Don't smoke the neighbours


 
R

Rik Holland

New member
Hi all,

I want to purchase a 14.5 WSM but I got one last thing I need to tackle. I live in an appartment and would have to put the wsm on the balcony. Obviously I would use it frequently so I can't have complaining neighbours. From what I read the lighting up part causes most smoke but that can relative easy be prevented.

Assume I will manage to master that; do you think it's anywhere near doable to smoke meat for hours without complaints (open windows, outside clothes etc.). Of course I can use a fan. Building a chimney wont work cause I live on the second floor and the building is 4 high. I would have to push the smoke away from the building (not up)

Anyway, can't wait to start. Thanks in advance all
 
One tip I learned from the forum is to split my fist sized chunks into 4 or 5 pcs. You'll get out of the thick white smoke quicker and into the thin blue smoke that we all love.
HTH, good luck, and also welcome to the board!

Tim
 
Rik, a 14.5 won't give off tons of smoke. I think you'll experience the most lighting your coals, and when you first put the coals on your wood and unlit coals. Remember, these are small smokers (compared to the 18.5 and 22.5) so you won't need very much wood to attain the desired taste. As it was taught to me. You can add more wood (later), but you can never take out the taste if you start with too much smoke wood.
Good luck and keep us posted
 
You may want to make sure your apartment complex allows grills/smokers on a balcony...some do not. I would hate to see you buy a smoker and not be able to use it.
 
I would also make friends with all of those around you and invite them over for bbq, and leave them care packages of leftovers. They will be less likely to complain if they are experiencing the benefit (you can also get a sense on who may have an issue and what it is so you can work around it at these gatherings!).
 
Being a fireman my first question was also can you even have a charcoal based grill/smoker? Most city's have ordinances against it or the fire department prohibits it if they follow the International Fire Code. Just an FYI. Seeing you live in the Netherlands I can't tell you if they follow that or not.....
 
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My son lives in an apartment and uses the mini wsm. He invited the neighbors over for BBQ to win them over. Now when he has it fired up they ask when it's gonna be ready vs complaining.
 
Thank you all for the replies. Got to read the terms indeed. Good tip. Of course i will give everyone a taster. Thing is that the people complaining are usualy the ones behind their curtains.

Smoke only comes out of the 4 holes correct? Not through the connecting parts I assume? (sorry for my english. Dont know the word)
 
Rik Holland said:
Smoke only comes out of the 4 holes correct? Not through the connecting parts I assume? (sorry for my english. Dont know the word)
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I haven't used my 14" WSM yet, but with my 18" the only place smoke comes out is the top vent. I've never seen it come out the bottom vents or any of the joints/connection points (like where the middle section sits on the charcoal bowl or the lid sits on the middle section). The only time I've seen it come out the access door is when I've had it open.

Hope that helps and I hope your local regulations allow you to have a WSM!
 
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Chris W. said:
I haven't used my 14" WSM yet, but with my 18" the only place smoke comes out is the top vent. I've never seen it come out the bottom vents or any of the joints/connection points (like where the middle section sits on the charcoal bowl or the lid sits on the middle section). The only time I've seen it come out the access door is when I've had it open.

Hope that helps and I hope your local regulations allow you to have a WSM!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Thought maybe some air would escape through the bottom vents but that wouldnt be logic.
 
No smoke from the bottom a very very little bit from between the middle and top.

On the pain of getting kicked off the forum, if you can't have charcoal on the deck, and therefore not propane either, you could get... an electric smoker!

I have heard good and bad about them, but better electric than no smoking!
 
If I were going to cook on a wooden floored balcony I would make sure that I used an automobile drip pan under the WSM (I have a concrete paver patio and still use one under my 18.5 WSM to keep from soiling the patio surface):



Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
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