First big one

[Espen A (zarkzervo)]

This weekend, I cooked for 13 people on my WSM. I had 3 beercan chickens and 3 pork loins wrapped in bacon.

It cooked for approx. 1.5 hours before they were finished and I got the chance to try my newly acquired Thermapen.

The food tasted great, but there was one "problem". I was aiming for 200 Celcius (400F) because we all arrived at the same time and I wanted to use about one hour cooking time. I only got 175C (350F) when all my vents were 100%. I suspect that is because I put so much meat in the WSM doing the job of a heatsink.

Could I get better results with better coal briquettes? More coal? Any other suggestion?

The result was very good on this heat, and I had my gas grill going with some starters, but I would like to know that I could get higher temperature in the future if I want to.

Any suggestions?

 

[Chuck_B]

you could also turn your door upside down and prop it open to let more air in.

 

[Les Stubby]

Espen

The door modification works really well and I use it when I cook chicken. You might also try lump charcoal-my experience is that it burns hotter and reaches higher temps quicker.

Les Stubby

 

[Lew Newby]

All good suggestions for raising the temp. More lit charcoal should raise it also.

For what it's worth, yesterday I did a test burn with my new WSM. I put 1 chimney of hot Kingsford blue in and the temp rose to 350 and stabilized. This is just one data point. I had a clay saucer, no meat, it was the first burn for the WSM, so, from what I've read on this forum, that will change as the WSM gets more cooking time.

 

[Mike R. (Heyworth)]

Instead of flipping the door, just prop the lid slightly. Your temps will raise very quickly and you'll have more than enough heat.

 

[Noe]

Espen, if you want to get higher temps add a 2nd top vent for more exhaust equals higher temps. To get max temps add a 3rd top vent to match the 3 intake vents on the bottom. As for cooking a whole chicken about 350 is as high as you really want to go, any higher and the outside is going to overcook before the inside is done.

 

[Dave from Denver]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Noe:
any higher [than 350] and the outside is going to overcook before the inside is done. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I disagree with this. I cook chickens at 500 F in the oven or on the rotisserie or 400+ on the WSM all the time and they come out amazing.

 

[Espen A (zarkzervo)]

Thanks all. It's good to know _how_ to raise the temperature in the future.

But as it turned out. The temps I got was very good for the chicken.