Clay pot w / brick

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fritz

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Ok, I know this topic has been exausted, but I havent found the specific answer to this question(or don’t have the time to page through each post on the subject). I will make this as brief as I can:

I use a clay pot in my 18” WSM and have been happy for the most part. As it can’t keep/hold the 225 temp like water, its still pretty good at keeping it well within BBQ range once you learn the curve.

My question – would adding a brick or two (or even a second clay pot) to increase the heat sink mass help keep temps on the lower side when doing an overnight - ie butts? Has any one done this?

My last butt just could not stay comfortably below 250* lid temp without almost closing all bottom vents and risking putting out the fire.

As we all know the water pan for this size WSM wont make it 12 +/- hrs w/o needing refilling. And I don’t want to go with the larger Brinkman water pan and have to relearn another temp control curve.

See that wasn’t so bad. Thanks for your thoughts.

Fritz
 
Fritz, I have been doing a google search for 1/2 an hour trying to get you an answer. The overwhelming majority of opinions I have read state that the heat sink is used to regulate, ie. keep more constant the smoker temp. When one opens the dome or the door the influx of air tends to change the temp of the cooker but the heat sink being hot more rapidly returns the smoker to the original temp. No one talks about the heat sink being used to keep the temps down. That being said, we all know that with the same amount of air intake, water will keep the smoker temp lower than no water. I would assume that clay or bricks do not act accordingly because once they are hot they retain their temp longer than water and fluctuate less. Until proven wrong I believe the only way to keep temps low is to restrict fuel or air, either intake or exhaust. I use a ceramic dish in all 3 of my smokers and like the result. I do however cook at higher temps than Low and Slow, most often.

Mark
 
Thanks for taking the time to reasearch this Mark - wow! i guess maybe I'll play around with it and see. I'd like to be able to put a butt on at around 11:00 and have it ready early/mid afternoon (14-16hrs) and not at 11:00am. Holding the meat for 6/7 hrs til dinner in a 190ish oven effects the texture. I know smoking isn't exact science(which is why the appeal for me). I'd rather start late than get up early. Anyway i know butts are forgiving and 99% couldn't tell the difference b/ one smoked at 275 and one smoked at 225. Thanks again.
 
Fritz, I would suggest you try a snake configuration with your coals. Put about 6-8 hot at the tail of the snake and let it burn slowly towards the head. This way you limit the amount of coals that is hot at any one time. This may take a practice cook while you are awake to figure out how thick to make the snakes body, and it may work better without the coal ring giving your snake a larger surface to squirm in. The set up is how the Smoke-EZ is configured for low heat cooks and works very well. Obviously keep your intake vents almost closed, just open enough to keep the coals a burnin'.

Good luck!

Mark
 
With all due respect to mk, I'll add some to your confusion.

I use an empty foil covered pan in my 18" WSM for everything with excellent results.
I can cook a butt at 275° in ~6 hours. NO need to low 'n' slow at all.

Also, I always use the Minion method, but I never count the brikettes, always use maybe 1/3 chimney. That gets it started quick and gets the heat up in a hurry.

There's no downside to this, my Q is as good as anybody's.
 
Charles, I applaude your results and I am sure that I would love to eat Q with you. Fritz, not to speak for him, seems to want to cook lower temps than you or I commonly use. I was simply suggesting a method that may assist him in accomplishing his goal.

Take care.

Mark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mk evenson:
Charles, I applaude your results and I am sure that I would love to eat Q with you. Fritz, not to speak for him, seems to want to cook lower temps than you or I commonly use. I was simply suggesting a method that may assist him in accomplishing his goal.

Take care.

Mark </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No worries, Mark. Hope Fritz finds a method that works for him.
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yes, low and slow (225-230 or below) on a butt would be nice to do, if only to be able to taste the difference for myself.
 
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