct word, I looked it up.)
 
Chris, I've got an older Weber One Touch(15 or so years old)that came with a built in thermometer. The kettle is red with the stow-away lid. The thermometer mounts right below the lid handle and can be removed and used as a meat thermometer. My lawyer thought I was nuts when I told him I wanted it in the property settlement!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bob McFadden:
[qb]I've got an older Weber One Touch(15 or so years old)that came with a built in thermometer. The thermometer mounts right below the lid handle and can be removed and used as a meat thermometer.[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yeah, that's the one on the Performer. Didn't know they put that on the One Touch, that's good info.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John W.:
[qb]If Weber put a thermometer on the smoker, would most of the people on this site be happy with it? My guess is not. Realistically, they wouldn't be putting a $40 thermometer on it, or there would be a lot of people that wouldn't pay the extra money.[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Weber uses a $9 thermometer in the aforementioned kettle, and it's the same one they used for years in the Genesis gas grills. Lots of folks here use this thermometer in their WSMs, and I would venture to say that most people would be quite satisfied with it if it was included with the WSM.

Regards,
Chris
 
Well I guess I can come out of the closet on this one.......

I was approached by Weber 2 summers ago. They wanted me to test a WSM prototype with a built in thermo in the lid. I got to know one of the VP's in Chicago. He knew I competed and wanted to test it when I was competing.

It never came about and they never told me why....they always said they were too busy to get the prototype made and eventually the project was abandoned. I did get ALL of the Weber cookbooks out of this failed "deal". Now is perhaps a good time to get back in touch with my contact.

My feelings.....for under $20 you can use the Polder clones....NO drilling or replacing nuts and bolts, etc. Pure simplicity that works like a charm!
 
Kevin

How do you set up the Polder to measure temp inside the WSM, i.e. dangle through top vent,through a wooden block on the top cooking grate ? Do you see this as an advantage over using a candy thermometer clipped through the top vent, which is my present approach. I'm thinking of buying a Tel-Tru and adapting a clip only because it is a more accurate thermometer.

Thanks,

Paul
 
Paul,

Here is a pic on how I do mine.

Cooker_Setup.jpg


I simply place the cords under the lid...been doing that now for over 6 years and have never lost one due to cord problems.

I wouldn't worry about accuracy.....I have 6 of these Polders and every one of them is off by 3-5?...no big deal.

I just don't like the idea of having to clip and unclip or pull a thermo out of the hole when I lift the lid. I lift my lid several times throughout a cook and having to worry about where to put the darn thermo is one less hassle.

I realize everyone is different, but to start drilling holes and pulling bolts to mount a thermo in my mind is sheer madness. LOL You need to pull them to test them which is one more hassle.

In reality, I rely less and less on a thermo anyway. I can now pretty much gauge how much lit and unlit charcoal to use based on the ambient weather and meat load. I never use it to check the meat........except when grilling over high heat. There are much more accurate ways to test for doneness.

Having said this, I think a thermo for measuring the temp inside the smoker is a must for newbies! You need to know the internal heat to have any idea how long your meat will take to cook.
 
Kevin

Thanks for the response. With a candy thermometer clipped to the top vent, you don't have to remove it when you remove the lid. The only time I remove mine is when I'm finished with the cook and want to close the top vent to extinguish the fire.

Using the probe on the top rack does seem to take up some of your cooking space. I put two butts on my top rack last weekend and don't believe there was any room left.

I think I'll keep using my same method with the possible exception of upgrading the thermometer which probably isn't really necessary. As they say "it's close enough for government work".

Paul
 
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