First Cook

[Jon Chappel]

My wsm is on its way...lets go fedex. I've smoked some on my Weber kettle, mostly ribs. Any advice of suggestions for the first cook?

 

[Mike Durso]

Yes! a basic rib recipe, maybe one or two racks on the top grate. Follow the basic operation...

a minion type method for the coals. 3 or four chunks of hickory. water pan. Digital probe snaked thru the top vent into the ribs. top vent wide open, lower vents about 1/3 open +/- a bit here and there. Hover anywhere between 215 to 280 or so over the time.. Send us some samples.

After a few cooks, ou can start on various options with the pan, sand, clay saucers...

funny.. for all the options and variations i never ventured into them much.

 

[TravisH]

Since you're familiar with ribs then go with that.

Butt's a good 'starter' meat.

 

[James Harvey]

I say Butt. The long cook allows you to fiddle and learn and the butt is almost bulletproof for success. If need be, throw a couple racks on top to eat while you finish the butt. The long cook will give you a better understanding of fuel usage, temps, and outside impacts (wind etc...)on the WSM.

Or go goofy and do boiled eggs or cheese...

 

[Phil Perrin]

Butts are real hard to screw up! And very tasty!

 

[Paul H]

While you are waiting patiently for your WSM go read Chris's tips on this site on smoking. When your unit gets in you'll be ready to go!!!I agree with the others,do a pork butt. Good first cook,very forgiving and good eats when your done. Good luck and post your results. Would love to see how it turned out for you.

 

[Jon Chappel]

Well it did not come on Saturday. It should be here Monday so hopefully I'll do my first cook next weekend. I'll might do a butt, I've never attempted one on the kettle. The extra time will help me find a place for it. Space on the patio is at a premium right now. Thats my lonely kettle and my seldom used gasser in the back.

 

[Mike Durso]

You can do ribs as an appetizer! Just don't over think, become frustrated, or pick a complicated something or other with "advanced" methods. Keep it basic and enjoy! This forum is the resource and when we say we are looking forwar to your success, we mean it!! Pics a good, but taste samples are better!

 

[Jon Chappel]

I was able to sneak in a quick cook during the week. Road side chicken. I marinaded them last night, they are in the WSM right now. I probably would normally do this in my kettle, but that's buried in snow right now. I'm going hot ~350°C. I wanted 325°C but this is fine.

 

[Jon Chappel]

They turned out decent, although they weren't quite done so I finished them in the oven.

 

[Mac]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jon Chappel:
My wsm is on its way...lets go fedex. I've smoked some on my Weber kettle, mostly ribs. Any advice of suggestions for the first cook? </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Some great tips were offered last year from a new (at the time) member. It's good advice and I wish something like it was posted for me to read 20+ years ago. Smoking Tips of the Newbs, By a Newb, For the Newbs

 

[Jon Chappel]

It took a while but I finally figured out how to post picks from Picasa.

 

[LBNoble]

I'll be doing my first cook tomorrow on my new 22"- I'm thinking of an 11# butt & 5# brisket on bottom & 6.4# chuck, 2.8# babybacks, 4.4# spareribs on top. It sounds like alot, but I've got a chili cookoff lunch on Wed. & plan to use the chuck & brisket (haven't been able to cook a decent brisket yet, but if I hide it in chili...)& freeze any leftovers.

I've cooked a ton of butts on my electric Old Smoky, as well as in crockpots, ovens, & grills-pretty hard to mess it up. I'm not crazy about ribs, but the kids like them. I have all day to fiddle with it, gonna rig up a windscreen with an old futon frame, because it's pretty cold here. My biggest challenge, I think, will be keeping the puppies away from the smoker.