First Roast, Temp Chase!

[D Arita]

OK...here goes. Did my first smoke today. 85 degrees ambient, with light breeze and WSM in the shade.
I used the Method to light her up. I filled the chamber, then added 20 lit KB coals, then 4 chunks. I added water and chicken, then watched temp go up to 200 in about 15 minutes. At that point, I cut all bottom vents to about 1/4 and watched temp rise slowly to 225...and keep on going.
Sooo, I closed down the vents to about 1/8 and temps slowed, but kept climbing. Finally, when temp hit 255, I shut two vents and had just a slit open on the third vent...slowed, but kept rising. In the three hour cook, highest temp reached was about 265. Why couldn't I keep it down to 225???
I checked dome temp with my maverick and found it to be about 20 degrees low, so when it showed 225, it was probably really at 245.
1. If I adjusted vents at the real 225, instead of at 245, would the temp have been more steady?
2. If I started with 10 or 15 lit coals instead of the recommended 20, would that have made temps more steady?
3. Did my bent door add to my temp control issues...


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[Derek Stapleton]

I don't have any answers for you, but I did my first smoke with the same results. Temp eventually settled out at 240 at the dome, 260 at the grate on the Maverick. Vents were open approx 25%. Used half a ring of unlit with 20 lit coals and three chunks of maple. Water was hot in the pan. Air temperature was 50 to 60 with a slight breeze. From what everyone says, the WSM runs hot until it gets gunked up a bit. I was happy with the results. Expect that after a couple runs through the temps will be a bit lower.

 

[Jerry N.]

Number 1 and 2 are non issues. The gap in the door is a real problem. Also, over time some how it just seems to get more stable. When I first started out, my temps would never stablize. Now I can keep my wsm rock steady. It needs to be tight (fix the door) but some practice on your part and some seasoning will help. Keep trying and you'll get it in a couple more cooks. Also, don't get too particular about the temp. There's really not a lot of difference in 225 to 250 to even 275. You'll just cook a little faster with the somewhat higher temps.

 

[Wolgast]

It will get easyer over time when the wsm gets air tighter. You could try to bend the door abit. But my door looks almost like that. And i have no problem keeping it low. When it was new i closed all 3 bottom vents and the temp still climbed. But after a few cooks it will be better.

And another vote for Jerrys tips about temp.