Keeping a WSM going for 20+ hours

[Chris Conway]

I'm currently smoking a massive 14 lb. pork shoulder (butt + picnic, bone-in) in my 18.5" old-school WSM. With this much meat, I'm expecting to go anywhere from 20-30 hours.

On previous cooks using the Minion Method, I've had to add coals after about 12 hours. But 20 hot coals is only gooses the heat for a few hours, I don't think it will be sufficient for a 20+ hour cook.

What do you suggest? Add 20 or so hot coals every few hours after the 12 hour mark? Add unlit coals as well as hot coals to extend Minion-style lighting? Or is such a long cook a capital-B Bad Idea in a WSM?

 

[Jim Lampe]

welcome to the forum chris, what temp are you cookin' this at?
are you using water in the bowl?
what type of fuel are you using? Briqs or lump? and, are you out of the wind?

under normal temps and conditions (250-275ºF , no wind or rain and no water in the bowl), a 14 pound cook would go about 20 to 22 hours here.

 

[Chris Conway]

Oops, I skipped all the important details, huh? I'm cooking at 225-250, full pan of water, Kingsford briquettes. I started by the Minion Method with a full-to-overflowing chamber and 20 lit coals. The overnight low is going to be in the 50s and there's no wind.

 

[Larry D.]

I've never tried to go 20 hours. But on cooks that go beyond my initial load of charcoal, once the temperature starts to drop, I do the "hot squat" method - push the remaining lit coals over to one side, then refill the charcoal ring. This basically gives me a new Minion Method start, with the last coals from the first load starting the added charcoal.

 

[LarryR]

This won't help for future cooks but if you're looking for long burn times (I've done 20+ hours without adding coals) lose the water pan, get a clay saucer and pickup some Rancher or good lump and make sure you pack it in tightly.

Now on the cook you're currently on. I'd let the water pan run dry and dump in a bunch of unlit around the 10 hour mark. That will probably last you through your entire cook.

 

[Chris Conway]

Thanks all for the emergency tips. I've always run the WSM with a full water pan and never even thought about doing otherwise. But obviously heating the water is going to consume fuel (d'oh) and my big, very fatty pork shoulder doesn't need the extra moisture. I'm going to take LarryR's advice and let the pan dry out.

Nine hours in. Just about time for some fresh coals. ;-)

 

[Chris Conway]

Well I'll be ****ed, it only took 13 hours to hit 195 degrees... All my careful planning to have it ready in the early evening, at the latest, and here I am wrapping up a fully cooked shoulder at 4:00 AM.

 

[LarryR]

A 14 lb shouluder in 13 hours? And you were running 225 - 250? I'd check that therm. you were using to monitor temps. Me thinks it reads about 50 degrees low.

 

[Jim Lampe]

in my experiences, butts can be very unpredictable... and because of that, i usually (always) do not have a plan, i just let it run it's course and enjoy it when it's all done.

Enjoy yours Chris!

 

[JimH TX]

When I use water in the pan I use the hottest water I can get from the tap. It saves time and charcoal.

 

[Chris Conway]

Thanks everybody for the tips. The pork turned out great!

LarryR, I agree that the temperature readings are a bit fishy. I rely on a small dial thermometer at the lid. But I've had plenty of cooks that went on much longer than I expected; I don't think the smoker runs systematically hot. I think this was just a fluky cut of meat.

 

[Dave Russell]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JimH:
When I use water in the pan I use the hottest water I can get from the tap. It saves time and charcoal. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Amen, and if convenient, boiling water gets up to temp even quicker. I learned real quick from tips on this site and experience that putting a bunch of cold meat on with a pan full of cold water is a real test in patience. Know what they say about a watched pot (or gauge)?

 

[Mike R. (Heyworth)]

Your 13 hours doesn't sound terribly odd to me. I did two 8 pounders on Friday night/Sat morning and they were done right at the 13 hour mark as well, and I started with cold water in the pan since I was wanting some sleep and a longer ramp-up in temps. With butts, it just seems that each one is a little different.

I also don't monitor my temps real closely, I'm more of a "range" guy, in that as long as it's between 225-275, i'm happy and don't mess with anything.