set up is a wsm 22.5 guru dxII, bottom vents closed, top vent was 2 probes wide lets say 1/4" outside temp 24 degrees Now was first time use for a atc. everything fine took about an hour and fifteen to get to temps 225 minion start full ring k blue 15 briquets hot into center 6 chunks apple mixed throughout. two shoulders on 1 gal water in foiled pan.( usually dry foiled only) read about blower output by counting the warble. stayed at 7 blips 70%. meat went on around 7:40 and it is now 9:02 so thirteen hours plus very steady temps is it because of the outside temps that the blower runs at such a higher rate or is the unit working as it should. grill is pretty tight i modded door with hammer and dolly and seals well.from what i read things seem good but i have found posts of this set up with similliar outside ambient temps and blower output was much lower opened door fifteen min ago plenty of fuel left and burning even.
guru fan cycling question
- Thread starter G.Siek
- Start date
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Water or any other heat sink is not necessary - and imo should be avoided - when using an ATC. Your blower will work harder, i.e., cycle on for longer and more often, as it is trying to compensate for the heat sink. Once temp is reached it should cycle on for brief times - like one second - every 6-8 seconds or so - at the most. Less often if temp is achieved and ambient conditions suggest otherwise.
I was under that line of thought as well thank you just settling a neighborly smoker debate. i dont use water but this is for a neighbor. i,m cooking two butts same fuel, same smokers, same rub, just on with water one without. i could never tell a difference. but im just a backyard q,er our smoker does run about three days a week mostly fish and turkey kids love it. so well see so far i can see why people like the atc for overnights ill always own from here on out. i was on the fence for a long time about buying one. bought the guru and am very happy with it so far just a small learning curve to overcome but they sure do make it easy. seems to be better on fuel than without.
I have a black box stoker on the way. to use at work ill be away from it all day and the wireless tweets were a selling point for me.
I have a black box stoker on the way. to use at work ill be away from it all day and the wireless tweets were a selling point for me.
Morrey Thomas
TVWBB Super Fan
Agree with Kevin that while you use an ATC, you will have no need for water, clay saucers, sand etc. in your pan. Just foil the pan and let 'er go at that. Using heat sinks such as water defeats the purpose of having an ATC to start with and can make the controller pulse more often which may result in temp swings.
The modulation or pulses of the Guru controller will vary during the cook. If it senses a ramp in temp it will slow down the pulses, conversely, it increases the pulses if temps are trying to decline. At the end of the life of your coals, you will note the Guru pulsing almost continually w/o stopping. This indicates you should add coals or refuel if you need to keep cooking.
The modulation or pulses of the Guru controller will vary during the cook. If it senses a ramp in temp it will slow down the pulses, conversely, it increases the pulses if temps are trying to decline. At the end of the life of your coals, you will note the Guru pulsing almost continually w/o stopping. This indicates you should add coals or refuel if you need to keep cooking.
Long time Guru user (on an 18" WSM). I'm with Kevin. Water in the pan has no affect on the end result with or without an ATC.
Water in the pan doesn't add moisture or flavoring in any way to the food being cooked IMHO.
After about a year of using the WSM I simply moved to just the foiled pan (easier cleanup). Whether I'm using the ATC or not.
The water slows things down and reduces swings in temps as you are learning fire and vent control, etc. It acts as a ballast. It can also increase fuel consumption for the same reason the blower is working harder on the ATC. You are expending fuel and energy to get the water up to temp. And if you over shoot the water will slow down the ability to correct/bring temps down.
It will make any ATC work harder.
For the ATC - definitely dry pan only.
I do not wait for the WSM to come up to temp before adding the food. I load the ring, add the minion, start the ATC then load on the food once it's prepped. The food itself is a ballast/sink. Best in my opinion to let it come up to temp along with everything else.
Water in the pan doesn't add moisture or flavoring in any way to the food being cooked IMHO.
After about a year of using the WSM I simply moved to just the foiled pan (easier cleanup). Whether I'm using the ATC or not.
