First WSM cook - temperature issues


 
B

Benny Blanco

New member
hey guys.. got my first cook going today. Just threw on the ribs after fighting the temperature for the last couple hours <sigh>

The access door on this thing SUCKS. Im going to modify it somehow before my next cook.

My temps were consistent 275-325 with all vents closed .. air leaks all over the place - biggest being the top of the door. I used the upside down door trick and this helped a lot. Now down to 225 steady.. hope she holds!
 
I started cooking on a WSM last summer, so I went through what you're going through right now.

I can guarantee you are using too much charcoal/lump if you are closing the vents and you're still getting those temps - especially during the winter. Maybe you threw in too much lit coal.

The upside-down door trick will make your smoker run hotter, not cooler. It allows more air into the smoker, hence, causing the coals to burn even faster/hotter.

My smoker leaked the first day I used it but that's just how it is. It won't matter too much, believe me. I've been able to make some great food on this thing knowing it still leaks.

Good luck with the WSM and your future cooks. My recommendation would be to try less lit coal and less coal in general and no doubt you will see your temps stay nice and low (225-250). It's still hard for me to figure out how much coal/lump I need for certain cooks, but with more and more experience, I'll have it down to a science soon.
 
This is not a problem I've had. I've typically struggled to get temps up, not bring them back down. The only suggestion I can offer is to use less fuel next time. Not exactly the most helpful, I know.

Did you do a standard light (found here) , or a minion method (found here) ? I've only done the minion method, and just about everyone on here will say it's easier to catch the temps on the way up as opposed to fighting to bring them down.
 
WSMs tend to run a little hotter the first few cooks, so that might be part of the problem you're having.

You may want to try something with a little wider range of temperature tolerance for your next couple of cooks - maybe some butts.

Good Luck! - Let us know how the ribs turn out.
 
Benny, I taped my door shut with heat-resistant tape. I now use the lid-ajar method to get the temp up real high if I need 350 deg. plus. Do not use water so replenishing charcoal is not a problem.
 
I used the minion method.. about 20 bricks and about 3/4 full cage of lump.

No idea what happened, but as soon as I flipped the door and let her sit for about 20 mins, temps came down. Maybe its a coincidence between the door and burnt fuel.
 
That is odd. I've used more fuel than that and had to struggle to get temps up between 225 and 250. Of course, when I was doing this, it was below freezing with little to no wind. What was the weather like when you were doing this (temp, wind conditions, etc)?

Maybe it's just like Steve said and your smoker is running hot for the first few cooks. I did not experience this myself, but it very well could be the cause.

As to why the upside-down door would lower the temperature, I'm clueless.
 
Just curious if you are using water or a foiled pan??

I have said it over and OVER... but i'll say it again. Most temp problems (can't get high... can't get down) are more a result of how you start your unit as opposed to air flow thru the door, cracks/etc. Make no mistake that some are certainly not right... and Weber has shown they will remedy this.

What people need to realize is that if you start with 3/4 of a chimney of well lit lump, you will have issues when it QUICKLY shoots past your temp. Same thing if you only put in a 1/4 chimeny of poorly lit lump. You will struggle to raise the temps as the fire will take a while to spread enough even with the vents 100% open.

The WSM is built to hold heat... but it also works in reverse as it will also hold the cold at the start of a cook. As always it's best to catch the temps on the way up. It's a trial and error thing... I have found the best way for me is to start my cook with Natural Briq's so I can easily and accurately know how much heat I'm putting in. I vary from 14 briqs in summer to 20 briq's in the winter for starting. Using lump to start can be messy and it's difficult to know how much you put in the chimney this time vs the last time. I'm sure that comes with practice, but for a beginner I would say start with Briq's
 
I'm pretty sure Benny just flipped the door to get a better seal.
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Tim
 
Maybe I'm not reading it right, but starting the MM with 20 lit coals is too much.

Even in the dead of winter I'll use half that at most.

I will say, yet again, that the Guru was the best money I ever spent, and highly recommend the purchase to all. It prevents all temperature issues.
 
Most have asked the questions I'd ask:
Are you using water or clay saucer/sand?
What temp did you start shutting down vents? When using the clay saucer I start shutting down the bottom vents at 200 and see where she settles in, then start adjusting vents to desired temp.

As others have said, your WSM will run hot the first few cooks, mine did, I could run her at 250 the entire cook with all bottom vents closed on my first couple cooks. She'll get gunked up soon enough and then you'll be writing asking how you can dislodge your lid from the center section of your WSM because it's sealed so well, LOL. Hope this helps.
 
haha, you're right about the anger when trying to dislodge!

Mike_M, what fun is smoking if you have a Guru to do the work for you?
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Using the MM, I'll usually only light about five coals and then place them on top. With all vents open, it will take a little while to get up there. Around 200, I dial the vents back to about half and let it slowly get up to temp.

I'd rather creep up to the temp than to blow past it and have to try to cool the thing down.
 
I'm amazed you can start with just 5 briq's... granted you are starting out with temps about 70-90F + higher then I would be right now. Which also means you don't need nearly the heat I need to warm up all the steel and the clay saucer inside.

I assemble right away after dumping and I'm usually up to temp in 20 minutes without any issues.
 
With only 5 briquettes, it takes me longer than 20 minutes to get up to temp. Also, I use water in my pan. But, once it gets up there, it's also very easy for me to maintain temps. Maybe because not as many briquettes are lit.
 
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