cooking at 350* using a 22 1/2 WSM


 
B

Brian C

New member
First post, I just purchased a 22 1/2 WSM smoker. I'm planning on cooking at 350* for about 7 hours to 8 hours. I was reading on this forum where guys use a full chimney first than add unlit charcoal on top. Approx how much fuel will I need and approx How long would that temp last for before reloading. I read where I should just foil the pan no water. I'm planning on cooking a 12 lb Boston butt, using a foil pan that the butt sits in.

This is my second smoker, I own a offset smoker that I can't take on the road with me. I'm used to firewood, charcoal is a new game for me as far as smoking goes. Looking forward to get started.
 
I don't have a big 22.5", so I won't make fuel amount recommendations. To cook a pork butt HH in a foil pan though, why not ditch the water pan completely? You'll use a lot less charcoal, and 350* should be no problem if you get enough lit, at least while the cooker is still new. After it gets seasoned up a bit, you might need to install a second exhaust vent if you can't figure out a way to leave the door cracked like on the 18.5".
 
While I may not be able to give the exact "recipe" for the temps you're looking for, I will speak to my experience doing a whole turkey a couple weeks ago:
*Two overflowing chimneys
*Foiled, empty pan
*Temps in the high 80's
*All vents wide open
*325 lid thermometer temp for the 3-4 hours and never above.

Soooo, you'll probably need more fuel,air or both than that...
 
Brian,

I have never maintained 350 for 7-8 hours. I have maintained 350-400 for about 5.

I prefer briqs, so I used Stubbs instead of Kingsford briqs for this one. I filled the CC (Charcoal) ring 2/3 with unlit. I dumped about 1.5 chimney's worth of lit on top and let it run for 15 minutes to get nice and hot. I then built the smoker and threw the brisket on there.

Also, you will see people that crack their door to get HH temps. You can't do that on the newer 22" WSM because of the arch. To get temps up I have cracked the lid so there is more exhaust to draw the fire. As Dave mentions, you may need to install a second exhaust vent to maintain HH temps on the newer 22". I had planned to do it this weekend myself, but ran out of time. There is a thread in the Modifications forums on what to do.
 
Thanks for the great advice guys. I just ordered the vent kit, I cook alot of chickens so this vent will come in handy.

Glen W thanks for link. I'm copying your layout, I like the vent placements and the thermometer placement. Great site great tips. I'm new the the RMS so this site really helps guys like me out. Thank again everbody for the great advice.
 
Just another take. I've been able to get mine to 400 and easily 300-350 just using unlit and about 20-25 lit on top. Generally I will only use 10-12 lit, but the 20-25 get's it going quicker so the temp comes up faster.

I'm curious also, you're planning on doing a 12# butt at 350* for 7-8 hours? Why are you doing it that high?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Kennedy:
Just another take. I've been able to get mine to 400 and easily 300-350 just using unlit and about 20-25 lit on top. Generally I will only use 10-12 lit, but the 20-25 get's it going quicker so the temp comes up faster. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Dang. That's a WHOLE different animal than my 18.5" wsm. How many spots does the smoke come out of?
 
Jim Kennedy,

I was doing some reading on this forum and I found posts talking about quick cook boston butt and beef brisket. I was impressed with the results these guys got, as where they.

I have family coming up here Labor Day weekend for a 3 day camping trip, they asked if I could BBQ for them. Time is not on my side on this trip due to activities we got planned. There is going to be quite a few people and still growing. I may even do two butts.
 
I always Minion the start - with around 22-25 lit. I have an 18.5. I load the meat immediately after dumping the lit and assembling the cooker.

For me, I'll get the upper 200s after the temps climb. Cracking the door (one can crack the lid if necessary) easily brings me to the mid-300s and higher.

I suggest using a full ring. If you don't use it all you can shut it down after cooking and save the unlit fuel. If you need more fuel during the cook, just chuck a load of unlit on top of the lit - or you can light the fuel first if you prefer.

12-pound butts are rather uncommon.

I foil the pan, leaving an airspace between the foil and pan to prevent scorching of the drippings. You could remove the pan entirely. I am not a fan of this as I'm not big on the taste the drippings impart when they burn.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Kennedy:
Just another take. I've been able to get mine to 400 and easily 300-350 just using unlit and about 20-25 lit on top. Generally I will only use 10-12 lit, but the 20-25 get's it going quicker so the temp comes up faster.

I'm curious also, you're planning on doing a 12# butt at 350* for 7-8 hours? Why are you doing it that high? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I too am able to get my 18.5 to 350-400 NO PROBLEM when need be. An example was this past weekend I did two small pork butts and they were both stubborn and stalled at 153 for well over an hour. I only had two hours left till I wanted to pull them (it was a 6 pounder, I cut in half so I planned on 7-8 hour cook with resting and such, temp was around 250-270 all day), so I foiled them and opened up the bottom vents 100%, a half hour later I was at 350 and stayed between 350-400 the rest of the cook and was actually pushing over 400 at the end. Finally got the butts to 195 just in time and pulled them off. Didn't have time to let them rest as much as I wanted, but they turned out great..I would have liked more fat rendered but what are ya gonna do? Gotta eat!!

(oh on a side note I always use a full ring of Stubbs, minion method with 20 lit briqs, and a foiled 12" saucer, no water)
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom (Gunner):
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Kennedy:
Just another take. I've been able to get mine to 400 and easily 300-350 just using unlit and about 20-25 lit on top. Generally I will only use 10-12 lit, but the 20-25 get's it going quicker so the temp comes up faster.

