and I can't wait! I've had a OTS silver for months now and have enjoyed it thoroughly, but now I'm ready to take it to the next level! Also, I'm off on Thursday so this is icing on the cake! Now I've heard I have to run a couple of dry runs to condition the seal, is that correct? I'll probably do that tomorrow night or something. What should my first cook be?
First WSM 18.5 arriving tomorrow!
- Thread starter Billy S
- Start date
Gary Hodgin
TVWBB Super Fan
Billy S.
Congratulations. I didn't season mine. I just fired it up and followed a beer can chicken recipe. I think a lot of people start with chicken but I'd say pretty much anything. Personally, I'd stay away from long cooks until I had a better understanding of the WSM operations. Lots of great info on this site.
Here's a link to the seasoning question. Some do and some don't.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/seasoning.html
Congratulations. I didn't season mine. I just fired it up and followed a beer can chicken recipe. I think a lot of people start with chicken but I'd say pretty much anything. Personally, I'd stay away from long cooks until I had a better understanding of the WSM operations. Lots of great info on this site.
Here's a link to the seasoning question. Some do and some don't.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/seasoning.html
Pork butt is easiest (and "most forgiving", as people tend to say). And they're plenty available and cheap here in metro Atlanta (probably the same down in Savannah). Try 1 to 1-1/2 hrs per pound at around 250 and it should turn out great.
Coat it generously with a rub low in salt, a little high on brown sugar (for perfect bark), mix in hickory chunks, start her up minion style and wait for the results. You'll then officially be hooked!
Coat it generously with a rub low in salt, a little high on brown sugar (for perfect bark), mix in hickory chunks, start her up minion style and wait for the results. You'll then officially be hooked!
Billy,
Congrats on your purchase. You're gonna enjoy it. I didn't season my 22WSM I bought in June. And I didn't experience the high temps some have had with new WSM's.
I agree with Gary, a pork butt would be a good place to start. A good store bought rub is McCormicks pork rub. It's low in salt and has a good flavor.
Let us know how your first cook turns out. Tons of information on this site.
Scotty W.
Congrats on your purchase. You're gonna enjoy it. I didn't season my 22WSM I bought in June. And I didn't experience the high temps some have had with new WSM's.
I agree with Gary, a pork butt would be a good place to start. A good store bought rub is McCormicks pork rub. It's low in salt and has a good flavor.
Let us know how your first cook turns out. Tons of information on this site.
Scotty W.
Thanks for the replies everyone!
Well, it arrived a day late so all I've gotten to do is assemble it--and let me tell, that thing is beautiful! Today I get off at 3pm so I'm going to go home and pour a chimney full of lit just to see how it works--remove any manufacturing residue. Tomorrow I'm putting on a small 3.5lb butt to really test it out. I have people coming over to boot! Yikes! I hope first cook goes well.
Looks like I need about 6 hours of low 'n slow--basing that on 1.5 hours per lb?? I will probably set aside 8 just to make sure.
I'll rub the roast tonight and inject about an hour before putting on in the morning. My plan is to have a bed of unlit and then dump 8-10 lit briquettes on top. Once I get temp I'll put the meat on and leave it alone as long as it stays at target temp.
I will probably foil the bottom of the pan as I've seen on this site. I will put a gallon of water in to help regulate temps.
If time gets cramped I'll Texas crutch it with some apple juice, but I would really like to get it pull-able without the crutch.
How does my plan sound so far? This will be first cook on vertical smoker--however, I have used my OTS a lot smoking butts and ribs.
Thanks!
Well, it arrived a day late so all I've gotten to do is assemble it--and let me tell, that thing is beautiful! Today I get off at 3pm so I'm going to go home and pour a chimney full of lit just to see how it works--remove any manufacturing residue. Tomorrow I'm putting on a small 3.5lb butt to really test it out. I have people coming over to boot! Yikes! I hope first cook goes well.
Looks like I need about 6 hours of low 'n slow--basing that on 1.5 hours per lb?? I will probably set aside 8 just to make sure.
I'll rub the roast tonight and inject about an hour before putting on in the morning. My plan is to have a bed of unlit and then dump 8-10 lit briquettes on top. Once I get temp I'll put the meat on and leave it alone as long as it stays at target temp.
I will probably foil the bottom of the pan as I've seen on this site. I will put a gallon of water in to help regulate temps.
If time gets cramped I'll Texas crutch it with some apple juice, but I would really like to get it pull-able without the crutch.
How does my plan sound so far? This will be first cook on vertical smoker--however, I have used my OTS a lot smoking butts and ribs.
Thanks!
Gary Hodgin
TVWBB Super Fan
The only thing I would do differently is inject before I rub. If you set the butt in the injection with the rub on it you'll wash some of the rub off. Of course, you could follow your plan and re-rub if necessary.