High Heat cooking on WSM


 
J

Jim Smithson

TVWBB Fan
I am curious how most get a high heat 4-5 hr cook going on their WSM with or without a Stoker/Guru.

I just started my 2nd HH cook (brisket) with my Stoker. I use the clay saucer, no water. I added 20 coals to a full ring of Rancher. I kept the door off until the temp was at 270...then I put the door on. The temp immediately stopped climbing and actually dropped. SO, I have it propped open an inch or so and the temp is now climbing again. I suspect both there are not enough coals lit to keep the fire going hot and the clay saucer isnt up to temp yet. Not sure if I am ever going to be able to close the door and keep 325+ going.

Experience here? Is the door always propped? Do you add a larger amount of lit coals at the beginning? I want the full ring to last the 4-5 hrs...so I went easy on the coals.

I just checked, up to 300F and climbing..so far so good.
 
Jim,

I leave out the clay saucer and have only a small amount of unlit in the bottom of the ring and then pour on a whole chimney full of lit. With just the empty water pan only it will heat up quicker and hold higher temps for me anyway.

Randy
 
Jim,
If you are going to cook high temps I would first let it get to your target temp then start closing the vents down. Doing it this way will let you stay near your target temp vs try to get it up slowly with the vents closed.

I did chicken like this last night and I maintained 350 quite easily using this method. I never had to prop the door open. As for the coals, depending on how long you plan to cook will determine the best method. The minion method with 20 -30 lit coals, letting it rise in temp before shutting the vents will let you maintain a stable high temp for long periods.
 
I do not see the need for a saucer in a high heat cook. It acts as a heat sink, not something one wants for high temps.

I simply use an empty pan. I Minion most high heat cooks where a smoke ring is desired (briskets, some chucks, some pork roasts, etc.), and simply start with a bit more lit. All vents open of course.

I rarely do whole fowl in the WSM, preferring a kettle, as I prefer cook temps of 400-500, depending on the bird and its size. I do smoke duck and turkey breasts in the WSM though and usually just Standard the start.
 
Well, I have not had an issue holding temps over 300F. In fact, the Stoker fan hardly runs..but I do have to have the door propped open about 1 inch...if I close it, the temps drop quickly. so just balancing door open/closed to keep temps approx 300-350.

This 11lb brisket has been plateaued for some time...the probe (in the flat) has been over 160 for 1.5 hrs but still less than 170F (when I will foil it and remove the probe). Been a total of 3 hrs at 300F+ at this point...expected to be over 170F by now. Each one is different I suppose.
 
Contrary to Kevin's experience, we had one take over 6 hours to "not quite done" tenderness at Sparta a couple of weeks ago. It was a 12 lb'r that took 4 hours to get to the 170º range. Temp on the WSM ran about 325º - 350º at the lid. At least it took 7th in the competition. I guess meat is meat.
 
Jim,

I do high heat cooks regularly.

Propping the door open is normal. I use a split log that has a couple of notches that gives me 1/2" to a little over an inch.

However, last week at the UCF/Texas game I did not need a propped door (sunny, and 95).

I use a base of unlit lump and about 3/4 of a lit weber chimney to get going. The key IMO, is to not assemble the wsm until the lit chimney has engaged with the unlit.
 
Well, no real issues with the cook today.

It took about 4 hrs to get to 170F, then I foiled and checked at 1hr..still some resistance..so 30 mins later, it was good to go. very slight resistance.

I wrapped in towels and put in microwave for about 1.5 hrs before serving.

i was surprised at ZERO juice in the foil. I did notice when I checked at the 1 hr point after foiling that one end was open..so it was not foiled tightly.

Meat was fairly moist...more moist than my past tries but got dry fairly quickly as it sat on the serving plate. Sauce solved that.

I did shred some of the point and the family liked the mix of slices and some pulled.

All in all, successful and good.
 
Hi Jim,

Glad to hear your cook went well.

I don't use any kind of stoker or guru and have held lid temps 375 no problem with the door closed.

The last time I did HH, I was going for 350 for 3 hours doing two 6-lbs bone-in turkey breasts. I lit a full chimney and dumped it in. I filled up another full chimney and dumped it in unlit right on top. I did not assemble the WSM until all the charcoal was ashed over, probably another 20-30 minutes later. When I assembled the WSM, my lid temp was 400 degress in about 2 minutes. I did not have the food on yet. I closed all vents down and waited about 10-15 minutes to snuff the coals a bit, and then was able to easily hold 350 at the grate, 375 at the lid for 3 hours with lid vent at 100%, three bottom vents probably 25% avg. I put the turkey on after it stabilized at 375 lid. This much lit charcoal was probably overkill, but it was a cool, rainy day and I was on a schedule so I didn't want to chance it.

If was going to try to get more mileage out of the coals, like 4 or 5 hours, I'd dump the chimney of unlit in first on the bottom, then a full lit on top and assemble right away. With all vents open, one full chimney of lit will still easily get you up into the 300's pretty quick, 5-10 minutes maybe (no food in it yet), and the total of the 2 chimney's done this way will burn for 4-5 hours. Worst case, you might have to light 20 more briqs 4 hours later and carefully put them through the door (I use a litle fireplace shovel).

Todd
 
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