Can you pinpoint my charcoal longevity issues?

[Troy S]

I have now used my new 22" WSM twice. I love it, and it's already much easier to control the heat than my old hand-me-down Brinkmann vertical offset Trailmaster, but two smokes in -- despite having great success with the food and everybody I've fed, including yours truly, loving it -- I'm not crazy about the longevity I'm getting.

I see a ton of people purportedly getting 10-12+ hours of burn time and consistent temps with, say, a 15.4 lb. bag of charcoal. Not everybody has a bunch of mods going on, either. I know one guy from the Facebook WSM fanpage who has a blog/site writing about his experiences with his WSM without any mods, thermometer use, etc. and he speaks about doing overnight smokes with no issue. I'll try to briefly describe my two experiences:

1.) First WSM smoke. Used Kingsford. Had a 15.4 lb. bag of briquettes I'd used a little bit of, but not much. I filled the WSM ring with the remainder of the bag and left 'em unlit. I took about 12 briquettes, let them in my chimney with a Weber lighter cube and added the lit coals to the unlit. Minion method 101. Well, it wasn't a big deal on the first smoke, because I only smoked ribs, a pork loin and chicken thighs. At about the 6 hour mark, when I'd finally removed all the food from the smoker, they (they being family, friends, etc.) wanted smoked potatoes, so I added them, along with new coals. Well, when I went to add new coals, I noticed how much the others had already burned out! Just 6 hours in! So much for reading online about the long cooks, I thought... I still added new coals, but they never ignited to a decent point, so I just finished the potatoes inside house.

2.) Second WSM smoke. Today. I used Royal Oak briquettes. A 15.4 bag. This time, with Royal Oak, I used the entire 15.4 lb. bag. I even made a little "hole", a space, in the middle, so I could dump the lit briquettes in there. Once again, Minion method. This time, I lit about 8 coals. It took a while for the smoker to come up to my desired temp, but once it did, we were off for smooth sailin'. I smoked four racks of ribs, a pork shoulder, chicken thighs, mac and cheese, cabbage and bologna. Once again, everything was delicious, but I ultimately had problems at -- you guessed it -- that 6 hour mark!! RO produced just as much, if not more, ash as/than Kingsford!

Also, in this second cook, I added charcoal earlier in the cook from a second bag (not a whole bag, just about 20-25 briquettes), and it made no difference to the burn time.

Here is how I began the smoke today, for reference (right before I added a little bit of applewood):

I'm using my vents the way I believe correctly... leaving the top lid vent wide open... as for the bottom vents, I'm either leaving them 3/4 closed each or closing two of them and leaving one of them open or barely cracked.

What the heck am I doing wrong not being able to achieve the charcoal burn longevity that others are? I'm setting my vents up to where they should be (I believe?) and I'm following the Minion Method almost to a tee. Wind hasn't really been a factor. If the wind is blowing in a certain direction, I close that side's vent.

What am I doing wrong? How can I learn and have longer longevity with my coals?

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

What temp are you cooking at? Water or no?

 

[Troy S]

225-250.

I forgot to mention water! D'oh! My bad. The first cook, I used maybe a little under a gallon of water. The second cook, two gallons of water. I remember reading about water usage in the pan making the WSM use coals faster. You think that's my biggest problem?

 

[ChuckO]

The 22" is a charcoal pig, especially a new WSM, as they need a few cooks to seal them up. Basically the 22 WSM is a big block Chevy, you have to learn to feather the throttle in order to make it around the block more than twice. I noticed you the hole in the center where you pour in your lit charcoal. I have found that method to decrease burn time, because the "fire" can spread more easily. I have found that you pour your charcoal into your ring and pack it tight. You then spread out 10 to 12 fully lit charcoal over the top of your packed ring. Now what you're doing is make a fire that has to burn down, and part of burning down is choking it with ash as it burns down.

