Tom Murtiashaw
TVWBB Member
Trying for the first time today a long cook using a clay pot base instead of water in the water pan. I bought a 14 inch clay pot base at HD and double wrapped it in heavy duty aluminum foil and then set it on top of the foil wrapped WSM stock water pan. Fit perfectly. I have a ring full of Stubbs charcoal briqs which I started Minion style with only 7 hot briqs. Temps were slow to climb, but once they hit 180 degrees I put 2 PBs (about 5lbs. each) on the top rack and got started. All three bottom vents were open to about 20% until the dome temp reached 245 degrees, which is when I closed two of the bottom vents and left the third one open at only about 20%. The dome temp settled back down to about 225 to 230 and has remained there now 3 hours into the cook. I am smoking with small chunks of red oak and maple wood, 2-3 chunks added about every hour to the top of the coals. This is also my first test of Chris Lilly's shoulder recipe which combines both injecting and rub. I will post final results later and hopefully pictures.