Fuel Usage with Water
- Thread starter Matt-M
- Start date
I have to add fuel for a brisket,and I Don't use water. So I am sure you will have to add. One big advantage to not using water is you can lifter the center section off without worrying about spilling hot greasy water. of course you can still probably be alright if you time it when the water is very low. I have garage door handles on mine for lifting.
And all that said,there is nothing wrong with just adding through the door. It just takes a little more effort.
"How much" fuel depends on a lot of factors. Type of charcoal,wind,outside temps,size of brisket. And then there is the option of putting it in the oven if you wrap it (I do). That would be a good time to "refuel" if you go that way. I and I believe most folks on here put them back on the smoker for a little while after wrapping. But in reality there is nothing that says you have to do it that way. You could unwrap it and finish it in the oven. They say most all of the smoke is absorbed in the first few hours.
Not sure why,but I hardly ever cook a brisket in the summer. I usually cook them when it's really cold crappy weather. Which obviously takes more fuel.
I have yet to try the "high heat" method. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisket-high-heat/
But you could probably do that without refueling and finishing in the oven. (but you don't put water in the pan) I have yet to try any of Chris's recipes that didn't turn out great. I will probably do the high heat method very soon. And the advice about the foil pan sounds like the way to go to me. 2 and 1/2 hours on the smoker,at 350 and cook the rest of the way in the oven.
Sorry if I am babbling
And all that said,there is nothing wrong with just adding through the door. It just takes a little more effort.
"How much" fuel depends on a lot of factors. Type of charcoal,wind,outside temps,size of brisket. And then there is the option of putting it in the oven if you wrap it (I do). That would be a good time to "refuel" if you go that way. I and I believe most folks on here put them back on the smoker for a little while after wrapping. But in reality there is nothing that says you have to do it that way. You could unwrap it and finish it in the oven. They say most all of the smoke is absorbed in the first few hours.
Not sure why,but I hardly ever cook a brisket in the summer. I usually cook them when it's really cold crappy weather. Which obviously takes more fuel.
I have yet to try the "high heat" method. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisket-high-heat/
But you could probably do that without refueling and finishing in the oven. (but you don't put water in the pan) I have yet to try any of Chris's recipes that didn't turn out great. I will probably do the high heat method very soon. And the advice about the foil pan sounds like the way to go to me. 2 and 1/2 hours on the smoker,at 350 and cook the rest of the way in the oven.
Sorry if I am babbling
Jim C in Denver
TVWBB All-Star
You should have no trouble getting 8+ hours out of a fully loaded WSM 18 with water. For me the difference between water/no water is when and how much charcoal I might need to add the next day.
More relevant to your sleep is having a monitor on the cooker overnight. When you wake up at 4 AM, you want to be able to check the baby monitor on the night stand, confirm that the cooker has not gone out or burst into flame, then roll over and go back to sleep.
More relevant to your sleep is having a monitor on the cooker overnight. When you wake up at 4 AM, you want to be able to check the baby monitor on the night stand, confirm that the cooker has not gone out or burst into flame, then roll over and go back to sleep.
J Grotz
TVWBB Wizard
I had an older model 18 with the shallow water pan so I could make a heaping pile in the charcoal chamber. If I needed to add coals, it was very late in the cook; so I never had to get up to add them during the overnight time period. I know the newer water pan is almost right on top of the charcoal chamber, but I would think you would still be able to get 8 hours out of it and get some sleep.
If you add boiling water to the water pan, the fuel consumption difference is negligible in my experience. After experimenting, I found a long spout watering can was the easiest and safest way to fill the pan.
If you add boiling water to the water pan, the fuel consumption difference is negligible in my experience. After experimenting, I found a long spout watering can was the easiest and safest way to fill the pan.
Mark Foreman
TVWBB Wizard
I use water But only fill the pan half full. I add more later.
This last July I did a 16lb after trimming brisket in my 22 WSM with a BBQ Guru Digi Q 3 set to 240 degrees. Started with a full water pan, and a heaping full load of KBB briquettes. Total cook time start till probe tender was almost 13 hours, no wrap. I did not have to refuel. In fact I had probably another hour hour and a half of cook time left in fuel. I did add more water about 7 hours into the cook, when I got up.