My trick is to let the pit come to near cooking temp (blue smoke is an indicator of pit cooking temp reached) put the food on and then close all the bottom vent to just slivers. If more temp is needed, just barely bump the vents open (the tiniest of bump) and if too much temp is achieved, then don't be afraid to close them all fully. Just keep an eye on it (a digital pit thermo makes watching the pit temp ever so much easier)

Adjust pit temp with the slightest of changes to your bottom vents

 

[Troy S]

Thanks, Chuck! So, you think -- instead of making the hole -- I should empty the unlit coals and pack them closely/uniformly and just spread the lit coals in various spots on top? I'll try that for my next cook.

 

[ChuckO]

Thanks, Chuck! So, you think -- instead of making the hole -- I should empty the unlit coals and pack them closely/uniformly and just spread the lit coals in various spots on top? I'll try that for my next cook.

That's been my go to. Mind you, there are many people doing your method and making amazing BBQ, but you might try mine and see if you can extend cook time

 

[Joe Milczewski]

Thanks, Chuck! So, you think -- instead of making the hole -- I should empty the unlit coals and pack them closely/uniformly and just spread the lit coals in various spots on top? I'll try that for my next cook.

I'd also say don't forget Chuck's very good advice about running a few cooks first to get some grease and gunk in your unit before you worry too much about how your WSM performs. I'd cook a couple pork butts running it as hot as it will go and then start working to dial it in. I've heard it described as being like the SR-71 Blackbird. Creaky and leaking oil on the ground but once you get it up to speed the seals close and it's a whole different world.

Also don't rely solely on the thermometer in the lid. That thing is almost worthless. If it is reading around 250* the real temp in the dome might be 320 or higher. That could impact your fuel consumption.

 

[BFletcher]

I am not extremely experienced but I've finally been able to get over 12 hours on my 22" after making several changes, much like ChuckO described. First, I've began using a dry (but foiled) water pan. Then I fill the ring to the top; currently, rather than simply dumping the KBB bag I pour in increments, evenly spreading and tightly compacting the coals. Then I spread 8-10 well-lit coals on top and for x minutes keep all vents 100% open. Once I come close to reaching the target temp I close the intake vents to approx 20% open--give or take--depending on ambient conditions. Many times, my exhaust vent remains 100% open but I have had occasions where I choked it down a little. There are also occasions where I need to stir the coals at x hours (but not add fuel).

 

[Rusty James]

I like Chuck's advice for starting the fire too. I dump a few lit coals on the middle (no depression) of the pile and spread them out a bit. I also pile on the charcoal till it heaps above the ring before adding the lit. I noticed your ring looks partially filled from my point of view. That, in itself, will limit your cook times.

 

[Troy S]

Thanks, everybody. The more advice, the better!

Rusty, the second cook I used the entire 15.4 lb. bag except for about 8-10 briquettes. Should I use the whole bag and more of another, you reckon?

 

[Bob A]

I also scatter my lit coals over the top of my full ring. I have tried the method where you create a depression/hole and pour the coals into the hole and I found that I use more fuel that way. I also use water in the water pan unless I am cooking using HH. I have fuel left at the end, but I am not cooking anywhere as much meat/sides as the original poster. The amount of meat and side items impact your usage as well. Just one more opinion.

 

[Rich Dahl]

Some good advice up above. I don't have a 22 but I do have an 18.5 and a mini. When I first got the 18.5 I was using the water bowl with water and my fuel consumption was okay as mine was seasoned when I got it, about nine hours or so.
Then after reading the water or no water threads I tried a foiled water bowl with no water. My fuel consumption dropped quite a bit so I have stayed with that, didn't notice any difference in the food I smoked.
Also like said above the amount of food you're cooking will affect the amount of fuel you will use. I always start with a full to the top ring of coals and I always have lot's of unburned coals at the end of my cooks, but I mostly will have just one item cooking.

 

[Rusty James]

Thanks, everybody. The more advice, the better!

Rusty, the second cook I used the entire 15.4 lb. bag except for about 8-10 briquettes. Should I use the whole bag and more of another, you reckon?

If you're not getting the proper cook times then I would add as much coals as possible. The 22.5" WSM is rather cavernous in size, so it will consume a lot of fuel. The good part is that you can always harvest the leftover coals if any remain.

If charcoal economy becomes a problem, scan the ads for a used 18.5" model. It holds temps very well, and is not as big a fuel hog. The little 14.5" WSM is very fuel efficient, but I am having some issues with temp control and stability that may warrant a call to Weber since the center section and the lid, too, rock a bit.