I'm curious also, you're planning on doing a 12# butt at 350* for 7-8 hours? Why are you doing it that high? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I too am able to get my 18.5 to 350-400 NO PROBLEM when need be. An example was this past weekend I did two small pork butts and they were both stubborn and stalled at 153 for well over an hour. I only had two hours left till I wanted to pull them (it was a 6 pounder, I cut in half so I planned on 7-8 hour cook with resting and such, temp was around 250-270 all day), so I foiled them and opened up the bottom vents 100%, a half hour later I was at 350 and stayed between 350-400 the rest of the cook and was actually pushing over 400 at the end. Finally got the butts to 195 just in time and pulled them off. Didn't have time to let them rest as much as I wanted, but they turned out great..I would have liked more fat rendered but what are ya gonna do? Gotta eat!!

(oh on a side note I always use a full ring of Stubbs, minion method with 20 lit briqs, and a foiled 12" saucer, no water) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Absolutely. Crack those vents open and it's like a rocket!

Shifting to the butts, what you said about your butts is why I questioned you "Brian C", about the high temp cook with the butt. I'm not sure it's for me, but I can see a brisket on high temp and quicker, but butt, especially a big one and whole, in my opinion, needs lower and slow to not only reach the internal temp, but to have plenty of time for the fat and connective tissue to fully render. It can be done quicker, but personally, I wouldn't want higher heat. Last butt I did was a 9# butt that I had them split (hadn't planned on doing the whole thing) and I think I was done, almost 200* internal, in about 7-8 hours. But I never got the temp neat 300, but it was higher than I wanted. It ended up really good but I felt like I was pushing it and got lucky.

Anyhow, that's why I was curious. I'd never heard of trying to do a large butt high and fast. A brisket is much different.

Now I'm getting the notion to do a butt this week for the heck of it.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Brian C:
...I read where I should just foil the pan no water. I'm planning on cooking a 12 lb Boston butt, using a foil pan that the butt sits in. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What am I missing here?

I see no benefit to leaving the water pan in place if cooking a butt in a pan on the top grate, at HH. Anyway, isn't the water pan's purpose to moderate cooking temps between the grates, keep drippings out of the fire, and help keep temps down? If cooking IN a pan, why does the OP need to cook OVER a pan? 350* sure will be easier without the water pan, and it'll take less charcoal as well.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If cooking IN a pan, why does the OP need to cook OVER a pan? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
My mistake, I missed the IN the pan thing. Me, I would not cook in a pan (I don't like the wallowing in drippings thing) so I would use an empty, foiled waterpan. If preferring to cook IN a pan then you are quite right and one could dispense with the waterpan entirely.
 
Kevin, it didn't seem like you were the only one to miss the OP's mention of cooking in a pan. That's why I thought I might've missed something.

Thanks for reaffirming my thoughts not only on using the water pan, but also on cooking pork butt in a pan. Saturday's cook that I posted at length about, so completely convinced me of how juicy bbq didn't need to be greasy or involve the use of foil. For some reason or another though, some folks seem to equate "moist and juicy" with "greasy". I ate WAY too much 'Q this week, and no tummy aches for me, so that tells me it wasn't "greasy".
icon_smile.gif
 
OK, I'm a little confused and I think I confused others . As far as my cook. I'm planning on doing a butt placed in a aluminum pan and was planning on using the water pan, no water. Reason being I read in a post that the water pan diffuses the heat better tan being open. I was going to wrap the pan hopefully to protect the pan from discoloring, basicly cosmetic purposes.

As far as the butt goes this is my first attempt. I live in South Jersey it's hard for me to find boston butt, Quite honestly I never seen one here. They sell the whole shoulder, or there is a different name for them here. My family from Virginia are bringing it up with them.

After talking to my Nephew, he said the butts sold where he lives in Virginia are about 9 to 10 pounds. I hope this clears some of the confusing up. My smoker arrived today UPS just dropped it off. Again thanks to all for all the help and I'm open for suggestions as far as the cook goes.
 
Brian,

For pork butt there is not really a benefit to cooking it in the pan. Just toss it on the grate, and let it cook. You can put it in a pan after you take it off and cover with foil for the rest if you would like.

Yes, the water pan, even if empty, is there as a diffuser.

As for the whole shoulder, ask the butcher to cutt it into a butt for you. He will just saw off the picnic portion. No reason they shouldn't do it for you. Boston butt is also sold under blade shoulder.

And butt is very easy, so don't stress too much. If you have any other questions, just ask and someone on here will gladly help.
 
Agreed. The waterpan does diffuse. If cooking in a pan diffusion is not necessary. I'd skip the pan and go with the foiled waterpan were it me, as mentioned upthread.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
I'd skip the pan and go with the foiled waterpan were it me, as mentioned upthread. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agreed x2. I'm also a proponent of cooking much lower than 350. If it's a whole 9# butt, I wouldn't go more than 275 maybe and just watch the internal temp. It may take longer, but there's a lot to "melt" inside. And they're forgiving. If you go longer and it gets up over 200-210, it's usually no sweat.
 
Brian and Josh, LOTS of guys that have made and used a UDS like myself will tell you that a diffuser isn't really necessary on a wsm, if only cooking on the top grate.

The wsm pan's main purpose is to diffuse the heat around the BOTTOM grate, since it's so close to the fire, and like I said, help moderate temps and keep grease out of the fire.

That said, I'd rather cook a butt at a more moderate temp right on the rack. More bark and less grease.
 
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