Flame Boss higher temperature control on the WSM 22"


 
J

John Moncrief

New member
I tried the Cornell chicken recipe (no water in the pan) on my 22" with the Flame Boss temperature regulator. I used a little less than two full Weber chimneys for fuel. The recipe called for a temperature between 325 and 350. I set the Flame Boss for 325. The Flame Boss fan was going 100% the entire time but I had difficulty getting the temperature above 300. The chicken was done in about an hour which was fine but I am wondering about my technique. 1) Not enough charcoal? or 2) Did I install the fan in the vent incorrectly (does it matter if the fan is not directly opposite a hole?)? or 3) The Flame Boss has difficulty maintaining a 300+ temperature in the 22"?
 
I use another ATC brand. No water in the pan. Open one of the other vents so that the ATC is providing "makeup air" rather than all of the combustion air.

We also use a full charcoal ring, no matter what is cooking. Closing down the vents following the cook will allow you to save any unused coals for next cook.
 
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In order to get higher temps with the WSM you need more air/smoke flow to exhaust from the WSM. You have plenty of air being pushed into the WSM from the fan, but you are not providing enough openings to exhaust the air/smoke from the WSM. Some people who do high heat on the WSM add another top lid vent to help with this. What I do is use the upside down access door trick to crack open the access door and it provides a lot of exhaust to stoke the fire. (of course this won't work if you have a WSM with a round access hole) Another way you can provide more exhaust is to offset the lid some so it doesn't sit flush with the top of the middle section, which will allow air/smoke to escape but not too much so that you get most of the smoke to go over the food.

Good luck,
Kg
 
I had the lid vent mostly closed and the other two bottom vents completely closed. The temperature wires propped up the lid a little bit. So for future chickens... should I just open the top vent all the way or do that and open one of the bottom vents? Or just experiment? Before using the Flame Boss I had emailed the company and was told to shut both bottom vents. I guess they were thinking in terms of maintaining 250 or 225?
 
John Moncrief said:
I had the lid vent mostly closed and the other two bottom vents completely closed. The temperature wires propped up the lid a little bit. So for future chickens... should I just open the top vent all the way or do that and open one of the bottom vents? Or just experiment? Before using the Flame Boss I had emailed the company and was told to shut both bottom vents. I guess they were thinking in terms of maintaining 250 or 225?
Click to expand...

Yes you should open the top vent all the way. I'd do this before offsetting the lid on the middle section to see how high the temp gets with just the top vent open. You can open the other two bottom vents to help get the temp up quicker and then shut them once you get to temp to help your controller maintain temp if it is important to maintain a certain temp, but you probably can leave them closed from the beginning as well if you will use your fan since your fan will probably supply enough air. Once you get to your high target temp, if the temp keeps rising with the fan off and the other two bottom vents closed, then you can shut the top vent down a little to try to control the temp....but never close it. Just start by shutting it by a 1/4 (to 3/4 open) and then go to 2/3 open if needed. If you can't get the temps up to target with just the top vent open then offset the lid just a touch and once the temps get up to target then set the lid back in place and leave the top vent open to see if it will hold it there.

Kg
 
Thanksgiving 2107 - Used the Flame Boss in 42 degree weather. This time I had complete success maintaining 325 with the Flame Boss. This time I filled the charcoal ring of my22inch WSM to the top and waited for all the coals to turn gray.
 
KeithG said:
In order to get higher temps with the WSM you need more air/smoke flow to exhaust from the WSM. You have plenty of air being pushed into the WSM from the fan, but you are not providing enough openings to exhaust the air/smoke from the WSM. Some people who do high heat on the WSM add another top lid vent to help with this. What I do is use the upside down access door trick to crack open the access door and it provides a lot of exhaust to stoke the fire. (of course this won't work if you have a WSM with a round access hole) Another way you can provide more exhaust is to offset the lid some so it doesn't sit flush with the top of the middle section, which will allow air/smoke to escape but not too much so that you get most of the smoke to go over the food.

Good luck,
Kg
Click to expand...

I agree.

Exhaust is the key. I installed an extra vent in the 18.5" and now high heat for poultry is easy. Ditching the water pan entirely and using direct heat on the top grate only makes good crispy chicken cooked in an hour or so.
 
9/1/18. Decided to smoke an 11 lb brisket overnight. Filled ring. Put 20 burning coals on top with a few pieces of apple wood. Put meat on at 10pm. Only top vent open a little. Flame Boss set for 225. Lid propped up a little by probe wires. Checked at 5am. Pit temp 195, meat 135. Foolishly failed to look in coal chamber. Opened up top vent all the way. Went in for breakfast. Checked at 6. Looked in coal chamber. Mostly ashes. ***? Fired up two chimneys. Threw them in with some more charcoal (Kingsford Original). Checked an hour later. Pit temp 295. Meat 235. Took it off. Sliced on a piece from the tip. It was delicious but clearly done for a while. I don't know the condition of the rest. Wrapped it up and put in in the box for consumption hours from now. Obviously smoked at too high a temperature over night. Had a similar failure with salmon in broad daylight. The Flame Boss showed a lower pit temp than the lid thermometer and I believed the Flame Boss. Salmon was done way too early. It was tasty grilled salmon but not smoked. Very discouraged.

PS. The brisket was not at all bad. I used the Memphis Magic sauce from the Smoke and Spice BBQ book. Although i am still convinced that the pit temp reading is incorrect on the Flame Boss due to a defective probe or something else, I discovered that my lid thermometer needle is resting on 125.
 
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