Getting a smoker soon want info

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Guest

Guest
Hey everyone,
Jsut joined this weekend and I am am getting a new wsm in a week or two. Wanting to know the best way to set up fire so replacing coals and wood happens less, and best meat for first smoke. Ive also heard that there are temperature fluctuations that sometimes scare away new smokers. I will not get scared just want some feedback on how your first smoke went.
 
Kevin, you'll find what you need about building your fire here: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/tipsfaq.html

You asked about fuel replacement - I think you'll find that that's not necessary in the WSM unless you're cooking for 18 hours or more. I consistently get a 17 - 18 hour cook on one load of charcoal, when following the "Minion Method" of laying 15 - 20 lit coals on a full ring of unlit charcoal.

For your first cook, look through the "play-by-play" guides found under the "COOKING" link at the top of the page. Any of them will take you step-by-step with pictures. Chris created a valuable guide there.

A week or two gives you plenty of time to read all of the information in COOKING, TIPS AND MODS, and PRODUCT INFO on this site. You'll turn a several-year learning curve into a month or two! Chicken is probably the best short-cooking meat to start with. If you have the patience to do a long cook right out of the box, then a pork butt (Boston Butt, specifically THE RENOWNED MR BROWN recipe) is probably the most forgiving meat to smoke.

Keri C
Smokin on Tulsa Time
 
First off I think the temp fluctuations that your talking about are more on the cheap smokers. That's what I believe scare a lot of people away from smoking meats. They'll use a cheap smoker have ton's of problems holding temps at a decent level. And when they can they need to futs with the fire every 30 minutes or so.
With the WSM this usually will not happen. You realisticly should be able to hold 250f or lower at the cooking grate for very long cooking times. Up to 20 hours some are doing it. With little adjustments.
This would be with using the minioin method. Fill the charcoal ring to the top, Then spread out around 15 to 20 full lit coals on the top of the unlit coals. It will give you a low smoker temp for a very long time. You'll be amazed at how little you'll need to adjust the vents.

For a first meat. If you wanna try a long cook first try a pork shoulder or butt. Or if you wanna go short you could try baby back ribs or spare ribs.

You may notice on your first cook the cooker may run a bit hotter. Mine did. But after that it's been much better as far as temp control goes.
 
Thanks for the reply!
Regarding the minion method. On the website it said that some people get a funny taste from the minion method. Have you found this to be true. I am definately going for the 18 hr cook. Looking forward to it. Im so excited having trouble typing. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
 
Used my new WSM for the first time yesterday. I had no problem holding temps within 15 degrees of 250. Checked temps every half hour and adjusted lower vents as necessary. Many times I had to make no adjustment at all.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KEVIN:
[qb]Regarding the minion method. On the website it said that some people get a funny taste from the minion method.[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>No. There's been some discussion about the smell of fresh lit charcoal briquettes and how it might have an impact on flavor. When using the MM I haven't noticed the "new charcoal" smell during the cooking, only during the initial start-up of the coals in the chimney.
 
Thanks for the feedback!
Cant wait till first smoke!
It anyone one else has any guidance or info please reply information is a great tool for my BBQ /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KEVIN:
[qb]
Regarding the minion method. On the website it said that some people get a funny taste from the minion method. [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Many, many folks have won a lot of awards which are double blind taste tested, using the Minion Method. Just another urban legend.
 
I recently stopped using the Minion method at cookoffs. Instead, I just light one full chimney of charcoal until glowing. It gives me about 4-5 hours of very controllable heat before I need to add another chimney of glowing coals. I just lift off the top, add the coals, let the ash settle down, then replace the top.

My reason--urban legend or not, was that I kept reading about the different gases that were given off by charcoal while it was igniting. It may be a myth, but since switching, I have placed in the top 5 overall in my last 5 competitions. For me, the results speak for themselves.

However, how I light my charcoal, etc is not the only factor, but I do believe it has made a difference. A little more work managing the fire, but, small price to pay for the cash and trophies I have seen lately.

Dale
 
Dale,
Ya think that class in Houston may have helped improve your scores? I know it helped me. Before the class I could not do well with Brisket. This year I've plced first in Brisket twice on the way to RGC and GC. The only time I've ever been able to taste Kingsford was at 7000' at 0f. There was just not enough O2 or heat.

Congrats on Beating Trig when he was on form.

~Konrad
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

 

Back
Top