Getting the 22" up to heat?


 
S

Stone

TVWBB Super Fan
I've put a full, lit chimney into the 22" and the temp at the top is only about 200*.

It is full of meat, but I'm curious whether there is a trick to getting this thing hotter.
 
22" Kettle or WSM? If the WSM one trick I use is place a skewer between the lid and center section to create more chimney. If it's loaded with food it will take a few min because the food is sucking up all the heat -- which is good.

 
Top vents and bottom open full till you get up to close to temp want then I leave bottom open and adjust top vents closing a little at time till reach desires temp.works for me.I also use full chimney and add as needed to maintain
jerry
 
The built in lid thermo has been known to read 50-75 cooler than actual temps on all WSM's esp with a full load of cold meat.
You could wait awhile and the temp will come up after the meat loses it's cool later in the cook or find something more reliable from the get-go.
I only measure at the top vent with a turkey fryer therm or the mav, some choose grate level to get readings.
The built in is a hood ornament IMO, and I'll occasionally glance at it, but rarely use it.

Tim
 
A full lit chimney is nowhere nears enough to get a 22 WSM hot with a bunch of meat in it. You need more like ten pounds of charcoal and then a lit chimney on top of that, and then only after 30-minutes or so will you get the temp up. For very long cooks you need even more unlit charcoal. A kettle grill is a completely different animal. If that's what you're using then your lid thermometer is broken.
 
I always leave top vent full open and adjust bottom vents to get my desired temp. I never have a problem getting the temp i need even in dead of winter. I have now and then used a Guru only when i have to leave for the day or want to set and forget and sleep all night without any worry. I only light say 15 coals and use minion never a a problem, you do need to get it up to temp before you put the meat on and if its say 6 - 10lb butts shoot for 10-20 degrees above desired temp then put the meat on and it should settle right in.
 
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This is my experience with 22 WSM.
After 9 intese using months I changed something.
I started using always minion method but in the side thin can version. about 15 briquettes lit to start with and let it raise for 1 or 2 hours in advance until it reaches desidered Temp. Then in the past I used only 1 bottom vent (the one just in front of the lit briquettes) and the top exhaust vent. In the past i was used to close partially the top vent to calm down T.
Recently, in the last 2 cooks I changed.
Always the same in the minion method but the vent adjustment has changed. I use 2 opposite bottom vents to raise and mantaine the cooking Temp where I like, while the top vent is wide open always. I looks a better way to control T but I go on studing and trying.
 
thanks everyone. I'm still getting used to the 22" (WSM, not kettle).
I guess I have to smoke more meat to figure it out. But when it's just me and the family, I find it easier to use the 18.5, which is really "set it and forget it".

And I'll pull out my Mavericks, which have retreated to the back of the drawers.
 
Are you using a full pan of water or something else in the pan?

I don't have the 22 but I think the load of meat and the diffusion solution is a part of the entire temp balancing rather than get to temp and throw the meat on then trying to rebalance .
 
Were you using the dome thermometer? If so, I think that's what your problem was. I lit my WSM 22 last night with 10 coals (and a full bag of unlit for the minion method) and had it to 225 in about 15-20 minutes. When I first got my WSM I had issues keeping it under 275-300 until I had a couple of cooks on it and the sides got coated. I know that my dome thermometer is f'd since I walk by it every day and see that it's showing 150+ while it's dry and sitting there, even when the ambient temp outside is only 50.
 
I am kinda late to this thread.
Based off of my 22" WSM, start with a full fire ring of charcoal, don't worry about wasting charcoal you can kill the fire when you are finished and reuse it next time.
I use a foiled water pan, dry, no heat sink.
Light 15 -20 briquettes or if you want high heat faster light more (I use plain ol' Kingsford blue lit in a chimney) poured across the top of the coal bed.
Add wood chunks on top of the lit coals, quickly assemble the WSM and put the meat in immediately.
Start with all vents fully open.
As temperature approaches 20 degrees less than desired temperature close one intake completely.
If temperature stalls open the vent 50% and fine tune accordingly.
If temperature is still rising close second intake completely when temperature is 10 degrees under desired temperature.
If temperature stalls open the vent 50% and fine tune accordingly.
If temperature is still rising close last vent 50-70%.
Depending on how the WSM is responding fine tune accordingly.
You should be able to easily achieve 300+.
When finished cooking close all vents 100%, fire should die.
Give the fire plenty of time to go completely cold before opening the lid because if it is not out it will restart.
Save the left over charcoal and use it for the next cook.
FWIW my WSM is only one week old, I have cooked two chickens and one brisket, I have had no problems controlling the temperature 325 for the chickens and 240 for the brisket.
Measured on the grate with a Maverick thermometer.
 
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