 

[Troy S]

Thanks, everybody.

I'll start filling the charcoal ring up with as much charcoal as possible to the point where it's almost overflowing. I have an 11 lb. pork shoulder I want to smoke next weekend, so that seems to be the only viable option for it.

Do you think when I was opening the lid on Tuesday, taking out things (like when the ribs were done or I added cabbage, corn on the cob and mac & cheese) that I was allowing air in to burn the coals up faster? Just asking.

Speaking of investing in another, I'd love to win a 14" WSM for hot and fast cooks. One of my buddies on Facebook just won one in a Smithfield photo contest. I got the 22" because I like the stuff the smoker full of food. Semi-unrelated thought: I don't see the point in having the big 22" if you only cook one food item (asides from a brisket) when you could cut up the said food item and use it on the 14". Love the 22" so far, but I'm so impatient trying to get the temps stable for long cooks.

 

[Bill Elwell]

One thing I noticed in your picture is that you weren't using a full ring of briquettes at the start. That's why you had to add more.

 

[Troy S]

One thing I noticed in your picture is that you weren't using a full ring of briquettes at the start. That's why you had to add more.

I guess, in the moment when I was starting my fire, I thought it was a full ring of coals. I'll add even more next time and see if I can do better, maybe packing them tighter.

I won't add the 'hole' in the middle next time either. I saw so many folks on YouTube doing it (T-ROY Cooks, etc.). I know everybody has there own variations. I'll probably bump this thread with an update after my next smoke.

 

[ChuckO]

Do you think when I was opening the lid on Tuesday, taking out things (like when the ribs were done or I added cabbage, corn on the cob and mac & cheese) that I was allowing air in to burn the coals up faster? Just asking

Oh yeah, if you open your WSM, air will get in, and it will stoke the fires. Have everything ready to go before you open your WSM, so that it's open minimal amount of time when you do have to open it. Note when opening: Open it slowly & carefully so that you don't get a sudden rush of air and stir the ashes onto your food.

 

[Troy S]

It's all about practicing, I reckon.

Thanks again, everybody. Love y'all.

I think the next thing I'm gonna do is some wings and country pork ribs hot'n'fast on the WSM. I know it isn't low and slow, but it should help -- with all the grease -- seal up my WSM even more. Besides, one of my buddies on Facebook made some cherry smoked wings yesterday, and that's been on my mind!

My little lady's family is supposed to come in and surprise her next weekend, and I know we'll be smoking. I want to at least dirty the ol' Smokey Mountain up a little bit more.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Fuel consumption was one of the reasons I went for the 18.5 but, that's not important. I was given a little piece which comes indirectly from Enrico Brandizzi, it's what Tony UK and I refer to as a "sidewinder Minion method": fill the ring fully interspersing smoking medium, make a small depression on one side and place your lit (20 +/-) coals there. The fire will spread as it needs to with little attention.
I have two butts in even as I write this and this will be smoke #6 using that set up. They have all been delicious. The only time I felt like I had to recharge was on a 14.8 pound brisket. Even then, I ended up with enough leftover unburned coal for a half chinley for the kettle.
I bought mine from a member here and it had been lovingly "gunked up so, it was pretty tight.
The Chevy "feathering" comment is a good one, it takes a little time to learn how not to burn the clutch in these things.
The SR-71 Blackbird comment comes from "Space Cowboys" from Tommy Lee Jones character:
"Sitting here on the ground this thing leaks and (something else I can't remember) but, get her up where she belongs...
Seals tighten up and is a dream to fly"
I love that movie!

 

[Troy S]

Doing another cook today. Beef back ribs (marked down to $6 from $12 last night; couldn't pass them up), a pork loin, chicken leg quarters and country pork ribs.

Still playing around and learning. Here's what I filled my ring up with today:

About an hour and a half in. Staying around 215-235. Wind is pretty heavy today. Two vents closed (the ones that are facing the wind). I have another intake invent barely cracked, which is the one facing the basement entrance on the side of the house.

I've left the top vent wide open. The way it should be for the entire duration of the cook, right?