The water slows things down and reduces swings in temps as you are learning fire and vent control, etc. It acts as a ballast. It can also increase fuel consumption for the same reason the blower is working harder on the ATC. You are expending fuel and energy to get the water up to temp. And if you over shoot the water will slow down the ability to correct/bring temps down.
It will make any ATC work harder.
For the ATC - definitely dry pan only.
I do not wait for the WSM to come up to temp before adding the food. I load the ring, add the minion, start the ATC then load on the food once it's prepped. The food itself is a ballast/sink. Best in my opinion to let it come up to temp along with everything else.
Morrey Thomas
TVWBB Super Fan
Same here Ray. I put food on at same time I minion start WSM. My mom taught me to make a cold oven pound cake where everything comes to temp together to prevent "shocking" the batter. Same with the WSM as it lets all warm up together instead of shocking the meat.
Hey Morrey!
Hmm, will need to give it a try with my favorite pound cake recipe next time to see if there's a difference. Kind of makes sense if you are looking for even cooking if the food comes up to temp slowly.
Fits with the idea in a way with how we often will "sear" or "shock" a roast, say a standing rib at high temp to crisp or carmelize the outside first before finishing or completing the cook.
In the end it really doesn't matter if the sear is completed at the start or the end.
For the pound cake, hmmm - got me thinking and wanting to start with loading in the cold oven as you mention then just poke it/prod it periodically for "done".
Will be interested to see what it does to the crumb/texture of the finish.
Thanks for the tip.
*** Sidebar ***
BTW, since you seem to be from the area of the country that loves coconut cake, have you tried Alton Brown's recipe/method? Time consuming but man, now I can't make enough of them - folks keep asking me to make one for their parties. Made 3 or 4 between Thanksgiving/New Years.
Red velvet (which I believe is also a Carolinas favorite) was the request for years. A family recipe on my wife's side for over 40 years.
This coconut one has recently moved up to the top of the list AFA requests.
Hmm, will need to give it a try with my favorite pound cake recipe next time to see if there's a difference. Kind of makes sense if you are looking for even cooking if the food comes up to temp slowly.
Fits with the idea in a way with how we often will "sear" or "shock" a roast, say a standing rib at high temp to crisp or carmelize the outside first before finishing or completing the cook.
In the end it really doesn't matter if the sear is completed at the start or the end.
For the pound cake, hmmm - got me thinking and wanting to start with loading in the cold oven as you mention then just poke it/prod it periodically for "done".
Will be interested to see what it does to the crumb/texture of the finish.
Thanks for the tip.
*** Sidebar ***
BTW, since you seem to be from the area of the country that loves coconut cake, have you tried Alton Brown's recipe/method? Time consuming but man, now I can't make enough of them - folks keep asking me to make one for their parties. Made 3 or 4 between Thanksgiving/New Years.
Red velvet (which I believe is also a Carolinas favorite) was the request for years. A family recipe on my wife's side for over 40 years.
This coconut one has recently moved up to the top of the list AFA requests.
Morrey Thomas
TVWBB Super Fan
Ray;
When you mentioned coconut cake I really perked up! Now we are talking a full meal with some good food on the WSM backed up by great cake! LOL
Do I look up Alton's coconut cake recipe on FoodTV website? I think I'll go on your suggestion and try it.
I often use a reverse sear method believing that meat started slowly will relax the muscle fibers and be more tender. I then sear and caramelize at the end of the cook.
Thanks for the tips Ray.
BTW...cold oven pound cakes start dead cold but you may set your temp at 350 instead of the typical 325. 60-70 minutes in a bundt or tube pan.
When you mentioned coconut cake I really perked up! Now we are talking a full meal with some good food on the WSM backed up by great cake! LOL
Do I look up Alton's coconut cake recipe on FoodTV website? I think I'll go on your suggestion and try it.
I often use a reverse sear method believing that meat started slowly will relax the muscle fibers and be more tender. I then sear and caramelize at the end of the cook.
Thanks for the tips Ray.
BTW...cold oven pound cakes start dead cold but you may set your temp at 350 instead of the typical 325. 60-70 minutes in a bundt or tube pan.