How much charcoal / wood?


 
J

Josh Lessard

New member
Hey guys. When I get my 18.5" WSM on the 27th, the first thing I'm going to try smoking is a couple racks of ribs. I'm going to try following Harry Soo's recipe for Amazing St. Louis Spare Ribs (http://slapyodaddybbq.com/Recipes.html). A few questions for those of you in the know:

1) I'm going to use Maple Leaf charcoal briquettes. Any idea how much charcoal I should use (using the Weber Chimney Starter as a measuring cup)?

2) Most recipes I've seen call for wood chunks, but Harry's calls for wood chips. Any advantage to using one over the other?

3) How many wood chunks / wood chips would you use for this recipe?

Thanks everyone. Can't wait to get my WSM!
 
I don't use the chimney as a guide, I just fill up the ring with charcoal and then remove 8-10 to fire off my minion start. For ribs you'll have too much fuel (I cook my ribs for ~6 hours), but just close the vents on the cooker and re-use the charcoal the next time you fire up the cooker.

I usually use 5-6 good sized chunks of wood, interspersed near the top of the coals. I know some people use chips, but I find they burn out way too fast and won't give you a decent length of smoke. Using chunks you don't have to soak them and they burn for a pretty good length of time in the WSM.

There are a few posts about turning over the middle section of the WSM when not in use that you should search for and read to make sure your charcoal doesn't get wet between cooks, I learned that lesson the hard way!!
 
Coal wise im with stuart...But i use less wood. Maby 2 fist sized chunks.(in volume)(apple Or oak)

But my chunks is smaller then a fist.
 
Josh,

Congrats on the WSM!

For my ribs I use the Minion Method. Coffee can in the center of the grate, and about a chimney and a half of charcoal around the can. I mix in 3-4 fist size chunks of wood. I then use about a quarter full chimney of lit coals to fill the coffee can, remove the can with a pair of tongs, and then let her get up to temp. A little more work but I try to only use what I need.

I think the wood chunks will give more smoke as well as another source of heat. Good luck!
 
I prefer chunks but have used both (sometimes combined...I had hickory chunks and apple chips one time) and had success. When I use chips I just make sure and scatter them throughout the ring, so they burn up a little at a time, and keep the smoke going. I also use Minion as described by an earlier post.
 
Too many variables to simply say how much wood to use. For instance, ounce for ounce, nutwoods probably smoke THREE times longer than fruitwoods...maybe more since the wood is so much more dense. Also, cook with water over a hot fire and you can probably use twice as much wood than if using a dry pan and simply laying wood on top of a few lit briquettes.

For ribs and chicken I'll split my fist-sized pecan chunks in half and bury a half in the coals in front of each vent. You want sweet smoke when the meat goes on but not flaming chunks, and it takes a bit of practice, but that's what makes it fun. Lighting with the weedburning torch makese it easier for me.

I had sweet pecan smoke wafting from the time I put my ribs on last night til when I pulled them off and they weren't oversmoked in the least. Bare bones all over the place told the tale.
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I also use Maple Leaf Briquettes ... full charcoal ring unlit with anywhere from 10 to 16 lit coals will get me consistent 225 to 250 temperatures for up to 14 hours ... currently on hour 11 of a picnic roast.
 
Most agree with me that chunks are better in the wsm which is great for long smokes. With chips you have to soak them so they do not burn up too fast or use a foil packet or smoker box.. With chunks you just dig in the bag and grab a few and throw them on and they last to give the slow smoked flavor we all love!
 
Originally posted by Stuart S:
I don't use the chimney as a guide, I just fill up the ring with charcoal and then remove 8-10 to fire off my minion start.
Click to expand...

And 8-10 unlit briquettes spread on top of a full ring of unlit briquettes is enough to get a good hot (275-300) fire going? How long would it usually take to get up that high?

And if I want a lower temp for, say, smoked jerk chicken (225), then I would simply start closing the vents earlier?

...but just close the vents on the cooker and re-use the charcoal the next time you fire up the cooker.
Click to expand...

I had no idea you could reuse unburned briquettes from one cooking in a future cooking session. What about removing the ash? Do you remove the unburned fuel from the ring (once it's cooled down) and dump the ash, then put the unburned fuel back in the ring?

There are a few posts about turning over the middle section of the WSM when not in use that you should search for and read to make sure your charcoal doesn't get wet between cooks, I learned that lesson the hard way!!
Click to expand...

I did a forum-wide search and couldn't find the messages you're referring to. Would you happen to have a link to the thread, or know what board it's on?

Thanks a lot.
 
Originally posted by Derek Stapleton:
I also use Maple Leaf Briquettes ... full charcoal ring unlit with anywhere from 10 to 16 lit coals will get me consistent 225 to 250 temperatures for up to 14 hours ... currently on hour 11 of a picnic roast.
Click to expand...

Are you able to go higher than 250 using your method? Just wondering because Harry Soo's rib recipe calls for 275-300.

Thanks.
 
Hi Josh,

Sorry for the delay in responses - was travelling for the holidays and had fairly limited access to something I could type on. I honestly haven't read the Harry Soo method for the side ribs. Just checking my notes from the last time I did them, I used the minion method, 12-16 lit coals spread across the top of a full charcoal ring. I held temperatures of 250 to 280 for 6 hours before shutting everything down. See results here: Side Ribs

So, yes, minion method will work for temperatures around 275 degrees. Play around with it ... enjoy yourself ... and remember - this isn't work - it is FUN!!!

Have a great one. Time to go prep the back ribs and beans ...
 
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