How long has your WSM run?


 
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f.j. tedford

TVWBB Fan
Just wondering how long some others have had their WSM's hold cooking temps? I cooked an overnight brisket starting at 11pm Friday using the Minion method. The charcoal ring was full and I added 17 lit briquettes and two very large oak chunks already charred plus two pecan chunks. This was a waterless cook most of the way with a heavy pizza stone for the heat sink. The water pan was just there for drippings and making a broth. The WSM still read 250 at the lid at 11pm Saturday night. There were only about five small coals left on the grate by then an a bed of glowing embers in the bowl.

I added no fuel during this cook! I just added two pecan chunks after about nine hours and a little water and a soup bone to the water pan drippings to make a smokey broth for the sauce. This was drained off after about 3 hours or so.

I've had the WSM crank for up to 16 hours before without adding fuel. This 24hr run is the longest so far and really surprised me. I quit checking after 11pm Saturday night. Temps were extremely stable during this cook holding rock steady at 245 to 250. The vents were set at 10%-0%-0% most of the way. By 11pm saturday night the vent was at 50%-50%-0%.

I wonder why Weber does not change their instruction manual to include the Minion method. Is it the unlit charcoal objection some folks have? I just can't believe how well the WSM holds temperatures and I never really expected it to perform as well as it has. Of course, a lot of that satifaction is due to the tips and facts provided on VWBB. A big thanks to Chris A.

BTW the brisket was great.
 
fj,

Glad the brisket turned out good. I used the Minion method for the first time last week on a 10 lb. shoulder. My cook lasted 13 hours and I had to add about 20-25 brickets about 8 hours into the cook. This was probably due to overnights temps between 55-60 degrees and not putting enough unlit in the fire ring to start with.

Next time I'll fill the ring to the top with unlit and add a full chimney on top of that.

George(moe)
 
George,
It has been my experience that adding more lit coals at the beginning will not extend your cooking time,in fact it will do the direct opposite.

The beauty of the Minion method is that it slowly ignites the other coals in the bowl. Adding more lit coals just provides more burning material to ignite more unlit material. Hmmm-does that make sense?

Also from experience, the two factors that most directly influence the cooking time is the wind and the quality of your charcoal.

If it gets windy--and it often does overnight while we are fast asleep thinking all is well--that will cut down the time considerably--and we may never know about it as by the time we get up, it has exhausted most of the fuel and is cooling down. One precaution, especially if you are cooking with one or more lower vents open, is to provide some type of wind block--even if not windy. I use my other WSM, or a smokey joe kettle--just the right height to block a vent from the wind.

As for quality of charcoal, I believe that some brands are better than others but I have no scientific proof. I tend to buy Kingsford cause that is readily available at Sam's. The quality I am talking about also refers to the moisture content. I am not sure what is ideal but the right balance means a more even and long-lasting cook. Too wet and you never get a hot fire. Too dry, and I suspect it burns faster, and probably hotter.

anyway, just a couple things to consider. If I were betting, I would blame an overnight wind. It has caught me more than once. I put on a butt a couple months ago (during Chicago winter) around 11pm and at 6am when I got up to check it, the meat was at 205 and the charcoal was nearly all gone. Wind was the culprit, based on the garbage can lids I saw in the street.

Dale
 
Dale,

Thanks for the additional info. You seem to have touched on my problem. I used a full chimney of lit coals on top. I probably should have used 1/2 to 3/4 of a chimney of lit with more unlit below to induce a slower burn. I used Kingsford. Last weekend was fairly windy in the NE so that may have cause some problems as well. Now I have a better plan for the next overnighter. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Thanks,
George(moe)
 
George,
As strange as it seems, I start with only 12-15 lit charcoal in a full ring, assemble the cooker with cold water in the pan, put in a full packer cut brisket right out of the fridge (having trimmed and rubbed it earlier) and then toss in a couple pieces of oak (or whatever wood you prefer)and pull off that brisket about 18 hours later, all the while maintaining between 225-240 at the dome. (I do baste, rotate and turn the meat every 4 hours and add hot water to the pan as needed)

I THINK that starting with a relatively cold smoker helps produce a more pronounced smoke ring in the meat. And the Minion method is perfect for doing that.

Dale
 
I did a 7lb Mr. Brown pork butt over the weekend. Started the WSM up at 6:30am with the Minion method and took the meat off at 7:00pm, nevering having to add any fuel all day. I used about 1/4 chimney of lit Kingsford to start off on top of a full ring of unlit charcoal. I checked the WSM at about 10:00pm and the Polder still read 225 after 15.5 hours. It's quite amazing how great the WSM runs and the pork was awesome.
 
Can I ask, how exactly do you folks introduce more charcoal during a cook? When I tried this some time back I fired it up in the charcoal starter. Once it got burning well, I added it in piece by piece through the door. Seemed too time consuming having the door off that long. Thanks for any help, eventually I'll get this figured out! :)

Connie
 
Connie,
The way you described works well. I also have added charcoal by lifting up the entire top section, including the dome and adding the charcoal. You just have to be careful not so spill the water. I usually do it before replenishing the water--so it might already be near empty.

Dale
 
You can also use the access door as a ramp. Take the door off, and lay it flat in the opening. Slowly pour the lit charcoal on the door and it should land in the charcoal ring. This method will save you the trouble of disassembling the WSM, but be very careful of your feet when pouring !! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
 
I've heard of people using a small fireplace shovel. During the few times I've had to do this, I've just used tongs through the access door.

Regards,
Chris
 
Well I am adapting the Minion method to my Klose. Having watched Jim cook and experimenting here are my observations. Less lit charcoal is better, 1/2 Chimney or less. If you let it get too much air from the bottom damper it will run away, the top damper runs wide open. Gray not fire breathing red coals work better. I dump my half full weber chimney into a totally closed damper Weber Smokey Joe for 5 minutes to calm it down, Jim does not do that but the WSM has better air tightness than my offsets.

For precise handling of Charcoal I like the very long handle salad tongs. You can find them at Dick's on 1st avenue in Seattle. Be warned Dick's can be a very expensive trip because the prices are so good /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
 
Old Dave showed me how to add handles to the sides of the WSM. You can use the existing holes where the grates are drilled. This has been about the best mod I have ever seen. Now, I can lift the entire top section to get at the coals, for whatever reason.

I believe Chris may have this somewhere on this site.
 
I just read on the BBQ forum that Ray made a charcoal/water gutter out of an 8"x20" piece of aluminum folded into a V.

He says he can slide the charcoal right into the center of the ring.

Darren
 
Just reading this thread and I am thinking how handy a 24" lenght of unpainted metal rain gutter would be to add coals and water!

Allan
 
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