Need help getting high temps in the WSM

[JRM]

I like to cook some things at a high temp. to do this, I light 3 chimneys and fill the ring. sometimes, I will get a lid temp of 340 -360. but sometings it only runs 290 - 310. This is when the outside temp is about the same. What can I do to get the higher temp?

 

[Doug D]

Are you leaving the water pan empty? If not, you need to try that. If so, it may be the mass of what you are cooking keeping you from achieving a higher temp.

Boaz, AL. You know any Smiths-- Art and Jeff?

(Apologies to the forum for violating my own rule of not going off-topic with personal inquiries, but with no Private Messaging currently available...)

 

[JRM]

I have sand in the water pan and all vents open. always cooking the same amount.

 

[Shawn W]

You could try giving your coals more air. When I wish to allow more air in for a time, I undo the access door latch, slide the door up an inch or two then hold it in place by leaning a 2' 2x4 against it. Alternately, there are some recent posts about inverting the access door....

 

[Rick Pruitt]

The first time I used sand in the pan , I had trouble getting the heat down. Doing everything the same ,only using sand. I cut back on the amount of hot coals I start with , and it worked well the next time .

Rick

 

[Jim_W]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JRM:
I like to cook some things at a high temp. to do this, I light 3 chimneys and fill the ring. sometimes, I will get a lid temp of 340 -360. but sometings it only runs 290 - 310. This is when the outside temp is about the same. What can I do to get the higher temp? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Greetings and welcome to a fellow N Alabama WSM'er.

Jim

 

[Cy Robinson]

On the 4th I smoked a 4 lb meatloaf following the procedures in the "cooking topics" section.

Empty water pan lined with foil. Full chimney of 2nd use Kingsford fully lit and half a chimney of unlit on top of that. (Again, 2nd use Kingsford) The temp went up to about 265* and I closed one bottom vent to a little less than 50%. Temp settled and held 340-350* for the full 2 hr cook.

The meatloaf was great and 5 people ate almost the entire 4 lb'r.

Try an empty water pan and wide open vents. The temps should fall right in line.


good luck!

 

[Brian L.]

Just a thought, you might try using lump charcoal. It burns quite a bit hotter than briquettes. It does burn faster though.