New WSM 22.5in and first cook


 

Tony-n-TN

New member
I been using a Weber Performer for a few years(love it). Made the jump and got me a WSM 22.5in. My first cook-- think I bit off more than I should have or rather a mixture of meats lean to fat. Used KBB charcoal, and a full water tray, 15 boneless/skinless chicken breast, 20wing dummets, 4 thick cut pork chops and about 10country style ribs. Now during this cook I also had 2 digital thermometers fail. I have since order a Maverick 732 and instant read. Probably going to get another maverick for the lower grate next month. Anyway cook took way to long lid temp was reading not very good with Weber stock lid thermometer. Then the digital thermometer I was using for top grate temp I realized had failed...I took it in the house to cool down. Even after running probe under cold tap water it still read 288-325. The other thermometer kept reading 125 in the chicken breast for way to long. Checked it with another digital I had and meat was at 160 in all be 3 of the breast the other 3 were at 155-157. Ended up wrapping everything continuing the cook and finished in the oven. All meat turned out very tasty but drier than I wanted, the wings the exception fall off the bone and no sauce needed(seasoned with black pepper, garlic pwdr, onion pwdr, and little salt). Pork chops Ribs Chicken I had added a Rub ENDS were way to dry but about a 1/4in the meat was tastey and moist.

Bad thing due to the lid thermometer not reading accurate and my digi thermo failures I really don't know just what my temp cooks were. Salvage a cook yes...get my new equipment for monitoring...gonna make the cooks good.
 
Sounds like you had a rough time. That does seem like an ambitious first cook. I just did one whole chicken for mine. Sounds like you've got a good attitude about it all, that's good. I'm sure once you get some new thermometers you'll be up and running.
 
Tony, the lid thermometer was (most likely) reading accurately and indicating the temperature at it's location. The accuracy can be checked by doing both an Ice Bath test and a Boiling Water test. Sometimes the lid thermometer do fail, but not normally.

It all about location.
 
Smoking cuts of meat that are usually grilled can be hard. They are usually small, thin, and dry out faster than a big hunk of meat.
 
Yeah I have smoked and grilled lots for boneless/skinless chicken and pork tenderloins. But I always had a good handle on my grill/smoker before. Thought about that after I bought all the meat and having not cooked on the WSM 22, but did it anyway. Everything as I said turned out tastey fairly moist I just didn't like the color and additional dryness. So next cook 1 will have good working monitoring equipment 2 pick more of the same type of meat lean to fat ratio. But the wing dummets were like LAYS-- will definitely do more of those and add some heat via spice or use a wing sauce after for coating.
 
Tony, the lid thermometer was (most likely) reading accurately and indicating the temperature at it's location. The accuracy can be checked by doing both an Ice Bath test and a Boiling Water test. Sometimes the lid thermometer do fail, but not normally.

It all about location.

The lid was reading 200-215 but the vent was reading 315-325, I backed the bottom vents off and checked later lid was about 160-165 and vent was reading 225-240. But yes I am going to do the Ice bath and boiling water bath for the lid thermometer and my new maverick 732 and thermapen when they come in.
 

 

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